World

Framework is China’s First-Ever Subnational Agreement to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

10/02/2009 -- Today at the Governors’ Global Climate Summit 2, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an agreement with the governor of the Jiangsu Province of the People’s Republic of China to form a partnership that will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen government support for renewable energy and technological cooperation, increase energy security, promote economic activity and advance environmental sustainability.    » read more »

Administration to Start Negotiations with Iranian Government Thursday

September 29, 2009 -- Today Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) announced he is working on a bill to expand the President’s ability to sanction Iran as the United States heads towards negotiations with that country. The Senate Banking Committee has jurisdiction over financial and economic sanctions.

“If Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons capability, it would pose a significant threat to peace and security in the Middle East, especially to our close ally Israel,” said Dodd. “That is a threat to both national security and global stability – and it cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged.”    » read more »

GE’s CHP Units Help Mine Reduce Environmental Impact by Saving 1.3 Million Tons of CO2 per Year

29 September 2009 -- NORTH QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA -- Queensland Minister for Mines and Energy Stephen Robertson today formally opened one of Australia‘s most powerful onsite power plants fueled by waste coal mine gas (WCMG). Today’s event highlights the mining industry’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its activities while ensuring that coal remains an important national export and global energy source.    » read more »

New Delhi, September 24, 2009: General Motors India and Reva Electric Car Company (REVA) have entered into a collaboration agreement to develop electric vehicles for the Indian market. This unique partnership will bring together two companies, established in their own field to develop car platforms, electric vehicle technology and advanced control systems.

The agreement was announced jointly by Karl Slym, president and managing director, General Motors India and Chetan Maini, deputy chairman and chief technology officer, REVA.    » read more »

September 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., said the following today regarding President Obama’s European missile defense announcement:

President Obama has made a sound choice that will improve our security. The President’s decision focuses on fielding effective capabilities to defend our forward deployed force and allies in Europe against the real and existing missile threat from Iran, which consists of short- and medium-range missiles, rather than only against a potential future long-range threat.    » read more »

Calls on DOD to review impact on GMD at Fort Greely

September 17, 2009 -- The Obama administration's decision to cancel deployment of a European-based missile defense system makes full deployment of Alaska's ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) system even more vital for the nation's defense, Senator Mark Begich said today.

A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Begich said America's defense against missiles launched by nations such as North Korea and Iran will now largely rely on the missile defense system at Fort Greely.    » read more »

Statement by David Wright, co-director of UCS's Global Security Program

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (September 17, 2009) — President Obama's announcement today that his administration is scrapping plans to deploy a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic was seen as a "victory for common sense" by experts at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). As noted by leading scientists in a letter to the president in July, the missile defense system slated for Eastern Europe "has not been proven and does not merit deployment. It would offer little or no defensive capability, even in principle."

Below is a statement by Dr. David Wright, a physicist and co-director of UCS's Global Security Program:    » read more »

Sept. 15, 2009 -- PITTSBURGH – The United Steelworkers (USW) today said President Obama’s decision to impose tariffs on Chinese consumer tires was simply a matter of enforcing existing trade laws.

“It’s our union’s responsibility to defend our members and to do it in a way that is within the law and that’s what we have done,” USW International President Leo W. Gerard said. “We’re not against trade. We want a level playing field.

"President Obama rightly rejected groundless retaliation threats and imposed relief based on the merits of this case." The President correctly explained today that "enforcing trade agreements is part and parcel of maintaining an open and free trading system," said Gerard.    » read more »

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s decision to place tariffs on tires made in China.

“I applaud President Obama for taking swift action to ensure that trade laws are being enforced so that American companies, workers and consumers are protected. I have long been an opponent of unfair trade practices. As both a congressman and governor, I have advocated that the U.S. government use the tools at its disposal to ensure that trade laws are strongly and fairly enforced.    » read more »

September 1, 2009 -- WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke welcomes news that, effective today, China will remove the discriminatory taxes it has been imposing on imported auto parts. China had until September 1 to come into compliance with a WTO ruling that China’s auto policies were inconsistent with WTO rules.

The United States, along with Canada and the European Union, had welcomed that ruling. China’s Commerce Ministry and other government agencies announced action today abolishing the discriminatory taxes.    » read more »

Report suggests financial projections based on current life, performance and value of sectors' assets may not be robust

LONDON - 19 Aug 2009: LONDON, Aug. 19 -- According to an Acclimatise global report, backed by IBM (NYSE: IBM) , nearly all electric utilities claim climate change is threatening power outages, higher costs and changes in usage as demand grows to power the world's expanding cities.

Over ninety percent of global electric utilities that report climate change activity to the Carbon Disclosure Project recognised they are at risk from changes in climate and water availability, which are already adding stress to the sector. However, less than a third claimed to undertake any financial or quantified evaluation to the impact of climate change on their business.    » read more »

Find Demonstrates Chevron's Ongoing Exploration Success in Prolific Block 0

SAN RAMON, Calif., August 7, 2009 - Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) announced today that its affiliate, Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (CABGOC) and its partners, had made a successful discovery in Block 0 located adjacent to the Cabinda coastline in Angola.

The 79-3XST1 discovery well, drilled in March 2009 in 397 feet (120 meters) of water to a total vertical depth of 13,000 feet (3965 meters), encountered over 225 feet of net hydrocarbon pay in the Upper Pinda formation. The well was tested from a single 150 ft. perforated interval and flowed at a rate of 11.6 million cubic feet of natural gas and 2,550 barrels of liquid hydrocarbons per day.    » read more »

Airlines will offer more destinations and improved service in the US-Australia and US-South Pacific markets

Jul 08, 2009 -- ATLANTA, and BRISBANE, Australia, July 8 -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and the Virgin Blue Airlines Group (ASX: VBA) announced today they plan to seek regulatory approval to form a joint venture that will expand both carriers' reach between the U.S. and Australia and the South Pacific.

The alliance will allow Delta and the Virgin Blue Airlines Group to compete more effectively in those markets by collaborating on route and product planning, codesharing on their respective networks and extending frequent flyer program benefits and lounge access to customers of both airlines.    » read more »

WHO grants prequalification to Cervarix®: GSK’s vaccine to help combat cervical cancer in developing nations

9 July 2009, London, UK -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has awarded prequalification to Cervarix®, GlaxoSmithKline’s cervical cancer vaccine. The WHO decision is necessary for UN agencies and the GAVI Alliance to purchase the vaccine in partnership with developing countries and will help speed access to Cervarix globally.

More than 80 percent of the 280,000 cervical cancer deaths a year occur in resource-poor nations.[i] Cervical cancer affects poor women in the least developed countries more often and more aggressively due to a lack of available screening services and the high prevalence of other serious health conditions such as HIV/AIDS. [ii], [iii]    » read more »

July 1, 2009 -- FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple today announced that three local companies are parties to major contracts to supply 2009 food-grade soybeans to South Korean soy food importers.

The purchase agreements call for SB&B Foods of Casselton, Brushvale Seed of Wahpeton-Breckenridge, SunOpta of Moorhead and Wisconsin-based DeLong Company to export about 275,000 bushels of identity preserved soybeans to members of the Korean Federation of Soybean-Curd Industry Cooperatives (KFSCIC). The federation represents 12 Korean tofu-processing cooperatives. The sales are valued at about $5 million.    » read more »