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| More than 40 killed in depot blast in Libya, more clashes in east Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 04:57 PM PST By Ghaith Shennib and Ayman al-Warfalli TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - More than 40 people were killed on Thursday in an explosion at an army depot in southern Libya after locals tried to steal ammunition, officials said, while four soldiers died in clashes in the restive eastern part of the country. The incidents highlighted the turmoil in Libya where the government is trying to restore order in the oil-producing country, which is awash with weapons after the 2011 ouster of Muammar Gaddafi. Libya's nascent military is struggling to secure army bases and curb Islamist militants, militias and gangs who fought in the uprising against Gaddafi but refuse to disarm and control parts of the country. The four soldiers were killed in Benghazi as clashes erupted between army special forces and militant Islamists of the Ansar al-Sharia group, officials said. Full Story | Top |
| Last-second glitch halts SpaceX rocket launch Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 04:44 PM PST The launch of an unmanned Space Exploration Technologies' Falon 9 rocket was aborted one minute before liftoff on Thursday due to an unexplained technical issue, company officials said. It was the second attempt this week to launch a communications satellite for SES, which operates the world's second largest fleet. An initial attempt on Monday was called off after unusual pressure readings in the rocket's liquid oxygen tank. Perched on top of the rocket was a 7,000-pound (3,175 kg) communications satellite owned by Luxembourg-based SES S.A., which operates a 54-satellite fleet, the world's second-largest. Full Story | Top |
| Mexico leftists exit pact, raising hope for deeper energy reform Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 04:27 PM PST  By Ana Isabel Martinez and Dave Graham MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's main leftist party said on Thursday it had pulled out of a cross-party pact on economic reform, raising hopes that the government will agree to a more far-reaching plan to attract private investment for the oil industry. The ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, is hoping its energy reform will spur faster economic growth, and the departure of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) from the accord is likely to push the debate closer to a more business-friendly proposal backed by the center-right. Unveiling his plan to shake up the state-controlled oil and gas industry in August, President Enrique Pena Nieto proposed offering investors profit-sharing contracts to try and reverse a slump in crude output, which is down by a quarter since 2004. But the PRI has no majority in Congress and its natural ally on energy reform, the conservative National Action Party (PAN), has proposed a more radical opening of the oil sector, including concessions and production-sharing contracts. Full Story | Top |
| Masked artist makes sticky issue out of radiation in Japan Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 04:10 PM PST  By Sophie Knight TOKYO (Reuters) - With his face hidden behind sunglasses and a white surgical mask, the artist is almost as invisible as the radioactive contamination he is protesting against - yet his stickers are graphic reminders of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Known as 281 Antinuke, Japan's answer to Banksy has covered Tokyo streets in images depicting politicians as vampires and children being shielded from radioactive rain to highlight the consequences of a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant after an earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. The disaster and the response by plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) stoked anti-nuclear sentiment and the biggest public protests in Japan since the 1960s, but the movement has since lost momentum. "Perhaps because everyone believes people telling them on television that everything is fine, they don't seem so worried," 281 Antinuke told Reuters. Full Story | Top |
| Government awards record number of offshore oil and gas licences Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 04:04 PM PST  The government has awarded a record number of offshore oil and gas licences in its latest round of tenders, it said on Friday, as the country scrambles to attract new exploration before existing infrastructure is decommissioned. The energy ministry awarded 52 exploration licences under the second and final tranche of its 27th offshore round. Britain's fossil fuel reserves are declining quickly and the focus has been shifted to linking new oil and gas fields to existing infrastructure rather than building new facilities. The government estimates that around 20 billion barrels of oil and gas can still be retrieved from the British North Sea. Full Story | Top |
| Britain, Argentina in fresh row over drilling in Falklands: media Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 02:53 PM PST  (Reuters) - Argentina triggered a fresh diplomatic row with Britain on Thursday over the disputed Falkland Islands after the country's Congress passed a law that establishes criminal sanctions for the "illegal exploration" of hydrocarbons in the Argentine continental shelf, according to the Guardian newspaper. the banning of individuals and companies from operating in Argentina; and the confiscation of equipment and any hydrocarbons that would have been illegally extracted". In its response, the British Foreign Office said, "The UK government unequivocally supports the right of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit." "Argentine domestic law does not apply to the Falkland Islands or South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, which are UK overseas territories," the Foreign Office said. Full Story | Top |
| Journal withdraws controversial French Monsanto GM study Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 02:50 PM PST  By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) - The publisher of a controversial and much-criticized study suggesting genetically modified corn caused tumors in rats has withdrawn the paper after a yearlong investigation found it did not meet scientific standards. Reed Elsevier's Food and Chemical Toxicology journal, which published the study by the French researcher Gilles-Eric Seralini in September 2012, said on Thursday the retraction was because the study's small sample size meant no definitive conclusions could be reached. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a statement in November 2012 saying the study by Seralini, who was based at France's University of Caen, had serious defects in design and methodology and did not meet acceptable scientific standards. In its retraction statement, the Food and Chemical Toxicology journal said that in light of these concerns, it too had requested to view the raw data from the study. Full Story | Top |
