The Ongoing Saga 26: News, Updates, Tidbits & Trivia
Alaska, Alaskan Natives, Crimea, ethnicity, gold, Imperialism, Nationalism, Nationalism and Empire, Native Alaskan, natural resource exploitation, oil and gas, Russia, Russia Far East, Russian Empire, Russian Natives, Siberian Natives, Ukraine, Yupik
NB: Usually updated daily. Our latest updates will be on top, so that daily readers will not have to scroll-down. Time is UTC-GMT. This is a continuation of: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/the-ongoing-saga-25-news-updates-tidbits-trivia/
This post is updated: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/radioactive-reindeer-nuclear-guinea-pigs-part-x-of-a-series/
Russia-Putin continue to push dangerous nuclear and dirty tech and use Euro energy dependence as a weapon, as he has for years now. So, it's not really news. No innovation, nothing new coming out of Russia's gov these days, it seems. All they can do is push more Chernobyls and Fukushimas on the world. The other major nuclear pushers are the Japanese and the French (EDF-Areva). GE (Hitachi) and Westinghouse (Toshiba) are now Japanese too. But, Rosatom is the only completely government owned nuclear pusher. May Putin and the rest of the nuclear pushers go work to clean up Fukushima. That will solve two problems at once.
Reuters News Feed Selection
"Russia's Rosatom to boost orders to $100 bln in 2014-CEO
MOSCOW, June 2 Mon Jun 2, 2014 11:11am EDT
(Reuters) – Russia's state nuclear firm Rosatom aims to grow its global order book to $100 billion this year, up 25 percent year-on-year, by securing new projects in Hungary, Kazakhstan, India and Iran, CEO Sergei Kiriyenko said on Monday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/9Vy-zi2dB-k/russia-rosatom-orders-plan-idUSL6N0OJ3NL20140602
UPDATE 1-Gazprom cuts gas export forecast to Europe to 158.4 bcm in 2014
Posted:Tue, 03 Jun 2014 07:56:53 GMT
MOSCOW, June 3 (Reuters) – Russia's Gazprom plans to export 158.4 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas this year to Europe, including Turkey, down from 161.5 bcm shipped in 2013, the state-controlled company said on Tuesday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/cNRTVq0cGj4/story01.htm
Russia, Ukraine may continue gas talks on Tuesday – Gazprom
MOSCOW, June 3 (Reuters) – Russia and Ukraine could continue gas talks on Tuesday, a spokesman for Russian exporter Gazprom said, adding that he hoped a mutually beneficial agreement would be found. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/OX1b9VtDejk/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Newmont halts copper concentrate output at Indonesian mine
Posted:Tue, 03 Jun 2014 02:58:26 -0400
JAKARTA, June 3 (Reuters) – Newmont Mining Corp said it has halted copper concentrate production at its Batu Hijau mine in Indonesia as a deadlock continues over controversial mining rules that have halted concentrate exports since mid-January. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/PeejoXtQso0/indonesia-newmont-mining-output-idUSL3N0OK18820140603
Note we have added clarification to our 1 June post regarding the emissions rules for US nuclear power plants. The new EPA deadline regarding the need for new standards (or not) has been changed to the beginning of August.
Update, 2 June 2014
New reblogs: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/nuclear-power-is-it-sustainable/ https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/sustainable-society-what-can-you-do/
New post: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/ending-european-energy-dependence/
Wind and hydro energy does NOT have to be ugly and obtrusive. Wind and hydro come in all sizes. Old style mills can be used both for direct mechanical work (e.g. grinding, etc.) and to make electricity.
"Russia's Energy Ministry confirms Ukraine has paid $786.4 mln for gas
Posted:Mon, 02 Jun 2014 06:20:48 GMT
MOSCOW, June 2 (Reuters) – Russia's Energy Ministry confirmed on Monday it has received $786.4 million from Ukraine's Naftogaz for gas deliveries, essential for both sides to start negotiations on a gas price, a spokeswoman for the ministry told Reuters. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/TFk6PxYQfOE/story01.htm
Ukraine's Naftogaz says sends Gazprom draft supply agreement
MOSCOW, June 2 (Reuters) – Ukraine's state oil and gas company Naftogaz said on Monday it has sent Russian gas producer Gazprom a draft proposal with amendments to an existing natural gas supply contract between the two neighbours. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Bh0WUrpOSyU/story01.htm
U.S. to seek 30 percent cut in power-plant carbon pollution
Posted:Sun, 01 Jun 2014 23:54:53 GMT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans on Monday to propose a 30 percent cut in carbon dioxide emissions from the country's existing power plants by 2030, people briefed on the proposal told Reuters. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/0TYXlUBRFic/story01.htm
Central African Republic premier calls for voluntary disarmament next week
DAKAR (Reuters) – Central African Republic's prime minister on Sunday called for voluntary national disarmament next week in a bid to halt a worsening cycle of violence that threatens to drive Muslims from the West of the country. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/9RgGepYMZ-o/story01.htm
NATO to discuss reinforcing troops in Poland-German defense ministry
BERLIN (Reuters) – NATO defense ministers will discuss temporarily reinforcing forces in Poland when they meet in Brussels this week, a spokesman for the German defense ministry said on Sunday, a move that would be aimed at reassuring countries nervous about Russia's intervention in Ukraine. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/ISSWRq3SPo8/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Australia's Origin buys Karoon's offshore gas interest for $800 mln
Posted:Mon, 02 Jun 2014 01:09:19 GMT http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/EhDidFrzMCk/story01.htm
UPDATE 2-Iraq threatens legal action against any buyer of piped Kurdish oil
ARBIL, Iraq, June 1 (Reuters) – Iraq threatened on Sunday to take legal action against any buyer of oil exported via a new pipeline from the autonomous Kurdistan region to Turkey, while the destination of the first cargo was still unclear. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/ADjP5PhAL6I/story01.htm
This post has been updated: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/radioactive-reindeer-nuclear-guinea-pigs-part-x-of-a-series/
Exports from Burkina Faso, 2009
Export Trading Treemap. From MIT/Harvard Atlas of Economic Complexity, 26 April 2012, by R Haussmann, Cesar Hidalgo, et. al. via wikimedia
Look at just how much of this gold money was NOT invested into basic infrastructure in Burkina. Look how much Burkina "President" Blaise Compaore' has NOT done for the country, since he came to power after having had his best friend, Thomas Sankara, assassinated in 1987. Probably the school and water pump infrastructure were even paid for by church groups or NGOs. There are leaders who seem to get rich and still have money to build nice schools. Tells you what kind of individual Compaore is! Then, he wants to extend his presidential term. Let's see, 1987 – that would be almost 30 years he is "President"!
Dourtenga School in Burkina, by KKB via wikimedia
Dourtenga village by SoKr, CC 3 via wikimedia (The housing construction is appropriate traditional materials for keeping cool in a hot climate)
Women around a water pump, in Balga, 2010, by Trees for the Future via Wikimedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burkina_Faso
Gold, uranium, etc. Whatever this Embassy Cable says, they've been mining gold in Burkina Faso for a very long time. Outside of naming names of mining companies and, occasionally, important officials, it isn't clear that publishing Embassy cables by officials who may know nothing anyway or be lying is very worthwhile.
"Reference id aka Wikileaks id #160894 ?
