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Trump, New York governor may discuss Constitution gas pipeline
Donald Trump and New York Governor Kathy Hochul will meet on Friday morning. The U.S. President said that the talks could include reviving a natural gas pipeline called the Constitution in the Northeast. Williams Cos had planned to build a pipeline that would have brought gas from Pennsylvania’s drilling fields into New York. However, the company canceled it in 2020 due to opposition from New York politicians and environmentalists. Trump claimed that a pipeline could lower energy prices in the region. It is still unclear how the pipeline could be approved. Trump said to reporters in the Oval Office: "Kathy Hochul is a very nice woman. She's coming tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock, to meet with me about that and other issues." I hope we won't need to use the extraordinary power of the federal government in order to accomplish this. We will do it if necessary, but I doubt we'll need to. Trump and his Energy Dominance Council, co-chaired with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum & Energy Secretary Chris Wright, have made such pipelines a priority. Williams representatives did not reply to our request for comment. Hochul demanded earlier this week that Trump reverse U.S. Tariffs on Canadian Energy Imports. He argued the tariffs and Canadian Retaliatory Actions threatened to increase electricity and heating costs in New York. Hochul told reporters, "I reached out yesterday to the President and said that I wanted to continue the conversation we had in the Oval Office two weeks ago." "I've got a lot of things on my schedule." We discussed infrastructure and Penn Station. He knows that I would like to discuss congestion pricing once again. "I want to discuss, you know our concerns regarding energy in light the tariffs." (Reporting and editing by Chris Reese, Rod Nickel, Trevor Hunnicutt, and Timothy Gardner. Reporting by Steve Holland and Ryan Patrick Jones.
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The building of a data center in the US has raised concerns about overburdening the largest US grid.
Energy executives and regulators at CERAWeek, a conference held in Houston last week, expressed concern about the ability of an aging U.S. electric grid to meet this demand. Electricity consumption in the United States is reaching record levels due to the construction of giant computer warehouses by Big Tech. A single site can use as much energy as a medium-sized U.S. town. The government agencies predict that data center demand is expected to triple in the next three-years, and consume 12% of all U.S. electricity. In an interview, Samir Vora said that the challenges facing the grid are becoming more pronounced. As electricity demand grows, fossil fuel-powered generators are being retired. Interconnection queues for new generation and power lines can last years, affecting the delicate balance between supply and demand needed to prevent blackouts. Mark Christie, the head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, said this at a conference held on Thursday. Christie stated that the reality of the situation has been made most apparent in the largest electrical grid of the United States, PJM Interconnection. This grid covers 13 states plus the District of Columbia. PJM has the largest concentration of data centres in the world. Virginia, a member state of PJM, routes about 70% of the global internet traffic. PJM's latest capacity auction saw prices more than 800% above the previous year. The grid operator cited rising demand and shrinking supplies as the reason for the increase. Manu Asthana said in a panel discussion that he was optimistic about the solution to this problem, but it wasn't a trivial one. Asthana, PJM's CEO, said that he expects the peak demand of 184 gigawatts in 2030. Asthana added that nearly all of these additions will come from data centers. FERC's Christie warned that if new power is not added quickly, the supply and demand squeeze will spread to other areas of the country. He warned that the problem would be magnified in other regions with multiple states. (Reporting and editing by Laila KEARNEY; Liz Hampton)
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Trump brings South Africa closer to the EU with 4.7 billion Euros pledged by the EU
On Thursday, European Union leaders visited South Africa and announced a 5.10 billion euro (5.10 billion euros) investment package. This comes at a moment when the United States is on a worse relationship with both countries than it has been in decades. The European leaders claimed that the visit would be an opportunity to deepen ties with Africa’s most developed economy. This coincided with the presidency of the G-20 nations by the African nation, which U.S. officials had so far largely ignored. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has shocked European leaders by his shift towards Russia during the Ukraine conflict. This is a major change in U.S. foreign policy following Moscow's invasion of 2022. His pro-Israel stance brought him into conflict over South Africa's genocide case at the World Court against Israel. The U.S. Administration has also intervened in Europe's and South Africa’s domestic politics. It criticised Europe for trying to isolate the extreme right and ignoring voter concerns about immigrants while cutting aid to South Africa due to its efforts to correct historic racial injustice. The EU visit was an opportunity for South Africa to improve relations, which had soured after it refused to condemn Vladimir Putin of Russia for his invasion of Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said that South Africa played a crucial role in the global stage as the leading voice for the Global South. She said, "In an era of increasing confrontation and competition we must further strengthen our partnership." She told President Cyril Ramaphosa at a meeting in Cape Town that Europe wants to grow the South African economy. She said this while sitting next to the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa. She mentioned clean hydrogen as an example of how South Africa can make use its abundant raw materials and vast renewable energies potential. Ramaphosa stated that South Africa valued European support of multilateralism in a time when nationalism is on the rise. He said that African relations with the European Union must be built upon a partnership of mutual benefit. $1 = 0.9223 Euros (Additional reporting and writing by Alexander Winning, Tim Cocks, and Sfundo parakozov. Editing and proofreading by Tim Cocks, Alison Williams and Tim Cocks)
