David Blair's Blog, page 135

Rome fears fresh wave of migrants from Libya

Beneath the snow-capped crater of Mount Etna, yachts and ferries fill Catania's placid harbour. Yet Italy's government fears that this Sicilian cove could become the next victim of Libya's violence 300 miles to the south.

Opec set for $1,000bn in export revenues

Opec , the oil producers' cartel, will reap $1,000bn in export revenues this year for the first time if crude prices remain above $100 a barrel, according to the International Energy Agency .

Shell sells refinery to Essar

Royal Dutch Shell has reached a final agreement to sell the UK's second biggest oil refinery, along with associated marketing businesses, to Essar Energy of India for $1.3bn.

Covering Libyan oil eats into kingdom's capacity

Saudi Arabia has embarked on an expansion of its oil industry, planning to increase the number of rigs in the kingdom by at least a quarter.

Subsidy review dims solar hopes

Cloudy future: a solar energy system at Worthy Farm, home of the Glastonbury Festival

UK solar subsidy reduction could spook investors

The government points out that its proposed reduction in feed-in tariffs for large solar arrays will not apply retrospectively. Only new entrants after August 1 this year will be affected by the plans.

UK industry must press on, says EDF chief

The British nuclear industry will have to work harder to keep the public's trust in the aftermath of Japan's disaster, according to the head of the company that operates 15 of the UK's 19 reactors.

Nuclear crisis forces rethink on suppliers

British companies expecting to capitalise on a long-awaited resurgence in nuclear power are reassessing their plans after a radiation leak in an earthquake-hit Japanese reactor caused China to suspend its nuclear building programme .

Huhne inquiry weighs nuclear crisis

An official inquiry into whether Japan's nuclear crisis holds lessons for the safety of Britain's nuclear power stations will "affect" investment in a new generation of reactors, according to Chris Huhne, the energy ­secretary.

Andrew gives Azerbaijan seal of approval

Azerbaijan receives its distinguished guests in the president's office, a Soviet-era edifice that disfigures the otherwise picturesque centre of the capital, Baku.