Author: NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK

Ecopetrol Investimentos do Brasil, a wholly owned subsidiary of Colombia’s state-owned oil and gas company Ecopetrol, has broadened its presence in Brazil’s energy sector by acquiring a controlling stake in local oil and gas producer Brava Energia. FPSO Atlanta; Source: Brava Energia In a step that strengthens its growth platform in Brazil, Ecopetrol has completed the acquisition of a controlling interest equivalent to approximately 51% of the outstanding voting share capital of Brava Energia, following the satisfaction of all applicable regulatory approvals and other required conditions. The company claims that this acquisition expands its oil and gas footprint in one…

The oil discovery was made in the sea about 175km (110 miles) off the Amazon coast but the size of the field is not yet clear.It is also still unknown whether extracting the oil, which is located at a depth of 2,886m (9,469ft), would be commercially viable. Conservationists have warned that the area where the exploratory drilling is taking place is very biodiverse.They fear that any accidents could threaten not just the nearby reefs but that currents could carry spilled oil to coastal wetlands teeming with wildlife. Lula has in the past rejected criticism by conservationists as “meddling” and on…

Alaska’s nonpartisan Senate primary will offer a rare chance to test the strength of the two leading candidates, Dan S. Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, and former Representative Mary Peltola, a well-funded Democrat, as they face off months before November.And voters in Northern California will choose a replacement for former Representative Eric Swalwell, who resigned in the spring after allegations of sexual misconduct.Here’s what to watch on Tuesday, a busy Primary Day from coast to coast.Who’s ahead in Alaska’s marquee Senate race?Alaska has nonpartisan Senate primaries, and the top four candidates will move on to the general election.That means Mr. Sullivan,…

Lance Whitney/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysMicrosoft is touting its new customizable right-click context menus.You’ll be able to tweak the menu by adding and removing commands.Hopefully, this will reach all Windows users by year’s end.Right-clicking your mouse in Windows 11 File Explorer displays a context-sensitive menu with commands you can run on your current file, folder, or other item. But the more applications you install, the more crowded and chaotic that menu becomes, making it difficult to navigate and use. Thankfully, Microsoft finally has a solution in the wings.Also: Microsoft is merging Copilot and…

A ransomware affiliate is approaching victims of the attacks it may have helped carry out, in an interesting technique that actually undermines its own business model.According to the GuidePoint Research and Intelligence Team (GRIT), a malicious entity referring to itself as “Ransom Busters” has sent an email to cyberattack victims, claiming to have infiltrated the servers of multiple criminal groups and discovering data belonging to the victim. For a fee, the email claims, Ransom Busters “can return your files to you and destroy all backups held by the group.” The email claims the attackers have also gained access to encryption…

Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) directed all $333.7 million raised from common-stock sales last week toward preferred-stock obligations and cash reserves, extending a two-month shift that has prioritized STRC support over additional Bitcoin purchases.According to an Aug. 17 SEC filing, the company sold 3.45 million MSTR shares from Aug. 10 through Aug. 16, using $52.4 million of the proceeds for dividends on STRC, its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch preferred stock.The firm further revealed that it used $132.2 million to repurchase STRC shares, and $149.1 million to increase its US dollar reserve to $4.8 billion.Strategy bought or sold no Bitcoin during…

Note: Slight spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. A plot device in the new Spider-Man movie is real-world science. A trick used to turn off fictional superpowers in the movie is based on actual genetic therapies for rare diseases. In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland) has disturbing symptoms as the DNA he got from a spider bite manifests itself in new ways. He’d like to get rid of some of his powers while keeping others. He visits Bruce Banner (a scientist played by Mark Ruffalo) to discuss a device Banner has created to keep his…

A new study has found that the Huaulu Indigenous community on Indonesia’s Seram Island is adapting a centuries-old coming-of-age ritual to help protect the endangered salmon-crested cockatoo.Researchers say that rather than hunting the birds for their feathers, used in the Cidaku ceremony, the Huaulu have agreed to use naturally shed feathers, collected from rehabilitation centers, rescue facilities and zoos.The findings suggest that conservation efforts may be more effective when they work with Indigenous cultural traditions and local knowledge rather than relying solely on imposing restrictions from outside.However, an independent expert warns that this still leaves the much larger threats…

Kongsberg Maritime, a Norway-headquartered marine technology company, has been selected to provide advanced deck machinery equipment for a new floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel destined for an undisclosed offshore development in Asian waters. Illustration; Source: Kongsberg Maritime Kongsberg Maritime has secured what it considers to be a substantial contract with an unnamed company it describes as a major energy operator to deliver a fully integrated mooring and deck machinery solution, including chain pull-in winches, chain stoppers, fairleads, riser pull-in winches, and associated control and automation systems for an FPSO in Asia. The delivery of the equipment is scheduled…

Hours before two of Uganda’s largest independent news outlets were forced to suspend operations in June, the man who claimed responsibility for the shutdown did not wait for a government spokesperson, a regulator, or a court to announce the move. He posted the news himself. “In Uganda, I do not believe in a free press,” Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba—Uganda’s military chief and President Yoweri Museveni’s only son—wrote on social media, adding that he had his father’s blessing to shut down the Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda. Soldiers blocked the premises without notice, and the government later attributed the shutdown to a…