Category: 2. World

Residents in central Texas were observing a day of prayer on Sunday for at least 68 people killed and others missing in Friday’s devastating flash flooding, as a search and rescue operation for survivors began to morph into a grim exercise of recovering bodies.

Relatives continued an anxious wait for news of 11 girls and one camp counsellor still unaccounted for from a riverside summer camp that was overwhelmed by flash flooding from the Guadalupe River, which rose 26ft (8 meters) in 45 minutes on Friday morning after torrential pre-dawn rain north of San Antonio.

At least 59 people were confirmed killed in Kerr county, many of them children, and nine more fatalities were reported in neighboring counties.

Authorities said about 850 people had been rescued, with more than 1,700 people involved in the search and rescue operation.

By Sunday morning, water levels had fallen to just a foot or two higher than before the flood.

Further rain on Saturday and into Sunday morning hampered search efforts of crews using boats, helicopters and drones. The Texas governor, Greg Abbott, promised responders would remain at the scene until every individual was recovered. He said he instructed responders to assume all missing persons were still alive.

The US homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, remained in Texas after Abbott signed a request for a federal emergency declaration that would free additional resources to support local efforts. President Donald Trump approved it on Sunday.

Noem defended the federal response to the disaster at a press conference Saturday afternoon, promising that “relief will be coming”. Yet questions continued to swirl over the Trump administration’s actions that some believe could have contributed to the severity of the event.

In particular, harsh budget cutbacks affecting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) have left numerous key weather forecasting offices short of staff, including the Austin-San Antonio office of the National Weather Service (NWS).

Officials defended the service on Sunday, insisting warnings of flash flooding were issued in advance. But some residents said they hadn’t received them. And an initial NWS forecast had called for only 3-6in of rain – not the intense downpour that triggered the deadly flooding.

Matthew Stone, 44, of Kerrville, said police came knocking on doors – but that he had received no warning on his phone.

“We got no emergency alert. There was nothing” until suddenly there was “a pitch-black wall of death”, Stone said.

Republican Texas congressman Chip Roy, whose district includes Kerr county, said at the Sunday press conference that actions taken before and during the flooding would be scrutinized.

“There’s going to be a lot of finger-pointing, a lot of second-guessing,” he said. “There’s a lot of people saying ‘why’ and ‘how,’ and I understand that.”

Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas decision of emergency management, said Friday that early NWS forecasts “did not predict the amount of rain that we saw”. His comments prompted a defense of the service Sunday by the private weather service AccuWeather, which said in a statement that Friday’s pre-dawn warnings “should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety”.

Meanwhile, Tom Fahy, legislative director for the NWS employees organization, told CNN that he believed the service’s Texas offices had “adequate staffing and resources”. Yet he said the Austin-San Antonio office was missing a warning coordination meteorologist, a crucial link between the NWS and emergency managers.

A Noaa official told the network that the vacancy, along with several other key roles, were the result of the White House offering early retirement incentives after Trump’s second presidency began in January.

Abbott said late Saturday that he had visited Camp Mystic, a popular Christian summer retreat for youths on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt.

The camp, which had more than 700 girls in attendance at the time of the flood, was overrun by a torrent of water, sweeping away 27 that were initially missing. The number of missing from there by Sunday had dropped to 11, as the death toll climbed, according to officials.

Sarah Marsh, an eight-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was at the camp, was found dead Saturday, as was Jane Ragsdale, director of the nearby Heart O’the Hills camp, who was described by friends as a “pillar of the community”.

“It, and the river running beside it, were horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I’ve seen in any natural disaster,” Abbott said in a post to X after touring the ruins of the Camp Mystic with rescue crews.

“The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking. We won’t stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins.”

Identities of more of those killed were becoming known on Sunday, as survivors shared extraordinary stories of how they were spared.

Two children from Dallas, Blair Harber, 13, and her 11-year-old sister Brooke, were among those confirmed dead, by officials at the Catholic high school they attended. They were staying at a riverside cabin with their grandparents, who are missing.

Their father, RJ Harber, who was staying with his wife in an adjacent cabin, told CNN that Blair “was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart” and that Brooke “was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment”.

High school soccer coach Reece Zunker and his wife, Tina, were among the Kerr county victims, the Kerryville Daily Times reported – and their two children are missing.

The newspaper also identified teacher Jeff Wilson among the victims, with his wife, Amber, and son Shiloh unaccounted for.

Officials in Burnet county told KHOU TV that a local fire department chief was among three fatalities there.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump on Sunday said there was a good chance a Gaza hostage release and ceasefire deal could be reached with the Palestinian militant group Hamas this week.

Trump told reporters before departing for Washington that such a deal meant “quite a few hostages” could be released.

Netanyahu said earlier in the day that he hoped his upcoming meeting with Trump could “help advance” a Gaza ceasefire deal, after sending negotiators to Doha for indirect talks with Hamas.

A Palestinian official familiar with the talks on Sunday said that indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas toward a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip had started in Qatar.

“Negotiations are about implementation mechanisms and hostage exchange, and positions are being exchanged through mediators,” the official said.

Under mounting pressure to end the war, now approaching its 22nd month, the Israeli premier is scheduled to sit down on Monday with Trump, who has recently made a renewed push to end the fighting.

