The Ongoing Saga 21: News, Updates, Tidbits & Trivia

Tags

Cheney, Conflict Minerals, Khadafi, Libya, news, oil trade, Putin, Russia, Switzerland Nazis, Switzerland Russia, Switzerland WWII, Ukraine, US judges, WIPP, World War II

This post was updated from 11 April 2014 to 17 April 2014. It is a continuation of: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/the-ongoing-saga-20-news-updates-tidbits-trivia/ It continues here: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/the-ongoing-saga-22-news-updates-tidbits-trivia/ The dates are inverted; last update appears first.

Thursday, 17 April 2014

Will France Invade Switzerland to Pay Off Its Debt?

“The people of Zürich celebrate dancing around an Arbre de la liberté on the Münsterhof while the French carry off the treasury (1848 woodcut)“. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_in_the_Napoleonic_era

France just announced new austerity measures. It is well-known that France loses lots of tax monies because its wealthier citizens often go across the border to Switzerland to pay lower taxes. So, perhaps France should invade and take the French speaking cantons of Switzerland? After all, Switzerland seems content to let Putin and friends continue to sell at least 75% of their oil out of Geneva, thus enabling Putin’s conquest of eastern Ukraine, which is based on — guess what? Language and perhaps ethnicity. Well, the Francophone parts of Switzerland share both language and ethnicity with neighboring parts of France. France’s government has gotten pretty fond of invading countries lately too. Wouldn’t it be more lucrative to take part of Switzerland than to invade Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic? After all, much of the African gold passes through Geneva – so they can save themselves the trouble of mining. Probably African uranium passes through too. Oil must as well. Heck, they can do like Napoleon and take it all and get Zurich, along with Geneva.

And, who cares if Switzerland is divided into its respective language groups? Switzerland obviously doesn’t care for Ukraine or anyone but itself. Of course, the German part of Switzerland won’t even care if France takes the French cantons! What happens to the bilingual cantons or the Rumantsch part? And, bilinguals of Ukraine? Of course, as seen in the woodcut above, Napoleon didn’t mind taking German speaking cantons, too.

Funny thing is that even though the Habsburgs were from what is now Switzerland, the Swiss didn’t want to be dictated by them! They wanted freedom and democracy. But, modern Switzerland doesn’t mind enabling dictatorship whether by laundering Hitler’s gold or selling Putin’s oil.

“Toward the end of the 13th century, the House of Habsburg coveted the area around the Gotthard Pass as it offered the shortest passage to Italy. But the Confederates of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, who had formalized the Swiss Confederacy in 1291, held imperial freedom letters from former Habsburg emperors granting them local autonomy within the empire. In 1314 tensions between the Habsburgs and Confederates heightened when Duke Louis IV of Bavaria (who would become Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor) and Frederick the Handsome, a Habsburg prince, each claimed the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor. The Confederates supported Louis IV because they feared the Habsburgs would annex their lands, which they had tried to do in the late 13th century.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Morgarten (Emphasis added).

BEWARE ENGLISH SPEAKERS: If everyone gets returned to the motherland, as per Putin’s idea, the English speaking world is in trouble! The UK government overrides democratic process and continues to oppress people, as it has since the formation of the UK. That is why English is so widespread in the world. The UK government deported the opposition. See our reblog: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/17/30th-april-government-committee-comes-to-workington-to-teach-cumbrians-to-suck-eggs/

We have saved some news but will post it later. We wait to see if Switzerland will intervene and use its disproportionate power for the good, and settle down Putin’s rep in Geneva. Or, if they will simply continue to arrogantly feign virtue.

Update, Wednesday, 16 April 2014

This post was updated: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/10/radioactive-reindeer-chernobyl-guinea-pigs-part-viii-of-a-series/

Hypocritical Switzerland

At least 75% of Russian oil, upon which the Russian government and economy depends, is traded through Geneva, Switzerland. But, the Swiss are refusing to apply sanctions against Russia regarding Ukraine. It seems that Russia wants the Russian-speaking eastern half of Ukraine. But, when Khadafi suggested that Switzerland was not a country, that it should be broken up, and that the Italian speaking part of Switzerland should go to Italy, the French part to France, the German part to Germany, the Swiss got really mad! And, they appear to have reminded French President Sarkozy of the dirt they allegedly had on Sarko and good-bye Khadafi. Of course, there were other segments to the drama, but the point being that Switzerland didn’t want to be broken apart on linguistic grounds but they don’t care if Ukraine is! See Reuters article about Russian oil in Switzerland, and our summary of Switzerland’s role enabling Hitler in WWII, below. Just like Switzerland won’t cut off Putin, they wouldn’t cut off Hitler. Sales hypocrites, la Suisse. Putin’s not next door to them either, like Hitler was, so they don’t even have that as an excuse!

Wednesday, 16 April 2014

Russian state-owned Rosatom, will continue to hold between 1/3rd and 49% of a nuclear power plant construction project in Finland, and still holds large uranium (Uranium One) mines in the US (and Australia). That’s really getting the message across! Where are the real sanctions? It’s like the run-up to WWII. The various countries need to just shut the hell up if they aren’t going to force real business and banking sanctions against Russia.

Business is business – yeh, right! It would not have been necessary to fight WWII, European cities would not have been bombed and destroyed, the Holocaust could have been stopped, if only Switzerland would have cut off Hitler’s money line. Or if the Allies would have encircled Switzerland, instead of bombing Germany. The US DID strategically bomb industrial and rail targets in Switzerland, mostly to get the point across, though once by accident, but they didn’t bomb the banks, to our knowledge. The targets were perfect, so don’t believe the lies found on wiki about this! The bombing was illegal because Switzerland was “neutral”, but it was needed. Swiss banks laundered Nazi stolen gold, including from the teeth of Holocaust victims, and turned it into Swiss Francs which could be used internationally. According to Switzerland’s own Bergier report, Germany could not have lasted but a few months without their help, whereas Switzerland could have resisted much longer. Switzerland also contributed to their armaments industry and allowed rail shipments between Germany and Italy, because they were “neutral” and because banking is banking and business is business. And war profiteering is good business too. Swiss companies continued to work with the Nazis even after it was clear that the Nazis had lost.
Remember this from Reuters?
“UPDATE 2-Switzerland treads careful path over Russia sanctions
Posted:Wed, 26 Mar 2014 16:50:42 GMT
* Geneva an important trading hub for Russian oil (Adds quote from foreign minister, context, background)” http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/YMyCDpdapUk/story01.htm

The Swedes did much to build up Hitler’s military, as well. And, guess who else was allegedly a business is business war profiteer?
“How Bush’s grandfather helped Hitler’s rise to power
Rumours of a link between the US first family and the Nazi war machine have circulated for decades. Now the Guardian can reveal how repercussions of events that culminated in action under the Trading with the Enemy Act are still being felt by today’s president” By Ben Aris in Berlin and Duncan Campbell in Washington, The Guardian, Saturday 25 September 2004 23.59 BST http://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar Other US companies were involved with Nazi Germany until the US entered the war, and even afterwards. More recently, during the first Iraq war, French companies were supplying military equipment to Saddam, all while France was sending their young draftees (there was still compulsory service) to fight against him. Because business is business. The French government put a stop to that, however. Venetian merchants also played on both sides of at least one of their conflicts. But, we couldn’t find the reference in a quick search because this playing on both sides is so prevalent. By continuing to do business is business, sanctions don’t work, and then there are wars, which are good for business, too.

There are pictures in the “Rivals show force…” article below.

