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Indians suffer from respiratory problems and skin rashes after living in the world's worst polluted city
Sumaiya Ansari was suffering from breathing difficulties for several days prior to being hospitalized in March. She was given oxygen support. Doctors say that her illness is likely caused by high pollution levels. According to IQAir's estimates, Byrnihat’s average annual PM2.5 concentration was 128.2 milligrams per cubic meter in 2024, which is over 25 times higher than the WHO recommended level. PM2.5 is particulate matter that has a diameter of 2.5 microns and less. This can cause deadly diseases, including heart problems. Abdul Halim, Ansari’s father, said, "It was scary. She was breathing like fish." He brought Ansari home after two days in the hospital. According to data from the government, respiratory infections cases in the region increased to 3,681 by 2024, up from 2,082 in 2012. Dr. J Marak, of Byrnihat Primary Healthcare Centre, said that 90% of the patients he sees daily have a cough and/or other respiratory problems. Residents report that the toxic air causes skin rashes, eye irritations, damages crops and prevents them from doing routine tasks such as drying their laundry outside. Dildar Hussain, a farmer, said: "Everything has been covered in dust or soot." Critics claim that Byrnihat's pollution problem is indicative of a larger trend that affects not only India's major cities but also the Capitalism As industrialisation accelerates, environmental protections are being eroded. Government data shows that the air quality in Byrnihat remains poor throughout the year. Experts say that the pollution problem in this town is worsened by the fact that it has a "bowl-shaped" topography and 80 industries, many of which are highly polluting. Arup Misra, the chairman of Assam’s pollution control board, said that the terrain between Meghalaya's hills and Assam’s plains is too narrow for pollutants to spread. A Meghalaya official, who declined to be identified, stated that the town's geographical location made it harder to find a solution, as both states shifted blame between themselves. Assam, Meghalaya and IQAir have formed a joint committee to fight the pollution in Byrnihat. (Reporting and writing by Tora Aggarwala, Sakshi Dayal and Raju Gopalakrishnan; editing by Raju Gopi Krishnan)
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Progress in US-Iran negotiations eases supply concerns, lowering oil prices
The oil prices dropped by about 1% after the nuclear talks between Iran and the United States progressed. This eased concerns that this dispute would reduce the supply of the Middle Eastern major producer. Brent crude futures fell 70 cents or 1.03% to $67.26 per barrel at 0030 GMT, after closing 3.2% higher on Thursday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude was trading at $64, down 68 cents or 1.05% after closing up 3.54% the previous session. Last week, Thursday was the final settlement day due to the Good Friday holiday. Iran's Foreign Minister said that the U.S. had agreed to start drafting a framework for any potential nuclear deal with Iran on Saturday, following talks described by a U.S. government official as "very positive progress." Progress in the nuclear talks follows the U.S. imposing further sanctions last week. These included sanctions against a teapot oil refinery based in China, which it claims processed Iranian crude. This increased pressure on Tehran during the discussions. Teapot is the industry term for smaller independent processors. Brent and WTI both gained about 5% in the last week due to concerns about the tightening of Iranian oil supplies and hopes for an agreement between the United States, and the European Union. This was their first weekly increase in three weeks. Separately, Russia, Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin blamed each for breaking the one-day ceasefire declared on Easter Sunday by the Russian president. Both sides accused the other of hundreds attacks, and the Kremlin said there was never an order to extend the ceasefire. (Reporting and editing by Christian Schmollinger; Florence Tan is the reporter)
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Interfax reports that the Russian economy ministry has cut its Brent price forecast for 2025 by almost 17%.
Interfax reported on Monday morning that the Russian economy ministry had reduced its forecast of the average price for Brent crude in 2025 from the amount it thought the price would be in September by almost 17%. Interfax reported that in the ministry's baseline scenario for economic forecasts of 2025, the average price of Brent is expected to be $68 per barrel, down from $81.7 per barrel in the September forecasts. The Ministry of Finance estimates that the price of Urals, Russia’s main blend, is $56 per barrel, compared to the $69.7 per barrelle on which Russia based its budget for 2025. The agency quoted a ministry representative as saying, "We think that this is an estimate which is fairly conservative." Oil and gas revenues account for a third (or more) of the budget. In April, the Russian central bank had warned that due to a lower global demand, oil prices may be lower for several years than expected. Urals prices dropped to their lowest level since 2023 early April, trading at around $53 a barrel. They traded below $60 per barrel last week. The ministry said that it did not expect a recession to occur due to the trade wars of U.S. president Donald Trump and believes global growth will be slightly higher than 2% this year. Interfax quoted the representative of the ministry as saying: "The world's still bigger than the United States. So some flows will be directed." The Ministry maintained its forecast of 2.5% for the gross domestic product (GDP) growth in Russia and raised its inflation forecast from 4.5% to 7.6%. The rouble is also expected to be slightly stronger this year than it was previously forecasted, with an average of 94,3 roubles for every dollar, compared to an earlier prediction of 96.5.
