ATYRAU, Kazakhstan — Even as the petroleum industry continues drilling in the Gulf of Mexico at considerable expense and risk, a single field here in Central Asia stands ready to produce two-thirds as much oil each day as the entire gulf does, with less danger to the environment.
But 30 years after its discovery, this field, known as the Tengiz, is still running at only about half speed.
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Tags: Atyrau, Central Asia, Commodity, Discovery, Environment, Geology, Gulf Of Mexico, Gulf Oil, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Lot, Nasty Tendency, New York Times, Petroleum Industry, Risk, Tengiz, Two Thirds, Venezuela, World Oil 
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Curaçao Faces Friction With Chávez Over U.S. Planes — New York TimesHATO, Curaçao — This small island in the Netherlands Antilles might go unnoticed by its neighbors if not for the importance of the foreign interests it hosts: an American Air Force installation pivotal in fighting the region’s drug trade and a huge refinery that turns Venezuelan oil into gasoline.
Chafing at the American military outpost just 40 miles from Venezuela’s coast, President Hugo Chávez is testing Curaçao’s nerves by repeatedly claiming that the Dutch government, which oversees defense issues here, is letting Washington use Curaçao as a base for planning a possible attack on Venezuela.
Read more ….
My Comment: It is silly to believe that such a small U.S.
Posted in Uncategorized Tags: American Air Force, American Outpost, Cocaine Shipments, Dutch Government, Friction, Gangs, Gasoline, Hato, Hugo Chavez, Island In The Netherlands Antilles, Military Outpost, Neighbors, Nerves, New York Times, Planes, President Hugo Chavez, Refinery, Surveillance, u.s. venezuela relations, Venezuela, Venezuelan Oil Comments Off
TWO once-bitter enemies in Colombia have stopped their war and teamed up in the interests of the drugs trade, flooding Venezuela with cocaine that finds its way to Europe and the UK.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) have been fighting for 45 years to install a socialist regime. Over the past 20 years, the group has also been battling right-wing paramilitaries for control of the country’s drug crops.
Read more ….
My Comment: It seems that drug profits has become more important than revolution.
Posted in World News Tags: 45 Years, Armed Forces, Bitter Enemies, Cocaine, Drug Crops, Drug Profits, Drug War, Europe, Farc, Paramilitaries, Peace Deal, Rebel Groups, Revolutionary Armed Forces Of Colombia, Revolutionary Armed Forces Of Colombia Farc, Scotsman, Socialist Regime, Trade War, Venezuela, War On Drugs, World News Comments Off
From The New York Times:
Federal prosecutors on Friday charged three West Africans with plotting to transport tons of cocaine across Africa in concert with Al Qaeda, using for the first time against that group a 2006 law aimed at drug trafficking that aids terrorism.
Federal officials say the case promises to peel back what they contend are increasing ties between drug traffickers and Al Qaeda as the terrorist group seeks to finance its operations in Africa and elsewhere.
Posted in World News Tags: Aids, Al Qaeda, Cocaine, Counter Terrorism, Criminal Organization, Drug Traffickers, Drug Trafficking, Farc, Federal Officials, Federal Prosecutors, Ghana, Investigators, Justice Department, New York Times, North Africa, Terrorist Group, Ties, Venezuela, West Africa, West Africans, World News Comments Off
The United States on Wednesday escalated a crackdown on illicit banking relations with Iran, winning a half-billion-dollar fine against the biggest Swiss bank as other European financial institutions remain under investigation.
The agreement by Credit Suisse Group to pay $536 million to settle a Justice Department investigation comes on the heels of forfeitures of $350 million by Lloyds TSB Bank earlier this year and $80 million by ABN Amro Holding in 2005 for similar violations of U.S.
Posted in World News Tags: Abn Amro Holding, Banks, Barclays, Convenience, Crackdown, Credit Suisse, Credit Suisse Group, Dollar Bank, Financial Institutions, Forfeitures, Iranian Ties, Justice Department Investigation, Lloyds Tsb Bank, Money Supply, Mullahs, Swiss Bank, Targeting Iran, Tehran, Venezuela, Washington Post, World News Comments Off
