<p>Chad has suspended all activities of a China National Petroleum Corporation subsidiary after it violated environmental standards while drilling for crude oil. Oil minister Djerassem Le Bemadjiel announced on state radio that the government had decided to suspend operations indefinitely after finding "flagrant violations" of standards at the Koudalwa field. "Not only do they not have facilities to clean spilled crude, there were also intentional spillages in order to reduce costs," the minister said. "In the oil sector you don't do this.

<p>Chad has suspended all activities of a China National Petroleum Corporation subsidiary after it violated environmental standards while drilling for crude oil. Oil minister Djerassem Le Bemadjiel announced on state radio that the government had decided to suspend operations indefinitely after finding "flagrant violations" of standards at the Koudalwa field. "Not only do they not have facilities to clean spilled crude, there were also intentional spillages in order to reduce costs," the minister said. "In the oil sector you don't do this.

<p>Ecuador has approved plans for oil production in untouched parts of the Yasuni National Park in the Amazon rainforest, abandoning plans to accept payment not to drill there. President Rafael Correa said the nation had no choice but to go ahead, as wealthy nations have yet to back his conservation plan.

<p>European Union rules expected in the next few weeks may make it easier to use taxpayer money for nuclear projects, pitting nations like Germany and Austria, which oppose nuclear power, against nations like the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic, which support the technology. The European Commission said it is still open on the topic, but that it is under pressure to set a legal framework after member states sought guidance.