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Severe weather strikes the Midwest and South of the US, killing two people in Oklahoma
Police said that at least two people including a child died after their vehicle became stranded on flood waters in Oklahoma, during the Easter weekend, when severe weather and flooding affected parts of the U.S. South, Midwest and Midwest. In a press release, police in Moore (Oklahoma), about 11 miles south-southeast of Oklahoma City, stated that the weather was "historic". "One (of the vehicles) was swept underneath the bridge. All but two of the occupants were saved at the time. "It is with deep sadness that we announce that two people, an adult male and a 12-year old boy, were found dead later," the statement said. The police in Moore, Oklahoma have urged residents to stay home. They responded late Saturday to more than a dozen calls by residents who were stuck in their vehicles because of high water. Oklahoma was covered by flood warnings that indicate a flood may be imminent or has already occurred. National Weather Service stated on Sunday that severe thunderstorms are expected to occur from east Texas through far southeast Iowa, Illinois and into central Arkansas. A strong tornado with damaging winds is also possible from central Arkansas and central Missouri. The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for certain parts of Arkansas and Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Oklahoma. A deadly spring storm that swept across the U.S. from Texas to Ohio caused tornadoes, heavy rains, and even a few deaths in the South and Midwest. (Reporting and editing by Mary Milliken, Chris Reese and Kanishka Singh from Washington)
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Russia-Ukraine War: US welcomes extension of ceasefire
The U.S. State Department announced on Sunday that it would be happy to see the one-day ceasefire declared by Russian president Vladimir Putin for Easter extended beyond Sunday, despite the Kremlin's earlier statement that there had been no extension order. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Putin declared a ceasefire for one day in Ukraine, until Sunday midnight Moscow time (2100 GMT). KEY QUOTES "We've seen that President Putin announced a temporary truce due to Easter. In an email statement sent on Sunday, a spokesperson for the State Department said that they remain committed to achieving full and comprehensive peace. As we evaluate their seriousness, we welcome the extension of this punishment beyond Sunday. Why it's important U.S. president Donald Trump Has repeatedly warned about the risk of escalation in the three-year old war that was started by Russia's full scale invasion of its neighbor, and has said he wants the war to end. The U.S. secretary of state has said that the war should be ended. Marco Rubio Washington said that it will abandon efforts to broker a deal for peace if there are no clear signs of progress in the near future. Trump announced that he would sign a mineral deal with Kyiv within a week after the U.S.A. and Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday. A failed attempt in February was the result of Zelenskiy and Trump's clash in the Oval Office. CONTEXT Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, said that Russia pretended to respect the Easter ceasefire but in reality, it had continued hundreds of artillery assaults Saturday night and more on Sunday. Russia's Defence Ministry claimed that Ukraine violated the ceasefire and caused damage to civilians and infrastructure. Putin wants Ukraine to give up its NATO ambitions and permanently cede the four lost regions to Russia. He also wants to limit its army size. Kyiv claims that these demands amount to a demand for its capitulation.
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Congo suspends the former President Kabila's Political Party
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended the political party of former President Joseph Kabila and ordered the seizure of his assets over allegations that he supported rebels in eastern Congo backed by Rwanda. The 53-year old, who ruled the country from 2001 to 2019 and only stepped aside after violent protests against him, said that he wanted to return to Congo in order to find a resolution to the conflict. In a statement issued late Saturday, the interior ministry stated that his party had been suspended for assisting the M23 rebels. The justice ministry also said assets of his and other leaders would be confiscated after acts deemed high treason. In both statements, prosecutors were instructed to begin proceedings against him. However, no specific accusations were made. Kabila did not respond immediately. In a letter to the editor, Ferdinand Kambere (secretary of his Party for Reconstruction and Democracy) called the suspension of its members a flagrant breach of Congo's Constitution and Laws. Since the beginning of this year, the M23 has taken control of two major cities located in the mineral rich east. The conflict in this region dates back to the Rwandan genocide of 1994 and the struggle over minerals. Kabila took power in the aftermath of his father's death and refused to leave when his term ended in 2016. Since then, he has lived in several African countries. (Writing Jessica Donati Editing Sofia Christensen, Andrew Cawthorne and Andrew Cawthorne).