Reuters News Feed Selection

Live Reuters Feed link for Ukraine: http://live.reuters.com/Event/World_News

Reuters ca 8 am GMT: “BREAKING NEWS: Five or six armoured personnel carriers enter east Ukraine town of Slaviansk, lead vehicle showing the Russian flag: Reuters eyewitness”

“Rivals show force in eastern Ukraine before talks
Posted:Wed, 16 Apr 2014 08:59:19 GMT
KRAMATORSK/SLAVIANSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Ukrainian government forces and separatist pro-Russian militia staged rival shows of force in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday amid escalating rhetoric on the eve of crucial four-power talks in Geneva on the former Soviet country’s future. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/90L_tMvhwF8/story01.htm

Rosatom says Finnish nuclear project unharmed by sanctions
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:53:57 GMT
* Concerns over Finnish owners as majority stake required http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/CXmZOmQkT5E/story01.htm

Ukraine tightens grip on eastern town before talks
Posted:Wed, 16 Apr 2014 07:39:42 GMT
KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Ukrainian forces tightened their grip on the eastern town of Kramatorsk on Wednesday after securing control over an airfield from pro-Russian separatist militiamen, prompting Russian President Vladimir Putin to warn of the risk of civil war. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~3/Ve8oGux3KW0/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-Noble Energy COO in line to succeed CEO Davidson in Oct
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 14:00:17 GMT
* Noble to propose Stover’s election as director next Tuesday (Adds details, background, shares) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Zh-BSHv69z4/story01.htm

RPT-WRAPUP-EU struggles to unpick the knot of Russia-Ukraine gas logistics
Posted:Wed, 16 Apr 2014 07:16:21 GMT
* Ukrainians, Slovaks scramble to reach reverse flow deal http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/uExuBh-yKGM/story01.htm

WRAPUP 8-Ukraine launches ‘gradual’ operation, action limited
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 23:17:55 GMT
* Ukrainian troops and APCs also near flashpoint town (Adds Putin telling Merkel situation is on ‘verge of civil war’) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/eU9e3mrzXmg/story01.htm

UPDATE 10–Brent oil rises with Ukraine tension; capped by Libya output
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 20:58:02 GMT
* Coming up: EIA inventory data Wednesday 10:30 am EDT (Adds API poll data, paragraph 7) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/4CAiIIuVTz4/story01.htm

Iran’s Zarif not worried about pushback from hardliners on nuclear deal
Posted:Wed, 16 Apr 2014 00:08:09 GMT
Abu Dhabi, April 16 (Reuters) – Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said he does not fear opposition from hardliners as he leads negotiations to reach a comprehensive agreement about Iran’s nuclear program with world powers by the end of July. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/AnjjPstn6F8/story01.htm

UPDATE 2-Slovakia offers way to send Ukraine some gas if Russia cuts supply
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 18:06:07 GMT
* EU could provide maybe 14 bcm of Ukraine’s annual gas use of over 50 bcm (Updates with memorandum signing date, quotes, details) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/-O5J55xKja8/story01.htm

UPDATE 2-U.S. appeals court upholds hazardous air pollution rule
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 17:36:00 GMT
(Adds background, comment from EPA and environmental group, paragraphs 5, 16-20)) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/-KmQYQtVsjc/story01.htm

UPDATE 5-Jordanian ambassador seized in Libya, kidnappers demand prisoner release
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 20:51:56 GMT
* Abductions of diplomats becoming commonplace in Libya (Adds comment from Libya’s foreign minister) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/dLqNsHmAG1o/story01.htm

South Sudan rebels say seize oil hub Bentiu, tell foreign firms to go
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 13:54:43 GMT
ADDIS ABABA, April 15 (Reuters) – South Sudanese rebels said on Tuesday they have seized the capital of oil-producing Unity state, Bentiu, and warned oil firms to pack up and leave within a week. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Y7VSDT5fj1Y/story01.htm

Ukraine says ready to pay gas debt to Russia at lower price
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:32:36 GMT
KIEV, April 15 (Reuters) – Ukrainia state energy company Naftogaz said on Tuesday it is ready to pay in full for imported gas from Russia at $268.5 per 1,000 cubic metres, much lower than $485 Moscow has set for the second quarter. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/6dpL_gwm1M0/story01.htm

UK well placed to deal with potential Russian gas export cut
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:11:37 GMT
LONDON, April 15 (Reuters) – Britain is well placed to deal with the possibility of a Russian cutoff of gas to Europe during the Ukraine crisis, because it receives most of its imports from Norway and has significant domestic reserves.” http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/-AXd5ORZWx8/story01.htm

Tuesday, 15 April 2014

New post: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/from-the-nuclear-buchenwald-touch-hamiltons-words-in-1950-to-nuclear-extermination/
The new post is, in part, related to https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/radiation-impacts-us-declassified-research-expts-1943-1949-part-ii/ (There will also be parts iii and iv, until we get the 50 pages of the research bibliography posted). However, the new post is much, much more, as it is a summary of the dangers of ionizing radiation, among other things.

The below violation of consumer rights, under the illogical and insane claim of “free speech”, is a ruling by one of the judges appointed by Bush-Cheney. How is consumer notification a violation of free speech? For the USA, this is one of Bush-Cheney’s most dangerous and long-lasting legacies: nutty judicial appointments. Free Speech would involve telling people about conflict minerals or that your products are conflict-mineral free! This judge has turned facts upside down, on their heads, in a very Orwellian manner. Admitting the use of conflict minerals is perhaps a violation of the fifth amendment?
“No person shall … shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself…“. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution Certainly the use of conflict minerals is a crime against humanity, as it incites violence and warfare! However, these local conflicts over minerals are very lucrative for arms manufacturers and arms dealers. They have long made a literal and financial killing in Africa and elsewhere.

From Reuters News Feed:
“UPDATE 3-U.S. appeals court finds conflict-minerals rule violates free speech
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 17:32:16 -0400
(Adds background, comments from trade groups and legal experts)” http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/RW6-vvCMd-s/court-sec-conflictminerals-idUSL2N0N60SN20140414

Does the above ruling have anything to do with Cheney’s ties with Halliburton and the Military Industrial Complex?

“Congo-Kinshasa: Blood Coltan – Remote-Controlled Warfare and the Demand for Strategic Minerals“BY GIUNTA CARRIE, 21 NOVEMBER 2013 http://allafrica.com/stories/201311220364.html?viewall=1

Map of the United Nations General Assembly vote regarding the territorial integrity of Ukraine, voted on March 27, 2014. Map by B1mbo via wikimedia.
Green In favour
Brown-red Against
Yellow Abstentions
Blue Absent
Gray Non member http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_reactions_to_the_2014_Crimean_crisis

Article from the Guardian:
“Ukraine and Crimea: what is Putin thinking?
Recent events are both a knee-jerk reaction by Putin and a culmination of his years of grievances with the international order,” by Shaun Walker in Moscow, The Guardian, Sunday 23 March 2014 15.29 GMT http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/23/ukraine-crimea-what-putin-thinking-russia

Article from Reuters News Feed:
“Separatists ignore ultimatum, tighten grip on east Ukraine
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 01:40:39 GMT
SLAVIANSK/DONETSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Pro-Russian separatists on Monday ignored an ultimatum to leave occupied government buildings in eastern Ukraine and instead seized more buildings as the government failed to follow through on a threatened military crackdown“. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~3/F9LfSASntq8/story01.htm

Norway’s Majority State-owned Statoil contradicts Norwegian position on Ukraine

Montenegro, Iceland, Norway, Albania join EU sanctions against those who threaten Ukraine’s sovereignty April 11, 2014, 9 p.m. Ukraine — by Interfax-Ukraine http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/montenegro-iceland-norway-albania-join-eu-sanctions-against-those-who-threaten-ukraines-sovereignty-343141.html

