2024-05-12 17:32

PORTO ALEGRE, May 12 (Reuters) - The death toll from heavy rains in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state rose to 143, up from 136 on the day before, the local civil defense government body said on Sunday, as rains continue to pour on the state. Another 125 people remain unaccounted for in the state, where rivers are reporting rising levels. Weather service Metsul called the situation "extremely worrying." On Saturday evening the government announced around 12.1 billion reais ($2.34 billion) in emergency spending to deal with the crisis that has displaced more than 538,000 people in the state, out of a population of around 10.9 million. With this new money, more than 60 billion reais in federal funds has already been made available to the state, said the federal government in a statement on Saturday. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the state will rebuild what was destroyed. "We know that not everything can be recovered, mothers have lost their children and children have lost their mothers," said Lula on social media X, in a statement to mark Mother's Day. On Saturday, U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement, saying that his administration is in contact with Brazil's government to provide assistance. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people impacted by this tragedy and the first responders working to rescue and provide medical care to families and individuals," said Biden. More rain fell on Sunday and is expected on Monday. Less than two weeks after the rains began, the state is again on alert with the risk of water rising once more to record levels on the Guaiba lake, near the capital Porto Alegre. The state is at a geographical meeting point between tropical and polar atmospheres, which has created a weather pattern with periods of intense rains or drought. Local scientists believe the pattern has been intensifying due to climate change. ($1 = 5.1619 reais) Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/death-toll-rains-brazils-south-reaches-143-govt-announces-emergency-spending-2024-05-12/

2024-05-12 12:47

BAGHDAD, May 12 (Reuters) - Iraq is committed to voluntary oil production cuts agreed by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and is keen to cooperate with member countries on efforts to achieve more stability in global oil markets, Iraq's oil minister told the state news agency on Sunday. The minister's comments followed his suggestion on Saturday that Iraq had made enough voluntary reductions and would not agree to any additional cuts proposed by the wider OPEC+ producer group at its meeting in early June. “The oil ministry is keen on the cooperation of member states and working to achieve more stability in the global oil market by agreeing on voluntary reduction programmes,” the state news agency quoted Hayan Abdul Ghani as saying. Abdul Ghani told reporters on the sidelines of an oil and gas licensing round in Baghdad that OPEC's voluntary cuts are subject to agreement by its members, adding that Iraq is part of OPEC and would commit to its decisions. "It is necessary that we adhere to and agree with any decisions made by the organization,” he said. Sources with the knowledge of the matter have told Reuters that the OPEC+ group - comprising OPEC, Russia and other non-OPEC producers - could extend some voluntary output cuts if demand fails to pick up. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/iraq-is-committed-opecs-oil-output-cuts-minister-says-2024-05-12/

2024-05-12 09:43

BAGHDAD, May 12 (Reuters) - Chinese companies won five more bids to explore Iraqi oil and gas fields, Iraq's oil minister said on Sunday, as the Middle Eastern country's hydrocarbon exploration licensing round continued into its second day. Chinese companies have been the only foreign players to win bids so far, taking licenses covering 10 oil and gas fields since Saturday, while Iraqi Kurdish company KAR Group took two. The oil and gas licences for 29 projects in total are mainly aimed at ramping up output for domestic use, with more than 20 companies pre-qualifying, including European, Chinese, Arab and Iraqi groups. Iraq wanted this licensing round - the country's sixth - in particular to increase output of natural gas, that it wants to use to fire power plants that rely heavily on gas imported from Iran. However, no bids were made on at least six fields with gas potential, potentially undermining those efforts. Also notably no U.S. oil majors have been involved, even after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia met representatives of U.S. companies on an official visit to the United States last month. Among specific awards, China's CNOOC Iraq won a bid to develop for oil exploration Iraq's Block 7, that extends across the country's central and southern provinces of Diwaniya, Babil, Najaf, Wasit and Muthanna, said oil minister Hayan Abdul Ghani. ZhenHua, Anton Oilfield Services and Sinopec won bids to develop the Abu Khaymah oilfield in Muthanna, the Dhufriya field in Wasit and the Sumer field in Muthanna, respectively, the minister said. China's Geo-Jade won a bid to develop Iraq's Jabal Sanam field for oil exploration in Basra province, Iraq's oil minister added. Iraq, OPEC's second-largest oil producer behind Saudi Arabia, has been hampered in its oil sector development by contract terms viewed as unfavourable by many major oil companies, as well as recurring military conflicts and growing investor focus on environmental, social and governance criteria. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chinese-companies-win-more-bids-explore-iraq-oil-gas-2024-05-12/

