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Charity groups say that ships near Italy have rescued 32 migrants and 71 others who were lost at sea.
Rescue charities reported that two merchant ships near the Italian coast recovered the bodies?of?two migrants?and rescued 32 survivors?from a boat attempting to?cross?to europe from Libya at Easter weekend. The survivors claimed 71 other people were lost at sea. Mediterranea Save Humans and Sea-Watch, two groups that work together to save lives in the Mediterranean, have confirmed the victims' transfer to a patrol boat of the Italian coast guard and their arrival on the Italian island of Lampedusa. The Italian?interior minister said that it did not have any comment to make on the report. The Italian?Coast Guard didn't immediately respond to a request for a comment. Sunday is Easter in Italy. The rescue charities reported that survivors said 105 people were on board the ship, but 71 of them drowned at sea. A video released by Sea-Watch showed a dozen people holding on to a capsized, orange boat when the merchant ship approached it. The 'Mediterranean has been ravaged by bad weather this year. This has limited the number of departures out of North Africa, and caused serious problems for those who have managed to set sail. IOM estimates that at least 683 people have died in the central Mediterranean this year. This is the highest death toll since 2014. (Reporting and Editing by William Maclean, Joshua McElwee and Matteo Negri)
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Trump says he will strike Iran's infrastructure on Tuesday, if the Strait is blocked
In a sarcastic social media post published on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States would target Iran's bridges and power plants on Tuesday if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened. In Iran, Tuesday will be "Power Plant Day" and "Bridge Day", all rolled into one. It will be a first !!!" Trump stated in a "Truth Social" post that Tehran had effectively closed the main shipping lane since the U.S. launched its attacks against Iran over a month ago. Trump concluded his?Easter Morning post by saying: "Praise to Allah." Separately, the president said that he would hold a news conference in the Oval Office on Monday after?the U.S. The?pilots of the?downed aircraft in Iran. (Reporting and editing by Susan Heavey; Dan Burns, Ros Russel)
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Shipping data shows that a tanker loaded with Iraqi crude oil passes through Hormuz.
Data from LSEG/Kpler showed that an oil 'tanker' loaded with Iraqi crude was seen transiting the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian coast a few days after Iran announced Iraq was exempted from any restrictions on transiting this vital -sea route. Kpler data shows that the Ocean Thunder loaded approximately 1 million barrels of Basrah heavy crude on March 2. It is expected to "discharge" its cargo in Pengerang, Malaysia by mid-April. Iran closed the Strait after U.S. airstrikes and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February escalated a conflict. Later, it said that vessels without U.S. and Israeli connections would be allowed to pass through the strait. In recent days, three Omani tankers, as well as a French-owned container vessel?and a Japanese owned?gas carrier?have crossed.
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Leaders say that explosives were found near a gas pipeline in Serbia that supplies Hungary.
Leaders from Serbia and Hungary said that explosives of "devastating power" were discovered near the Turkstream pipeline in Serbia, which carries Russian gas to Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minster Viktor Orban claimed that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had told him explosives were found near the pipeline transporting Russian gas from the Balkans into Central and Eastern Europe. Vucic, an ally close to Orban, wrote on Instagram that "our units found explosives of devastating power." "I told Orban, the?PM that we would keep you updated on this investigation." Orban, after a phone call with Vucic on Sunday, announced in a post on Facebook that he called an "extraordinary defence council meeting". The incident occurs a week ahead of the pivotal election on April 12, where Orban, a nationalist, is fighting to maintain his 16-year hold on power. His party trails in polls the opposition Tisza Party. Orban had increased security around the energy infrastructure of?the nation in February. He raised the stakes for?the elections by saying that it was a matter of choosing between war and peace. Budapest is also embroiled in a dispute with Ukraine due to a halt in oil deliveries via the Druzhba Pipeline. Orban's Fidesz has tried to link?opposition leader Peter Magyar with Brussels and Ukraine by suggesting that voting for his Tisza Party means voting for war and tanks. (Reporting and writing by Krisztina than; editing by Hugh Lawson, Helen Popper, and Edward McAllister)
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After drone attacks, a fuel reservoir was hit in Primorsk. The NORSI refinery is on fire.