From Reuters:
“Norway’s Statoil says business as usual in Russia
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:49:02 GMT
BERGEN, Norway, April 14 (Reuters) – Statoil is pushing on with all its projects in Russia, despite the uncertainty of the Crimea crisis, and still expects to drill a new well there this year, a senior executive at the Norwegian oil group said” http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/0mRjP3teDZc/story01.htm

Additional Reuters News Feed Selection
(Includes some additional titles related to the above topics, especially Ukraine)

“UPDATE 1-Glencore to buy Chad oil firm Caracal for $1.3 bln
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 10:24:17 -0400
* Caracal shares surge more than 58 pct on the news (Adds analyst comment, details on deal and on Glencore’s presence in Chad) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/CKjuVPjzYUY/glencore-caracal-energy-idUSL6N0N62TX20140414

China iron ore mountain a risk as financing crackdown bites
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 17:00:30 -0400
SINGAPORE, April 15 (Reuters) – A crackdown in China on financing backed by commodities risks unleashing a flood of iron ore sales from tens of millions of tonnes of the raw material sitting at Chinese ports, raising the prospect of a renewed price slump. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/B5HBs7pGu10/ironore-financing-idUSL4N0MV2BQ20140414

UPDATE 1-Congo militia chief “Morgan” killed in army firefight – gov’t
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 16:06:53 -0400
* Militia leader’s men accused of kidnap, rape, cannibalism http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/q8wnPurlK3M/congodemocratic-militias-idUSL6N0N649Q20140414

Europe speeds up gas storage to prepare for Russian cut
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 12:48:18 GMT
* German RWE, France’s GDF Suez in talks to send gas to Ukraine http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/paRKZJ6TqSw/story01.htm

Iran says oil barter deal with Russia very hard to seal
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 12:48:22 GMT
DUBAI, April 14 (Reuters) – Iran and Russia will find it hard to agree any oil or gas trade deal because they are rivals in both markets, Iran’s deputy oil minister for international trade said on Monday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/HshuqJl6IpM/story01.htm

WRAPUP 9-Separatists tighten grip on east Ukraine, Obama and Putin talk
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 00:03:52 GMT
* Russian stocks and rouble fall sharply (Updates with details of Obama and Putin telephone call) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/aH4aKIHvMTo/story01.htm

UPDATE 2-Italy proposes Descalzi as new Eni CEO in shake-up at state firms
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 22:37:39 GMT
* Starace nominated Enel CEO, Moretti slated for top Finmeccanica job http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/klK9plEnTI0/story01.htm

Emboldened Canada pipeline opponents push for referendum
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 22:36:13 GMT
VANCOUVER/CALGARY, April 14 (Reuters) – Opponents of Canada’s Northern Gateway pipeline, bolstered by a coastal town’s vote against the project, said on Monday they will now push harder for a provincial referendum they hope would kill Enbridge Inc’s plan to move oil sands crude to Asian markets. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/BoFmmUAVTLU/story01.htm

China Inc joins the big league in oil and gas services
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 21:00:00 GMT
April 15 (Reuters) – Global oil companies are increasingly turning to China for services and equipment, attracted by lower costs and a newly acquired expertise that is challenging more established rivals. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/QgdNXGIALR0/story01.htm

UPDATE 10-Brent rises over $1.50 as Ukraine concerns sharply escalate
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:44:26 GMT
* China demand outlook seen as bearish (Updates with closing prices) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/txCUkZnYUIg/story01.htm

UPDATE 3-EU agrees to expand Russia sanctions, may hold emergency summit on Ukraine
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:55:05 GMT
* More officials will be put under EU travel bans, asset freezes http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/O_Sr1asoDQQ/story01.htm

Eni’s new head caught between Russia and the new frontiers
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:36:28 GMT
MILAN, April 14 (Reuters) – Claudio Descalzi faces a delicate balancing act as he takes the helm of Italian oil major Eni – guaranteeing Italy’s gas supply by nurturing relations with Russia, while exploring new drilling frontiers in Africa and Asia to boost profit. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Zf4aghvuy2Q/story01.htm

Goodrich Petroleum’s scripts second success in Louisiana field
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:14:35 GMT
April 14 (Reuters) – Goodrich Petroleum Corp drilled its second successful well in the Tuscaloosa Marine shale prospect in Louisiana, bolstering confidence in the fast-growing field and sending the company’s shares up as much as 39 percent. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/h23ehBc3alY/story01.htm

Lawsuit claims CME gave high-frequency traders special access
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 16:30:53 GMT
April 14 (Reuters) – A group of traders has sued CME Group Inc, accusing the operator of the world’s largest derivatives exchange of selling market data to high frequency traders, cheating other investors who lacked such access. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Vuh_6TY0SbE/story01.htm

China may have 1,000 tonnes of gold tied in financing – WGC
Posted:Tue, 15 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0400
* Estimates imply strong imports driven by trade financing deals http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/3HNJ0XF-Y4c/china-gold-financing-idUSL3N0N700320140415

Monday, 14 April 2014

This post has been updated: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/10/radioactive-reindeer-chernobyl-guinea-pigs-part-viii-of-a-series/ Interesting thing which we learned — Japan had and maybe still has uranium mines – who knew?

If the US is serious then why does the Russian government still own large uranium mines in the US, through Uranium One? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_One

Historical Food for Thought: The Great Game Deja Vu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Game

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Game

Say A Prayer for the Ukrainian People
Chernobyl was and is still bad enough.

Ukraine dark green, Crimea light green. Image by TheEmirr via wikimedia

Reuters News Feed Selection

“WRAPUP 9-U.N. Security Council meets over Ukraine hours before deadline
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 02:35:51 GMT
* Ukraine gives separatists until 0600 GMT Monday to lay down arms http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/oUtu9LSDvQE/story01.htm

WRAPUP 2-Ukraine’s east braces for anti-rebel operation as deadline passes
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 07:03:02 GMT
* Acting president warns of major military crackdown on rebels http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/nbRt1ClOriU/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-Total goes ahead with $16 bln Angolan Kaombo oil project
Posted:Mon, 14 Apr 2014 06:40:54 GMT
PARIS, April 14 (Reuters) – French oil company Total said on Monday it had decided to go ahead with its Kaombo oil project offshore Angola after lowering its cost by $4 billion to $16 billion. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/kjOLomArJUY/story01.htm

UPDATE 3-Glencore Xstrata sells copper mine to Chinese consortium for $5.85 bln
Posted:Sun, 13 Apr 2014 16:15:06 -0400
* Sold to a consortium of bidders led by HK-listed MMG Ltd http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/InqwHq1KRME/glencorexstrata-lasbambas-idUSL6N0N50R120140413

EU to discuss more Russia sanctions, police support in Ukraine
Posted:Sun, 13 Apr 2014 22:01:00 GMT
* Minutes of an earlier meeting suggest gas sanctions not on table http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/DT6iK1jaOTI/story01.htm

WRAPUP 8-Ukraine gives rebels deadline to disarm or face military operation
Posted:Sun, 13 Apr 2014 19:19:49 GMT
* Ukraine gives separatists until 0600 GMT Monday to lay down arms http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/EebDiSd4lPg/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-Drummond building barge wrecked in Colombia; some diesel spillage
Posted:Sun, 13 Apr 2014 15:16:31 GMT
BOGOTA, April 13 (Reuters) – A barge carrying construction materials for U.S.-based Drummond Co Inc, Colombia’s second biggest coal miner, was shipwrecked at the company’s port late last week, the company said on Sunday, causing leakage of some diesel fuel into the sea. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/oadiz6uDUgk/story01.htm