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US sanctions Iranian oil minister and shadow fleet
Treasury Department: The United States sanctioned Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Pakhnejad on Thursday, as well as some Hong Kong flagged vessels that form part of an "shadow fleet" that is used to disguise Iranian oil shipments. Treasury released a statement saying that Paknejad oversees the export of Iranian oil worth tens and tens billions dollars, and has given billions worth of oil to Iran’s armed forces. Treasury said it also identified owners or operators for vessels that delivered Iranian oil into China or removed it from its storage. It said that these vessels were located in multiple jurisdictions including India and China. Iran's military uses a large fleet of shadow ships to conceal shipments worth billions of dollars to China. Thursday's designated vessels include the Hong Kong-flagged Peace Hill and its owner Hong Kong Heshun Transportation Trading Limited, the Iran-flagged Polaris 1, the Seychelles-registered Fallon Shipping Company Ltd, and the Liberia-registered Itaugua Services Inc, Treasury said. It said that the U.S. Department of State has designated three entities and three ships as blocked property. Reporting by Doina chiacu, Editing by Brendan O'Brien & Toina Chopra
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Starmer: UK tanker crash after-effects'reasonably controlled'
Keir starmer, British Prime Minister said that the aftermath of the tanker crash near the English coast this week was "reasonably contained". Fears of an environmental catastrophe had eased as the focus shifted to the investigation of how the incident occurred. The Solong, a container ship flying the Portuguese flag, collided with the Stena Immaculate on Monday, an anchored tanker carrying U.S. Military jet fuel. The collision resulted in huge explosions and fires. Jet fuel was also spilled into the ocean. The tanker is still at anchor, with a huge hole in its side. Meanwhile, the container ship that was badly burned has been stabilized after initial fears of it sinking. Starmer stated that the situation was reasonably contained at the moment. Starmer said that the cause has yet to be determined. We have a process, but we need to dig deeper. The initial concerns about an environmental catastrophe have diminished. According to preliminary assessments, the jet fuel has mostly been burned off. After his arrest on February 2, the captain of Solong, a Russian, was placed in custody under suspicion of gross negligence. This offence is for situations in which a death occurs as a result of a grossly negligent action or omission. Local police released a statement saying that a judge had granted detectives extra time to interview the captain. The 36 crew members of the vessel who survived the incident were brought to land. In a separate press release, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch of Britain (MAIB), said that it would be leading the safety investigation. It was seeking to determine the cause of the accident and prevent similar accidents from happening again. The MAIB stated that it would inspect the two vessels and retrieve the Voyage Data Recorders as soon as it was safe. The MAIB's investigations would look at "fatigue management", navigation practices, and weather conditions. (Reporting and additional reporting by Muvija; editing by Michael Holden, Bernadettebaum and Michael Holden)
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Farm lobby: Increase in Ukraine rail tariffs will add $3 to $6 per ton to logistic costs
The proposed increase in tariffs of Ukraine's railways monopoly Ukrzaliznytsia could increase the cost of agrarian transportation logistics by $3 to 6 per metric ton, and lead to bankruptcy for some farmers. Ukrzaliznytsia raised freight rates by 37% last year to cover significant increases in fuel, electricity, and equipment repair costs as it tried to deal with the effects from Russian attacks. Farmers and steelmakers have already expressed their opposition to price increases. The railways are essential for the export of grain, metallurgical and other products. Oleg Khomenko, the head of UCAB on Facebook, said: "If this decision is not revised then some farmers may be forced to reduce their production." He claimed that the past two years had been unprofitable for Ukrainian agricultural producers, and that a possible increase in tariffs could mean higher production costs as the majority of Ukrainian grain is shipped through the Odesa port region. (Reporting and editing by Tomaszjanowski, with Pavel Polityuk)
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Starmer: UK tanker crash after-effects'reasonably controlled'
Keir starmer, British Prime Minister said that the aftermath of the tanker crash near the English coast this week was "reasonably contained". Fears of an environmental catastrophe had eased as the focus shifted to the investigation of how the incident occurred. The Solong, a container ship flying the Portuguese flag, collided with the Stena Immaculate on Monday, a tanker anchored that was carrying U.S. Military jet fuel. The collision resulted in huge explosions and fires. Jet fuel was also spilled into the ocean. The tanker is still at anchor, with a huge hole in its side. Meanwhile, the container ship that was badly burned has been stabilized after initial fears of it sinking. Starmer stated that the situation was reasonably contained at the moment. Starmer said that the exact cause has yet to be determined. We have a process, but we need to dig deeper. The initial concerns about an environmental catastrophe have diminished, as preliminary assessments show that the jet fuel has mostly been burned off. There are no other signs of leakage from either ship. After his arrest on February 2, the captain of Solong, a Russian, is still in custody under suspicion of gross negligence. This offence is for situations in which a death occurs as a result of a grossly negligent action or omission. The 36 crew members were also brought to land. In a separate press release, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch of Britain (MAIB), said that it would be leading the safety investigation. It will seek to determine the cause of the accident and prevent similar accidents from happening again. The MAIB stated that it would inspect the two vessels and retrieve the Voyage Data Recorders as soon as it was safe. The MAIB's investigations would also look at "fatigue management", navigational practices, and weather conditions. (Reporting and additional reporting by MuvijaM; editing by Michael Holden.)