Russian authorities reported that a drone attack caused fuel to leak at the port of Primorsk in Russia's Baltic Sea, and an oil refinery called?NORSI? caught fire after a drone strike. Ukraine intensified its attacks against Russian energy infrastructure over the last month to damage Russia's main source of revenue, and undermine its military power. Alexander Drozdenko, the governor of Leningrad's north-western?region, initially claimed that a pipeline had been damaged in Primorsk. Primorsk is one of Russia’s major oil exporting ports. Later, he said on Telegram that the pipeline wasn't damaged but the fuel reservoir near the port was leaking when it was struck by shrapnel. U.S. commercial images of satellites taken by on Thursday showed that the drone attack in Ukraine last month destroyed at least 40% of Primorsk's storage facilities, which are capable of handling 1 million barrels of oil per day. Around 40% of Russia's ability to export oil was shut down last month due to the attacks and the closing of the Druzhba Pipeline in Ukraine. Also, tankers with a Russian connection were seized. OIL REFINERY ON FIRE Gleb Nikitin (the Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region) said on Telegram on Sunday that a fire broke out at Russia's NORSI Oil Refinery, the fourth largest in the country, after a drone strike. He added that two facilities were also?hit. According to initial information, a "power station" and "several houses" were damaged in the attack. However, no one was injured. NORSI can process up to 16 million metric tons of oil a year or 320,000 barrels a day. Andrey Kravchenko is the mayor of Novorossiysk, Russia's biggest?port along the Black Sea. He said that an air alert had been triggered due to the drone attack threat. During such alerts, oil loadings are typically suspended, including at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal that handles Kazakhstan's oil exports. Kevin Buckland, Hugh Lawson and Kevin Buckland edited the report.
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Sheriff's Office: Vehicle crashes into Louisiana crowd injuring 15 at least
Law enforcement officials reported that a car slammed into crowd in New Iberia (Louisiana) on Saturday. Some of the injuries were critical. Rebecca Melancon, spokesperson for the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office, said that a suspect was arrested and an investigation is?ongoing' following the incident. The incident occurred near a celebration of 'Lao New Year'. She said it was not clear whether the incident in the car was intentional. Acadian Ambulance announced on social media that it transported 13 people to hospital. The ambulance service posted on X that two of the 13 people were airlifted. The Louisiana Lao New Year Festival organizers announced on Facebook that they were canceling Saturday night's concerts as well as the alcohol sales. The organizers posted on Facebook: "We're?deeply saddened" by the news about the?incident that occurred near the festival grounds. "We are pleading for the?victims and their families in this difficult time." This three-day festival, held every Easter weekend, includes live music and a parade as well as other activities celebrating the Lao new year. Noel Randewich reported from San Francisco, Sergio Non edited by Matthew Lewis and Matthew Lewis.
