By , CARACAS (Reuters) - The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela entered the South American country’s exclusive economic zone on Saturday, despite a U.S. official’s warning that Washington was considering a response to the shipment.The tanker, named Fortune, reached the country’s waters at around 7:40 p.m. local time (1140 GMT) after passing north of the neighboring dual-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, according to vessel tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon.“The ships from the fraternal Islamic Republic of Iran are now in our exclusive...…By , CARACAS (Reuters) - The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela entered the South American country’s exclusive economic zone on Saturday, despite a U.S. official’s warning that Washington was considering a response to the shipment.The tanker, named Fortune, reached the country’s waters at around 7:40 p.m. local time (1140 GMT) after passing north of the neighboring dual-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, according to vessel tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon.“The ships from the fraternal Islamic Republic of Iran are now in our exclusive...WW…

Read full articleBy Luc Cohen and Jody GodoyNEW YORK(Reuters) -Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng was convicted by a U.S. jury on Friday of corruption charges related to his role in helping loot hundreds of millions of dollars from Malaysia's 1MDB development fund.The charges stemmed from one of the biggest financial scandals in history. Prosecutors charged Ng, Goldman's former top investment banker for Malaysia, for conspiring to violate an anti-corruption law and launder money.They said he helped his former boss Tim Leissner embezzle money from the fund, launder the proceeds and bribe...…Read full articleBy Luc Cohen and Jody GodoyNEW YORK(Reuters) -Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng was convicted by a U.S. jury on Friday of corruption charges related to his role in helping loot hundreds of millions of dollars from Malaysia's 1MDB development fund.The charges stemmed from one of the biggest financial scandals in history. Prosecutors charged Ng, Goldman's former top investment banker for Malaysia, for conspiring to violate an anti-corruption law and launder money.They said he helped his former boss Tim Leissner embezzle money from the fund, launder the proceeds and bribe...WW…

By (Reuters) - Six executives of U.S. refiner Citgo have been jailed in Caracas on graft charges since 2017, but court documents seen by Reuters show that top Venezuelan officials were made aware of the deal that the country’s top prosecutor accused the six executives of signing in secret.The documents, which have not previously been reported, show that during at least two board meetings of state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, which owns the U.S. refiner, top Venezuelan officials - including three ministers - were informed of the proposed deal for Citgo to borrow up to $4 billion.The...…By (Reuters) - Six executives of U.S. refiner Citgo have been jailed in Caracas on graft charges since 2017, but court documents seen by Reuters show that top Venezuelan officials were made aware of the deal that the country’s top prosecutor accused the six executives of signing in secret.The documents, which have not previously been reported, show that during at least two board meetings of state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, which owns the U.S. refiner, top Venezuelan officials - including three ministers - were informed of the proposed deal for Citgo to borrow up to $4 billion.The...WW…

By , CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela’s ruling Socialist Party on Tuesday inaugurated a parliament controlled by allies of President Nicolas Maduro, while the opposition convened a rival committee of legislators in a virtual session, following disputed elections on Dec. 6.The opposition, led by speaker Juan Guaido, had boycotted the vote, widely considered fraudulent by Maduro adversaries and many Western countries. On Dec. 26, the opposition-controlled parliament approved a statute extending its term into 2021.But it was Socialist Party lawmakers and allies who physically occupied the...…By , CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela’s ruling Socialist Party on Tuesday inaugurated a parliament controlled by allies of President Nicolas Maduro, while the opposition convened a rival committee of legislators in a virtual session, following disputed elections on Dec. 6.The opposition, led by speaker Juan Guaido, had boycotted the vote, widely considered fraudulent by Maduro adversaries and many Western countries. On Dec. 26, the opposition-controlled parliament approved a statute extending its term into 2021.But it was Socialist Party lawmakers and allies who physically occupied the...WW…

By , NEW YORK (Reuters) - In June, the United States imposed sanctions on half a dozen oil tankers managed by established shipping firms. It was a major escalation of American attempts to choke off Venezuela’s oil trade.Within weeks, a little-known company based in the United Arab Emirates took over management of several tankers that had been shipping Venezuelan oil. The vessels got new names. And then they resumed transporting Venezuelan crude.The company, Muhit Maritime FZE, is one of three UAE-based entities identified by Reuters that have shipped Venezuelan crude and fuel during the...…By , NEW YORK (Reuters) - In June, the United States imposed sanctions on half a dozen oil tankers managed by established shipping firms. It was a major escalation of American attempts to choke off Venezuela’s oil trade.Within weeks, a little-known company based in the United Arab Emirates took over management of several tankers that had been shipping Venezuelan oil. The vessels got new names. And then they resumed transporting Venezuelan crude.The company, Muhit Maritime FZE, is one of three UAE-based entities identified by Reuters that have shipped Venezuelan crude and fuel during the...WW…

Luc Cohen And Marianna Parraga, ReutersNEW YORK, Dec 29 (Reuters) -- In June, the United States imposed sanctions on half a dozen oil tankers managed by established shipping firms. It was a major escalation of American attempts to choke off Venezuela’s oil trade.Within weeks, a little-known company based in the United Arab Emirates took over management of several tankers that had been shipping Venezuelan oil. The vessels got new names. And then they resumed transporting Venezuelan crude.The company, Muhit Maritime FZE, is one of three UAE-based entities identified by Reuters that have...…Luc Cohen And Marianna Parraga, ReutersNEW YORK, Dec 29 (Reuters) -- In June, the United States imposed sanctions on half a dozen oil tankers managed by established shipping firms. It was a major escalation of American attempts to choke off Venezuela’s oil trade.Within weeks, a little-known company based in the United Arab Emirates took over management of several tankers that had been shipping Venezuelan oil. The vessels got new names. And then they resumed transporting Venezuelan crude.The company, Muhit Maritime FZE, is one of three UAE-based entities identified by Reuters that have...WW…

By , MARACAIBO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelans, desperate for fuel after months of shortages, have begun stealing crude from idled fields owned by state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela [PDVSA.UL] and distilling homemade gasoline, according to two PDVSA workers and a half dozen people familiar with the practice.The amount of crude stolen is a tiny fraction of Venezuela’s output. But the activity is testament to the crises at PDVSA, which can no longer supply the country’s population with fuel.Venezuela’s once-formidable 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) refining network has collapsed,...…By , MARACAIBO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelans, desperate for fuel after months of shortages, have begun stealing crude from idled fields owned by state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela [PDVSA.UL] and distilling homemade gasoline, according to two PDVSA workers and a half dozen people familiar with the practice.The amount of crude stolen is a tiny fraction of Venezuela’s output. But the activity is testament to the crises at PDVSA, which can no longer supply the country’s population with fuel.Venezuela’s once-formidable 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) refining network has collapsed,...WW…