2024-05-12 07:35

NAHRIN, Afghanistan, May 12 (Reuters) - Flash floods caused by heavy rains have devastated villages in northern Afghanistan, killing 315 people and injuring more than 1,600, authorities said on Sunday, as villagers buried their dead and aid agencies warned of widening havoc. Thousands of homes were damaged and livestock wiped out, the Taliban-run refugee ministry said, while aid groups warned of damage to health care facilities and vital infrastructure, such as water supply, with streets left coated in mud. In the Nahrin district of Baghlan province, people carried their shrouded dead to a gravesite. "We have no food, no drinking water, no shelter, no blankets, nothing at all, floods have destroyed everything," said Muhammad Yahqoob, who has lost 13 members of his family, children among them. The survivors were struggling to cope, he added. "Out of 42 houses, only two or three remain, it has destroyed the entire valley." In a statement, the Taliban's economy minister, Din Mohammad Hanif, urged the United Nations, humanitarian agencies and private business to provide support for those hit by the floods. "Lives and livelihoods have been washed away," said Arshad Malik, the Afghanistan director for Save the Children. "The flash floods tore through villages, sweeping away homes and killing livestock." He estimated that 310,000 children lived in the worst-hit districts, adding, "Children have lost everything." The refugee ministry said Sunday's latest tally of dead and injured came from its Baghlan provincial office, according to a post on X. Earlier, the interior ministry had put the toll from Friday's floods at 153, but warned it could rise. Afghanistan is prone to natural disasters and the United Nations considers it one of countries most vulnerable to climate change. It has battled a shortfall in aid after the Taliban took over as foreign forces withdrew in 2021, since development aid that formed the backbone of government finances was cut. That has worsened in subsequent years as foreign governments grapple with competing global crises and growing condemnation of the Taliban's curbs on Afghan women. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-ministry-death-toll-floods-northern-afghanistan-rises-315-2024-05-12/

2024-05-12 07:25

JAKARTA, May 12 (Reuters) - Heavy rain brought floods and landslides to Indonesia's province of West Sumatra, killing at least 28, with four still missing, authorities said on Sunday. "There are 28 people killed, and we are still searching for four others who are missing," Abdul Malik, the chief of the provincial rescue team, told Reuters. The national disaster management agency BNPB said in a statement that flooding since Saturday night had brought mud to the Tanah Datar regency, affecting five sub-districts. BNPB said its latest assessment showed 84 housing units and 16 bridges were affected by the disaster, adding that heavy equipment had been deployed to speed up the clearing of road access. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesia-floods-landslides-kill-28-four-missing-2024-05-12/

2024-05-12 05:22

May 12 (Reuters) - South Korea's Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) (015760.KS) New Tab, opens new tab is in talks with the British government to build a nuclear power station off the coast of Wales, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. The state utility has held early-stage discussions with British officials at the Wylfa site in Anglesey, the newspaper said. Asked for comment, a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said Andrew Bowie, Britain's minister for nuclear and renewables, would meet KEPCO in London in the coming week without specifying the purpose. “We are already making progress on our nuclear revival, securing two sites to host new projects," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “Wylfa has excellent potential and we welcome the interest of all parties who are looking to invest in UK nuclear projects.” KEPCO could not immediately be reached for comment. The newspaper quoted a British government official as saying the talks were in early stages and that Energy Minister Claire Coutinho would “very much welcome all interest” in nuclear investment. The public body built to deliver the targets, Great British Nuclear, said in April it is buying land New Tab, opens new tab for nuclear development from Hitachi (6501.T) New Tab, opens new tab at Wylfa in Ynys Mon/Anglesey and Oldbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire. Japan's Hitachi scrapped plans to build a nuclear power plant at the Wylfa site in 2020 after it failed to find private investors or secure sufficient government support for the project. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/south-koreas-kepco-talks-build-uk-power-plant-ft-reports-2024-05-12/