Subject	Burkina Faso's "mining Boom": Second Gold Mine; Zinc, Manganese, And Uranium Development Underway Origin	Embassy Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
Cable time	Mon, 7 Jul 2008 08:07 UTC Classification	UNCLASSIFIED
Source	http://wikileaks.org/cable/2008/07/08OUAGADOUGOU602.html
Referenced by	09OUAGADOUGOU10
Time unknown: Original unredacted version, leaked to Wikileaks
Fri, 26 Aug 2011 02:34: First publication, unredacted, however non-text content differs Thu, 1 Sep 2011 23:24: Original unredacted version published, with HTML goodies
— Seven months after the October 2007 opening of a gold mine in Taparko, Prime Minister Tertius Zongo presided over the May opening in Youga of the nation's second commercial gold mine.
— During his speech, Zongo opined that the opening of the Youga mine was the beginning of a "mining boom" in Burkina Faso, which granted 245 exploration permits in 2007 for gold, manganese, zinc, and uranium.
— In addition to the opening of Taparko and Youga, four other mines are scheduled to go into production in 2008 including: Mana gold mine (Canada's Semafo), Inata gold mine (Canada's Goldbelt Resources), Perkoa zinc mine (Australia's Aim Resources), and Kiere manganese mine (United States' Burkina Manganese).
¶2. Key Judgments:
— Located in West Africa, the world's fastest growing gold producing region, Burkina Faso is ideal for mineral exploitation. The country's flat terrain makes it accessible to mining companies and the arid climate oxidizes minerals near the surface. Oxidized mineral deposits found close to the surface are easier to discover and less expensive to produce.
— With geological formations similar to its gold and mineral
producing neighbors, Burkina Faso is considered the country with the greatest untested mining potential in West Africa." (Emphasis added) More here: http://wikileaks.org/cable/2008/07/08OUAGADOUGOU602.html The Embassy official appears to be just parroting some mining company web site.
Why isn't Obama warning of the health hazards of nuclear reactors and processing facilities, which are allowed to emit most radiation into the air (barring one of two radio-iodines, and one other radionuclide – which are slightly restricted) and ALL the radioactive emissions, that they want to, into the water! It has been known for decades that they dump into the water but not that they LEGALLY dump radiation into the Mississippi and other rivers, which reaches the Gulf right exactly where the 2010 Gulf Oil spill occurred… It doesn't have anything to do with the huge campaign donations from nuclear Exelon, now does it?
[3 June 2014 clarification. The EPA officially has no standards for water emissions from nuclear reactors/processing plants, and only for the two radionuclides for air. The NRC claims to have standards for air and water. However, the emissions checking is done by the company; is self-reporting if it exceeds the limits. Furthermore, there are various exceptions to the so-called standards, especially "hardship" clauses and emergency clauses. There was a grandfathering in clause. The NRC can randomly check the documentation. The nuclear reactors do legally dump some into the river and elsewhere, because some emissions are allowed by the NRC. Furthermore, without actually lying on the documentation they've only to let the emission float downriver before testing. This has been reported at a chemical plant along the Mississippi river. So, nuclear power companies probably emit illegally, as well. ]
Portugal and Germany are doing the next Baltic air policing rotation tours
Why does the USA have to have the backs of Europeans, when European corporations do mostly as they please, and do business as usual with Russia? Some of the Baltic states have a higher standard of living than most Americans enjoy. Perhaps Europe should cover their own backs and kick their own companies into line, starting with Norway's 67% state-owned Statoil, and the UK's BP. The US apparently needs to kick Exxon into line too regarding Russia.
Norway's not in the EU, but it is in NATO and shares a border with Russia.
Many European countries are finally taking increasing responsibility for defending their own borders, for instance by patrolling the Baltic. Several wealthy countries – both without and within NATO-with the most to lose, on or near the Baltic, have evaded equitable responsibility, leaving it to non-Baltic states and to Nanny USA instead. Germany and Poland have been model members who have served in the Baltic more than the USA, Denmark now ties them. The UK has only awakened recently. But, wealthy Norway, who has only done two tours in a decade, is nowhere to be seen in Baltic policing. Sweden has done none! Sweden is in the EU and as such should help defend its borders. Even France who has been busy invading Africa, apparently to protect its uranium and other mining concessions, has served twice as often as Norway. Why should Norway, the UK, Sweden, and other laggards police their own neighborhood, if Nanny America will do it for them? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Air_Policing Nanny needs to let these rich countries police their own borders (or be run over by Putin, if they so prefer). Poland is the only country that seems to really understand what is at stake, and with good reason, given its history! The Baltic has nothing to do with the USA. Why is the US on Baltic police rotation in Norway's stead? Why is faraway Portugal having to serve for Sweden? Neither Portuguese nor Americans will notice if Putin takes Sweden or Norway or Finland. And, if Sweden and Norway want to be part of Russia, let them go then! Few outside of these countries will notice. The Ukraine is closer to the heart (core) of Europe, than Norway and Sweden, and few seem terribly concerned about the Ukraine being invaded.
"Ahead of power plant push, Obama ties climate change to health hazards
Posted:Sat, 31 May 2014 10:11:13 GMT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama kicked off a campaign to promote new restrictions on U.S. power plant emissions on Saturday by tying the fight against climate change with efforts to promote better health for children and the elderly. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/HpJkdUMb1BU/story01.htm
In Europe, Obama gets second chance to explain his Russia policy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama heads to Warsaw, Brussels, Paris and Normandy this week where he is expected to elaborate on the U.S. commitment to counter Russian moves against Ukraine and reassure nervous allies the United States has their backs. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/fLVMrRFectA/story01.htm
Muslims march in Central African Republic capital, call for evacuation
BANGUI (Reuters) – Hundreds of Muslims marched in their last major enclave in Central African Republic's capital Bangui on Saturday, protesting against a call by the president that they disarm and demanding their safe evacuation from the city. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/1J_QEJWZQ74/story01.htm
Thousands rally in Burkina Faso against lifting presidential term limit
Posted:Sat, 31 May 2014 13:19:26 -0400
OUAGADOUGOU, May 31 (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of people packed into a stadium in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou on Saturday to voice their opposition to a referendum that would lift presidential term limits and allow the country's leader to seek re-election next year." http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/cL6Ny0wo5tg/burkina-opposition-idUSL6N0OH0I320140531
Update Saturday, 31 May 2014
Speak of the devil! (Read below and you will see what we mean!)
A new post-reblog: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/the-flag-of-the-oil-companies-still-flies-over-the-louisiana-capitol-today/
The Louisiana legislature is where the Chair of the US Senate Energy Committee got her start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Landrieu (Well, actually her father Moon Landrieu being Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana is how she got her start; now her brother's Mayor of New Orleans).
New Posts:
https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/drilling-for-oil-in-the-arctic-of-norways-statoil-transocean-taxhavens-bear-island-greenpeace-a-forgotten-leaky-nuclear-submarine/ https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/renewal-and-fortification-of-russias-environmental-movement/
Peter and Paul Fortress, the original Citadel of St. Petersburg, Russia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_and_Paul_Fortress
We placed most of the Ukraine news together toward the bottom. By paying Russia for the gas, the Ukraine is going to lose its only leverage to get Crimea, and the two giant solar plants in Crimea, back from Russia.
Who did pay, has paid or will pay for those solar plants?