WRAPUP 7-Ukraine prepares armed response as city seized by pro-Russia forces
Posted:Sun, 13 Apr 2014 01:42:17 GMT
* Separatists exchange gunfire with police
* Kiev condemns ‘act of aggression’ by Russia
* White House warns Moscow against military intervention
* U.S. Vice President Biden to visit Kiev
* “We want to join Russia,” gunman says http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/FCMASY-c8po/story01.htm

Biden to visit Kiev to show U.S. support for Ukraine unity -White House
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 21:44:08 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Kiev on April 22 to meet with government officials and civil society groups ahead of the Ukrainian presidential election in May, the White House said on Saturday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/4pSWBdD7uw8/story01.htm

White House says ‘very concerned’ by Ukraine attacks, warns Russia
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 20:45:51 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) – The White House on Saturday warned Russia against further military action in Ukraine after armed separatists seized government offices in the eastern city of Slaviansk, saying the situation was reminiscent of what recently happened in Crimea. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/qocP77zmAvA/story01.htm

WRAPUP 4-Pro-Russia militants seize more ground in east Ukraine, risk of “gas war” looms
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 16:58:38 GMT
* France’s Le Pen meets official on sanctions list (Updates, changes dateline) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Wxgq2oLhew4/story01.htm

Sunday, 13 April 2014

There are important things still happening in Cumbria – important from the vantage of democratic process (or rather lack thereof in the UK), nuclear waste, etc. See: http://cumbriatrust.wordpress.com http://mariannewildart.wordpress.com

While Farok Sharif of WIPP getting demoted appears good news on the surface, we must examine what he did at WIPP. He orchestrated a speed-up of moving radioactive waste. On the Nuclear Waste Partnership LLC web site it is still proudly proclaimed that Farok helped WIPP to “ramp up” from processing one to two waste shipments per week to more than 30 per week. His background is a BA in “Production and Operations Research Management” and a MBA from New Mexico State University. Thus, there is nothing in his educational background, which indicates that he would understand the dangers of moving radioactive waste, in contrast to speedups of regular goods. And, a “ramp up” from one or two shipments to more than 30 defines a “speed up”. How was this speed-up done? With more workers or making the workers work faster? What were the incentives? Were they paid by the “piece”? Were they given bonuses? Were they fired if too slow? It is worrisome that he is still responsible for moving nuclear waste! Haste makes waste and this waste is radioactive plutonium and americium!

“WIPP PR Meltdown sparks DOE Inc. to demote Farok Sharif as head of Operations 13 March, 2014
“a new job overseeing the program for moving nuclear waste to other locations while WIPP is not operational, and working with other Department of Energy sites to develop plans for the temporary storage of their waste.” Read article here: http://www.no2wipp.org/?p=982
See also: http://www.lanl.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2014/April/04.02-lanl-resumes-waste-shipments.php

While WIPP is designed to fail, because the storage rooms are being back-filled, removed from ventilation, in salt and near injection wells, it is clear that in the context of a speed-up anything could have happened.

URS is also at Sellafield in Cumbria and WIPP, New Mexico USA, along with French gov owned AREVA. The following allegations against Farok Sharif of URS and Dave Moody of the US DOE, are damning:
“DONNA BUSCHE, an individual, Plaintiff,
vs.
URS ENERGY & CONSTRUCTION, INC., an Ohio corporation, and BECHTEL NATIONAL, INC. a Nevada corporation, Defendants.
“In June 2008, the WIPP received a drum containing transuranic waste that read 270 millirem neutrons per hour on contact, which exceeded the waste acceptance criteria for that facility under the RCRA permit. After performing an unreviewed safety question determination, Busche determined that the drum was safe to leave in place. However, the drum was still a violation of the Technical Safety Requirement (“TSR”). Upon convening a meeting of the Plant Review Committee, the committee, including Busche, notified the Department of Energy of the violation. Approximately three months later, Busche was called into a meeting with the senior DOE manager, Dave Moody, and senior URS manager, Farok Sharif, and was asked to rescind the report of the TSR violation. When she refused, Busche was removed from her position and reassigned to the Hanford site of URS….
Beginning in 2010, the company’s focus moved away from nuclear and environmental safety compliance and toward meeting deadlines regardless of the quality of the work. In this atmosphere, URS and BNI management viewed Busche as a roadblock to meeting deadlines, rather than as a valuable check against noncompliance, and managers sought ways to retaliate against her and to circumvent her efficacy.” (Emphasis added) This is but a tiny fragment from: “DONNA BUSCHE, an individual, Plaintiff, vs. URS ENERGY & CONSTRUCTION, INC., an Ohio corporation, and BECHTEL NATIONAL, INC. a Nevada corporation, Defendants“, found in its entirety here: http://www.hanfordchallenge.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013.2.12-Busche-Complaint.pdf

This town is clearly in the Ukraine. It is not near the border with Russia

We doubt that Russia wants the health resort or is it for Putin’s Honeymoon? Look like machine building is more likely. Connecting Russia to Crimea by taking a large part of the Ukraine more likely still…
“Sloviansk (Ukrainian: Слов’янськ, translit. Slov’ians’k; Russian: Славянск, translit. Slavyansk; also spelled Slovyansk and Slaviansk) is a city in eastern Ukraine, an administrative center of the Sloviansk Raion (district) within the Donetsk Oblast. It was founded in 1676, and has a population of 129,600….In 1676 a fortress named Tor was built at the confluence of the Kazenyy Torets and Sukhyy Torets rivers where they form the Torets river, a tributary of Donets river.

Currently the city is an important health resort.

The principal industry of the city concerns machine building:
Slavtyzamash factory of heavy engineering («Slavtyazhmash») – coke chemical equipment is made for the Lipecka, Kemerova, and Cherepovca businesses. Companies in Mariupol, Kryvyi Rih, Donetsk, and Dniprodzerzhynsk use their products.
The Betonmash machine-building factory, which produces complete concrete mixing plants.
The Slavonic mechanical plant, which currently is well-equipped and employs approximately four hundred people.
The Artem Armature-insulator factory.
A factory producing high-voltage insulators for hydroelectric power stations and thermal power-stations.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloviansk

Reuters News Feed Selection

“Ukraine prepares armed response as city seized by pro-Russia forces
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 21:57:06 GMT
KIEV/SLAVIANSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Armed separatists took control of a city in eastern Ukraine on Saturday and Kiev prepared troops to tackle what it called an “act of aggression by Russia”, pushing the conflict between the neighbors into a dangerous new phase. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/DQdyi4XtsRo/story01.htm

“Scottish leader urges voters to put aside politics for independence
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 16:15:11 GMT
ABERDEEN, Scotland (Reuters) – First Minister Alex Salmond on Saturday urged Scots to look beyond party politics and break the 307-year union with England when they vote in an independence referendum in September. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/c8ETHS9NkSY/story01.htm
From the artilce: “Salmond said any government of an independent Scotland would control tax, the economy, social security, employment, immigration, oil and gas revenues, European policy and other areas now under Westminster’s grip.” (emphasis added)

Crude oil leak blamed for China water contamination
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 05:57:41 -0400
BEIJING April 12 (Reuters) – A crude oil leak from a pipeline owned by a unit of China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) is to blame for water contamination that has affected more than 2.4 million people in the Chinese city of Lanzhou, media reported on Saturday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/t2VaCJPYh3Y/china-water-veolia-idUSL3N0N405Z20140412

Ohio links fracking to earthquakes, announces tougher rules
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 21:02:40 GMT
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Recent small earthquakes in Ohio were likely triggered by fracking, state regulators said on Friday, a new link that could have implications for oil and gas drilling in the Buckeye State and beyond. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/dK1C6v5mu1Q/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-U.S. sanctions Crimea gas company, in move aimed at Gazprom
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 19:54:35 GMT
(Adds quote and details on how the measure aims to restrict Gazprom, names of people placed under sanctions, background) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/V0nqtyHmufA/story01.htm

