
ADNOC launches $18.7bn takeover bid for Australia's Santos
SYDNEY -- Australian oil and gas company Santos announced Monday that it has received a takeover offer worth $18.7 billion from a consortium led by international energy investment company XRG, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil company ADNOC.
The XRG-led consortium, which includes Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company (ADQ) and U.S. investment firm Carlyle, has proposed a "final non-binding indicative offer" to acquire 100% of Santos stock for $5.76 per share in cash.

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The Diplomat
16 hours ago
- The Diplomat
First Rocket Launch Highlights Space Momentum in Australia
Rocket launches always carry much fanfare and interest. But behind the headlines, momentum is also growing in the country's regulatory and policy landscape. A handout press photo from Gilmour Space Technologies shows the Eris Test Flight 1, the first launch of an Australian-made rocket into orbit from Australian soil, July 30, 2025. On July 30, Gilmour Space Technologies attempted the first launch of an Australian-built rocket into orbit. The Eris Flight Test 1 achieved 14 seconds of flight and 23 seconds of engine burn. Despite the short-lived flight time, the launch has been deemed a success by Gilmour due to the valuable data gained. The launch attempt is another stepping stone for Australia's space sector, symbolizing the drive to find its footing in the rapidly scaling international space sector. Rocket launches always carry much fanfare and interest. But behind the headlines, momentum is growing in the regulatory and policy landscape as well as broader industry. It is almost seven years to the date since the Australia Space Agency (ASA) was stood up. Since then, what was once very much a nascent sector has seen various champions emerge, with the ASA providing some new footing for the sector's growth. While the space sector is often heralded as new and emerging, it's also important to note that many of these companies predate the ASA, some by decades. Today these firm are finding opportunities across commercial, civil, and military sectors, domestically and abroad. Ground segment satellite communications companies Av-Comm Space & Defense and Blacktree Technology are two such examples, embodying multisectorial flexibility in their operations. Continued success from Australian launch and range services provider Southern Launch provides for another example. Southern Launch's ongoing work with Varda Space Industries has seen two spacecraft return from orbit into their range facilities in South Australia. Their Koonibba Test Range is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and has attracted interest from many companies around the world. The Varda Space Industries returns marked a first – not just for Australia, but globally – as the first commercial return to a commercial spaceport. The regulatory hurdles were cleared and authorization granted by the Australian Government under the amended Space (Launch and Returns) Act 2018. With Gilmour Space Technologies also achieving the first authorization for a commercial orbital launch under the Act, momentum bodes positively for the sector as it works together with the government in steering through these previously un-navigated processes, which promise to be quicker with time. Enhanced bilateral cooperation, particularly with the United States, has also emerged as a hallmark of Australia's approach to space. The partnership was headlined by the signing of the Australia-U.S. Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) in October 2023. The agreement took effect in July 2024. The TSA provides the legal and regulatory foundations for U.S. companies to conduct spaceflight activities from Australia. This minimizes some of the export control restrictions that have been a barrier for business-to-business cooperation. Australia's ideal launch geography has been touted as a viable option for alleviating launch capacity issues at U.S. spaceports, a problem that has emerged over recent years. Southern Launch heralded the TSA as a 'game changer' that will 'accelerate the development of the Australian space industry.' On the immediate horizon, at the end of September this year, Australia will host the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney. The IAC brings together the world's space community for a week; its 76th iteration in Sydney is projected to attract 10,000 attendees from around 100 nations. For Australia it holds particular significance – at the Adelaide-hosted 68th IAC in 2017 the Australian government announced the establishment of the Australian Space Agency. Rarely has a nation hosted two IACs so close together. But with a key focus on representing and championing the Indo-Pacific, the 76th IAC has seen strong early registrations and the second highest number of space research abstracts ever selected. It's a truism that the nations that embrace space today will be on the forefront of innovation tomorrow. Australia recognizes that many nations are actively working to bolster their own sovereign sectors by investing in space capabilities and establishing the foundations of a safe and reliable regulatory landscape. Looking forward, momentum is growing for Australia's space sector.