This whole thing of state owned or controlled nuclear and petroleum corporations and the need of the state judicial system to rule for or against them for various things, appears strange. Certainly when the nuclear and petroleum industry buy judges and government – whether legally through campaign donations or illegally – as in the USA also doesn't work. But, it should not be an either-or. Neither one nor the other seems fair. In particular, today we have Norwegian Courts ruling in favour of 67% Norwegian government owned Statoil for drilling in the Arctic. We have also seen the French courts rule against a French citizen in favour of majority French gov owned Areva. We wouldn't even know where to start on the buying and selling of judges and politicians in the USA, nor with the apparent buying of politicians in the UK by the nuclear industry. Well, actually we DO know where we would start, with the huge campaign contributions given to US President Obama by Exelon who has the largest "fleet" of nuclear power plants in the US. And, the huge campaign contributions given to US Senator, Chair of the Energy Committee, Mary Landrieu, by companies who benefit from the building of the new Vogtle Nuclear Reactor (Shaw) and the perpetuation of old nuclear plants (Entergy). She also represents the state where Shaw is making parts for the new Vogtle reactor! For the UK we would start, of course, with the head of the Dept of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), Ed Davey, and his brother's work for EDF. Also, former PM Gordon Brown's brother works or worked for EDF. In fact, Henri Proglio, current CEO of EDF, has the reputation for employing family members of politicians to get what he wants, according to some French journalists. But, all of this our routine readers know already and it is probably just scratching the surface. Also strange that a Senator from such an oil dependent state as Louisiana (Mary Landrieu) would be allowed to sit as Chair of the Senate Energy Committee. One need only look at this situation in the UK to see why Scotland needs to leave. Is Ed Davey pushing so hard to force a nuclear waste dump upon Cumbria, undermining democracy, so that majority French gov owned EDF can send French nuclear waste to Cumbria? The Scottish Highlands will be next if Scotland doesn't leave. Scotland should offer the right to return home to all of the Scottish people booted out by the UK-London gov since union, rather than open itself up to English and French and probably German nuclear waste!
"U.S. to miss deadline for removing nuclear waste from Los Alamos
(Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Energy on Friday said it would be unable to meet a deadline to remove drums of nuclear waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico because of safety concerns tied to the radiological materials. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/ADfl9d6trwA/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Former Morgan Stanley chief John Mack to quit Rosneft board
Posted:Thu, 29 May 2014 13:10:06 GMT
MOSCOW, May 29 (Reuters) – John Mack, a former chief executive and chairman of Morgan Stanley, has decided to leave the board of Russia's top oil producer, Rosneft, for personal reasons, the Kremlin-controlled company said on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/0-Ow8Y4juZU/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Formal countdown begins for Scottish vote that could break up United Kingdom
Posted:Fri, 30 May 2014 14:56:38 GMT
EDINBURGH, May 30 (Reuters) – The formal campaign for a Scottish independence vote that could break-up the United Kingdom began on Friday, although polls currently show Scots are unlikely to choose to end the 307-year-old union with England. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/0AeDuo7XYiQ/story01.htm
Formal countdown begins for Scottish vote that could break up United Kingdom
EDINBURGH, May 30 (Reuters) – The formal campaign for a Scottish independence vote that could result in the break-up of the United Kingdom began on Friday, though polls currently show Scots are unlikely to vote for the demise of the 307-year-old union with England. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/dG1-MH-eDFQ/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Norway rejects Greenpeace appeal against Statoil drilling
* Arctic ice retreats, opening new areas for drilling (Adds Greenpeace reaction, Statoil quotes, details) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/sSc3NCT2L_0/story01.htm
UPDATE 2-Norway tows Greenpeace ship out of Arctic oil rig zone
* Arctic ice retreats, opening new areas for drilling (New throughout, adds Coast Guard removes ship, reaction from Greenpeace) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/sSc3NCT2L_0/story01.htm
Norway tows Greenpeace ship out of Arctic oil rig zone
OSLO (Reuters) – Norway's Coast Guard on Friday evening towed away a Greenpeace ship that tried to block Statoil's rig from drilling the world's most northerly oil well in the Barents Sea, the environment group said. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/lhBkgC1q6Zw/story01.htm
Xi says China won't stir trouble in South China Sea
SHANGHAI, May 31 (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed not to stir up trouble in the South China Sea but said China would react "in the necessary way" to provocations by other countries, the official Xinhua news agency reported. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/yQ32A4hrygo/story01.htm
California Senate rejects bill to halt fracking
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The California state Senate on Thursday rejected for the second year in a row a bill that would have put a temporary stop to the controversial oil-producing practice of fracking in the state. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/domesticNews/~3/Br5NnSOTCtg/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-CN Rail sees U.S. banning older rail cars for oil in 3-5 years
Posted:Thu, 29 May 2014 17:54:21 -0400
May 29 (Reuters) – Canadian National Railway Chief Executive Claude Mongeau said on Thursday he expects U.S. regulators to phase out use of DOT-111 tank cars in three to five years, following a deadly explosion in Quebec last year. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/PRtQ_ZwWpNs/canadian-nat-rly-crude-idUSL1N0OF2C120140529
Congo unveils tender for exploitation of methane gas on Lake Kivu
Posted:Fri, 30 May 2014 15:08:35 -0400
KINSHASA, May 30 (Reuters) – Democratic Republic of Congo's oil ministry has called for bids to exploit reserves of methane gas at the bottom of Lake Kivu on its eastern border with Rwanda, the prime minister's office said on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/gi0y1xT11jc/congodemocratic-energy-idUSL6N0OG45J20140530
Freeport CEO heads to Jakarta as export stoppage entering 6th month
JAKARTA, May 30 (Reuters) – Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc's CEO will be in Indonesia next week for talks to resolve the U.S. miner's impasse with the government over exports from its giant Grasberg copper and gold mine that have halted since January. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/0a80r35M_7U/freeport-mc-indonesia-exports-idUSL3N0OG2NS20140530
ICAP, Gasteam America LP to form alliance focusing on LPG operations
NEW YORK, May 29 (Reuters) – ICAP Energy and Gasteam America LP plan to announce on Thursday that they have formed a strategic business alliance to complement their respective liquified petroleum gas (LPG) operations, according to a news release obtained by Reuters. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/fmQ1Bl0LzAI/story01.htm
UPDATE 2-Ukraine's empty seat at table darkens party for Putin's new ex-Soviet bloc
