** The Biden administration turned down a request for federal disaster assistance from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in the aftermath of the train derailment in the state earlier this month that led to a large release of toxic chemicals.
** Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg shifted part of the blame for the recent derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals in Ohio on the Trump administration reversing a little-known safety rule.
** A snow storm and deep cold snap caused North Dakota’s oil production to drop 13% in December compared to the previous month.
** At least three proposed U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants have likely found enough customers to receive financial approvals this year, according to Reuters calculations, developments that would make the country the world’s largest LNG exporter for years to come.
** The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) celebrated after the New York State Senate passed a sweeping climate bill Wednesday evening, bringing it one step closer to being enacted.
** U.S. natural gas futures fell about 3% to a 25-month low on Thursday on a smaller-than-expected storage withdrawal and forecasts for less cold weather and lower heating demand over the next two weeks than previously expected.
World
** European natural gas futures slumped below €50 for the first time in 17 months as the region’s worst energy crisis in decades recedes, but with signs that further price declines are unlikely.
** The OPEC+ alliance plans to stick with an oil deal agreed in late 2022 for the rest of the year, Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said, reinforcing earlier signals from the group.
** EDF reported one of the biggest losses in French corporate history Friday, as fallout from the Ukraine war and idling nuclear reactors spelt financial disaster for the state-controlled energy giant. Earnings and debt both worsened dramatically in 2022 as EDF struggled with a drop in electricity output after shutting down a big chunk of France’s nuclear plants to fix corrosion problems, and a heatwave reduced hydro-power production.
** Russia is likely to limit exports of key metals such as nickel and palladium if the United States imposes steep taxes on imports of aluminium from Russia, analysts say.
** Russia is pressuring the US to prove it didn’t destroy the key Nord Stream gas pipelines last September. That comes after a discredited journalist claimed the US and Norway teamed up to blow up the pipelines under the Baltic Sea.
** China is said to be reviewing a deal between battery maker CATL and Ford. According to people familiar with the matter, Beijing wants to make sure locally developed technology is not handed over to the US carmaker.
** Apple supplier Foxconn announced the creation of a major new factory in Vietnam and a $300 million investment to expand its current operations in the country. The decision comes as Apple attempts to move parts of its manufacturing process out of China.