BERLIN: The state finance minister of Germany’s Hesse region, which includes Frankfurt, has been found dead. Authorities said he appears to have killed himself and the state’s governor suggested Sunday that he was in despair over the fallout from the coronavirus crisis.
The body of Thomas Schaefer, a 54-year-old member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, was found Saturday on railway tracks at Hochheim, near Frankfurt.
Police and prosecutors said that factors including questioning of witnesses and their own observations at the scene led them to conclude that Schaefer killed himself.
State governor Volker Bouffier linked Schaefer’s death to the virus crisis on Sunday.
Bouffier said Schaefer was worried about “whether it would be possible to succeed in fulfilling the population’s huge expectations, particularly of financial help.”
“I have to assume that these worries overwhelmed him,” Bouffier said. “He apparently couldn’t find a way out. He was in despair and left us.”
Germany’s federal and state governments have drawn up huge aid packages to cushion the blow of largely shutting down public life to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Schaefer had been Hesse’s state finance minister for a decade.
Death of German finance official linked to virus crisis
Death of German finance official linked to virus crisis
- State governor Volker Bouffier linked Schaefer’s death to the virus crisis on Sunday
Pakistani says security of Chinese nationals enhanced after deadly attack
- Pakistan’s foreign office says the government fully understands Chinese security concerns after the attack
- It points out Pakistan has built a fence, introduced one document regime to secure its border with Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office said on Thursday the government has further enhanced the security of Chinese nationals only days after a deadly suicide bombing killed five of them along with their Pakistani driver in the country’s volatile northwest.
The incident took place in Shangla, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into the vehicle of Chinese engineers and construction workers on Tuesday.
The attack occurred in an area vital to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which encompasses various mega projects crucial for Pakistan’s economy. The victims were en route to Dasu Dam, Pakistan’s largest hydropower project, when they were targeted.
“I can reassure you that Pakistan has further enhanced the security of Chinese nationals,” foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters in a weekly media briefing in Islamabad.
She said both Pakistani and Chinese governments were in contact after the tragic incident on March 26, adding they were fully committed to bringing the terrorists, along with their facilitators and abettors, to justice.
“At this point, we are focusing on investigating the terror attack and ensuring that the dead bodies of the deceased are transported to their home country,” she added. “This is the first priority at this stage.”
Asked about the security concerns raised by the Chinese officials following the attack, Baloch said the Pakistani government fully understood their concerns.
“We are engaged with the Chinese officials at very senior level to discuss the arrangements for the safety of Chinese nationals and for the investigation of this particular terror incident,” she informed.
The foreign office spokesperson said Pakistan would continue to work with the Chinese authorities to ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in Pakistan.
“We have no doubt that the … terror attack [in Shangla] was orchestrated by the enemies of Pakistan-China friendship and together, we will resolutely act against all such forces and defeat them,” she emphasized.
In response to a question regarding Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif’s statement regarding the necessity for stronger border controls between Pakistan and Afghanistan, she clarified he was elaborating measures already taken by Pakistan to regulate travel between the two neighboring countries.
“Pakistan-Afghanistan border is an important border, and Pakistan has, over time, taken several measures to secure the border, including erecting a fence along the border,” she continued.
“Pakistan has also introduced one document regime under which individuals can travel to Pakistan on the basis of valid visas on their passports,” Baloch added.
NEOM CEO lands in top 3 of Forbes’ Real Estate Leaders list
RIYADH: NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr has been ranked third in Forbes Middle East’s “Most Impactful Real Estate Leaders” list, underlining the Kingdom's prominence in the sector.
The giga-project chief was placed beneath Mohamed Al-Abbar from the UAE-based Emaar Properties, Talal Al Dhiyebi from Abu Dhabi-headquartered Talal Al-Dhiyebi.
The Kingdom saw the second most entries on the list, with 23 Saudis landing on the publication’s ranking.
This is a testament to the major investments the nation has made in its real estate sector, a statement from Forbes noted.
“Governments, corporates, and semi-government developers are investing in real estate projects throughout the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE. These projects are giving a huge boost to the regional construction sector, which also has a positive outlook over the next few years,” the statement said.
UAE, Japan to develop industrial steam and electricity cogeneration plant in Saudi Arabia
Abu Dhabi National Energy Co., also known as TAQA, together with JERA Co., Inc, Japan’s largest power generation company, announced Thursday that they have entered into a Power and Steam Purchase Agreement with Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Co., or SATORP, a joint venture company owned by Saudi Aramco and TotalEnergies.
According to the Emirates News Agency, they will develop a greenfield industrial steam and electricity cogeneration plant that will produce electricity and steam for the Amiral petrochemical complex to be developed in Jubail in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
The Amiral petrochemical complex is expected to house one of the largest mixed-load steam crackers in the Arab Gulf region.
The Amiral cogeneration plant will include state-of-the-art power and steam generation systems, gas and water receiving systems, and gas-insulated switchgear interconnections while meeting stringent efficiency standards imposed by the Saudi Energy Efficiency Centre.
The project also provides for the future installation of a carbon dioxide capture plant and is capable of hydrogen cofiring, WAM reported.
The Amiral cogeneration plant will be developed by a special purpose entity owned by TAQA, holding 51 percent, and JERA, holding 49 percent. It will operate on a build, own, and operate basis for 25 years, with the possibility of extension by five years upon mutual agreement.
