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"Canada & the US"
Shell wants to increase oil production from the Canadian tar sands by expanding its Jackpine Mine. The company says it can do so responsibly. But opponents resist the high pace of tar sands development, demanding stronger safeguards for health and the environment in northern Alberta.
The train disaster in Lac-Mégantic has exposed a creeping trend in North America: an exponential increase in the transport of crude oil by rail. Railway companies like the booming business, but critics say the risks of the oil trains are too big.
The people of Lac-Mégantic cannot yet grasp the enormity of the train disaster that wiped out their town centre this weekend. There is growing disbelief: how could a runaway train careen into their town to cause such deadly devastation?
A freight train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded in the centre of the Canadian town of Lac-Mégantic this weekend. Dozens of people are missing following a massive inferno. Canada’s Prime Minister compared the disaster area with a war zone.
Small drones are becoming increasingly popular for tasks ranging from inspection of hydro lines to spraying of crops. Critics warn of an airspace teeming with these unmanned aircraft. Join a test flight with Canadian drone maker Aeryon Labs.
Under the Obama administration, unmanned aircraft have become a weapon of choice for the United States in its fight against suspected terrorists. Warfare by drone is effective, relatively risk-free, and deadly. But America’s ‘Playstation hegemony’ is controversial. “Oversight is a critical feature.”
Ever since the sinking of the Titanic, the International Ice Patrol has been mapping icebergs for ships crossing the North Atlantic. Despite modern technologies such as satellites and radar, tracking dangerous ice in the shipping lanes is still a human task. The smaller chunks are especially treacherous.
Montreal’s Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve has long been the scene of the sole Formula One race in North America. But now it is getting competition. A brand new F1 circuit is under construction in Austin, Texas. Will American fans get excited about a new race in the United States?
In Texas and other U.S. states, opposition is growing against a proposed pipeline to transport heavy crude oil from the Canadian tar sands to refineries along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Proponents of the Keystone XL project see economic growth, critics fear an oil spill and warn of pollution.
Unmanned spy planes are used by the United States to keep an eye on its border with Canada, as well as the border with Mexico. The aircraft are flown along the 49th parallel, looking for signs of illegal activity. At a base in North Dakota, Predators are piloted remotely.
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