October, 2018

• 15 October

  Most Kenyans against vote on changing constitution

  Bloomberg About 56 percent of Kenyans are opposed to a proposed referendum on changes to the East Africa nation’s constitution, according to a survey funded by the local Star newspaper. Some Kenyan politicians including opposition leader Raila Odinga are calling for constitutional revisions to address what they describe as a bloated executive and the government’s failure to adequately devolve power. ...

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• 15 October

  Merkel faces fresh turmoil after historic Bavarian setback

  

  Bloomberg Chancellor Angela Merkel faces a new round of coalition turbulence after her Bavarian sister party dropped to a historic low in a regional election that exposed the scope of voter disaffection with Germany’s political establishment. The Christian Social Union’s loss of its absolute majority on Sunday threatens to reverberate through Merkel’s fractious government, already hampered by infighting after just ...

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• 15 October

  Macron poised to shuffle government

  

  Bloomberg French President Emmanuel Macron is poised to unveil his new team after two weeks of confusion over the timing and scope of his cabinet shuffle fueled speculation of a split between him and his prime minister. The reshuffle was set off by the October 2 resignation of the interior minister, with Macron saying he would “ take the necessary ...

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• 15 October

  Sweden’s Lofven says he’s prepared to form coalition

  Bloomberg Sweden’s acting Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said that he’s prepared to try to form a broad coalition government after the opposition leader failed in his first attempt. Lofven said he told parliament speaker Andreas Norlen on Monday that he’s ready to lead talks on forming a viable coalition to break an impasse after last month’s inconclusive election. “A cooperation ...

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• 15 October

  $10bn clean air push set to boost Indian pipe makers

  

  Bloomberg Steel pipe makers are set to become beneficiaries of India’s $10 billion push to expand its natural gas network to more of its urban masses and cut pollution. India has just completed its biggest city gas distribution auction that would extend coverage to more than half of its 1.3 billion people across a third of the nation’s area. This ...

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• 15 October

  Shell, Equinor commit to Tanzania’s LNG as they await host accord

  

  Bloomberg Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Equinor ASA said they’re committed to a project that will allow the export of natural gas from Tanzania. Proposals to build a $30 billion liquefied-natural-gas plant (LNG), in gestation since 2014, have been clouded by policy uncertainty in Tanzania’s extractives industry. Investor sentiment toward the East African nation has been soured by the government’s ...

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• 15 October

  Zimbabwe warns gasoline suppliers against demanding FX payment

  

  Bloomberg Zimbabwe’s government warned fuel suppliers who demand payment in foreign exchange that their licences to trade will be withdrawn. “All those caught selling fuel at prices not approved by Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority and those service stations either demanding payment in hard currency or engaging in other untoward trading will have their licences revoked,” Vice President Kembo Mohadi said. ...

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• 15 October

  Gasoline prices soar in North America’s Northwest

  Bloomberg A natural gas pipeline rupture in British Columbia forced refineries in Washington to cut output, pushing gasoline prices higher in the Pacific Northwest. Enbridge Inc.’s WestCoast Mainline ruptured near Prince George. The fire has been extinguished, Michael Barnes, a company spokesman, said. The line, along with an adjacent one, has been depressurized, and he said the company “cannot speculate ...

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• 15 October

  Congo miners seek code concessions

  Bloomberg Miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo are seeking concessions under the nation’s new industry code and holding off challenging it through arbitration, in the hope they can still wring out a compromise in the world’s main source of cobalt and Africa’s biggest copper producer. Producers including Glencore and Randgold have opposed the new code that raised royalties, introduced ...

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• 15 October

  Australia is wrestling with saving Great Barrier Reef

  

  Bloomberg Ask four Australians why the Great Barrier Reef is bleaching, and you’ll hear four different answers. A travel agent in Brisbane says it’s because of the cyclone that hit last year. Another one just down the street blames “some sort of starfish.” A tour guide in Cairns says bleaching is a natural part of the coral life cycle; another, ...

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