DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Fact Check-Altered image of Sarah Huckabee Sanders sitting cross-legged at Politicon conference
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An image of Governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas Sarah Huckabee Sanders sitting cross-legged and barefoot onstage at the 2019 Politicon conference shared by social media users online is altered. In the original photo taken at a 2019 event, Huckabee Sanders sits upright and wears shoes. The original photograph (here) shows Huckabee Sanders onstage speaking at the 2019 Politicon conference in Nashville, Tennessee, archived (archive.is/wip/Zfebb). Politicon was an annual nonpartisan political convention last held in 2019 in Nashville (here). The original photograph shows Huckabee Sanders sitting upright at the 2019 Politicon conference.

☆ Europe's natural gas prices fall below €50
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Europe’s natural gas prices have tumbled to their lowest level in nearly 18 months in the latest sign the region has avoided a much-feared energy crisis. Benchmark wholesale gas prices fell almost 5% Friday to hit €49 ($52) per megawatt hour, their lowest level since September 2021 and a fraction of the all-time high of €320 hit in August last year, according to data from Independent Commodity Intelligence Service. The plunge in prices will further reduce the risk of a recession in Europe. Gas stores across the European Union were 65% full on Thursday, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe, an industry body. The bloc has also boosted imports of pipeline natural gas from Norway, and of liquefied natural gas (LNG) — a chilled, liquid form of gas that can be transported via sea tankers — mostly from the United States and Qatar.

☆ Natural gas prices haven’t been this low since Russia went to war
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

London CNN —Natural gas prices in Europe and the United States have tumbled to levels last seen before Russia sparked a global energy crisis by invading Ukraine. Even so, European gas prices are still historically high, and could rise again this year if demand from China picks up or supplies are disrupted. Wholesale prices were already shooting up in the months before the war as economies reopened from pandemic lockdowns. “It will take a bit [of time] for the fall in the wholesale prices of natural gas to [feed into] into the retail prices,” he said. That will keep Europe at a competitive disadvantage to the United States, where gas prices are about five times lower.

A large dent has also come from industrial sectors forced to curb output as high gas prices make production uneconomic with some firms shifting production to regions with cheaper energy. FIGHT FOR SUPPLIESThe obvious way to boost supplies is through liquefied natural gas (LNG). That may not happen next year, meaning Europe would face fierce competition for LNG that would drive up the cost. Record high prices in Europe, however painful, helped the region to secure record volumes of LNG imports this year. Benchmark European gas prices hit a peak in August of more than 300 euros/MWh.

☆ Russian oil sanctions are about to kick in. And they could disrupt markets in a big way
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

European oil sanctions are due to kick in on December 5. Upcoming sanctions on Russian oil are set to be "really disruptive" for energy markets if European nations fail to set a cap on prices, analysts warned. The 27 countries of the European Union agreed in June to ban the purchase of crude oil from Dec. 5. The potential for rising oil prices is "why there's pressure from the U.S." to agree on a cap, Gloystein told CNBC Wednesday. A price limit would see G-7 nations buy Russian oil at a lower price, in an effort to reduce Russia's oil income without raising crude prices across the globe.

Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz said in a Tuesday tweet that “Gazprom accused Ukraine of stealing gas. Russia is also sending gas to Europe via the TurkStream pipeline that runs through Turkey to Bulgaria. If Russia halted exports through Ukraine, Europe would lose about 4 billion cubic meters of gas — or just 1% of its estimated gas demand for 2022 — between December and March, Filippenko said. The continent’s gas storage facilities are nearly 95% full, according to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe. In this context, a total shut off of Moscow’s pipeline gas through Ukraine would cause “minimal” damage, Filippenko said.

The Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) is Europe's main benchmark for natural gas prices. In addition, intraday European gas prices even went negative at the start of the week — meaning that holders of natural gas paid buyers to take the cargo off their hands. Nikoline Bromander, analyst at consultancy Rystad Energy, said high output from wind power and political agreement within the EU on cooperative measures to reduce gas prices and consumption have contributed to lowering gas prices. Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU was obtaining about 40% of all its natural gas from Moscow. Several experts have warned that Europe's high storage levels were to a large extent achieved with Russian gas.

☆ Former German Chancellor Merkel defends her government's move to buy massive amounts of Russian gas, saying she has no regrets as it was right for the time
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The former German Chancellor said she had no regrets about her government's energy policy, per Reuters. "You always act in the time in which you find yourself," Merkel told reporters in Lisbon, according to Reuters. Merkel was referring to liquefied natural gas, a supercooled version of natural gas that can be transported via ships. She recently came under heavy scrutiny and criticism from political rivals, the press, and her peers for her Russia policy amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Germany's Russian gas policy spanned decades, starting during the Cold War in the 1960s with the Pipelinepolitik policy that connected both sides with a pipeline.

☆ Professor Nina Khrushcheva on Nord Stream pipeline damage: It doesn't look like the Russian fingerprint
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailProfessor Nina Khrushcheva on Nord Stream pipeline damage: It doesn't look like the Russian fingerprintHenning Gloystein, The Eurasia Group director of energy, climate and resources & Nina Khruscheva, professor of international affairs at New York's New School, join 'The Exchange' to discuss damage to the Nord Stream pipeline.

☆ Shorter showers, slower driving and an Eiffel Tower blackout: How Europe plans to cut gas usage this winter
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"We're already there … savings this month have already surpassed the 15% target," said senior energy strategist from Goldman Sachs, Samantha Dart. Kenzo Tribouillard | Afp | Getty ImagesShe added that northwestern Europe's estimated August gas consumption was 13% below average. "We believe this is more than enough savings to go through winter without blackouts or a heating crisis," Dart said, assuming that the average winter weather scenario holds. "Achieving the 15% reduction target vs business as usual will be difficult, but not impossible," Gloystein told CNBC. A cold winter could make it difficult to achieve the demand reduction needed in Europe.

☆ Even as the West tries to wean itself off Russian oil, Moscow has found itself yet another buyer: Myanmar
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-19 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Myanmar is buying Russian oil, which it says is "high-quality" and cheap. This time, Myanmar is joining the line to buy Russian gas and fuel oil, according to Reuters and Bloomberg. He said military chief Min Aung Hlaing sealed a fuel oil deal with Russia during a trip to Moscow in July. Russian fuel oil exports are expected to start arriving in Myanmar in September, Reuters reported, citing local media. Myanmar is the latest in a list of crisis-hit countries — including Sri Lanka and Laos — to actively seek out Russian oil.

☆ Aid workers in ISIS bull's-eye: 'If not us, then who?'
▼ + stars: | 2015-03-14 | by ( Katie Walmsley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Story highlights Numerous aid workers remain in Syria despite dangers With a lack of government, more than 8 million refugees rely on aid agencies for food, shelter and medical care Many aid agencies have no means of armed defense against attackNew York CNN —Kayla Mueller, Peter Kassig, Alan Henning, David Haines – just a few of the aid workers who have been abducted and killed by ISIS in the past year. The exact number of aid workers currently being held is unknown; a level of secrecy tends to surround details of those currently captive. Abductions and killings of aid workers are, unfortunately, nothing new, but the numbers are. According to Aidworkersecurity.org, at least 155 aid workers were killed in 2013, a 121% increase on 70 recorded killings the year before. ISIS doesn’t just target aid workers.

Search resuls for: "Henning"

12 mentions found