WRAPUP 3-Amid “gas war” talk, Russia reassures Europe on supply
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 19:46:45 GMT
* Merkel says EU will have joint response to Putin on gas http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/QSo25VmKH44/story01.htm

Congo Republic state oil firm seeks to revive oilfields
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 19:45:46 GMT
BRAZZAVILLE, April 11 (Reuters) – Republic of Congo’s state oil company SNPC said it hopes to develop a strategy to pump more oil from fields under-exploited by foreign investors as part of a plan to revive oil production. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/rH05VK3xLn8/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-Total set to push ahead with Angolan Kaombo oil project
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 19:23:41 GMT
PARIS, April 11 (Reuters) – Total is on the verge of making a final investment decision on Angola’s Kaombo oil project after lowering the costs by $4 billion, the French oil major’s chief executive said on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/8br2tH9uXAA/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-Ghana national oil firm seeks $1 bln to become independent operator
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 19:12:53 GMT
ACCRA, April 11 (Reuters) – Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is seeking $1 billion to fund its plan to become an independent operator in seven years and will also seek to build an oil trading desk with its partner Unipec, chief executive Alex Mould said. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/RdWdlNj8DVs/story01.htm

Russia says Germany, others wiling to help with Ukraine’s gas crisis
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 19:10:30 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) – Russia’s finance minister said on Friday that his German counterpart, Wolfgang Schaeuble, and other ministers from the Group of 20 leading nations have expressed willingness to help resolve Ukraine’s gas crisis. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/wOWOsb3Cy9c/story01.htm

U.S. sanctions seven Crimean separatists, gas company
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 18:40:17 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) – The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday imposed sanctions on seven Crimean separatists and a Crimea-based gas company, Chernomorneftegaz, in connection with Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/rXArk5yMZok/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-Libya’s western Zawiya oil port, refinery shut by protests
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 17:39:07 GMT
TRIPOLI, April 11 (Reuters) – Libya’s bid to resume normal oil exports after blockades at eastern ports that have lasted months stumbled on Friday when the oil terminal and refinery at Zawiya in the west were closed by fresh protests. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/FNbvrJhYVHE/story01.htm

British bioethanol firm Vireol picks U.S. over UK for new plant
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 17:26:56 GMT
LONDON, April 11 (Reuters) – British biofuels producer Vireol is to open a bioethanol plant in Virginia in the United States, instead of an original plan to build in Britain, the company said on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/G6V6GUAnm04/story01.htm

Kashagan oilfield not expected to produce much this year – Total
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:46:46 GMT
PARIS, April 11 (Reuters) – France’s Total does not expect much oil output, if any, from the giant Kashagan oilfield in Kazakhstan this year and it is awaiting results of further analyses to assess the costs and delays facing its consortium partners. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/cdkVHtIVjGM/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-RWE says in talks with Ukraine on possible gas supplies
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:22:16 GMT
* If terms cleared, shipments could start very soon (Adds detail, context, Gazprom comment) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/lg70wLssv3I/story01.htm

Libya’s western Zawiya oil port closed by protesters
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:16:08 GMT
TRIPOLI, April 11 (Reuters) – Libya’s western Zawiya oil terminal has been closed by protesters preventing some oil product tankers from discharging, a government statement said on Friday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/u3ktJ5nS8uI/story01.htm

Guinea iron ore miners years away from using Liberian railway -Arcelor
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:02:37 GMT
* Arcelor to expand rail capacity to 20 mln T/year by end 2015 http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/9jF8sU8rC1o/story01.htm

Croatia’s INA warns of losses over forced gas sale
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:39:26 GMT
ZAGREB, April 11 (Reuters) – Croatian oil and gas company INA said its gas trading arm could lose up to 350 million kuna ($63.7 million) due to a forced sale of its reserves in the Croatian gas storage facility. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/7rSuSgsiGJw/story01.htm

Libya’s port deal no risk-free return to steady oil output
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:37:53 GMT
TRIPOLI, April 11 (Reuters) – Libya may have averted a state collapse by striking a deal with eastern rebels to reopen occupied oil ports, but technical delays and simmering federalist dissent threaten to disrupt production once again. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/YsQPTTv7Ei8/story01.htm

Forces in Sudan could attack South Sudan refugee camp – U.N.
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:24:23 GMT
GENEVA, April 11 (Reuters) – The United Nations warned on Friday that forces in Sudan could attack a refugee camp in South Sudan because it was being used by armed groups, an assault that would rekindle tensions between the oil-producing neighbours. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/YdnP0YH5OLg/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-Putin says Russia to honour gas deals with Europe
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:23:20 GMT
MOSCOW, April 11 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia would fulfill its obligations to European gas clients and had no plans to halt deliveries to Ukraine although Moscow could make Kiev pay in advance for deliveries. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/BDRacZFmQuQ/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-Russia says any oil-for-goods deal with Iran would follow UN rules
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:16:28 GMT
(Adds U.S. statement regarding interim deal on Iran’s nuclear program) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/yCHlglSQKlU/story01.htm

Magnitude 7.6 quake hits near Solomon Islands, generates tsunami warning
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 21:15:42 GMT
(Reuters) – A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands on Sunday morning with enough force to generate a tsunami warning for the immediate surrounding area, according to U.S. government agencies. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/LlaU7_Q-8r0/story01.htm

Ally says Algeria’s Bouteflika recovering, will make reforms
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 21:31:27 GMT
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is recovering steadily from a stroke last year, talks with his team every day, and is healthy enough to govern after the election on April 17, his chief ally said on Saturday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/GmE3XQ0zLz8/story01.htm

Hungary’s Orban retains two-thirds parliament majority
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 20:02:43 GMT
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s party has retained its two-thirds majority in parliament, and with it the ability to change the constitution, according to a final tally of votes from last weekend’s election published on Saturday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/WnsQkRsvozs/story01.htm

Anglo American seeks compensation from Venezuela
Posted:Sat, 12 Apr 2014 08:56:18 -0400
CARACAS, April 12 (Reuters) – Anglo American is seeking compensation from Venezuela at a World Bank tribunal over the 2012 cancellation of mining concessions by late president Hugo Chavez’s government. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/C2leKGxXplQ/angloamerican-venezuela-idUSL2N0N40BP20140412

CORRECTED-UPDATE 2-Madagascar names new prime minister, eyes World Bank aid
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 16:42:51 -0400
* Kolo, a medical doctor, appointed after long consultations http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/Av65dph1BXc/madagascar-politics-update-2-picture-cor-idUSL6N0N33X620140411

Saturday 12 April 2014

This post has been updated: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/10/radioactive-reindeer-chernobyl-guinea-pigs-part-viii-of-a-series/ News Feeds have been saved and will update later. Due primarily to Putin’s shenanigans they continue to be lengthy, and we continue to be weary and wearied.

Louisiana Salt Dome Storage Facility: Now Sinkhole, Still Imploding!
Is this WIPP’s Future?

http://www.onwingsofcare.org/index.php/protection-a-preservation/humanitarian/439-20140402-bayoucorne16.html
Independent Video by “On Wings of Care” of the Bayou Corne Louisiana Salt Dome storage facility, which continues to implode. This is the result of the failure of a storage cavern within the Napoleonville Salt Dome. Recall that WIPP is also in salt. And, ask yourself if salt is the right place for radioactive waste? Isn’t hard rock more sensible?