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Chelsea tries to turn the corner after Port Vale's 7-0 FA Cup defeat
Chelsea is hoping Saturday's 7-1 thrashing over Port Vale, in the FA Cup quarterfinals, will?draw a line under the dismal.run of form and the internal turmoil that threatened to?ruin their season. Chelsea's coach Liam Rosenior announced on Friday that Enzo Fernandez, the club's vice captain and record-breaking signing, would be suspended from playing for two matches after suggesting he may leave. Chelsea has been in a state of crisis ever since they were beaten 8-2 on aggregate by European champions Paris St Germain in the Champions League and suffered domestic league losses to?Newcastle United & Everton in a fraught 10-day period in March. The goal-fest on Saturday, despite being against Port Vale who are likely to be relegated into the fourth division of English football in the near future, at least brought smiles to Chelsea's fans and players. Rosenior said to reporters that "when you 'go through a difficult time, like we did during that 10-day period... you come out stronger, and you know what you want to fix," he explained. Rosenior said that the recent international break, and the big win on Saturday could help lift his mood after he had been thrown into a busy?schedule in January when Enzo Maresca unexpectedly left Stamford Bridge. Rosenior stated, "I have a group who believe as I do that we can still have an outstanding year in terms winning the FA Cup and qualifying for Champions League." Rosenior, when asked about Fernandez’s reaction to the suspension of his player, said that it was "brilliant", to see him in attendance at Saturday’s match. Next Sunday, in the Premier League, Chelsea will face a tougher test. They will host Manchester City in second place. Both teams will be chasing the table-toppers Arsenal. Fernandez is still absent. Chelsea hadn't scored a goal in more than 300 minutes in any competition before Saturday, but the Dutch defender Jorrel hato put them in front after Port Vale failed to clear a set-piece. Brazil striker Joao Peter misled his marker with an ingenious dummy, before making it to 2-0. The Blues went 3-0 ahead before the half when Port Vale’s Jordan Lawrence Gabriel deflected Cole Palmer's shot into his own goal. Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos and Tosin Adarabioyo scored goals with their heads in the eighth minute. Brazil's Estevao then reacted quickly to an Alejandro Garnacho effort that had hit the post. The rout was halted by a late Garnacho penalty. Port Vale's fans, despite the fact that they failed to score a single goal in the game, took over Stamford Bridge's Shed End. (Writing and editing by Andrew Cawthorne; William Schomberg)
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Kenya fuel executives resign as state probes supply chain irregularities
The office of President William Ruto announced on Saturday that senior executives in Kenya's Energy Sector resigned after being accused of manipulating fuel stock data and procuring a 'emergency cargo' at inflated prices. Ruto accepted Mohamed Liban's resignation as principal secretary for Petroleum. The Kenya Pipeline Company also confirmed that Joe Sang had resigned from his position as managing director. According to the?statement, Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria has also resigned as director general of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority. It said that a formal investigation was launched into alleged irregularities within?Kenya’s petroleum supply chain. The government claimed that the manipulated data had been used to 'justify' the importation of fuel despite existing contracts with Saudi Aramco Trading Fujairah Ltd., Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC Global Trading Ltd. and Emirates National Oil Company Singapore Ltd. All of these companies are fulfilling their contractual obligations. The emergency shipment, it claimed, was overpriced and of poor quality. It also claimed that the rates were significantly higher than what had been agreed in existing agreements. The statement stated that "this appears to have been done in order to exploit rising global prices and public anxieties, thus creating a false impression of an impending shortage." Fuel?supply issues linked to the Iran conflict have affected the global energy market. The statement stated that administrative action was taken against other officials, and?arrests were made by investigative agencies'. The arrestees were not identified. No charges have been filed. Reporting by Humphrey Malolo; Writing by Isaac Anyaogu; Editing by Bate and Ali Williams.
The data center boom in Big Tech poses a new threat to US grid operators
Data Center Alley is a 30-square mile stretch of land outside Washington D.C. that houses more than 200 data centres. It consumes about the same amount of electricity as Boston. Power company officials were shocked when 60 data centers suddenly went off the grid last summer.
A standard safety feature in the data center industry was responsible for the mass reaction. Its purpose is to protect electronic and computer equipment from voltage fluctuations that could damage them. According to federal regulators, and utility executives, it led to a massive surge in electricity.
Grid operator PJM, and the local utility Dominion Energy were forced to reduce output of power plants in order to protect grid infrastructure. This was done to avoid a worst case scenario of a cascading of power outages throughout the region.
The near-miss, which is reported in detail here for the first time, forced federal regulators into recognizing a new vulnerability to America's electric grid: unannounced data center disconnections.