Speaking before boarding Israel’s state jet bound for Washington, Netanyahu said: “We are working to achieve this deal that we have discussed, under the conditions that we have agreed to.”

He said he had dispatched the team to Doha “with clear instructions,” and thought the meeting with Trump “can definitely help advance this (deal), which we are all hoping for.”

“We’ve gotten a lot of the hostages out, but pertaining to the remaining hostages, quite a few of them will be coming out,” Trump added.

He said the United States was “working on a lot of things” with Israel, including “probably a permanent deal with Iran.”

Netanyahu had previously said Hamas’s response to a draft US-backed ceasefire proposal contained “unacceptable” demands.

Since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, mediators have brokered pauses in fighting during which hostages were freed in exchange for Israel-held Palestinian prisoners.

Of the 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the October 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israel’s military campaign, lack of food and dire humanitarian conditions for more than 2 million people in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 57,418 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.

The United Nations considers the figures reliable.

Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Earlier Sunday, a Palestinian official told AFP that Hamas would also seek the reopening of Gaza’s Rafah crossing to evacuate the wounded. Hamas’s top negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya was leading the delegation in Doha, the official told AFP.

Two Palestinian sources close to the discussions told AFP the proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel.

However, they said, the group was also demanding certain conditions for Israel’s withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations, and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,418 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.

(With AFP & Reuters)

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s energy and water desalination giant ACWA Power has drawn investor attention regarding its expansion strategy, following the approval of its shareholders for a SR7.1 billion ($1.8 billion) rights issue.

In an interview with Al-Eqtisadiah, Abdulhameed Al-Muhaidib, the company’s chief financial officer, outlined ACWA Power’s growth plans, financing approach, and future targets.

ACWA Power has been actively expanding its global presence, securing $500 million in new US agreements and reinforcing its position as Uzbekistan’s top energy investor with $15 billion committed to 19 projects, including 18 in renewables.

Strategic expansion and capital increase 

Al-Muhaidib said over 77 percent of the rights issue was subscribed by major shareholders, reinforcing confidence in ACWA Power’s strategy.

The capital raise aims to fund new projects and expand the company’s global footprint, particularly in renewables, water desalination, and green hydrogen. 

“This move supports our long-term strategy to triple managed assets to $250 billion by 2030,” Al-Muhaidib told Al-Eqtisadiah. The company expects annual equity contributions of $2 to $2.5 billion from 2024 to 2030, up from $1 to $1.3 billion in previous years. 

Selective mergers and global targets

ACWA Power is eyeing selective mergers and acquisitions in key markets to accelerate profitability and secure stable cash flows. “M&A opportunities allow us to fast-track earnings while maintaining financial discipline,” Al-Muhaidib said. 

The firm is actively exploring investments in Malaysia, Africa, and other Asian markets with high infrastructure demand. 

The proceeds from the rights issue will primarily fund new projects in the Kingdom and strategic international markets, including the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and China. 

2030 goals: renewables, water, and green hydrogen 

By 2030, ACWA Power aims to exceed 175 gigawatts in power generation capacity, up from 78.9 GW today, produce 15 million cubic meters of desalinated water daily, and generate 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually, with potential for an additional 1 million tonnes under new contracts. 

Balancing debt and equity 

Despite securing SR58.6 billion in project financing over the past two years, Al-Muhaidib said that the capital increase does not signal a reduction in borrowing. 

“We maintain a balanced approach, leveraging both project debt and equity to sustain growth,” he added. 

ACWA Power’s net debt-to-operating cash flow ratio stands at 6.4 times, which is deemed healthy for growth-focused firms. 

Asia expansion and China entry 

ACWA Power’s recent acquisition in China marks its broader ambitions in Asia. “China is a strategic market, and we are evaluating opportunities in Malaysia and Africa,” Al-Muhaidib said. The company has an 80-person team in China and a 1 GW renewable pipeline there. 

Rapid execution and financing success 

The SR58.6 billion in project financings reflects ACWA Power’s strong lender relationships and execution capabilities. “Our integrated model — combining development, investment, and operations — ensures timely delivery,” Al-Muhaidib added. 

With a focus on disciplined growth, ACWA Power remains committed to its 2030 targets while maintaining environmental, social and governance standards.

Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi has issued a decision classifying the work permits of expatriate workers into three main skill categories: high-skill, skilled, and basic.

The classification of existing work permits and technical system upgrades began on June 18 for expatriates currently working in the Saudi labor market. The classification would take effect for incoming expatriate workers as of July 1.

The ministry has issued a guidance manual outlining all the details of the decision, which is available on its official website.

This decision is part of the ministry’s broader efforts to foster a more attractive and efficient labor market, develop human capital, and enhance the business environment, contributing to achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program.

The measure aims to enhance worker performance, attract global talent to transfer expertise and experience to the Saudi labor market, improve operational efficiency, benefit from international experience, and build an environment that supports innovation and the development of business models.

The decision will improve verification mechanisms and enable better management of the skill-level distribution of expatriate workers in the labor market by ensuring that workers possess the required skills and qualifications for their job roles, in line with best international practices.