Often in the 24 hour news world, stories are reported at such a rate that no one ever takes a step back to see if they are joined up. No one ever seems to ask searching questions to see if two different stories are connected and therefore what are the consequences of that connection. You … Read More
African oil
“The news that Shell accepts liability will be greeted with joy”
The history of Shell in Nigeria is one of contempt for the locals, of systematic and chronic pollution and of a vortex of violence in which thousands have been killed, or tortured. The country remains a grubby stain on Shell’s iconic logo. The company has never apologised for its role in the death of Ken … Read More
“Shell has cheated us for too long”
For hundreds of communities across the Niger Delta the daily unseen struggle against Shell continues. At the end of last week four Ijaw communities gave the oil giant a 14 day ultimatum, demanding that Shell finally implement an agreement that they reached in 1999, twelve years ago. Fearing the company will not honour the agreement, … Read More
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
As Colonel Gaddafi’s power slowly ebbs away in Libya, many people will be worried that he is planning a brutal, bloody, finale. Predicting the unpredictable dictator is a dangerous game. But in mapping how the end game is going to play out, you could also play the blame game in how we got here. And … Read More
“The last man will switch off the button”
At one point yesterday, Brent crude, the European benchmark grade of oil was topping $108 a barrel—its highest level in 2½ years. Such is the surge in oil prices caused by the Libyan crisis that it could derail the global economic recovery according to Fatih Birol, the International Energy Agency’s chief economist. Analysts argue that … Read More