Saudi Arabia reassured its customers globally that the kingdom’s petroleum supplies to them "will not be impacted by political considerations".
"This is a firm and long-standing policy," Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al Falih said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday.
His comments come in the wake of souring relations between the kingdom and Canada. The diplomatic row between the two countries started after the Canadian Foreign Minister criticised the kingdom's detention of activists and demanded their immediate release.
Saudi Arabia said the detentions were unrelated to the individuals' work and are related to separate crimes.
The kingdom has criticised the comments as an intervention in its internal affairs.
The UAE and the Arab league said they stand with Saudi Arabia and reject any interference in the domestic affairs of the country. Mr Al Falih said the dispute will not "in any way" impact state-owned Saudi Aramco's ties with its customers in the country.
Saudi Arabia supplies around 70,000 barrels of oil a day to Canada, which is equivalent to around 11 per cent of the country's total oil imports in 2014, according to the Canadian energy ministry's figures.
Saudi exports to Canada last year reached C$2.6 billion (Dh7.32bn), accounting for 0.5 per cent of the country’s total imports, while Canadian exports to the kingdom stood at C$1.45bn. Most of the exports to Canada are oil and its by-products.
On Wednesday, the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir said there would be no negotiation with Canada until it takes back its critical comments. The minister's statement came just days after Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador from Ottawa and the national airline said it was halting all flights to Toronto and refunding cancelled tickets.
Riyadh has also recalled 12,000 students from Canada and all medical tourists in the country, saying that every measure will be taken to relocate them. The kingdom is freezing any new investments in Canada, but said that existing projects could continue undisturbed.
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Read more:
Saudi Airlines suspends flights to Canada after Riyadh expels ambassador
Al Jubeir: No room for mediation with Canada
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On Wednesday, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter, the Financial Times reported the Saudi Arabian central bank and state pension funds have instructed their overseas asset managers to sell their Canadian equities, bonds and cash holdings.
The newspaper's report caused the Canadian dollar to lose as much as 0.5 per cent to C$1.3120 per US dollar on the day.
Canada has called on the United Kingdom and UAE to help mediate the issue with Saudi Arabia, Reuters news agency reported.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
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Power: 110 horsepower
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Price: From Dh59,700
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UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Automatic
Power: 530bhp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh535,000
On sale: Now
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Meydan race card
6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; (D) 1,200m
7.40pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (D) 1,900m
8.15pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 2,000m
8.50pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; (D) 2,000m
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ponti
Sharlene Teo, Pan Macmillan
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Haemoglobin disorders explained
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