* Union helps Putin show Russia not isolated (Adds quotes, details) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Cuwzs0OEge4/story01.htm
Reasons for the world to care about Scottish independence vote
LONDON, May 30 (Reuters) – Small northern nation to vote on independence in peaceful referendum. Should the world care at a time when Ukraine has pitted East versus West in an echo of the Cold War? http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/3BP8nPQla7Q/story01.htm
India's Reliance turns to African crude in shale boom spin-off
* Reliance's Jan-Apr Africa crude buys up 5% yoy, Mid-East buys down 1.4% http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Kn-Z40puhbk/story01.htm
UPDATE 2-Greenpeace ship arrives at Arctic drill site, Statoil rig within sight
* Protest mounted two days ago when 15 activists boarded rig http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/grexQYISUvE/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Russia urges West to press Kiev to avert Ukraine "catastrophe"
MOSCOW, May 29 (Reuters) – Russia demanded on Thursday that the Ukrainian government stop its military operation against pro-Russian separatists and urged the United States and European Union to press Kiev to avert a "catastrophe" in the former Soviet republic. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Sd-xAVi25n8/story01.htm
Kremlin adviser steps up war of words with US over Ukraine
ASTANA, May 29 (Reuters) – An outspoken Kremlin adviser accused the United States on Thursday of trying to stoke a military conflict between Russia and European nations over Ukraine for its own economic gain. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/UWTczYWqcxA/story01.htm
NEWSMAKER-South Africa's mines minister: from hunter to strike buster
* Ramatlhodi is a keen hunter and runner (Adds figure on death toll in S. African mines) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/aCMmIo0gRXw/story01.htm
UPDATE 4-North Korea agrees to reopen probe into Japan abductees
* Agreement coincides with worries about N.Korea nuclear test http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Mk_cekK-g_4/story01.htm
Russia urges West to press Kiev to avert Ukraine "catastrophe"
MOSCOW, May 29 (Reuters) – Russia demanded on Thursday that the Ukrainian government stop its military operation against pro-Russian separatists and urged the United States and European Union to press Kiev to avert a "catastrophe" in the former Soviet republic. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/_WXIx8f-SPs/story01.htm
EU says Ukraine must pay Russia for gas, Moscow must offer fair price
BERLIN, May 30 (Reuters) – Ukraine must make a down-payment to Russia for gas and in return Moscow must offer a fair price for further deliveries, Europe's Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said ahead of talks with the Russian and Ukrainian energy ministers in Berlin on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/NlcjecpAsMw/story01.htm
Russia says gas talks can continue once Ukraine payment confirmed
BERLIN, May 30 (Reuters) – Russia's energy minister said on Friday that talks with Ukraine should be able to continue next week, with discussions on back-payments and a price for future deliveries, once Moscow can confirm receipt of a partial payment by Kiev. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/0JYB6pO4dEY/story01.htm
Ukraine says paid Russia $786 mln for gas debt
MOSCOW, May 30 (Reuters) – Ukraine has paid $786 million to Russia in backpayments for natural gas deliveries, far less than the sum Gazprom demands, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/QDUtVgK2zCA/story01.htm
EU says Russia-Ukraine near deal on gas, more talks next week
BERLIN, May 30 (Reuters) – Russia and Ukraine have made progress in talks on their gas dispute in Berlin and will meet again on Monday in Brussels if Moscow can confirm receipt of a partial payment by Kiev, the European Union mediator Guenther Oettinger said on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/jnjopRp9d88/story01.htm
Russian PM says Ukraine informed it of partial gas payments
MINSK, May 30 (Reuters) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday that Ukraine had informed Moscow that it had paid part of its gas debt, but indicated that state gas producer Gazprom had yet to receive the money. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/7oU-vIrbNCA/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Ukraine tells Russia part payment of back gas bill on its way
* EU mediator Oettinger says 2 sides move closer to agreement" http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/C2aochdF7WI/story01.htm
Two great new innovations to put the bad people, like BP-Rosneft, and the nuclear industry, out of business. Major solar car breakthrough and potential of using sea water for fuel!
"COLUMN-What BP doesn't want you to know: Frankel
(The opinions expressed here are those of Alison Frankel, a columnist for Reuters.) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/_zB6gpCMerQ/story01.htm
Oil rig explodes in Oklahoma, at least one dead — local media
May 29 – An oil rig erupts in flames in Oklahoma, where at least one person on the scene is reported to have died. Rough Cut (no reporter narration). http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USVideoTopNews/~3/BEnjjiUciGw/story01.htm
Researchers see solar-powered cars on the road ahead
Posted:Tue, 27 May 2014 14:08:00 -0400
May 27 – The idea of solar powered cars may seem far-fetched but researchers at Ford Motor Company and the Georgia Institute of Technology are developing a system they hope will spark a revolution in sun-powered transportation. Ben Gruber has more. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USVideoEnvironment/~3/knPlw7igDvo/researchers-see-solar-powered-cars-on-th
US Navy turns seawater into fuel
Posted:Sun, 18 May 2014 20:00:00 -0400
May 19 – The US Navy is turning seawater into fuel. Scientists at the US Naval Research Lab have been able to extract CO2 and hydrogen from the ocean and repackage it in a form of fuel that could one day power the Navy's fleet. Brittany Peterson has more." http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USVideoEnvironment/~3/cADt28QM1LA/us-navy-turns-seawater-into-fuel
The rest of the news has been saved but will update later.
Updated post: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/radioactive-reindeer-nuclear-guinea-pigs-part-x-of-a-series/ (Updated 28 May and 29 May)
New post: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/impacts-of-suction-dredge-mining-on-aquatic-life-wildlife-and-humans/ This suction dredge mining risks stirring up old radionuclides. We are particularly concerned about deep sea mining, too, for this and other reasons. We wonder if offshore dredge mining could have contributed to the sick seals in Alaska, along with Fukushima? There are sick seals in Japan exhibiting the same symptoms.
BP, Russian gov owned Rosneft's partner, still continues to attempt to avoid its financial responsibility in relation to the BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill!
Mothers (and Fathers) need to get mad about radionuclides and not just about Roundup! Did researchers test how much radioactive iodine or radioactive strontium or perhaps plutonium is in breast milk? Or, did they only test for Roundup?
Do they know that, as recently as 2008, US Oak Ridge researchers, Leggett and Eckerman, made a computer model to predict doses to babies from breast milk due to both acute exposure of the mother, but also previous intakes during the mother's life? Included are Cobalt 60, Strontium 90, Cesium 134 and 137, Ir-192, Plutonium 238 and 239, Americium 241 or Cf 252? Where is the model for radio-iodine? It will certainly be there for those living near nuclear power plants, and probably many not so near nuclear power plants. How angry will these mothers be when they learn this?
