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| TransCanada gas pipeline explodes in Manitoba, none hurt Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 05:34 PM PST By Rod Nickel WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - A natural gas pipeline operated by TransCanada Corp exploded and caught fire in a rural area of the western Canadian province of Manitoba early on Saturday, but there were no injuries, a federal regulator said. The explosion happened near Otterburne, Manitoba, about 25 km (15.5 miles) south of the provincial capital, Winnipeg. The area was evacuated as a precaution, said the National Energy Board, which oversees parts of Canada's energy industry. "We could see these massive 200- to 300-meter high flames just shooting out of the ground and it literally sounded like a jet plane," said resident Paul Rawluk, as quoted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. The line was shut down and was depressurized to contain the fire, the energy board said, adding it would work with the federal Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause. Full Story | Top |
| Chemical tanks ordered removed in West Virginia after spill Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 04:59 PM PST  (Reuters) - The company whose storage tank spilled a chemical that tainted the water supply of 300,000 people in West Virginia must begin removing its above-ground storage tanks by March 15, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin ordered on Saturday. Freedom Industries must dismantle and remove 17 tanks and related equipment at its coal processing plant in Charleston, West Virginia, under Tomblin's directive, part of a consent order signed by the company's president and the state's Department of Environmental Protection. Freedom Industries has agreed not to contest the state's jurisdiction in the matter, the governor said. The spill from a Freedom Industries tank was about a mile upriver from the area's main water plant, West Virginia American Water, a unit of American Water Works Company Inc. Tomblin declared a state of emergency while the chemical, used in coal processing, was flushed out of the water system. Full Story | Top |
| Tunisia premier lacks consensus on new caretaker cabinet Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 04:32 PM PST  By Tarek Amara TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia's new Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa on Sunday was forced to delay naming a caretaker government to lead until elections after failing to reach a consensus over the key post of interior minister. Jomaa had planned to present his cabinet before the president on Saturday, but just after midnight the premier told at a press briefing there was no consensus over the cabinet list and he could not name the government. "It is not a question of a person, but rather I am looking for a real consensus in the government. It was a setback for Tunisia after its assembly finished the country's new constitution last week, progress widely praised as a model in contrast to upheaval in Libya, Egypt and Yemen who also ousted leaders in 2011 uprisings. Full Story | Top |
| Ukraine opposition seek more after offer of top government posts Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 03:35 PM PST By Richard Balmforth and Jack Stubbs KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich offered the opposition several top government posts on Saturday, hoping to coax his opponents into ending protests that threaten to bring the country to a standstill. But opposition leaders, whose power base is among thousands of protesters massing in Kiev's city centre, continued to press for further concessions, including early elections and the repeal of an anti-protest law. After meeting opposition leaders, Yanukovich offered former economy minister Arseny Yatsenyuk the post of prime minister to replace Mykola Azarov, whose government would be expected to resign, the presidential website said. Full Story | Top |
| India, Japan seek early agreement on nuclear cooperation Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 10:19 AM PST  India and Japan's talks on nuclear cooperation have gained momentum over the past few months and the two hope for an agreement on civilian nuclear energy soon, leaders of the countries said after meeting on Saturday. "Our negotiations towards an agreement for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy have gained momentum in the last few months," India's prime minister, Manmohan Singh, said in a statement after meeting his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe. Full Story | Top |
| South Sudan government, rebels say each other violating ceasefire Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 09:46 AM PST By Carl Odera JUBA (Reuters) - The government and rebels in South Sudan traded accusations on Saturday of breaking a ceasefire deal supposed to calm violence that has driven half a million people from their homes. "The rebel forces are still continuing to attack our forces," Information Minister Michael Makeui Lueth said on arrival from Ethiopia where President Salva Kiir's government signed a deal on Thursday with the rebels led by former vice president Riek Machar. The deal came into effect on Friday night after a 24-hour window under an agreement brokered by regional grouping of nations IGAD. "If nothing is done by the IGAD, then definitely our forces will not fold their hands," Lueth said. Full Story | Top |
| Hungary's leftist opposition faces tough election campaign Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 09:13 AM PST  By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's leftist opposition alliance launched its election campaign on Saturday but faces an uphill struggle to defeat Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party on April 6. The Socialists - the main force in the alliance - endorsed their leader Attila Mesterhazy to head the opposition grouping in the battle against center-right Fidesz. "We have an offer (to voters) that we talked through with our allies as well," Mesterhazy told a 10,000-strong crowd at his party's congress in Budapest. We need a responsible economic policy, a fair social policy and a strong democracy." The Socialists' allies include former Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany's Democratic Coalition, the Egyutt (Together) 2014 formation of another ex-premier, Gordon Bajnai, and former lawmaker Gabor Fodor's new liberal party. Full Story | Top |
| Libya plans to list first Islamic real estate fund by March Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 06:24 AM PST Libya will list by March its first real estate investment fund compliant with Islamic law, one of the arrangers said on Saturday, seeking to open up a new market in the North African country. Libya plans to transform its banking and economic system to comply with Islamic law although officials have not set out a timeline for the process. Under Muammar Gaddafi, who was overthrown in 2011, the growth of Islamic banking was not encouraged and four state-controlled institutions dominated the undeveloped financial sector of the OPEC oil producer. A group of private firms will now launch a fund for 165 million Libyan dinars to target the country's property market, said Husni Bey, head of HB Group, one of the fund's launchers. Full Story | Top |
| Algeria ends work on Skikda refinery, opens LNG unit-official Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 06:23 AM PST Algeria has completed maintenance and improvement work at its largest oil refinery, Skikda, and will start up a new 4.5 million tonnes per year liquefied natural gas (LNG) unit at the complex, a senior energy official told Reuters on Saturday. OPEC member Algeria started modernization work at the 335,000 barrels-per-day refinery months ago and it began building the new LNG unit three years ago. Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal was scheduled to visit the complex later on Saturday. Full Story | Top |
| Buyers' market for oil companies in Davos Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 05:40 AM PST  By Dmitry Zhdannikov DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - Oil executives normally travel the world to win big contracts - but rarely do government officials travel the other way. This week in Davos, however, some of the most powerful oil CEOs gathered on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum and were presented with an embarrassment of riches. While the appearance of Iran's new president and oil minister in front of the heads of BP , ENI , Total and Lukoil made most headlines, the executives also heard presentations by officials from Canada, Mozambique and Mexico. Five years on, oil is considered plentiful thanks to the U.S. shale oil revolution and the discovery of massive oil and gas fields elsewhere. Full Story | Top |
| W.Africa Crude-Fall in freight encourages buyers Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 03:12 AM PST  West African crude oil differentials hit a floor on Friday, after falling sharply this week, as freight prices eased, encouraging arbitrage shipments to Europe and Asia. "The market has settled in the mid 90s (World Scale) for West Africa to the UK and continent now, so there's more buyers," said a shipping source. At the start of the week, freight rates had risen to as high as 130 (World Scale), effectively ruling most European buyers out of the market and slowing sales to Asia. Full Story | Top |
| Nigeria sets presidential, legislative polls for February 14, 2015 Saturday, Jan 25, 2014 12:00 AM PST  Nigeria's electoral commission declared on Friday that presidential and parliamentary elections would take place on February 14 next year. President Goodluck Jonathan's supporters are embroiled in a bitter dispute with other members of the ruling party over whether or not he should seek another term in office. The election of powerful state governors will also take place on February 28 next year, the statement from the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) said, except in the states of Ekiti and Osun, which would take place on June 31 and August 9, respectively. Five state governors and dozens of lawmakers defected from the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) late last year. Full Story | Top |
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