| Iran shakes up foundation controlled by Ayatollah's business empire Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 01:37 PM PST  By Steve Stecklow LONDON (Reuters) - A multi-billion dollar organization controlled by Iran's supreme leader shook up the management of its charity division, appointing as its new chief a man involved in the confiscation of thousands of properties from Iranian citizens. Aref Norozi was named director general of the Barakat Foundation, Iran's state news agency reported on Wednesday. The foundation is a unit of a massive business empire controlled by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that is known as Setad Ejraiye Farmane Hazrate Emam. The report by the Islamic Republic News Agency stated that Setad's president, Mohammad Mokhber, had ordered the appointment of Norozi, who once headed Setad's real-estate division and served on the boards of several Setad-linked companies. Full Story | Top |
| Mexico leftists exit pact, may boost case for energy reform Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 12:56 PM PST  By Ana Isabel Martinez MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The head of Mexico's main leftist party said on Thursday it had pulled out of a cross-party pact on economic reform, which could push the government toward a more radical plan to spur investment in the oil industry wanted by conservatives. Such a move could herald more intense opposition in the street to President Enrique Pena Nieto's plans to open up the state-run energy industry to greater private investment. Party of the Democratic Revolution Chairman Jesus Zambrano said the PRD was being left out of talks over the energy overhaul, and would leave the pact definitively unless the situation changed. "If they don't correct this, there is no point." Mexico's peso extended gains following the announcement. Full Story | Top |
| Spain passes law that may open the door to fracking Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 12:53 PM PST Spain's parliament passed an environmental impact law on Thursday that could open the door to hydraulic fracturing or fracking, a controversial method of extracting shale gas that has not been used up to now in the country. The government said it would evaluate hydraulic fracturing, the first mention in a Spanish law of the technology, which has been banned in France and Bulgaria. Lawmakers in the northern region of Cantabria had unanimously voted in April to ban fracking on environmental grounds, dashing the center-right government's hopes to develop a region believed to be rich in shale gas. Spain, in the grips of a severe economic downturn marked by high unemployment, imports around three-quarters of its energy needs and fracking could help relieve its dependence on foreign sources of fuel. Full Story | Top |
| No sign of comet after pass around sun: scientists Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 12:34 PM PST  A comet's 5.5-million-year journey to the inner solar system apparently ended during a suicidal trip around the sun, leaving no trace of its once-bright tail or even remnants of rock and dust, scientists said on Thursday. The comet, known as ISON, was discovered last year when it was still far beyond Jupiter, raising the prospect of a spectacular naked-eye object by the time it graced Earth's skies in December. Comet ISON passed just 730,000 miles (1.2 million km) from the surface of the sun at 1:37 p.m. EST/1837 GMT on Thursday. Astronomers used a fleet of solar telescopes to look for the comet after its slingshot around the sun, but to no avail. Full Story | Top |
| Mexico leftists temporarily exit reform-building pact Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 12:14 PM PST  The leader of Mexico's main leftist political party said on Thursday it had temporarily pulled out of a cross-party pact aimed at forging economic reforms, saying they were being sidelined in talks over a key energy reform. Such a move could bode for more intense opposition in the street to President Enrique Pena Nieto's plans to open up the state-run energy industry to greater private investment. PRD Chairman Jesus Zambrano said the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) was being left out of talks over the energy overhaul, and would definitively unless the situation changed. Full Story | Top |
| Canada continues to delay release of oil sands emission rules Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 11:19 AM PST By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada is not ready to unveil already long-delayed rules on curbing greenhouse gas emissions from the Alberta oil sands, the environment minister said on Thursday in comments that could boost U.S. resistance to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. The right-leaning Conservative government, which has close ties to the energy-rich western province of Alberta, has repeatedly delayed the release of proposed regulations to tackle soaring emissions from the oil and gas sector. There has been good progress in that area over the last few years," Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq told the House of Commons environment committee. Asked whether the rules might be released this year, she replied: "I can't give you a timeline but work continues." Peter Kent, Aglukkaq's predecessor as environment minister, said in February that Ottawa was "very close" to finalizing the rules. Full Story | Top |
| Eni may seek up to $10 billion from Statoil in gas dispute Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 10:24 AM PST  said it may demand as much as $10 billion from Norway's Statoil Eni started arbitration proceedings against Statoil in August. Chief Executive Paolo Scaroni said on Thursday that a recent Norwegian media report that it was demanding $10 billion was "probably true". The dispute stems from a 1997 supply agreement that ties natural gas prices to refined oil products, a common practice in the past that has proven expensive as European spot gas prices have fallen relative to oil prices. Full Story | Top |
| Novo to launch mid-stage tests with new diabetes pill Thursday, Nov 28, 2013 09:46 AM PST By Ben Hirschler LONDON (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk is about to launch a mid-stage clinical study with a tablet version of a so-called GLP-1 medicine as it steps up the hunt for diabetes pills that can replace injections. The Phase II trial may start as early as next week and will involve approximately 600 patients, Chief Science Officer Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen said on Thursday. "It is a milestone because this is not incremental innovation, it's disruptive innovation," he told Reuters in an interview during a visit to London. The Danish company is already the world's biggest supplier of diabetes medicines, which include its popular GLP-1 product Victoza. Full Story | Top |
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