"Anadarko's $5.15 bln cleanup agreement clears first court hurdle
Posted:Wed, 28 May 2014 19:36:17 GMT
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Anadarko Petroleum Corp's agreement to pay $5.15 billion to clean up nuclear fuel and other pollution moved one step closer to reality on Wednesday, receiving a bankruptcy judge's rubber stamp. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/4h4B6eNC9gU/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Brazil fines cement firms $1.4 bln for price rigging, orders asset sales
Posted:Wed, 28 May 2014 21:31:44 -0400
BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, May 28 (Reuters) – Brazil's antitrust watchdog Cade fined six cement makers a combined 3.1 billion reais ($1.4 billion) for fixing prices for two decades and ordered the companies to dispose of many assets, in a harsh decision that the biggest one said it will challenge in courts. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/ls2u9zXJRqM/brazil-cement-antitrust-idUSL1N0OE2IF20140529
UPDATE 4-BlackRock CEO says leveraged ETFs could 'blow up' whole industry
(Adds comment from leveraged ETF firm ProShares in paragraphs 4-5) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/u326ISjCAfI/funds-etf-blackrock-idUSL1N0OE1HI20140528
UPDATE 2-U.S. industry gears up to fight Obama's climate rules
WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) – A U.S. plan to curb carbon emissions from power plants is likely to come under attack this summer by industry opponents in a bid to stir voter anger ahead of elections in November, when voters in states such as Kentucky and West Virginia could decide whether Democrats keep control of the Senate. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/yL19qYKhnPo/story01.htm
BP asks U.S. Supreme Court justice to block Gulf spill payments
WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) – BP Plc on Wednesday asked U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia to allow the company to avoid making payments to businesses demanding compensation for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill while litigation continues. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/qNR1RzSOqUk/story01.htm
Norway PM says politics will not delay Statoil's $20 bln Sverdrup field
OSLO, May 28 (Reuters) – The startup of Norway's $20 billion Johan Sverdrup oil field, the country's largest industrial project in decades, will not be delayed by a political dispute over its source of power, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Wednesday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/yZRdbkyJZeE/story01.htm
Ukraine PM calls on Russia to block border to Ukraine
BERLIN, May 28 (Reuters) – Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk called on Russia's Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to bloc the border to Ukraine to prevent guerrillas entering the country, adding that if Russian influence was eliminated the crisis could be ended swiftly. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/VAQ9dNOC2mM/story01.htm
East Ukraine city largely calm after battle, rebels seek Russian help
DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) – Relative calm returned to the streets of Donetsk on Wednesday after the biggest battle of the pro-Russian separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine, a conflict transformed by the landslide election of a pro-European leader who vowed to crush the revolt. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/mt0PjmexTlI/story01.htm
Russia forges huge economic bloc with Kazakhstan and Belarus
ASTANA (Reuters) – The presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus signed a treaty on Thursday creating a vast trading bloc which they hope will challenge the economic might of the United States, the European Union and China. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/k1r7k3CkolE/story01.htm
Turkish mine disaster highlights gaps in safety regulation
* Regulations not as extensive as in many countries -experts http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/tMs5FBJE2io/story01.htm
China optimistic of finding gas off Vietnam, could test ties further – experts
* Rig has good chance of finding commercial quantities of gas – experts http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/4GhqP5sh2-M/story01.htm
Lifting oil export ban would spark U.S. economy – IHS
* Ukraine crisis lifting US political support to reverse ban http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/kDFC2xRKQWU/story01.htm
Kenya seizes Hong Kong-bound rosewood from Madagascar's threatened forests
MOMBASA Kenya (Reuters) – Kenyan customs officials seized dozens of shipping containers holding hundreds of tonnes of illegally logged rosewood from Madagascar, they said on Wednesday, the largest bust of its kind and worth as much as $13 million. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/r_pMY3QnAWo/story01.htm
China to boost funding for local governments that cut emissions
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will boost funding to regions that do well in reining in air pollution and punish laggards, the cabinet has decided, as Beijing pushes local governments to step up the war on smog. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/ilqG-O9YD5o/story01.htm
Angry mothers meet U.S. EPA over concerns with Roundup herbicide
Posted:Tue, 27 May 2014 20:13:57 GMT
(Reuters) – A group of mothers, scientists and environmentalists met with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulators on Tuesday over concerns that residues of Roundup, the world's most popular herbicide, had been found in breast milk" http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/BPEcjVlJGHI/story01.htm
"The Battle of Stirling Bridge was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew de Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey, and Hugh de Cressingham near Stirling, on the River Forth". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stirling_Bridge
The present-day Stirling Bridge
The real question with the independence vote is if Scotland wants to be nuclear free or if it wants a nuclear waste dump forced upon it, like the UK gov is trying to do to Cumbria, against the will of the Cumbrian County Council. If Scotland is smart it will leave the UK gov behind for a nuclear free and nuclear dump free future and if Cumbria's smart it will leave too. Both were historically separate from England. Cumbria was invaded by England. After being invaded and fighting for its freedom, Scotland got roped back into the "UK" first through a shared king and then through the treachery of its leaders. https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/for-a-nuclear-free-scotland/ https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/03/24/why-scotland-and-quebec-should-consider-independence/
Cost of independence pits Scotland against London as battle intensifies
EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Each side of the Scottish independence debate will set out on Wednesday very different versions of how the country's finances will look if it breaks away from the United Kingdom. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INworldNews/~3/Vq52KGQCcls/story01.htm
China sacks senior energy official amid corruption crackdown – Xinhua
BEIJING (Reuters) – The deputy director of China's National Energy Association (NEA), who was under investigation for taking bribes, has been sacked as a crackdown on the power body widens, state media reported on Wednesday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INworldNews/~3/EFtRv8nIDVs/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Australia's opposition leader concedes carbon, mining taxes to go
* Australia's Labor Party says carbon, mining taxes doomed http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Qxf2Ni0bpW8/story01.htm
INSIGHT-Better late than never, Germany joins new scramble for Africa
* Germany slow to invest in region outside S.Africa, Nigeria, Algeria. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/7PA3n9lqO8k/germany-africa-trade-idUSL6N0O53XS20140528
Polish firm plans factory to supply input for fracking shale gas
WARSAW, May 27 (Reuters) – Poland's Baltic Ceramics Investments is issuing shares to help fund construction of a factory that will produce a high-tech substance used in fracking, part of a developing supply chain for eastern Europe's shale gas sector. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/PIpEtsXlU6I/poland-shale-baltic-ceramics-idUSL6N0O93HX20140527
BHP Billiton says it may cut jobs at Worsley Alumina
* $3 bln expansion of Australian plant completed last year http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/W4Dy2J3Eek8/bhp-billiton-aluminium-jobs-idUSL6N0OD35N20140527
Sierra Leone Ebola patient's family remove her from local health centre
ACCRA, May 27 (Reuters) – Relatives of an Ebola patient in Sierra Leone took her home from a community health centre despite protests from medical staff, risking spreading the deadly and highly infectious disease, a senior health official said on Tuesday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/ovVhzBy0p70/ebola-leone-idUSL6N0OD36K20140527
UPDATE 1-Greenpeace protesters board Statoil's Arctic drilling rig
* 15 are activists on board (Adds police, Statoil, Greenpeace) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/hWtNz9wSNr0/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Ukraine raises stakes in Russia dispute with stolen gas claim
KIEV, May 27 (Reuters) – Ukraine raised the stakes in a dispute with Russia over gas supplies on Tuesday, saying Russian state-controlled company Gazprom owed Kiev natural gas worth around $1 billion which it had "stolen" when Moscow annexed Crimea. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/QkH0G4xo4qY/story01.htm
Head of Russia's Novatek sees no access to gas pipelines to Europe soon
MOSCOW, May 27 (Reuters) – The head of Novatek, Russia's largest independent gas producer, sees no chance of winning the right to export gas via pipelines to Europe in the near term despite getting government approval to ship super-cooled gas out of Russia last year. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/fwwUmQnHEvs/story01.htm
The reality of Ukraine's conflict in a Donetsk morgue
DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) – At the Kalinin morgue in Donetsk, where fighting has raged for two days between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists, the bodies were piled so high it was difficult to tell their number. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INworldNews/~3/ywO30YsQ9tk/story01.htm
More than 50 rebels killed in biggest Ukraine government assault
DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) – More than 50 pro-Russian rebels were killed in an unprecedented assault by Ukrainian government forces, which raged into a second day on Tuesday after a newly-elected president vowed to crush the revolt in the east once and for all. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INtopNews/~3/0q_IUlylYg8/story01.htm
RFERL News Ukraine
"EU Backs New Ukrainian Leadership
EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso says the EU will continue to provide financial and other assistance to Ukraine". By RFE/RL May 28, 2014 http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-european-union-/25400911.html
From rferl.org re Ukraine:
"Poroshenko Rolls Up His Sleeves
Tuesday, May 27, 2014 http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-poroshenko-top-priorities/25398997.html
With Petro Poroshenko all but confirmed as Ukraine's new president, he will have his work cut out for him from the first day. What are the key challenges?