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Shenghe, a Chinese rare earths processor, sees a minimal impact of the US feedstock ban
Shenghe Resources, a Chinese company, said that the suspension of shipments from its U.S. partners of rare earth raw concentrator will not have a significant impact on production because of the company's diverse supply chain. MP Materials, the owner of the U.S.'s only rare earths mine said that it has stopped shipping these vital minerals to China due to the 125% tariffs Beijing imposed on U.S. imports as a retaliation against U.S. tariffs imposed on Chinese goods by President Donald Trump. Rare earths is a grouping of 17 metals which are used in the production of magnets for electric cars, mobile phones and other electronic devices. China, the dominant producer in the world, halted this month exports of rare earths that were added to an export control list as a form of retaliation. MP Materials, which is a major player in the rare earths industry, imports large quantities of concentrate from other countries to feed its processing plants. Shenghe stated in a press release that "we have created a diversified channel of supply for rare earth raw materials. We use monazite as an alternative to Sichuan, and we also supply other countries." "The supply agreement with MP remains valid." Shenghe did not provide details. In January 2024, the company and MP Materials renewed a offtake agreement through Shenghe’s subsidiary in Singapore. The agreement will remain in place for two years but can be extended by another year. Customs data show that China's imports from the U.S. of rare earth raw material have declined for the past two years. They fell by 13.7% last year and 16.9% in 2023.
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VEB, a Russian copper mining company, will invest $13.4 billion in the country's Far East
The Russian government announced on Saturday that the state-owned development bank VEB would invest over 1.1 trillion Russian roubles (about $13.40 billion) in order to develop a mine of copper in Chukotka, in the extreme east of the nation. A government press release stated that the development of Baimskaya, which was discovered in 1972, will create 6,000 jobs, and generate tax revenues in excess of three trillion roubles. Chukotka, the easternmost federal subject in Russia, is a mountainous area. Around half of the region is above the Arctic Circle. Once operational, the deposit will increase Russia's gold production by 4% and copper production by 25%. "We continue to build not just a mining and processing plant, but a powerful and technologically-advanced industrial complex that will strengthen Russia's position in the global market and become a new point of growth in the Arctic," said Georgy Fotin, general director of the Baimskaya Management Company LLC. Vladimir Putin named the Arctic region as one of Russia’s most important economic interests. He has also increased commerce through the Northern Sea Route, as Moscow has shifted trade away from Europe and towards Asia due to Western sanctions. The government announced on Saturday that the development of the Baimskaya deposit would increase the annual cargo traffic along NSR by two million metric tonnes. $1 = 82.1000 Russian Roubles (Reporting and editing by Kirby Donovan; Lucy Papachristou)
The Russian billionaires whose chemical factories fuel Russia's war machine
Chemicals factories founded or owned by a few of Russia's wealthiest men are supplying components to plants that manufacture explosives utilized by Moscow's military throughout the war in Ukraine, an analysis of train and financial data shows.
Reuters determined five chemical companies, in which 5 Western-sanctioned billionaires hold stakes, that offered more than 75% of the key chemicals delivered by rail to some of Russia's biggest explosives factories from the start of the war up until September this year, according to the railway information.
The news agency's analysis shows for the very first time how heavily factories forming part of Russia's war device rely on these men and their business. The billionaires consist of Roman Abramovich, former owner of Chelsea Football Club, and Vagit Alekperov, who was ranked by Forbes in April as Russia's richest male with a fortune estimated at $28.6 billion.
Abramovich and Alekperov did not react to requests for remark sent via their business or attorneys. London-listed Evraz, in which Ambramovich holds a 28% stake, stated it provided the chemicals for civilian use only. Lukoil, a refiner in which Alekperov retains a shareholding, stated it does not manufacture dynamites or any related elements.
Anna Nagurney, a University of Massachusetts professor who carefully studies supply chain networks related to the Ukraine-Russia war and examined Reuters' findings, stated the five companies were aiding Moscow not only by offering essential chemical ingredients for munitions however also by earning much-needed hard cash from exports of civilian products, including fertilizers.
These chemical business might be running as civilian ones, but they are sustaining the war effort, Nagurney said.
To determine from where Russia's main munitions factories got their supplies, Reuters analysed the motion of more than 600,000 rail deliveries that brought the chemicals needed to make explosives from the intrusion of Ukraine in February 2022 through September 2024.
