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June, 2018:

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: ARREST OF MOSOP LEADERS, MORE VIOLENCE IN OGONILAND

It is not known how many people died during the raids, which lasted until August 1994, when the military claimed to have successfully “restored peace” to Ogoniland. In July, the Dutch ambassador told Shell Nigeria’s then chairperson Brian Anderson that the army had killed some 800 Ogonis.

Extracts from pages 25, 26 & 27 of an Amnesty International document headed: “A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE? SHELL’S INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NIGERIA IN THE 1990s”

EXTRACT BEGINS

ARREST OF MOSOP LEADERS AND FURTHER VIOLENCE IN OGONILAND

On 21 May 1994, four of the traditional Ogoni leaders, who had fallen out with Ken Saro-Wiwa the previous year, were attacked while they were holding a meeting in Giokoo, Ogoniland. Because of serious flaws in the investigation and subsequent trial, and because prosecution witnesses gave conflicting accounts of what happened, the key facts surrounding the killings have never been fully established. According to the version put forward by the prosecution, the attack was carried out by a mob of hundreds of men.82 The prosecution said that these attackers beat the four traditional leaders to death and then set fire to their corpses. The victims were Chief Edward N. Kobani, who had resigned as MOSOP Vice-President in 1993, Albert T. Badey, Chief Samuel N. Orage and Chief Theophilus B. Orage. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Nigeria: Court Orders Shell to Pay $3.6 Billion Fine Over Oil Spill

Nigeria: Court Orders Shell to Pay $3.6 Billion Fine Over Oil Spill

20 June 2018

Lagos — Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, sitting at a Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a suit by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd challenging the imposition of $3.6billion fine on it by the Federal Government. The court resolved all the issues in the defendant’s favour and dismissed the suit. Shell sued the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), challenging its powers to impose levies or fines over oil spills. FULL ARTICLE read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Debate Over Netherlands’ Tax Treatment of Shell Heats Up

June 20, 2018

By Linda A. Thompson

Practitioners are divided over whether an agreement between Shell and the Dutch tax administration breaks EU government aid rules. The debate has heated up in recent days after an article released June 18 by a Dutch academic claimed Royal Dutch Shell Plc avoided a tax on dividends by routing shares through a trust in the Channel Island of Jersey. Shell didn’t immediately return a request for comment. FULL ARTICLE

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

After Successful Talks With Buhari, Shell Gets Approval For N10bn Bonga Southwest Project

After the discussions between Buhari and van Beurden, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, sent a letter to the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigeria’s state-owned oil company NNPC, Mikanti Baru, instructing the corporation and the Anglo-Dutch oil company to conclude arrangements for the start of the project. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell dumps interest in two Norwegian fields

Shell dumps interest in two Norwegian fields read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Corruption running through the veins of Shell

POSTING ON SHELL BLOG BY “SNIPER” 20 JUNE 2018

There’s a bit of pattern here. Corruption seems to be running through the veins of Shell. We see in all these recent tax articles how they seem to be snuggled up in bed with the Dutch Government. Will anything come of this? Of course not silly. It has been going on for years. There is even a department called Government Relations which is staffed by – yes you guessed it – former government employees. Where was Van Beurden a few days ago, for three whole days? The very secretive Bilderberg meeting in Turin (Guardian article by Charlie Skelton can be found on this website), along with many of the worlds elite businessmen and politicians, AND the Dutch king. The outcomes of the meeting were not something I saw on any of the Shell internal or external communication messaging. Funny that, seeing how they always share even the most mundane van Beurden news. So will Shell be brought to account for its actions in OPL? I somehow doubt it. But there is some hope. Will the real Slim Robinson please stand up. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell’s dubious tax arrangements

Printed below is an English translation of an article published today by the Dutch Financial Times, Financieele Dagblad

Shell avoids the dividend tax via a tax haven, which would have cost the Dutch treasury – and therefore the taxpayer – at least € 7 billion… The intervention of a ‘trust’ on channel island of Jersey seems to underline the dubious character of the ‘deal’.

Pressing Rutte to exchange dividend tax increases

Ulko Jonker • Economics & Politics

The coalition saw the storm on Saturday morning early. Shortly after Jesse Klaver of GroenLinks repeated his call for a parliamentary inquiry into the ‘cesspool’ around the dividend tax, the parliamentary questions of the financial spokespersons of VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie were already under State Secretary Menno Snel van Financiën.

Reason: the disclosure by Trouw that Shell avoids the dividend tax via a tax haven, which would have cost the Dutch treasury – and therefore the taxpayer – at least € 7 billion. They want to clarify this week about ‘the complete ruling policy on the dividend tax of the past 15 years’. How much were they, what was the nature, content and period of validity? And has all rulings checked whether they comply with the laws and regulations? read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell hits back at criticism of tax structure

Shell hits back at criticism of tax structure

Reports allege oil group’s plan has cost Dutch treasury as much as £6.1bn in lost income

Shell has hit back at criticism of a tax structure it set up as part of a relocation of its headquarters from London to The Hague following reports that it has cost the Dutch treasury as much as €7bn (£6.1bn) in lost income. Calls have been made for the European commission to investigate the oil group’s tax affairs after reports claimed that a multibillion-euro bill has been avoided through the use of an offshore trust in Jersey since 2005. FULL ARTICLE read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