TAQA and JERA will also undertake the operation and maintenance of the plant through an O&M special purpose entity.
Farid Al Awlaqi, CEO of TAQA Generation, said: “The signing of the offtake agreements for the cogeneration power and steam project at the Amiral petrochemical facility, a key downstream project being developed by two of the world’s leading energy companies, demonstrates the confidence in TAQA’s ability to deliver critical utilities, including power and steam effectively.
Together with our partner JERA, TAQA is looking forward to developing an efficient cogeneration plant that reduces carbon emissions and supports SATORP with its long-term decarbonization program. The agreement will bolster TAQA’s efforts in building on our growth and executing our 2030 goals.”
Steven Winn, chief global strategist of JERA, said: “We will be providing stable, highly efficient, clean and reliable power and steam to our customer SATORP. The Amiral Cogeneration plant will not only enhance the Amiral Complex’s operational efficiency, but also demonstrate our commitment to environmental stewardship and our growth ambitions for sustainable power generation solutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region.”
Khamzat Chimaev set to headline UFC Saudi Arabia card
- UFC president Dana White has confirmed the first fights on the inaugural card in the Kingdom on June 22
DUBAI: After an abrupt postponement, the UFC Saudi Arabia card is back on track for June 22. UFC president Dana White has confirmed the first five fights that will take place at the promotion’s first event in the country, and the early signs suggest the card will be stacked.
The announcement puts an end to the speculation that has dogged the UFC since it delayed the event from its original March 2 date. There were rumors that the proposed card did not have enough star power for Saudi Arabia’s decision-makers to give it the green light. It is a claim that has been disputed passionately by Dana White. Regardless of where the real truth lies, the UFC has pulled out all the stops for a non-title fight card of note.
Khamzat Chimaev will face Kiwi brawler Robert Whittaker in the main event. Placing Chimaev at the top of the bill is a savvy move from the UFC matchmakers. The undefeated Chechnya-born fighter has fanatical support in the Middle East, almost guaranteeing a sold-out Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
In his last fight in February 2024, Whittaker outclassed fellow middleweight Paolo Costa — the fighter whose shoulder injury kept him out of a tussle with Chimaev at Abu Dhabi’s UFC 294. A win for either man potentially puts them next in line for a crack at the middleweight crown.
The other four fights that have been confirmed are certified blockbusters, too. A heavyweight clash between perennial title contenders Sergei Pavlovich and Alexander Volkov will provide the co-main event of the show. Both men are known for their heavy hands and deceptively fast technical abilities, which makes this a highly anticipated matchup. Pavlovich’s and Volkov’s last defeats came at the hands (and feet) of current Interim Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall.
Welterweight sluggers Kelvin Gastelum versus Daniel Rodriguez is a sleeper hit on the card. They both need a win to end their losing streaks, so we expect the pair to come out swinging for the fences. Brazilian fan-favorite Johnny Walker will take on Swiss striker Volkan Oezdemir in a wild scrap that is bound to end in a knockout.
White also confirmed that Dagestani phenom Sharabutdin Magomedov will return to the octagon to take on Romania’s Ihor Potieria. Magomedov, a fighter with only one eye, made his UFC debut in 2023 but is already tipped for greatness. This is a great matchup to potentially cement his status as the company’s next big thing.
A few more fighters from the Middle East may be on the card including UAE-based Mohammed Yahya. The UFC has built a worthy card from its stable of superstars.
UFC Saudi Arabia confirmed bouts:
Middleweight: Khamzat Chimaev (11) vs Robert Whittaker (3)
Heavyweight: Sergei Pavlovich (3) vs Alexander Volkov (6)
Light Heavyweight: Johnny Walker (7) vs Volkan Oezdemir (9)
Welterweight: Kelvin Gastelum vs Daniel Rodriguez
Middleweight: Sharabutdin Magomedov vs Ihor Potieria
Pakistan’s top court conditionally allows military courts to declare reserved judgments in May 9 cases
- Supreme Court says judgments can only be announced in cases in which people can be released before Eid Al-Fitr
- Attorney general says 20 people can be released before the Muslim religious festival is celebrated next month
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday allowed military courts to announce judgments reserved in cases against civilians linked to the May 9 violence that erupted last year after the brief detention of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on corruption charges.
Demonstrators, identified with Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, targeted government buildings and military installations, notably setting ablaze the official residence of a senior army general in Lahore.
This incident prompted a significant crackdown on PTI leaders and supporters, with the government facing allegations of arbitrary arrests and custodial torture, which it denied.
Following the May 9 events, military authorities sought to prosecute civilians involved in the assaults on its properties nationwide. However, the move was challenged, and a five-member Supreme Court bench deemed civilian trials in military courts unconstitutional in October.
The government has since appealed the decision.
The Supreme Court said during the hearing today that only the verdict in those cases should be announced in which the people on trial can be released before the Eid Al-Fitr festivities next month.
“Twenty out of 103 suspects involved in the May 9 incidents will be released before Eid,” Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan told the court. “These 20 individuals will be released following the established procedure.”
The PTI has complained of being unjustly targeted by state institutions since the downfall of its administration in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022.
Khan himself remains behind bars in a high-security prison in Rawalpindi after being convicted in a number of cases in recent months.