In an interview, John Moura, Director for Reliability Assessment and System Analysis at NERC said that as data centers grow and consume more power, the grid cannot withstand a loss of 1,500 megawatts of data centers. "At a certain level, it becomes too big to handle unless additional grid resources are added." Grid operators have historically planned for the possibility of large power plants going offline. Grid operators are forced to prepare for new contingencies due to the rapid growth of data centers that process the huge amounts of information needed for AI and crypto mining.
The behavior of data centres has the potential to cascade power outages across an entire region, said Alison Silverstein. She was a former senior advisor to the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Data Center Alley, a cluster of Microsoft, Google, and Amazon facilities, is where the event took place on July 10, 2010. Around 70% of all internet traffic in the world flows through this area. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the federal regulator of grid reliability, formed a taskforce a month after the incident to investigate en masse disconnection by data centers and cryptocurrency miners.
This story examined thousands of pages in regulatory documents, and spoke to about a dozen executives from the industry, to find out the cause of the problem - a failed surge protection on Dominion’s Ox-Possum line, near Fairfax, Virginia, and how it spread throughout the region. NERC published a report on the incident in January, but didn't disclose the exact location, number of data centres involved or how PJM, Dominion and NERC worked to rebalance grid supply and demand.
Near-miss events are increasing.
As more data centers are brought online, the number of near misses like that in Data Center Alley is on the rise.
According to a December report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the amount of energy used by data centres has tripled in the last decade. It could triple again by the year 2028.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the main grid operator in the state, reviewed disclosure filings and identified over 30 near-misses since 2020. These incidents were triggered by large energy consumers like data centers or crypto miners going offline.
A failed transformer in a west Texas substation caused 400 crypto-miners, data centres, and oil and gas production equipment to be unplugged without warning.
According to ERCOT, the mass exodus resulted in an excess of 1,700 megawatts - about 5% of total grid demand - forcing 112 megawatts to be shut down.
In a report published in December, NERC predicted that the risk of power failures will increase as more data centers are brought online. The report stated that the risk of energy shortages will increase in the United States over the next five to ten years.
The regulator encouraged utilities to update federal reliability standards for crypto mining and data centers.
A CONTROVERSIAL FILE
According to NERC, many data centers are designed by their operators so that they can switch to local generators as soon as there is a hint of a grid problem to minimize the risk of a service interruption like Google search or cryptocurrency mining.
Several grid operators propose that data centers "ride out" voltage dips routinely without disconnecting. Data center operators, however, are against the idea because it could damage electronic equipment and cooling system.
ERCOT retracted a proposal last year that would have imposed restrictions on ride-through data centers and crypto miner after being pushed back by an industry group. The Data Center Coalition.
Amazon, Google and Meta are among the group's members. They cited cost and risk to computer chips and cooling system exposed to fluctuations in voltage levels.
The coalition stated in comments submitted to ERCOT on January 20, 2024 that "data center hardware and power supply, like other electronics, are highly sensitive to the stability of power supply."
If you depart from this range, it will reduce the performance of your vehicle, decrease its longevity or cause irreparable damage to the components.
The coalition declined comment on this article. Amazon, Google, and Meta didn't return any messages seeking comments. ERCOT didn't return messages seeking comment. ERCOT's operations engineer Patrick Gravois told NERC’s Large Load Task Force in December that there is a "high potential" of the disconnection events becoming more severe as larger operations connect to the Texas grid.
Gravois stated that the grid operator was still trying to figure out exactly why big electricity users unplug themselves from the grid so as to avoid any surprises.
Ari Peskoe is the director of Harvard Law School's Electricity Law Initiative. He said that regulators might require data centers ride out voltage dips, but this could lead to Big Tech moving to states with more lenient rules.
Jim Simonelli is the chief technology officer of Schneider Electric's Secure Power division. He said that utilities and data centers can learn a lot from what occurred outside Washington DC in July.
Simonelli stated that the industry has not yet figured out how to make data centers grid-friendly.
(source: Reuters)