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Summary Natural gas reserves in Mozambique, where Indian companies hold stakes, to benefit India.
The gas reserves are expected to rise dramatically with a giant new discovery, catapulting the African nation to the league of the worlds top gas exporters and boosting Indias energy security, local media reported on Monday.Texas-based Anadarko Petroleum, the operator of the Rovuma Offshore Area 1 in southern Africa, is expected to shortly announce a significant upgrade in estimated reserves in the basin, Indian official’s sources said.The new discovery would make the basins reserves 20 times the size of Indias KG-D6 and make Mozambique a major exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG). This can sharply raise supplies and calm LNG prices at a time US gas prices have crashed after supplies surged with shale gas.It will be the worlds biggest gas field. Mozambique can become a gas major like Qatar, and fulfill energy demand of India on cheaper rates said a source involved in the development, who refused to be identified before the formal announcement. ……………………..UN begins evacuation from unrest-hit Myanmar stateThe United Nations Monday said it had begun evacuating staff from its base in western Myanmar where fierce sectarian unrest has seen deadly clashes between Muslims and Buddhists. Ashok Nigam, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Yangon, said roughly 44 workers and their families were leaving Maungdaw in troubled Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh.It is most of the international staff but local staff based in Maungdaw will still be there, he said, adding the voluntary measure was temporary and because of the insecurity and disturbance.A first group left Maungdaw on Sunday followed by a second group Monday.UN workers are gathering in the state capital Sittwe, he said, and most will be flown to Myanmars main city of Yangon. Workers for other non-governmental organisations have also been helped to leave the area, Nigam said.Myanmars government Sunday declared a state of emergency in Rakhine to deal with the violence.The state, which is predominantly Buddhist, is home to a large number of Muslims including the Rohingya, a stateless people described by the United Nations as one of the worlds most persecuted minorities.Nigam said it was a challenge for staff to function normally in Maungdaw, which has been put under a curfew and where the United Nations has a humanitarian operation.
