| Google PR chief Peter Barron takes new external relations role Google's UK communications boss to move to position focusing on media industry partnerships and work with privacy groupsGoogle's UK PR chief Peter Barron is moving to a new role focusing on the firm's external relations, media industry partnerships and work with privacy groups. From January, Barron becomes director of external relations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.Barron will be replaced as head of communications and public affairs for the UK, Ireland and Benelux regions by former Times technology correspondent Mike Harvey, who has started work at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California, this week.Claudine Beaumont, the former Daily Telegraph technology editor, is also understood to be joining Google – though the company declined to comment.Barron, the former Newsnight editor, left the BBC to join Google in September 2008.He was reportedly shortlisted for the BBC Radio 4 controller job earlier this year after Mark Damazer announced he was to step down, although the job was eventually awarded to Gwyneth Williams.• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000.• If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".GoogleJemima Kissguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
UK resumes Zimbabwe deportations The Home Office says it will resume enforced returns of Zimbabweans with no legal right to be in the UK, after a four-year moratorium. bbc.co.uk |
Kuwaiti firm among winners as Iraq sells off gas fields Three foreign consortiums awarded deals to produce gas as Iraqis seek to boost economyIraq has awarded three of its established gas fields to foreign consortiums in the third stage of an energy sell-off that it hopes will transform the ravaged nation into a regional economic force.The three fields, in the south, centre and far west of Iraq were sold at, or slightly below, the price the oil ministry had wanted. They were taken by three consortiums that now have rights to develop about 10% of Iraq's proven gas reserves – around 300bn cubic metres.As was the case with the two rounds of oil auctions conducted late last year, the Iraqi government maintains overall control of the fields and will pay each consortium a fee per barrel of oil equivalent.The largest field, known as Akkas, near the Syrian border, went to a joint South Korean-Kazakh bid from the Korean Gas Corporation and Kazakhstan company KazMunaiGas.A second consortium, made up of the Korean Gas Corporation, Turkey's TPAO and Kuwait Energy won the rights to develop the Mansuriyah field in the volatile Diyala province in central Iraq, which stretches east to the Iranian border. It holds around 127bn cubic metres of gas, compared with Akkas's 158bn cubic metres.Kuwait Energy was also a member of the winning consortium to develop the third field, known as Siba, on the Kuwaiti border south of Basra. Siba was by far the smallest of the three fields, thought to contain only 2.9bn cubic metres. It is being portrayed as a deal rich in symbolism for Kuwait, which is slowly re-engaging in Iraq following a two decade standoff that stemmed from the 1990 invasion of Kuwait ordered by ousted president Saddam Hussein.The gas auction had been eagerly awaited by Iraq's government, which desperately needs revenue to rebuild antiquated infrastructure and drive foreign investment. The first two oil auctions appear to have been successful in breaking a long resistance to foreign investment. Like the gas auctions, the deals were structured to allow foreign firms to start reaping fees once the private sector efficiencies they introduced started to lead to increased oil production.There is only limited infrastructure to support gas extraction and pipelines need to be built through still restive areas in Anbar and Diyala. A future Diyala pipeline would probably have the extra problem of running through or near areas that are still the source of territorial dispute between the central government in Baghdad and the semi-autonomous Kurdish regional government. However, the future returns on gas are thought to be potentially as lucrative as oil.Only five of the companies that were licensed to join the auctions actually made bids. Oil minister Hussein Shahrastani said all three fields were auctioned for a price at, or just below, what the government had expected for them. "The contracts are very important and we hope they will help in creating jobs and providing electricity," Shahristani said.Iraq has set a goal of raising its nationwide oil output from 2.4m barrels a day to 12.5m barrels a day within seven years. The oil ministry recently revised its levels of proven reserves from 115bn barrels to 143bn, a reservoir which is thought to be sufficient to power the economy for more than 100 years. Iraq's assessed reserves are the third largest in the world, behind Saudi Arabia and Iran.In a separate deal, British-Dutch oil group Shell, is likely to soon finalise a $12bn bid to harness flared gas from oil fields near Basra. Giant flames and black fumes belch gas from oil fields around the country, costing Iraq at least $50 a second in lost revenue.The Shell deal is awaiting final approval from Sharahstani's office.GasEnergy industryCommoditiesMartin Chulovguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Ship fire crew rescued from rafts A cargo vessel has rescued nearly 100 people from life rafts after the commercial fishing vessel they were on board caught fire. bbc.co.uk |
Airports back BA's call for relaxation of security The aviation industry has backed calls made by British Airways for America to relax its airport security checks. telegraph.co.uk |