Halt In Fighting Reported At Donetsk Airport http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-donetsk-/25399531.html
Is It Time For The Maidan To Go? http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-maidan-go-or-stay/25399131.html
Ukraine Crisis Blog: All The Day's Events" http://www.rferl.org/contentlive/ukraine-live-blog/25382555.html
Note that the content of the first Reuters article on the Ukraine is much more comprehensive than the title indicates. Majority French gov owned Areva signed a new uranium mining contract with Niger. Some related posts which show how low and dirty Areva plays: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/03/31/adieu-free-speech-in-nuclear-france-areva-rules/ https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/30/edf-found-guilty-of-spying-on-greenpeace-how-low-will-french-government-owned-edf-areva-go/ EDF and Areva are almost totally French gov owned evil twins. EDF is building a new nuclear reactor in the UK.
"Battle at Donetsk airport; new Ukraine leader says no talks with 'terrorists'
KIEV/DONETSK, Ukraine, May 26 (Reuters) – Ukraine launched air strikes and a paratrooper assault against pro-Russian rebels who seized an airport on Monday, as its newly elected leader rejected any talks with "terrorists" and said a robust military campaign in the east should be able to put down a separatist revolt in "a matter of hours". http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/Xv3vLFca9a8/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Protesters burn vehicles, buildings at New Caledonia nickel mine
Posted:Mon, 26 May 2014 22:15:06 -0400
* Protests escalate after lack of response from local chiefs http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/c27ZDLE2V-0/vale-sa-newcaledonia-spill-idUSL3N0OC3DN20140527
UPDATE 3-Areva signs uranium deal with Niger, delays new mine
* Mines under 2006 law that cut exemptions, upped royalties http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/NGS-zLXpFQY/areva-niger-idUSL6N0OC2TB20140526
With London "fix" under fire, China seeks bigger sway in gold trade
* Shanghai Gold Exchange talking to foreign banks, producers on new int'l exchange http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/tpppiBAetsU/china-gold-pricing-idUSL3N0OC0M820140526
Untested new South Africa mines minister faces baptism of fire
* New minister said to have strong black empowerment views http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/IBZmuCHcW2o/safrica-cabinet-idUSL6N0OC2HQ20140526
CORRECTED-Russia's VSMPO says Airbus to face fines if quits $4 bln titanium contract
(Corrects MAY 23 story to specify VSMPO is 25 percent owned by Rostec, paragraph 2) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/_mcE-XOeAEY/vsmpo-airbus-sanctions-idUSL6N0O91HK20140526
UPDATE 1-EU says further progress made in Ukraine-Russia gas row
Posted:Mon, 26 May 2014 19:47:14 GMT
BERLIN, May 26 (Reuters) – Europe's Energy Commissioner said on Monday Ukraine and Russia had made further progress in a dispute over gas prices and his proposal that Ukraine to pay $2 billion of back debt by Thursday could pave the way for further talks on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/s9ur5ZxKxoQ/story01.htm
China's Communist Party expels official of power gear maker for graft
BEIJING, May 26 (Reuters) – China's ruling Communist Party has expelled a senior official of a state-run power equipment maker for taking huge bribes in violation of the law, the party's anti-graft watchdog said on Monday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/lqbDxKfAHaI/story01.htm
Canada oil will flow any way it can to U.S. – transport minister
OTTAWA, May 26 (Reuters) – If Canadian crude cannot be transported to the United States because of delays in building pipelines, it will go by rail, Canadian Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said on Monday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/U_QmXbU-jT8/story01.htm
China says Vietnam claims to disputed islets "ridiculous"
BEIJING, May 26 (Reuters) – China described Vietnam's claim to disputed South China Sea islands as "ridiculous" on Monday, as tension rises over competing claims of sovereignty in waters believed to be rich in oil and natural gas. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/X2l_1xBkZYE/story01.htm
Berlin urges "constructive" relationship between Moscow and Kiev
BERLIN, May 26 (Reuters) – Russia can help stabilise Ukraine by building a constructive relationship with its newly elected leader, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said on Monday after Petro Poroshenko won Sunday's Ukrainian presidential election. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/5TQ_GtoUn2w/story01.htm
Merkel says 1st round win for Poroshenko good news
BERLIN, May 26 (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday welcomed the preliminary results in Ukraine's election showing Petro Poroshenko could win enough support to avert a run-off election, though she said that could only be confirmed when full results are in. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/oE5FxieWUG0/story01.htm
Polish plan on EU Russian gas buying gaining support
BRUSSELS, May 26 (Reuters) – Poland's call for European Union nations to work together in price negotiations with Russian natural gas exporter Gazprom is gaining support spurred by the crisis in neighbouring Ukraine. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/OmUaLBkxXX4/story01.htm
Russian firm studying world's largest coal-fired plant to supply China
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, May 26 (Reuters) – Russia's Inter RAO is studying the possibility of building the world's largest coal-fired power plant to sell electricity to China in a sign of strengthening economic and political ties between the two countries. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/n5x0HXP3NLg/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Lithuania nears LNG deal with Statoil
* Plans to import more than 0.5 bcm annually for five years http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/xx14kZEW34M/story01.htm
U.S.'s NextEra files complaint over Spain's new renewable energy rules
MADRID, May 26 (Reuters) – U.S. alternative energy group NextEra has filed a complaint against Spain before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) over changes to renewable energy rules, the fourth complaint of its kind. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/7QwpY_0CKs8/story01.htm
Forty-five U.S. senators seek extra time for input on EPA carbon rule
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Environmental Protection Agency should double the amount of time the public will have to give input on its forthcoming proposal that will aim to cut carbon pollution from power plants nationwide, 45 U.S. senators urged on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/l1aCj06DCSQ/story01.htm
Warm Pacific may paradoxically cause U.S. winter freeze: study
THE HAGUE(Reuters) – Unusually warm western Pacific waters linked to global warming may be the paradoxical cause of a bone-chilling winter in parts of the United States this year, a scientific study said on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/EjNZTUbCm-c/story01.htm
Two new posts: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/alaska-caribou-herd-declined-by-28-from-2011-2013/ https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/radioactive-reindeer-nuclear-guinea-pigs-part-x-of-a-series/
Chocolate Beats Mining-Oil and Gas
Chocolate in the Morning
While we know almost nothing about the new President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, it is clear that chocolate is a healthy, renewable resource. So, we certainly would rather see someone make a fortune in chocolate than in oil and gas or mining or other bad things. In fact, since chocolate acts as an anti-oxidant, it can help protect from ionizing radiation, and other chemical damage (assuming that the chocolate itself isn't contaminated by radionuclides or other environmental contaminants.) There are many more good things about chocolate too. Too many to be told. Dark organic (bio) chocolate with little sugar is healthiest.