Salt storage facilities for radioactive waste failed within 10 to 20 years in Germany. This is eventually WIPP’s future – perhaps not in our life-times, but it will happen. If they were not back-filling and removing the rooms from the ventilation system at WIPP there could be hope under extremely close monitoring. But, since the official WIPP policy is abandon, backfill, and remove from ventilation room by room, collapse will be the eventual future.

Wet climate makes the salt dissolve faster, so hopefully WIPP, which is located in an arid climate, will not look like this for awhile. However, the proximity of injection wells at WIPP, and the abandon and backfill policy create worrisome possibilities.

To be fair this is what the EPA site actually stated regarding WIPP:
“EPA Response to 2014 Radioactive Release at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

EPA is in daily contact with DOE, the New Mexico Environment Department and the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center. To date, EPA’s review of the data collected indicates:
That the radiation releases do not pose public health concern.
That DOE followed the procedures previously approved by EPA.
That the WIPP facility remains in compliance with EPA regulations.” http://www.epa.gov/radiation/wipp/background.html

Nonetheless, Senator Udall of New Mexico – tongue slip or not- remains correct, for the reasons stated below (yesterday)

Friday, 11 April 2014

Did New Mexico Senator Tom Udall Make A Freudian Slip? He says to the EPA representative at about 3 minutes, 10 seconds that “I appreciate that many in your agency have made it clear that the radioactive releases from WIPP have been at levels that are a Public Health Danger…Unfortunately, the facts are that two accidents have happened at WIPP that were not supposed to happen: A fire in a mine and a radiological release. DOE oversight has already been found to be lacking…” (http://youtu.be/ZkKojaKYQns)

Now we imagine that he didn’t mean to say that. But, he spoke the truth whether he knew it or not. The WIPP released plutonium and americium, which are long-lived alpha emitters, which can stay in the body for a lifetime. They thus bioaccumulate upon inhalation and ingestion, and even absorption. That is the hidden, dirty, secret. There is plenty already out there in the environment from atomic testing and nuclear accidents. The plutonium and americium and others haven’t gone anywhere. No one needs anymore! It has been accumulating in the environment and in living beings since the dawn of the nuclear age.

The long-accepted standard of no safe dose of ionizing radiation, increasing dose is increasing risk, applies to external x-rays and gamma rays. The impact of internal, more powerful, alpha radiation, such as plutonium and americium, is recognized as much more severe. Alpha radiation is internal, more intensely damaging, and plutonium and americium can stay in the body for a life-time, continuing their intensive bombardment. Their half-life in the body is 20 to 50 years or more.

239Pu is an alpha emitter with a half-life of 24,110 years, 240Pu is an alpha emitter with a half life of 6,561 years, 241Pu is a Beta emitter with a half-life of 14.325 years, but which becomes 241 Americium which is a strong alpha emitter with a half-life of 432 years, and 242Pu is an alpha emitter with a half-life of 373,300 years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_plutonium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_americium#Americium-241

“The amount of energy that the radiation transfers per unit of path length is called its linear energy transfer (LET) and is measured in units of MeV/µm. This feature reflects a radiation’s ability to produce biological damage. Radiation is classified as either high linear energy transfer (high LET) or low linear energy transfer (low LET), based on the amount of energy it transfers per unit path length it travels. Alpha radiation is high LET; beta and gamma radiation are low LET. Alpha particles are classified as high LET radiation because their large +2 charge and relatively large mass (about 7,200 times that of an electron) cause them to move relatively slowly and interact strongly with any material they pass through, producing dense ionization along its path. Beta particles, which are energetic electrons, are classified as low LET radiation. Even though they interact with matter in a manner similar to alpha particles, their smaller +1 or -1 charge and smaller mass result in a greater distance between ionizing collisions and, thus, a lower rate of energy transfer“. (emphasis added) http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp149-c2.pdf

The BEIR VII report is well-known for its Linear No-Threshold Model (LNT), i.e. no safe dose: “the risk of cancer proceeds in a linear fashion at lower doses without a threshold and that the smallest dose has the potential to cause a small increase in risk to humans.” However, BEIR only “focuses on the health effects of low levels of low linear energy transfer (low-LET) ionizing radiation such as x-rays and gamma rays.” And, as pointed out “Most radiation sources have a mixture of high- and low-LET radiation. Compared to high-LET radiation, low-LET radiation deposits less energy in the cell along the radiation path and is considered less destructive per radiation track.” (emphasis added) http://www.dep.state.pa.us/brp/radon_division/BEIR%20VII%20Preliminary%20Report.pdf

The video of Senator Tom Udall is from hearings of the US Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Dept. of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies in the Fiscal 2015 Budget for the EPA. The first half deals with the landmark settlement with Andarko about Kerr-McGee pollution and the proposed cleanup of 50 abandoned Kerr-McGee uranium mines, which Senator Udall aptly calls a vindication of the polluter pays principle. What about the South Dakota abandoned uranium mines? The video is currently on the Senator Tom Udall youtube channel, but we fear that once he figures out his tongue slip it will get removed. If so, it is still part of the public record, somewhere, and we have a copy.

Reuters News Feed Selection

UPDATE 2-Koch, Goldman agree to buy ink maker Flint in $3 bln deal
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:54:27 -0400
* Deal values Flint at more than 2.2 billion euros – sources http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/SurfsgTOqEk/flint-cvc-idUSL6N0N238R20140410

UPDATE 2-Uralkali sees flat 2014 market share, no talks with Belarus
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:45:48 -0400
* Shares up 0.5 percent, underperforming broader index (Adds comments about Belarus, 2014 output, market share) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/UL6KrqRdn9Y/russia-uralkali-profit-idUSL6N0N22X620140410

UPDATE 1-Australia’s Padbury Mining secures $6.5 bln port funding; shares surge
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 21:08:38 -0400
* Funding of almost $6.5 bln secured from Australian equity investors http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/s71PGtAl15Q/australia-padbury-funding-idUSL3N0N306620140411

Australia’s Padbury secures funding for $6 bln port; shares surge
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 20:24:02 -0400
SYDNEY, April 11 (Reuters) – Australia’s Padbury Mining Ltd said on Friday it had secured almost $6.5 billion in funding to build a new port and associated railway at Oakajee in Western Australia, potentially opening a new export hub for the region’s iron ore riches. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/Ovxj93JdCnE/australia-padbury-funding-idUSS9N0MN00D20140411

UPDATE 4-Osisko takeover battle heats up as Goldcorp raises offer
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:23:40 -0400
(Adds comments from Goldcorp CEO,valuation details. Updates stock prices) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/XfiT2U_70Ms/osisko-goldcorp-idUSL3N0N23F520140410

Exploration suffers as copper miners axe costs, cut debt
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:57:03 -0400
SANTIAGO, April 10 (Reuters) – A weak copper price and tighter financing are forcing mining companies to cut or stall spending on exploring to their lowest levels in four years as they focus instead on axing costs and reducing debt. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/fP8CpPw45i8/chile-copper-exploration-idUSL6N0N20O820140410

REUTERS SUMMIT-Angola to grant De Beers new diamond exploration licence-minister
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:56:08 -0400
* Says Rio Tinto, Vale have shown interest in other minerals (Adds forecast for 2014, plans for other minerals) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/l1Fdgqcam70/africa-summit-angola-idUSL6N0N24IY20140410

Ship ready to destroy Syria’s chemical arms at sea
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:19:57 -0400
ON BOARD THE CAPE RAY, Spain, April 10 (Reuters) – Experts on board a cargo ship transformed into a multi-million dollar chemical weapons destroyer said on Thursday they were ready to start working on Syria’s stock of toxic arms in the middle of the Mediterranean as early as May. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/i4p73TNnOWk/syria-crisis-chemicalweapons-idUSL6N0N15AI20140410