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Tunisia receives offers for 100,000 T of soft wheat tender, traders report
Initial assessments by European traders suggest that the lowest price offered at Thursday's international tender for about 100,000 metric tonnes of soft wheat from Tunisia was $268.67 per ton, including freight and cost. No purchase has been made yet, but offers are still being evaluated. If the conditions are not attractive, then it is unlikely that the lowest offer will be accepted. They said that Casillo, a trading house, was thought to have made the lowest offer of 25,000 tons. Viterra, a trading house, offered $268.79 per ton C&F for two consignments of 25,000 tons. The reports reflect the assessments of traders, and it is still possible to estimate prices and volume later. The wheat will be shipped between April 10 and 25 depending on the origin. Michael Hogan reports.
What difficulties does the UK face if it backs the brand-new Heathrow runway strategy?
British finance minister Rachel Reeves is anticipated to back the expansion of Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, turning to the country's most controversial infrastructure task in her hunt for financial growth.
However even with her support, the prepare for a third runway at Heathrow, among the world's busiest airports, has many difficulties to conquer even before building can begin.
WHY IS THE UK CONSIDERING A THIRD HEATHROW RUNWAY NOW? Reeves wants to breathe life into a stagnant economy and has stated infrastructure projects will assist drive development by enticing investment, and in Heathrow's case, enhancing trade and tourist.
The Labour government, chosen in July, is under increasing pressure after Britain's economy flatlined during its very first six months in charge.
On The Other Hand, Heathrow Airport operates at 99% capability and threats being overtaken in Europe, where it is the busiest airport. Its 2 runways compare with four each in Paris' Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt Airport, and 6 at Amsterdam's. Schiphol.
WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE HEATHROW EXPANSION STRATEGY?
Heathrow's 3rd runway was given the green light in 2009. before being scrapped by a new government in 2010. That stimulated. ideas about constructing a brand-new center airport east of London, before a. commission recommended a new runway at Heathrow in 2015.
In 2020, Britain's top court overturned a previous ruling. obstructing growth on environmental grounds, offering the 3rd. runway the thumbs-up. But that came throughout the COVID-19. pandemic, which brought air traffic to a standstill.
Heathrow then focused on travel healing. In 2024, traveler. numbers jumped to 84 million, overtaking a pre-pandemic high and. pressing the third runway back onto the program.
WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIONS TO THE GROWTH?
Heathrow is simply 15 miles (24 km) west of London. Locals. have for decades complained about noise pollution, security dangers. from flights over the largely populated city, and more just recently,. about the effect of skyrocketing carbon emissions.
The 2020 ruling against expansion, overturned later on that. year, referenced a failure to take into account the government's. commitments on environment change.
Increasing use of sustainable aviation fuel will help cut. carbon emissions from flying, helping to enhance Heathrow's case.
Still, the growth strategy could face a legal obstacle in. the shape of a judicial evaluation of a government choice in. favour of the new runway.
Operating in Heathrow's favour is the government's promise to. overhaul preparation rules to make it simpler to develop, consisting of. possibly streamlining the judicial evaluation process on. Nationally Significant Facilities Projects like Heathrow.
JUST HOW MUCH WOULD THE PLAN COST?
Building a new runway was estimated to cost 14 billion. pounds ten years earlier, however inflation ever since may put the last. costs in excess of 20 billion pounds.
WHAT ARE THE FUTURE DIFFICULTIES?
Other obstacles abound. The complex project would involve. re-routing London's orbital motorway through a tunnel, at a time. when the variety of building and construction workers in the UK is falling and. as the federal government presses other huge jobs, like a strategy to. develop over a million brand-new homes. The right balance of rewards is likewise required. Financiers will. want a long-term settlement in location to ensure fair returns,. while airline companies will wish to prevent being saddled with lofty. future costs.
Last year, Heathrow's ownership altered when French private. equity group Ardian and Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. bought stakes in the hub.
Ardian, now Heathrow's biggest shareholder with a 23% stake,. told the Financial Times in November that it would support. management if it wanted to build a new runway.
Reeves's anticipated assistance puts the ball in Heathrow's court. to send a planning application.
Heathrow's most recent declaration on the third runway is that. it is thinking about alternatives in line with strict tests on carbon,. noise and air quality..
(source: Reuters)