DUTCH GOV’T UNDER FIRE OVER TAX DEAL WITH SHELL

By Janene Pieters on June 18, 2018 

The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, wants the government to explain a controversial deal that Shell made with the Dutch tax authorities in 2005. As a result of this deal, Shell’s British shareholders are exempt from dividend tax in the Netherlands, through which the Dutch treasury lost out on over 7 billion euros, newspaper Trouw reported on Saturday. The Kamer now wants to know whether this tax deal is allowed under Dutch law, and whether any politicians were involved in making it, according to newspaper AD. SP leader Lilian Marijnissen called it a “stinky” deal. GroenLinks wants a parliamentary inquiry into dividend tax. And the four coalition parties – VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie – jointly submitted questions to State Secretary Menno Snel of Finance. FULL ARTICLE read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell May Be Rediscovering Its Swagger in Texas Shale Oil Country

By Kelly Gilblom: 18 June 2018, 05:00 BST

Shale oil hasn’t always been Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s best friend, but they’re working on the relationship. Shell is said to have bid, with partner Blackstone Group LP, on a portfolio of U.S. shale assets BHP Billiton Ltd. wants to sell for about $10 billion. If it wins, the Anglo-Dutch oil major could exceed its goal of doubling its American onshore output, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. That would boost the unit’s free cash flow — currently on track to grow by $2 billion by 2025 — and turn around a shale portfolio that is currently “mid-lower ranked,” analysts from the bank including Christyan Malek said in a report. FULL ARTICLE read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Dutch ecologist party asks for investigation of Shell dividend tax payment

Dutch ecologist party asks for investigation of Shell dividend tax payment

Sat 16 June 2018

The Dutch ecologist party, Groen Links, has asked parliament this Saturday to appoint a commission to investigate payment of taxes on dividends by multinational oil company Shell. According to newspaper Trouw, company has since 2005 avoiding this rate “with permission of Dutch Treasury, through Jersey, island of channel of La Mancha [a dependence British Crown]”. During those years, “Shell has distributed among its shareholders about 45 billion euros, of which 7 billion should have been entered in coffers of state.” Shell claims that it has not violated tax rules. FULL ARTICLE read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Italy’s top court rejects appeal to stymie Shell, Eni corruption trial

REUTERS STAFF: JUNE 13, 2018 / 4:03 PM

ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s Supreme Court threw out an appeal from Shell and four former Shell managers to stymie a corruption trial that has also involved Eni’s chief executive, legal sources said on Wednesday.

The long-running graft case on alleged corruption in Nigeria, revolves around the 2011 purchase by Eni and Shell of Nigeria’s OPL-245 offshore oilfield for about $1.3 billion. The trial began last month, with the next hearing set for June 20. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Italy’s top court tosses appeal in Shell, Eni corruption trial

|By: , SA News Editor

Italy’s Supreme Court rejects an appeal from Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A, RDS.B) and four former Shell managers to reverse a trial on alleged corruption in Nigeria, which also has implicated Eni (NYSE:E) CEO Claudio Descalzi.

The appeal hoped to reverse the trial to the preliminary hearing stage due to what it said were procedural errors, but the court ruled that the appeal was inadmissible.

Nine current and former company executives or contractors, including Descalzi, are accused by Italian prosecutors of paying bribes to secure the license to explore Nigeria’s OPL-245 offshore oilfield, which holds ~9B barrels of oil but has never entered production. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Academic Report reveals true extent of pollution in Niger Delta following Shell oil spills

Academic Report reveals true extent of pollution in Niger Delta following Shell oil spills

The lawyer representing over 30,000 Nigerians following two devastating oil spills in the Niger Delta has expressed his grave concern following the publication of an academic paper which found that the environmental damage around the site of the two spills has worsened significantly after delays to clean up the region.

The Bodo community was devastated by two large oil spills in October and December 2008 from Shell’s pipelines in the Niger Delta which caused the largest destruction of mangrove habitat in the history of oil spills. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Malabu OPL 245 Scandal: How Etete bought luxury Dubai properties with funds

 and 

A leak of private property data in Dubai has shed new light on how the proceeds of a notorious $1.3 billion oil deal involving Shell may have been spent on luxury villas in the secretive Arab Emirate.

PREMIUM TIMES’ UK partner, Finance Uncovered, has discovered the name of former Nigerian oil minister Daniel Etete among thousands of property and residency records compiled by assorted real estate professionals in Dubai. The leak was obtained by the U.S. non-profit C4ADS, passed to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and seen by Finance Uncovered.

Mr Etete was the suspected mastermind behind a 2011 deal known as OPL245 that is alleged to be one of the most corrupt in the history of the oil industry. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Groningen Earthquakes: Dilemma heaped upon dilemma

Printed below is an English translation of an article published today by the Dutch Financial Times, Financieele DagbladRoyal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil each own a 50% share in NAM, the company responsible for the earthquake blighted Groningen Gas Field and consequential potential bill for untold billions in damages to effected residences.

“The minister cannot sign a deal with Shell and Exxon, which involves billions of euros…

Shell and Exxon lack trump card in negotiations with Wiebes

BY BERT VAN DIJK AND GIJS DEN BRINKER

Negotiations between Minister Eric Wiebes of Economic Affairs & Climate and oil companies Shell and ExxonMobil about gas extraction in Groningen are almost complete. Within two weeks, the minister will present a coalition agreement on the billions issue. Which cards are on the table?

1. Security of supply

Minister Wiebes announced at the end of March that he wants to bring gas production in Groningen to zero as quickly as possible. That would mean that the gas extraction by those lower volumes would soon no longer be profitable for Shell and ExxonMobil. Even though there is hardly any money to be gained from gas extraction, several sources report the FD. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
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