REUTERS SUMMIT-Angola to grant De Beers new diamond exploration license-minister
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:11:12 -0400
LUANDA, April 10 (Reuters) – Angola, the world’s fourth-largest diamond producer by value, will approve a new concession to De Beers to explore for diamonds, Geology and Mines Minister Francisco Queiroz told the Reuters Africa Summit on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/yLSP3ZzHarA/africa-summit-angola-idUSL6N0N24DR20140410

U.S. drug industry group defends price of Gilead hepatitis drug
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:04:24 -0400
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) – The leading U.S. pharmaceutical industry trade group on Thursday defended the cost of Gilead Sciences Inc’s new hepatitis C drug, Sovaldi, saying such treatments offer a priceless breakthrough for patients with the liver-destroying virus. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/eJm-R2gu8dE/health-hepatitis-gilead-phrma-idUSL2N0N20YI20140410

UPDATE 2-Koch, Goldman agree to buy ink maker Flint in $3 bln deal
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:54:27 -0400
* Deal values Flint at more than 2.2 billion euros – sources http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/SurfsgTOqEk/flint-cvc-idUSL6N0N238R20140410

UPDATE 2-Uralkali sees flat 2014 market share, no talks with Belarus
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:45:48 -0400
* Shares up 0.5 percent, underperforming broader index (Adds comments about Belarus, 2014 output, market share) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/UL6KrqRdn9Y/russia-uralkali-profit-idUSL6N0N22X620140410

Obama says U.S., partners need to be ready to sanction Russia again
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 00:41:47 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) – President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel talked on Thursday about potential further sanctions for Russia over its actions in Ukraine, calling again on Moscow to move its troops back from the border region, the White House said. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/izjc0YCtR9U/story01.htm

Japan approves energy plan reinstating nuclear power
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 00:31:04 GMT
TOKYO, April 11 (Reuters) – Japan’s Cabinet on Friday approved a new energy policy, reversing the previous government’s plans to gradually mothball nuclear power plants following the 2011 Fukushima disaster. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/G8fuHzLxMcA/story01.htm

WRAPUP 2-U.S. accuses Russia after Putin warning on gas supplies to Europe
Posted:Fri, 11 Apr 2014 00:07:24 GMT
(Adds U.S. treasury secretary comments, Obama call with Merkel, last 3 paragraphs) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/71xVL9o1idc/story01.htm

UPDATE 3-U.N. renews call for human rights monitoring in Western Sahara
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 23:57:01 GMT
VIENNA, April 10 (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday renewed his appeals for sustained human rights monitoring in the disputed territory of northern Africa’s Western Sahara and warned against unfair exploitation of the region’s natural resources. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/uFGvGaz5ZG8/story01.htm

‘Heartbleed’ computer bug threat spreads to firewalls and beyond
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 22:48:01 GMT
BOSTON, April 10 (Reuters) – Hackers could crack email systems, security firewalls and possibly mobile phones through the “Heartbleed” computer bug, according to security experts who warned on Thursday that the risks extended beyond just Internet Web servers. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/vz9P4TuYnv4/story01.htm

Oil-by-rail traffic hurts farmers, travelers, U.S. officials told
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 21:59:17 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) – Midwestern farmers and Amtrak passengers are among those being hurt by rail congestion caused in part by an energy boom that has spurred the massive movement of oil by rail, U.S. officials were told on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/EXHjLRnf10U/story01.htm

U.S. crude exports could counter Russia in 90 days -Hess CEO
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 21:25:33 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) – The United States could give Europe and Ukraine relief from energy dependence on Russia within months if it overturned the 40-year ban on most U.S. crude oil exports, the head of energy company Hess Corp. said on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/9aic8OW5s6k/story01.htm

Obama, Merkel discuss Ukraine in phone call -White House
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 21:21:34 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) – President Barack Obama spoke by telephone on Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/_GmpcJluiRM/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-U.S. warns Russia over any oil-for-goods deal with Iran
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 21:15:32 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told his Russian counterpart on Thursday that any oil-for-goods deal Moscow might strike with Iran could run afoul of U.S. sanctions. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/UlTm2Q2v_Ws/story01.htm

REUTERS SUMMIT-Ghana hits a roadblock as fiscal instability undermines growth
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 20:49:43 GMT
* Around 120 million euros available in 2014 budget support http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Ub9e-tzU00c/story01.htm

UPDATE 2-Slovakia seeks gas talks with Ukraine, Russia, EU; Hungary set to supply Kiev
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 20:40:17 GMT
PRAGUE/BUDAPEST, April 10 (Reuters) – Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called for talks with Ukraine, Russia and the European Commission to ensure his country can reverse gas flows to Kiev without violating existing contracts, while Hungary said it could do so at once. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/E9nBKWktejw/story01.htm

U.S. EPA defends enforcement plan to focus on biggest polluters
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 20:38:14 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to focus on cracking down on just the largest polluters will deliver “lasting returns” to the American public, its top enforcement official said on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/oES6r6pKQdY/story01.htm

REFILE-WRAPUP 1-U.S. accuses Russia after Putin warning on gas supplies to Europe
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 20:32:10 GMT
* U.S. accuses Moscow of using energy as “tool of coercion” http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/QzxKoQA4lvY/story01.htm

Asia overtakes U.S. as top destination for Venezuela oil -PDVSA
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 20:30:40 GMT
CARACAS, April 10 (Reuters) – Asia overtook North America last year as the main destination for Venezuelan exports of crude oil and processed fuels, according to preliminary data submitted to parliament by state oil company PDVSA. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/g6vpMCXbjXQ/story01.htm

UPDATE 2-Democratic senators press Obama for Keystone decision by May 31
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:20:56 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) – Eleven U.S. Democratic senators urged President Barack Obama on Thursday to make a final decision on whether to approve TransCanada Corp’s Keystone XL crude oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast no later than May 31. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/iSuxOFL-av8/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-BP says can act as bridge between Russia and West
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:18:08 GMT
* Dudley says Russia, West too dependent to abandon cooperation http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/oZG-x87cUx8/story01.htm

UPDATE 2-Chevron, YPF boost spending to develop Argentine shale
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:08:13 GMT
(Adds details on Argentina policy changes, Chevron’s Latin America performance) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/b7TXDAjvRGk/story01.htm

UPDATE 3-Russia warns Europe of gas supply cuts over Ukraine debt
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:01:05 GMT
* Putin says Ukraine could siphon off gas bound for Europe (Adds U.S. comment) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/okohac17kLI/story01.htm

China finds nearly 2,000 firms in breach of anti-pollution rules
Posted:Thu, 10 Apr 2014 06:55:06 GMT
BEIJING (Reuters) – Nearly 2,000 Chinese enterprises were found to be in violation of state pollution guidelines following a nationwide inspection campaign covering 25,000 industrial firms, the environment ministry said on Thursday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/hmxLb4n12Cw/story01.htm

Ukraine’s richest man gambles on peacemaker role
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:22:06 -0400
KIEV, April 9 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s richest man has seized on the stand-off between the Kiev authorities and pro-Russia separatists to help forge new political alliances following the overthrow of his former ally, President Viktor Yanukovich. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/VkjYUzy2Xtk/ukraine-crisis-akhmetov-idUSL6N0N121520140409

HIGHLIGHTS-Top copper mining executives speak in Santiago
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:15:22 -0400
SANTIAGO, April 9 (Reuters) – Top copper mining executives have flocked to Santiago, Chile to discuss the state of the industry as concerns about oversupply and a credit crisis in China, the world’s No. 1 industrial metal user, weigh on prices and sentiment. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/Qw9dVnA9ahQ/chile-copper-idUSL2N0N116U20140409