Japan Today
21 hours ago
- Japan Today
Japan's deepening political woes cloud budget, rate hike timing
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru attends a joint press briefing with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (not pictured) and European Council President Antonio Costa (not pictured), after their meeting at Prime Minister Office on July 23. By Takaya Yamaguchi and Leika Kihara Japan's deepening political uncertainty risks prolonging policy paralysis that could affect the drafting of next year's budget and the timing of the central bank's next interest rate hike, analysts say, clouding the outlook for the fragile economy. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is facing increased calls from within his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to step down and take responsibility for the party's huge defeat in an upper house election in July and a lower house poll last year. While Ishiba has denied he has any plans to resign, his fading support has triggered inevitable questions about his political future and analysts say a leadership change would likely have implications for the outlook for fiscal and monetary policy. In a meeting on Friday, lawmakers decided to consider holding a rare leadership race even with the party head Ishiba still presiding. Under LDP rules, such a race would take place if the majority of the party's lawmakers and regional heads agreed to hold one. But it is uncertain how long it would take for the party to decide, according to lawmakers and government officials familiar with the procedure told Reuters. That contest could happen in September at the earliest, they say, which would allow the new administration to compile a spending package to cushion the economic blow from U.S. tariffs. But if the race does not take place in September, it may have to wait until early next year to avoid disrupting the government's drafting of next fiscal year's budget, they say. "We would not be surprised if the LDP calls for a leadership election in September," UBS analysts said in a research note. "It seems that uncertainties regarding politics are unlikely to resolve soon." In Japan, the Ministry of Finance collects spending requests from ministries in August and finalises the government's draft budget in late December. The budget must pass parliament in time to take effect from the April start of a new fiscal year. Failure to pass the budget through parliament would force the government to compile a stop-gap budget, which could hurt the economy by causing delays in expenditure. Some ruling party lawmakers say there is no choice but for Ishiba to step down to resolve the deadlock. Having lost control in both houses of parliament, the LDP-led ruling coalition needs opposition party support to pass legislation and budget through parliament. Opposition parties have ruled out forming a coalition unless Ishiba steps down. "Japan needs a stable coalition government. Otherwise, it's impossible to pursue consistent policies," LDP heavyweight Ken Saito told Reuters last week. "It's best for the LDP to seek a coalition partner under a new leader." COMPLICATION FOR BOJ Ishiba's weak political standing and prolonged political uncertainty also complicate the Bank of Japan's decision on how soon to resume interest rate hikes. While few analysts expect the BOJ to hike rates at its next policy meeting in September, some see a good chance of action in October, December or January next year when more data becomes available on the impact of U.S. tariffs on the economy. Known as a fiscal hawk, Ishiba has endorsed the central bank's efforts to gradually wean the economy off a decade-long, massive stimulus as inflation remains above its 2% target for well over three years. But his bitter election defeat has made his administration vulnerable to calls for big spending and loose monetary policy. Many opposition parties have urged the BOJ to hold off, or go slow, in raising rates and focus on supporting the economy. If the LDP were to hold a leadership race, the event could put the spotlight on the views of candidates like Sanae Takaichi, a reflationist-minded lawmaker who in the past blasted the idea of interest rate hikes as "stupid." All this could discourage the BOJ from raising rates in coming months to avoid drawing unwanted political attention. "All we can say is that we would continue to take appropriate policies to sustainably and stably achieve our 2% inflation target," Governor Kazuo Ueda told a news briefing earlier this month, when asked how the BOJ would respond if political changes lead to fresh demands on monetary policy. "It's impossible to predict how politics will unfold, which means for the BOJ it's best to take a wait-and-see stance," said a source familiar with the bank's thinking. © Thomson Reuters 2025.

Nikkei Asia
2 days ago
- Nikkei Asia
BHP and Asian steelmakers join forces to study carbon capture hubs
Energy Consortium also includes JSW Steel and Hyundai Steel, eyes outcome by end of 2026 A view shows the BHP logo at its headquarters in Melbourne. The global resources company has joined a consortium to look at potential applications for captured CO2 in industrial processes, or transporting captured CO2 via pipeline or shipping to storage sites in Asia or Northern Australia. © Reuters SHAUN TURTON August 11, 2025 13:03 JST SYDNEY -- BHP, Asian steelmakers and other industrial groups have joined forces to study the development of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) hubs in Asia, the Australian mining giant announced on Monday.