Petro Poroshenko, Chocolate Billionaire and President Elect of Ukraine
Photo via wikimedia
"Ukrainians back Poroshenko to find way out of crisis
KIEV (Reuters) – Petro Poroshenko, a billionaire chocolate manufacturer, claimed the Ukrainian presidency with an emphatic election victory on Sunday, taking on a fraught mission to quell pro-Russian rebels and steer his fragile nation closer to the West. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/RQzAc3tzTwE/story01.htm
'Chocolate King' Poroshenko claims victory in Ukraine presidential poll
Posted:Sun, 25 May 2014 21:33:21 GMT
KIEV (Reuters) – Billionaire Petro Poroshenko claimed Ukraine's presidency on Sunday after exit polls gave him an absolute majority in a first round of voting and, vowing to end a conflict with pro-Russian rebels, he pledged to align his country with Europe. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/jrEn_l-26bw/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-In new warehousing suit, Goldman, JPMorgan sued over zinc
NEW YORK, May 23 (Reuters) – Wall Street banks, big metal merchants and the London Metal Exchange face a lawsuit alleging they have artificially inflated zinc prices, expanding a high-profile legal case that has until now centered on the larger aluminum market. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/AUOf00E4nHw/usa-zinc-lawsuit-idUSL1N0OA01C20140524
Niger arrests opposition members it says trying to incite coup
NIAMEY, May 25 (Reuters) – Niger has arrested some 40 armed opposition supporters on suspicion of attempting to destabilise the West African nation in order to incite the army to stage a coup, the country's interior minister said. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/peeQdbypeWQ/niger-opposition-arrest-idUSL6N0OB0IL20140525
UPDATE 2-Kurds say Iraqi bid to thwart oil exports via Turkey will fail
* Kurdistan says arbitration filing by Iraq "hollow threat" http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/T-8M6NsqImk/story01.htm
In North American rail towns, some try to stop oil trains
May 25 (Reuters) – Albany, New York Sheriff Craig Apple assured a room of concerned citizens that county emergency crews were prepared to handle an oil-train accident involving three or four tank cars. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/uYi4zhIjN7A/story01.htm
INSIGHT-Italy's woeful waste management on trial with Il Supremo trash king
* Manlio Cerroni dominated trash disposal in and around Rome http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/8FMNBXHCotk/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Italy's Pirelli inks retail, production deals with Russia's Rosneft
* Rosneft entity signs binding deal to buy Pirelli stake (Adds binding deal to sell Pirelli stake to Rosneft entity) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Eg495LYpjoY/story01.htm
Sanctions will make Russia use rouble for trade – PM Medvedev
MOSCOW, May 24 (Reuters) – Western sanctions will galvanise Russia into using the rouble as a currency for international trade, the country's prime minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview published on Saturday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/PHRO68QdSok/story01.htm
Putin says Russia and China need to secure their gold and currency reserves
ST PETERSBURG, Russia May 24 (Reuters) – Russia and China need to ensure their gold and currency reserves are secure, Russia's President Vladimir Putin told foreign journalists at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/KIs9xeH6ec4/story01.htm
New post: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/05/25/nuclear-france-arevas-imperial-foray-into-the-central-african-republic/
If knowledge of the oil and gas contracts at stake in Ukraine and Crimea didn't put to bed the notion that Russia has anything to do with ethnicity, take a look at this. This shows the expansion of the Russian Empire and is something we will come back to. Notice Crimea is not included.
Territory of Muscovy / Russia in 1500, 1600 and 1700 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empire
Below is a photo of a Siberian Yupik lady, cousin to the Alaska Yupik, historically known as "Eskimos". It is a no brainer that the kinship ties between this lady and Putin are very ancient if they exist at all. They are both good looking people and they both look out of their eyes, but that's about it. Rather, Russia is an Empire built by conquest. As an Empire, it exploited and still exploits the gold (and other minerals), oil and gas of the indigenous peoples. The part of Russia closest to Alaska (50 miles, 80 km, away) was not conquered until 1778. Additionally, autonomous Okrug appears a misnomer. They report directly to Moscow and Moscow sends out a governor who is "approved" by local vote. Furthermore, speaking Russian doesn't make someone an ethnic Russian anymore than speaking English makes someone ethnic English. Both are lingua francas of Empire and trade. There are Russian speaking, blue-eyed, blond, Ukrainian Jews, by the way.
Young Putin as a KGB officer. www. kremlin. ru via Wikimedia-Creative Commons
Putin doesn't look too kin to this Native Alaskan Yupik EITHER
"Chuck Hunt, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (translator between Yupik and English) and leader in the Alaskan Yupik community" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Alaskan_Yup%27ik_people
To show what Imperial jerks Russia's "Nationalists" have been being, they want Alaska back, along with Crimea. No joke.
"Not An April Fools' Joke: Russians Petition To Get Alaska Back by SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON, April 01, 2014 3:27 PM ET http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/04/01/297835873/not-an-april-fools-joke-russians-petition-to-get-alaska-back
Excerpt: "Putin's annexation of Crimea resonated with many Russians, who see him as having righted a historical wrong. Similar sentiments are fueling Russian legal claims to oil-rich Alaska."
What claim? Russians only settled in neighboring Alaska for 70 years. At the height of Russian America the Russian population was 700 people compared to 40,000 Native Alaskans. The US bought Alaska from Russia in 1868, 146 years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_America
Putin claimed he wasn't interested in Alaska because it was too cold. Right. It hasn't been too cold to exploit resources in cold parts of Russia. Of course, the British-Australian-Canadian owners of the Pebble Mine would love it to be Russian so they could just pay off some Russian kleptocrats and not have to deal with the US EPA who is actually doing its job for a change with the Pebble Mine and trying to block it. A rare and amazing thing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebble_Mine The last Russian Czar was Queen Victoria's grandson and first cousin to Queen Elizabeth II's grandfather. Queen Elizabeth is supposedly invested in London Blue Chip stocks which would include London based BP, previously known as British Petroleum. Royal Dutch Shell is also a Blue Chip stock. Do we hear a giant sucking noise as resources go to the heart of empire in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and London?
The article below about the Chinese mining tycoon makes an interesting read.
Reuters also has a new series called "Comrade Capitalism" about Russia. It doesn't seem to have a news feed but can easily be found.