REUTERS SUMMIT-S.Africa’s NUM union says regaining members in platinum belt
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:05:26 -0400
(For other news from Reuters Africa Summit, click on http://www.reuters.com/summit/Africa14) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/fyxZEffDP9k/africa-summit-mining-strike-idUSL6N0N13RG20140409

Riding shale boom, U.S to become major LPG supplier to China
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 17:00:21 -0400
* But Sinopec-Phillips 66 deal signals involvement of big oil http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/aOzlfpOUO74/usa-lpg-china-idUSL4N0MO20820140409

U.S. commodity ETFs fall for fifth quarter -Lipper
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 15:35:51 -0400
NEW YORK, April 9 (Reuters) – U.S. retail and institutional investors pulled cash from broad commodity exchange-traded funds for a fifth straight quarter even as coffee, natural gas and hogs prices had their best run in years, data from Thomson Reuters Lipper showed on Wednesday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/hdEI6SnnkWs/commodities-lipper-fidelity-idUSL2N0N01FK20140409

UPDATE 1-U.S. bill seeks to block mandatory GMO food labeling by states
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 15:01:45 -0400
(Adds quotes, details on state labeling initiatives, background) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/4jj4MfNOgCE/usa-gmo-lawmaking-idUSL2N0N11PP20140409

UPDATE 3-Guinea report says strip BSGR, Vale JV of 2 iron ore permits
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 14:57:24 -0400
* Report says BSGR obtained mining rights through corruption http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/basicmaterialsNews/~3/PWZgBdPLHGY/guinea-mining-bsgr-idUSL6N0N12OD20140409

UPDATE 1-Chevron expects first-quarter profit to slip
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:54:38 GMT
April 9 (Reuters) – Chevron Corp, the second-largest oil company in the United States, said on Wednesday it expected first-quarter income to slip because of high currency conversion costs and environmental charges in its mining unit. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Vbm0n_XsL8c/story01.htm

Kuwait hopes for remedy to Gulf row over Qatar soon
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 20:03:05 GMT
KUWAIT, April 9 (Reuters) – Kuwait expects to see “positive steps” taken in a dispute between Qatar and three other Gulf Arab states as soon as this week that may include a decision to send those countries’ ambassadors back to Doha, a Kuwaiti official said on Wednesday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/FKdSE0WupXE/story01.htm

US urges oil-by-rail sector to agree a safer tank car
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 19:59:11 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Wednesday asked oil-by-rail leaders to create a tank car fit to carry the kinds of fuel involved in recent fiery derailments even as he dodged lawmaker questions about when such a plan would be ready. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/zMlue905I9I/story01.htm

UPDATE 9-U.S. crude oil up on spike in gas demand, technical trade
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 19:51:17 GMT
* Libya not in full control of reopened eastern port (Adds settlement prices, analyst commentary) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/VW0mOYoIGR0/story01.htm

Energy firms to Fed: Hands off banks’ commodity trading
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 19:27:04 GMT
NEW YORK, April 9 (Reuters) – Energy companies are mounting a last-ditch effort to prevent the Federal Reserve from cracking down on physical commodity trading by major Wall Street banks, saying more restriction may further damage liquidity and raise hedging costs. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/AAwOONsvqJo/story01.htm

Shell UK tax payments fall as North Sea output declines
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 15:33:23 GMT
LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell said its tax payments in the UK fell steeply last year because of declining output in the North Sea and rising spending on mature field decommissioning. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/k6tWTzu9ij4/story01.htm

UPDATE 3-Russia says long-sought China gas supply deal is close
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 15:21:09 GMT
* Moscow hopes to sign gas deal with China in May (Edits, adds talks on Ukraine crisis) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/2uSlj3mACzw/story01.htm

China optimistic about Iran talks, praises Russian role
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 14:48:21 GMT
VIENNA, April 9 (Reuters) – A senior Chinese official at nuclear talks between six world powers and Iran, held in Vienna on April 8-9, said on Wednesday he was optimistic a comprehensive settlement to the decade-old dispute could be found by a July 20 deadline. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/_Q5l-LRaNHo/story01.htm

UPDATE 2-Dutch postpone Russian trade mission over Ukraine crisis
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 14:43:01 GMT
* Dutch were looking to expand economic ties with Russia (Adds details about gas output) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/zhcPvTQQuxo/story01.htm

COLUMN-Shale revolution reverses global energy flow: Kemp
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 14:41:49 GMT
(John Kemp is a Reuters columnist. The views expressed are his own) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/i4-X-4Em3TU/story01.htm

REUTERS SUMMIT-Ethiopian oil marketer says Africa needs to refine its oil
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 14:35:32 GMT
(For other news from Reuters Africa Summit, click on http://www.reuters.com/summit/Africa14) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/aaePB_M2kbQ/story01.htm

UPDATE 3-Iran, six powers face “significant gaps” in nuclear talks
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 14:28:38 GMT
* Tensions over Ukraine, Iran UN envoy don’t hurt talks (Adds Ashton, Zarif remarks) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/HdfALI8gi58/story01.htm

UK government sees more scope for refinery closures
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 13:57:59 GMT
LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) – Britain said on Wednesday there was scope for more UK refining capacity to close without undermining energy security but set up a new task force to help the struggling sector fend off overseas competition. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/W9cQT5V-zwM/story01.htm

UPDATE 2-New EU rules on energy funding phase out subsidies for renewables
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 13:44:26 GMT
* Energy-intensive industry can still be exempt from charges http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/IQWAVsKFo2w/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-Putin says hold off on making Kiev pay in advance for gas
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 13:32:38 GMT
NOVO-OGARYOVO, Russia, April 9 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin told state-controlled natural gas producer Gazprom on Wednesday to hold off on making Ukraine pay up front for gas from Russia. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/w0udJBZ5u8k/story01.htm

Petronas Chemicals, BASF agree on $462 mln investment in Malaysia
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:44:38 GMT
KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 (Reuters) – Malaysia’s Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd and BASF Nederland BV have agreed to invest 1.5 billion ringgit ($462.82 million) in an aroma ingredients complex in the central state of Pahang, according to a local stock exchange filing on Wednesday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Rx3MQsIAQH4/story01.htm

Putin says Russia must be prepared for reduced imports from Ukraine
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:37:42 GMT
NOVO-OGARYOVO, Russia, April 9 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday Russia should be prepared to spur domestic production to replace Ukrainian imports if Kiev decides to impose trade restrictions. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Z3l0DSXUjVo/story01.htm

UPDATE 1-UK warns it may not buy electricity from an independent Scotland
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:11:06 GMT
(Adds impact on Scottish energy bills; Scottish Power, CBI comments) http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/Vq_U_A-k2JM/story01.htm
From the article: “The government’s warning that it may not import Scottish electricity is Britain’s latest attempt to persuade Scots to vote against independence.“

RPT-INSIGHT-Ride to lower costs for LNG-run trucks rockier than expected
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:06:59 GMT
VANCOUVER, April 9 (Reuters) – Just over a year ago, Canadian trucking firm Bison Transport took a bet on a potentially game changing technology, buying 15 big rigs powered by liquefied natural gas. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/X65KqhfDrgQ/story01.htm

China’s Shenhua to invest in cross-border rail link from Mongolia
Posted:Wed, 09 Apr 2014 11:53:16 GMT
ULAN BATOR, April 9 (Reuters) – Shenhua Group, China’s top coal producer, will form a joint venture with partners in Mongolia to build a cross-border rail link that will help ship coal to China, the company confirmed on Wednesday. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/USenergyNews/~3/zg-bSBHE5Wg/story01.htm