A new estimate says there may be twice as much natural gas available in the world as previously thought. The International Energy Agency said new techniques to extract gas from previously inaccessible rock formations could extend global reserves for more than 250 years. Roger Harrabin reports.
A few years ago, the world looked likely to enjoy natural gas for 60 years with maybe a further 60 if engineers could access all known supplies. Then came a technological breakthrough in the United States, where firms found a way to free gas previously trapped in shale rocks. It made the US the world's top gas producer in 2009. Engineers worldwide now want to recover more so-called unconventional gas from coal beds and other rocks where it's currently trapped.
One of the most senior members of Britain's opposition Labour Party has announced that he's stepping down as its spokesman on financial affairs. The politician Alan Johnson had been in the job only a few months and admitted having little economic experience. He said he was resigning for personal reasons but gave no more details.
Police in Mexico say a posting on the social networking site Facebook has led them to the main suspect in the shooting of the Paraguayan footballer Salvador Cabanas last year. Police knew that the suspect, Jose Jorge Balderas Garza, was in a relationship with a Colombian model. When she listed a Mexico City neighbourhood as her current location on Facebook, police moved in.