UK defense chief ‘lost grasp on reason’ with ‘Moscow could kill thousands’ comment – Russian MoD

The Russian Defense Ministry has hit out at UK Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson for claiming Russia could kill “thousands and thousands” of Brits, accusing him of having “lost his grasp on reason” and playing on Russophobia.

EU concerned over U.S. sanctions on Russia

The European Union on Wednesday said it is concerned with the United States' proposed additional sanctions against Russia, citing a threat to energy independence.

Solar plane finishes first leg of epic round-the-world bid

Solar Impulse 2 landed Monday in Oman, completing the initial leg of its epic bid to become the first solar-powered plane to fly around the world, testing its pilots to the limit.

The aircraft touched down in Muscat after nightfall, 13 hours and two minutes after taking off from Abu Dhabi.

Government of Greece and TAP sign host government agreement / Endgültiges Aus für Nabucco - Konsortium entscheidet für TAP

The Greek Government (the Ministry of Energy, Environment and Climate Change – MEECC) and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project have today signed the Host Government Agreement (HGA) in Athens, agreed in principle last week.

The HGA sets out the framework by which the project will be realized and operated on Greek territory. This includes processes related to land easement and acquisition, the implementation of technical, safety, environmental and social standards and permitting.

TAP will be one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment in Greece, and is estimated to cost approximately Euro 1.5 bn for the Greek section. During construction, TAP is anticipated to create some 2,000 direct, and up to 10,000 indirect, new jobs across a number of industries including manufacturing and utilities, transport, communications and financial and business services. The project already collaborates with a number of Greek businesses and experts, and will seek to expand such cooperation in line with its commitment to Local Content.

Gazprom and partners begin South Stream 7/12/12

Russia’s state-owned gas major Gazprom and its partners are beginning construction of the $16bn South Stream pipeline that will run under the Black Sea to Europe and rival the Nabucco project.
­The symbolic first welding of the pipeline takes place in the city of Anapa in Southern Russia on Friday. Among those present at the ceremony are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bulgaria’s Regional Development and Public Works Minister Liliyana Pavlova as well as representatives of Italy's ENI, France's EDF and Germany's BASF.