"UPDATE 1-Putin says Ukraine "radicals" could disrupt gas flows to Europe
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, May 24 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin expressed concern on Saturday about threats by "radicals" in Ukraine to interrupt Russian natural gas supplies to Europe. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/PW4ZoJAtTA0/story01.htm
EU should consider its business in Russia when deciding on sanctions – Kremlin
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, May 24 (Reuters) – The European Union should consider the interests of European companies working in Russia when deciding on whether to impose sanctions on Moscow over its involvement in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin's top economic aide said on Saturday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/LpTBuPC2YDU/story01.htm
Proceeds from Rosneft sale should go to state budget – minister
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, May 24 (Reuters) – Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said on Saturday that proceeds from the state selling a stake in the country's largest oil producer should go to the federal budget and not to the energy holding Rosneftegaz. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/ulsk3wQpb94/story01.htm
Italy's Pirelli inks retail, production deals with Russia's Rosneft
MILAN, May 24 (Reuters) – Italian tyremaker Pirelli has agreed with Rosneft to open more than 200 retail outlets at the Russian oil group's filling stations and cooperate in synthetic rubber production, Pirelli said in a statement on Saturday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/TAcxpA3OZnc/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Rosneft, BP agree to explore for hard-to-recover oil in Russia
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, May 24 (Reuters) – Rosneft and BP signed an agreement on Saturday to jointly explore for hard-to-recover oil in Russia, the first major deal for the state-run Russian oil company since the West imposed sanctions on Moscow. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/FK9HGATCLMA/story01.htm
Canada miner asks U.S. court to stop EPA from barring Alaska mine
May 22 (Reuters) – Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd said on Thursday it has taken the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to court for seeking to block development of the Pebble copper-gold project in Alaska before the Canadian company could even apply for a permit. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/hTtHh4JENZc/northern-dyn-pebble-idUSL1N0O81DM20140522
How a Barclays' options trader manipulated the gold price fix
LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) – Daniel Plunkett, an options trader at Barclays Plc, became the first person to be fined for manipulating the setting of gold prices by Britain's financial watchdog on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/EFnTSkR-iyU/barclays-regulation-gold-trader-idUSL6N0O94E120140523
UPDATE 1-EU should heed European firms in Russia before imposing further sanctions -Putin aide
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, May 24 (Reuters) – The European Union should consider the interests of European companies working in Russia when deciding on whether to impose sanctions on Moscow over its involvement in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin's top economic aide said on Saturday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/umwf21i1dZU/story01.htm
Russia says will take 20 days to move back from Ukraine border
MOSCOW, May 23 (Reuters) – The chief of Russia's military general staff, General Valery Gerasimov, said on Friday that it will take about 20 days to move military equipment temporarily deployed near the border with Ukraine back to permanent bases. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/vW6HrGnieTs/story01.htm
Iraq begins repairs to northern oil export pipeline
MOSUL, Iraq, May 23 (Reuters) – Iraqi engineers are at last fixing the main oil pipeline to Turkey after it was shut down for nearly three months in attacks by an al Qaeda-offshoot cell, an oil official said. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/cwMK4T2T_X4/story01.htm
UPDATE 2-Italy's Eni wins 1st non oil-indexed gas deal from Russia
* Analysts: To add 560 mln euros to Eni's operating profit http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/2Op2TyLcL-c/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-Rosneft's CEO dismisses report of Exxon leaving Russian venture
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, May 23 (Reuters) – Igor Sechin, the head of Russia's top oil producer Rosneft, on Friday dismissed a report that U.S. major ExxonMobil might leave the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/NNW_3MwHIV8/story01.htm
UPDATE 2-Deutsche Bank won't fund Australia coal port expansion near reef
* Anti-coal groups target Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Societe Generale http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/5H7TSoHY4R4/story01.htm
UPDATE 4-Iraq seeks arbitration against Turkey on Kurdish oil sale
* Kurdish crude cargo sold to Mediterranean spot market-Yildiz (Adds analyst comment, context) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/mKv9zp_Bft0/story01.htm
UPDATE 3-China and Qatar seek more Russia investment as U.S. interest fades
* Russia's state private equity fund has raised most funds from Middle East, Asia http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/MzqbFlzKNQM/story01.htm
Court takes over Gas Natural's Italian units in mafia probe
MADRID, May 23 (Reuters) – A court has taken temporary control of the Italian units of Spain's Gas Natural Fenosa as part of an investigation into possible organised crime activity, the Spanish company said on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/3ID9Phu8Bk0/story01.htm
UPDATE 3-Putin signals he will work with Ukraine leader, but blasts US
* Pledges diversification of exports, boost to banks (Adds EU and Russian documents, quotes) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/8iOheVt43IA/story01.htm
UPDATE 1-U.S., European allies express concern over Libya violence
WASHINGTON, May 23 (Reuters) – The United States and European allies on Friday expressed deep concern over mounting violence in Libya and warned that the country stood "at a crossroads" between pursuing a peaceful political transition or facing chaos, fragmentation and terrorism. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/UzSYSEdw130/story01.htm
French troops battle Muslim rebels in C.African Republic town
BAMBARI Central African Republic (Reuters) – French peacekeeping troops in Central African Republic using helicopter gunships and mortars fought Muslim rebels on Saturday at a bridge in the town of Bambari northeast of the capital Bangui, a Reuters witness said. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INworldNews/~3/1stdupSIbnM/story01.htm
UPDATE 3-Barclays slapped with $44 mln fine over gold price fix
* Gold price manipulation took place a day after Libor fine http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/mbXwx1OqaSw/barclays-regulations-gold-idUSL6N0O91SL20140523
Philanthropist, big spender, warlord: Chinese tycoon's Australian faces
(Accompanies SPECIAL REPORT: The power struggle behind China's corruption crackdown) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/QlCvNNKBawI/china-corruption-liu-idUSL3N0O60BK20140523
RPT-UPDATE 1-Australian union suspends iron ore port strike plan for a month
(Repeats story published late Thursday; no changes to text)
http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/K99h3VS-lf0/australia-iron-strike-idUSL3N0O859V20140522
Sweden to sue EU Commission over delays to rules on chemicals
STOCKHOLM, May 22 (Reuters) – Sweden will sue the European Commission to force it to speed up work on identifying and banning chemicals some researchers say may disrupt human hormones and cause disease, the environment minister said on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/pSwlq9ovAD0/eu-sweden-idUSL6N0O860A20140522
UPDATE 2-U.S. CFTC wins Hunter Wise Commodities fraud case
WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission scored a legal victory on Thursday, as a court ordered a group of precious metals firms and their owners to pay $108 million in fines and restitution for fraud. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/Ck58_SgJpjs/cftc-hunterwise-idUSL1N0O814P20140522
U.S. swaps watchdog seeks more comment on proposal to curb speculators
WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) – The U.S. derivatives watchdog asked on Thursday for more industry comments on a proposed rule to curb speculators in commodity futures markets. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/iTs_JlfiUcM/story01.htm
Duke Energy to clean up coal ash spilled in Dan river -U.S. EPA
May 22 (Reuters) – Duke Energy Corp has agreed to find and remove coal ash that a retired North Carolina power plant spilled into the Dan River, which provides drinking water to two towns in nearby Virginia, U.S. environmental regulators said on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/45lnJb4uR08/story01.htm
North Carolina Senate outlaws disclosure of fracking fluid secrets
May 22 (Reuters) – The North Carolina Senate on Thursday voted to make it a crime to disclose the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, even as big U.S. oil companies elsewhere consider releasing more information about the fluids to address public concerns about the environment. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/RI6-Dz0T4FI/story01.htm
EU energy security threatened by Russia buying refineries -report
* Officials say Russian ownership should be closely watched http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/GCmr09EsOSE/story01.htm
Donors commit $215 million for Amazon conservation in Brazil
RIO DEIRO (Reuters) – Brazil's government, the World Wildlife Fund and various partners are expected to unveil an agreement on Wednesday that would establish a $215 million fund for conservation of protected jungle in the Amazon rainforest. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/mxWTCcU-fY4/story01.htm
UPDATE 3-Marathon Petroleum to buy Hess's retail business for $2.87 bln
* Marathon shares up slightly, Hess up 1.8 percent (Updates share price, adds details, paragraphs 2-6, 14) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/uQQK9LhSf9E/story01.htm
Ecuador regulator OKs two fields in large Amazon oil project
QUITO, May 22 (Reuters) – Ecuador's environmental regulator gave the go-ahead Thursday to oil company Petroamazonas to develop two of three fields in its ITT project, one of the country's largest oil areas, controversially located around an ecological reserve. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/sKXytHfbn0w/story01.htm
Slovakia nurtures special ties to Russia, despite EU sanctions
* Slovak deputy PM met Russian official subject to sanctions http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/RbiAXzWG54Q/story01.htm
RPT-Russia targets shale oil boom by next decade
* Russia, the world's top oil producer, pumping near capacity http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/-6lKoWsjmWk/story01.htm
Ecuadoreans try to block Patton Boggs settlement with Chevron
May 22 (Reuters) – A group of Ecuadorean villagers is urging a judge to reconsider his acceptance of a settlement resolving claims that law firm Patton Boggs tried to enforce a fraudulent multibillion-dollar pollution judgment against Chevron Corp. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/LWrairmT1aE/story01.htm
Germany's Merkel calls on Russia to accept OSCE verdict on Ukraine vote
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in a newspaper interview published on Friday, called on Russia to accept the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) verdict on Sunday's presidential election in Ukraine." http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/hqa-4a3pI2w/story01.htm