The railway information from two industrial databases in Russia was supplied to Reuters by the Open Source Centre, a British-based NGO devoted to collecting publicly-available intelligence and keeping track of possible sanctions infractions. It detailed the type of freight in every train wagon, the weight, origin and location, and the names of the company that sent the goods and the business that got them.
Reuters cross-checked the data from the two databases to confirm its accuracy. Nevertheless, the news company was unable to validate whether the information included every rail shipment to the dynamites factories, or the extent to which the plants got deliveries by road.
The information showed that the billionaires' companies provided essential active ingredients to 5 explosive and gunpowder factories in Russia that are subject to Western sanctions. The plants are subsidiaries of the giant Russian state arms manufacturer and car manufacturer Rostec.
Utilizing leaked tax billings covering parts of 2023, Reuters was likewise able to confirm that four of the chemicals firms were suppliers to 4 of the explosives producers.
Neither the Kremlin, the defence ministry, nor Rostec responded to Reuters' questions about civilian companies' role in providing Russia's munitions industry.
Before the war, all the explosives plants, as part of efforts to diversify, likewise utilized to make dynamites or gunpowder for civilian use. Reuters could not determine whether such civilian sales continue and whether the chemicals supplied might be earmarked for civilian usage.
Thomas Klapotke, a teacher of energetics at the University of Munich, who helped Reuters analyse the data, said that, while all the raw materials had numerous possible usages, the combination of wagon-loads of particular chemicals needed for explosives making reaching particular plants provided red. flags.
The analysis provides fresh proof that the West's. strategy of imposing sanctions on Russia as punishment for its. invasion of Ukraine has failed to suppress its military production,. according to numerous professionals talked to .
While the billionaires themselves are all under Western. sanctions, the chemical companies included have mainly escaped. major financial penalties or restrictions on their import of critical. products from the USA or the European Union.
The majority of the output of these chemical plants are civilian. items like fertilizer that are crucial to farming. Long-standing Western policies exempt food from sanctions to. prevent starvation and diplomatic blowback from developing countries.
Peter Harrell, a previous senior White Home authorities who. worked on Russia sanctions during the war's very first year and is. now a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace,. said possibly it's time to review those 2022 choices now that. nations that when relied on Ukraine and Russia for wheat and. fertilizer have had time to find alternative sources.
Potentially, the calculus would weigh towards imposing. sanctions on these companies today, Harrell said, discussing. Reuters' findings.
Nevertheless, Manish N. Raizada, an agriculture professor at the. University of Guelph in Canada, warned that imposing sanctions. on Russian chemical business might put numerous millions of. small-scale farmers at risk, in return for a minor economic. effect on Russia.
Spokespersons for the U.S. Treasury Department, which. coordinates Washington's sanctions, and the United Nations. Advancement Program declined to talk about Reuters findings.
A European Commission representative, in response to concerns. about the chemicals companies, said: We are actively exploring. the possibilities for extra procedures to step up pressure. and close loopholes in a way that would prevent unfavorable. implications for food security.
The spokesperson worried that any action would only come. after cautious analysis of the efficiency of any procedures and. their impact on European business. Nevertheless, he noted that EU. sanctions would currently use to the business, even if they. were not particularly designated, if they were controlled or. owned by a sanctioned person.
ARTILLERY WAR. The war in Ukraine has become an artillery duel where a scarcity. of high explosives offered to NATO and Ukraine has enabled. Russian forces to get swathes of territory this year, according. to numerous Ukraine commanders interviewed .
Moscow is investing heavily in military production and. looking for to replenish its munitions stockpiles. In 2024, Russia. produced about 2.4 million weapons rounds and imported 3. million from North Korea, according to a Ukraine security. official. The North Korean embassy in London didn't return calls. from Reuters looking for remark.
The 5 munitions plants supplied by the billionaires'. companies include the huge Sverdlov center in Dzerzhinsk. The plant is the only considerable maker in Russia of the plastic. explosives HMX and RDX used in weapons and rockets, according. to a Ukrainian intelligence authorities.
Two factories run by Eurochem - established by Russian. billionaire Andrey Melnichenko - supply chemicals to Sverdlov,. according to the train information.
Eurochem is one of the world's biggest producers of. mineral fertilizers. Its Nevinnomysskiy Nitrogen plant in. southwest Russia has actually sent out at least 38,000 metric lots of acetic. acid to Sverdlov during the Ukraine war, according to a Reuters. analysis of the train data.
