• English
  • 简体中文
  • 繁體中文
  • Tiếng Việt
  • ไทย
  • Indonesia
Subscribe
Real-time News
August 30th - A press conference on the "8.26" mudslide disaster in Gyirong, Tibet, was held today (August 30th) in Gyirong Town. On the morning of August 26th, a mudslide on the Nepalese side caused significant casualties and missing persons at the Gyirong Port in Gyirong County, Shigatse City, Tibet. Analysis indicates that the most prominent risk hindering the disaster response was the landslide dam located above the core area of the border crossing. The dam has already overflowed and is currently in stable condition, with a low probability of a complete collapse.On August 30th, a press conference was held in Gyirong Town, Tibet, regarding the "8.26" mudslide disaster. On the morning of August 26th, a mudslide occurred on the Nepalese side, causing significant casualties and missing persons at the Gyirong Port in Gyirong County, Shigatse City, Tibet. The conference explained that this disaster was caused by glacial instability due to long-term climate warming. The disaster was sudden, with a large peak flow, rapid movement, strong destructive power, and a wide impact area, representing a new and significant characteristic of cryosphere disasters in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and surrounding areas. Monitoring revealed that the ice avalanche took only about 6 to 7 minutes from its occurrence to its impact on the Gyirong Port in my country.On August 30, it was learned from a press conference held by the Information Office of the Peoples Government of Tibet Autonomous Region that, through a joint comprehensive search and comparison of clues conducted by multiple departments including foreign affairs, public security, culture and tourism, and emergency response, 261 missing foreign nationals have been identified in the investigation of the Gyirong landslide disaster in Tibet. These individuals come from 23 countries: Kazakhstan (1), Malaysia (3), Nepal (104), India (49), South Africa (4), Ireland (2), Estonia (2), Germany (3), Russia (3), France (2), Finland (1), Netherlands (2), Latvia (33), Lithuania (1), Portugal (1), Ukraine (1), Spain (1), Hungary (1), United Kingdom (15), Canada (6), United States (18), Australia (6), and New Zealand (2). The Chinese side has notified the relevant embassies and consulates in China.According to Icelandic Broadcasting Corporation: Partial results of Icelands referendum on restarting EU accession negotiations show that the "yes" vote is leading by a narrow margin.On August 30th, it was learned from a press conference held by the Information Office of the Peoples Government of Tibet Autonomous Region that the cause of the mudslide disaster in Tibet has been determined. The Cryosphere Emergency Disaster Reduction Team of the Chengdu Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, through analysis of remote sensing monitoring data and on-site feedback data, combined with field surveys and visits, concluded that: at approximately 10:52 AM Beijing time on August 26th, a glacier on the southern slope of Mount Lamtang in Nepal broke off at an altitude of approximately 5200 meters, causing an ice-rock collapse. The debris flow rapidly fell from a high altitude to approximately 4000 meters, eroding the mountain and forming a giant mudslide. After traveling at high speed for approximately 22 kilometers, it reached the Gyirong Port in China at an altitude of approximately 1800 meters, resulting in the razing of approximately 0.7 square kilometers and 27 buildings and related facilities in the area.

Ukraine Will Block A Crucial Russian Gas Transit to Europe, Blaming Russia

Charlie Brooks

May 11, 2022 09:46

G2.png


Ukraine said on Tuesday that it will cease the flow of gas via a transit point that, according to Kiev, sends over one-third of the fuel piped from Russia to Europe through Ukraine. Kiev blamed Moscow for the action and said it would redirect the flows elsewhere.


Even after Moscow's invasion, Ukraine has remained a significant transit route for Russian gas to Europe.


The operator of Ukraine's gas infrastructure, GTSOU, has declared "force majeure" and will cease shipments through the Sokhranivka route as of Wednesday. "Force majeure" is a provision triggered when a firm is affected by circumstances beyond its control.


However, Gazprom (MCX:GAZP), which has a monopoly on Russian gas pipeline exports, said that it was "technologically impossible" to move all volumes to the Sudzha connecting point farther to the west, as GTSOU requested.


GTSOU CEO Sergiy Makogon told Reuters that Russian occupation troops have begun transporting gas flowing through Ukraine to two rebel territories supported by Russia in the country's east. He failed to provide proof.


The company stated that it was unable to operate at the Novopskov gas compressor station due to "the interference of the occupying forces in technical processes," adding that it could temporarily redirect the affected flow to the Sudzha physical interconnection point, which is located on Ukrainian territory.


Ukraine's suspension of Russian natural gas shipments via the Sokhranivka route should have no effect on the local Ukrainian market, according to Yuriy Vitrenko, the president of the state-owned energy business Naftogaz.


The national gas company of Moldova, a tiny country on Ukraine's western border, said that neither GTSOU nor Gazprom had notified them of a supply interruption.


Russian army and separatist militants have controlled the Novopskov compressor station in the Luhansk area of eastern Ukraine since shortly after Moscow launched a "special military operation" in February.


GTSOU said that it is the first compressor in the Ukraine gas transit system in the Luhansk area, the transit route for about 32,6 million cubic metres of gas per day, or a third of the Russian gas transported to Europe through Ukraine.


To fulfill its "transit responsibilities to European partners in full," GTSOU said that it will "temporarily move unavailable capacity" to the Sudzha interconnection point.


Gazprom said it had received information from Ukraine that the nation will cease gas transit to Europe through the Sokhranivka interconnector at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday local time.


The Russian corporation said that it observed no evidence of force majeure or impediments to business as usual. Gazprom emphasized that it was fulfilling its commitments to European gas purchasers.


As punishment for the invasion of Ukraine, the United States has pushed other nations to reduce their reliance on Russian energy and has prohibited Russian oil and other energy imports.


Ned Price, a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, said that Tuesday's declaration does not alter the "as soon as feasible" schedule for reducing global dependency on Russian oil.