News

Bloomberg A clean-power company owned by billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has taken over a Caribbean solar farm that was damaged last year by Hurricane Maria. Virgin’s BMR Energy unit, which develops, owns and operates clean-energy projects in the Caribbean and Latin America, plans to restore the 4-megawatt farm in St. Croix, the US Virgin Islands, and take over a …

Bloomberg Saudi Arabia’s second-quarter budget revenue increased 67 percent from the year-earlier period as higher oil prices helped boost income, the country’s Finance Ministry said in a statement. Revenue climbed to 273.6 billion riyals ($73 billion), boosted by an 82 percent increase in oil revenue, the ministry said on Wednesday. Non-oil revenue rose 42 percent to 89.4 billion riyals, while …

Bloomberg Snap Inc. shares fell the most in about two months after the company reported its first-ever drop in daily active users. But revenue gains in the second quarter proved that the company is making headway in the mobile-advertising market dominated by Facebook Inc. and Google. The declining user numbers at Snapchat, attributed to an unpopular app redesign, worried analysts …

Dubai / Emirates Business Peru’s Trade, Tourism and Investment Office has revealed that exports from Peru to the UAE have risen by almost 10,000 percent in seven years. Exports from Peru to the Emirates increased from $6 million in 2011 to $600 million last year thanks to increasing demand from consumers and the ongoing work of the Trade, Tourism and …

ABU DHABI / WAM The energy sector is constantly evolving, transforming and experiencing a rapid pace of change across all sectors, said the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy Under-Secretary. “It’s the new normal,’ said Mohammed Juma Al Falasi, adding that the development of energy resources will drive the country’s economy for decades to come. Commenting on the upcoming Singapore International …

Bloomberg After decades of difficulties in Nigeria over crude theft, pollution and oil-related corruption, Royal Dutch Shell Plc still feels optimistic a fossil fuel can improve life in the country. The Anglo-Dutch oil major is seeking to develop Nigeria’s domestic energy market around natural gas. It’s plentiful, harder to steal, better for the environment and can underpin a robust industrial …

Bloomberg Sempra Energy Chief Executive Officer Jeff Martin said he’s holding “constructive” talks with activist investors pressing for the company to shed assets and shake up its board. But Elliott Management Corp. and investor partner Bluescape Resources have been frustrated by the pace of the discussions and had hoped for a settlement before Sempra’s second-quarter earnings report, according to people …

RIYADH / WAM The Government of Jeddah has combined its ancient heritage and its modern advancements through its public and private museums, the Corniche, the historic Jeddah wall, its entertainment and sporting locations, and especially its diving facilities. The Khuzam Palace Museum, part of the King Abdul Aziz Palace, is one of the city’s most important museums because of its …

ABU DHABI / WAM The UAE has expressed its absolute rejection of any interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and voiced its vehement support for any actions or policies the country may take or adopt in this regard. ‘‘The UAE stands in solidarity with Riyadh in the confrontation of any foreign interference that may undermine …

Bloomberg Crude rose after Saudi Arabian production cuts heightened concerns about tightening worldwide supplies. Futures in New York advanced as much as 1.6 percent on Monday. Saudi Arabia reduced oil production to about 10.3 million barrels a day in July, according to delegates in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The kingdom told the group it had pumped 10.489 million …