A second Eurochem facility, Novomoskovskiy Nitrogen sent. almost 5,000 metric lots of nitric acid to Sverdlov in the same. duration, the train data revealed.
Both acetic acid and nitric acid are used to make HMX and. RDX.
According to Reuters estimations, based on clinical. literature and evaluated by an explosives professional, 5,000 tons of. nitric acid could be used to make 3,000 lots of RDX, enough to. fill 500,000 large-calibre artillery shells.
The tax invoices reviewed verified that Eurochem. was a provider to Sverdlov last year.
In action to comprehensive questions, Eurochem stated Reuters'. reporting consisted of numerous product accurate errors. Specifically, EuroChem is not part of the defence sector of the. Russian economy and none of our items are developed for. military purposes, checked out a declaration from the business, which is. headquartered in Switzerland. Eurochem stated that any suggestion. Melnichenko controlled the business was false.
Melnichenko did not react to concerns. The billionaire,. stated by Forbes to be worth $17.5 billion, positioned his controlling. stake in Eurochem into a trust that benefits his spouse, as. Reuters has reported, after the imposition of sanctions on him. by the EU and Nato following the intrusion of Ukraine.
The declaration said that while 97% of its output is. fertiliser, Eurochem supplies other industrial items,. including these chemicals, to a wide variety of clients in Russia. and abroad. The business didn't answer Reuters' questions about. the chemical deliveries to Sverdlov. Questions sent out to the e-mail. address on Sverdlov's website went unanswered.
TAX DATA
Another fertilizer giant, Uralchem, founded by approved. billionaire Dmitry Mazepin, supplied Sverdlov more than 27,000. metric tons of ammonium nitrate, the train information revealed. Ammonium nitrate is utilized to make HMX and RDX, and is likewise blended. with TNT to produce an explosive called Amatol. Uralchem likewise. supplied 6,000 metric lots of nitric acid from its nitrogen. fertiliser plant in Berezniki to Sverdlov, the information revealed.
Two other state-owned munitions plants, the Tambov Gunpowder. Plant and Kazan Gunpowder Plant, got shipments of acids. from Uralchem, the rail information revealed.
The dripped Russian tax billings, evaluated , likewise. revealed that Uralchem supplied the Sverdlov, Tambov and Kazan. factories along with the state-owned Perm Powder plant last. year.
Asked in information about the shipments, Uralchem said the. info was inaccurate. It did not provide more information. or description.
Mazepin, who reduced his ownership of the company from 100%. to 48% simply after the invasion of Ukraine, couldn't be reached. for comment. The Tambov, Perm and Kazan plants didn't reply to. concerns sent out to email addresses noted on their sites or on. corporate filings.
A steel plant in Siberia owned by London-listed Evraz. provided 5,000 metric tons of toluene-- an ingredient for TNT -. to the Biysk Oleum Plant, according to the rail information. Evraz was. sanctioned in 2022 by the British government which stated it. provided steel to the Russian armed force.
In a statement, Evraz said it just provided toluene for. civilian usage only. The Biysk Oleum plant, a system of Sverdlov,. didn't react to requests for remark.
In April 2024, the federal government of Altai region, which. includes the city of Biysk, noted the plant amongst manufacturers. that substantially increased their 2023 production in. fulfilment of state defence procurement agreements.
Reuters determined 2 other billionaire-linked companies. providing chemicals to munitions factories. The Sredneuralsk. Copper Smelting Plant (SUMZ) in the Ural mountains, founded by. metals mogul Iskander Makhmudov, provides oleum - likewise known. as fuming sulphuric acid - utilized in the Tambov, Kazan, and Perm. powder plants.
The Lukoil refinery in Perm provided 6,500 metric lots of. toluene to the Perm powder plant, Kazan, and Biysk. Lukoil is. part-owned by billionaire Alekperov, the business's previous. president. Like others, he divested many shares in 2022 however. kept an 8.55% stake.
The tax invoices examined revealed that the Lukoil. plant was a supplier to the Perm powder plant in 2015. They. also file shipments from SUMZ to the Kazan and Perm plants.
In a declaration, Lukoil stated its Perm refinery does not. manufacture explosives or any associated elements which. questions from Reuters about deliveries from there included. absurd speculations.
SUMZ did not react to in-depth questions. Its parent. company, UMMC, which is under sanctions by the United States and Britain,. did not react to an ask for comment. Makhmudov, who. divested his managing stake in 2022, according to Forbes,. likewise could not be grabbed comment.
(source: Reuters)