Iran ready to consider allowing U.S. diplomatic presence

 02.07.2008 06:30   rian.ru

Iran is prepared to consider allowing a United States 'interests section' in its capital, Tehran, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Wednesday.

Russia Social Life

Nine killed in Mi-8 helicopter crash in West Siberia

 02.07.2008 06:30   rian.ru

An Mi-8 helicopter carrying oil workers crashed in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area in West Siberia killing at least nine people on Wednesday, the emergencies ministry said.

Russia Social Life

Dollar down 5.42 kopeks, euro up 7.38 kopeks - Central Bank

 02.07.2008 06:30   rian.ru

Russia Social Life

German Company Stops Bank Note Shipments to Zimbabwe

 02.07.2008 05:27   dw-world.de

A German company, facing international criticism, agreed to stop delivering bank note paper to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. Critics claim the money helped prop up the government of President Robert Mugabe.

Germany Social Life

Another batch of 1672 pilgrims leaves for Amarnath shrine

 02.07.2008 05:27   b4uindia.com

Another batch of 1672 pilgrims left for the Amarnath yatra from the base camp of Bhagwati Nagar early this morning.   The pilgrimage is being held amid large scale protests and violence against the cancellation of the land allotment order to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).   According to official sources, the devotees, including 273 women and 49 children, left in a convoy of 53 vehicles at around 5:00 a.m. They were escorted by a group of CRPF personnel.   A total of 34,282 pilgrims have so far left the shrine. The first batch left on June 17. Meanwhile, the yatra has so far been suspended four times due to bad weather and heavy rush of pilgrims on June 20, 25, 27 and 29. The two-month long yatra will conclude on August 16.   Security forces have been put on a high alert along the entire route of the pilgrimage to ensure the safety of the pilgrims. The security setup consists of area domination and setting up of mountain posts by Army, deployments of CRPF and mobile patrolling by armed police. Every year, a large number of devotees trek the steep, slippery 48-kilometres route to reach the Amarnath cave shrine, which stands at a height of nearly 12,500 feet above sea level. (ANI)

India Social Life

Indefinite curfew imposed in Jammu

 02.07.2008 05:27   b4uindia.com

The Jammu district administration extended curfew to the entire Jammu region on Wednesday, following large scale protests and violence against the cancellation of the land allotment order to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB). All schools and colleges have been shut for the day, but essential services were exempted from curfew. The curfew was imposed on Tuesday afternoon in areas falling under three police stations of Muthi, Bakshi Nagar and Rehari. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for nationwide shutdown on Thursday. Calling the revocation of land to Amarnath Shrine Board as a 'non-secular' move, BJP president Rajnath Singh urged the state government to re-allot the land to Shrine Board. After hue and cry and nearly two weeks of row over the 40-acre land allotted to the Shri Amarnath shrine board by the state government, Jammu and Kashmir government has revoked the allotted land and has passed on the land to the tourism department. Rajnath has also alleged the Central Government for the revocation and has blamed the congress for bowing down to the pressure of separatists. BJP will also take out protest rallies in all the major centers of the country from July 4 to July 11. (ANI)

India Social Life

Nationwide truckers strike from today

 02.07.2008 05:27   b4uindia.com

Truckers across the country are on an indefinite strike today to push their demand for abolishment of toll tax and rationalization of duty of diesel. All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) claimed the support of all state transporters' association with a combined fleet size of 48 lakh trucks. On Tuesday, AIMTC officials had presented a note of their demands to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The demands of the truckers' body include removal of ad valorem taxes levied on diesel.  They also demanded that toll taxes on old highways, where recoveries have already been made, should be removed. The roads constructed under the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model, where the private parties have already made recoveries, toll taxes should also be withdrawn. AIMTC also demanded the removal of speed governors at highways, which set speed limit at 60 km considering the government, was going ahead with construction of expressways. (ANI)  

India Social Life

NSA Narayanan to brief Amar Singh on N-Deal

 02.07.2008 05:27   b4uindia.com

National Security Advisor (NSA) MK Narayanan is scheduled to meet Samajwadi Party (SP) General Secretary Amar Singh here today, to brief him about the nitty-gritty of the Indo-US nuclear deal, ahead of tomorrow's crucial UNPA meeting. Tomorrow, the UNPA would decide the future of the third front, and also which way the SP would go in the event of voting in the Parliament over the nuclear deal. A couple of days ago, Amar Singh had averred that he was not privy to the details of the civil nuclear deal and that he, or his party, has come to know about the deal and 123 Agreement only through his "friends" in Communist parties. He had also said that his party would make its final stance only after getting to know the details of the deal. The standoff over the nuclear deal between the Congress-led UPA government and the Left parties continues, amid speculations making rounds that the UPA Government might go in for voting over the nuclear deal in the parliament. Amid hectic political parleys between different parties, Amar Singh had on Tuesday held talks with his CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat. Earlier, after arriving from his vacations in the US on Sunday night, Amar Singh had held deliberations on the nuclear deal with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, making the first contact between the SP and the Congress. The developments over the past few days have given enough hints that the UPA is on the lookout for a replacement of its Left allies, who have been threatening to withdraw support if it moves ahead with the deal. The Communists are opposing the deal, saying it "compromises India's sovereignty and security" and have threatened to withdraw vital support from the ruling coalition if the government moved ahead with it. (ANI)

India Social Life

India, Cuba finalise agreement for cooperation in the Hydrocarbon sector

 02.07.2008 05:27   b4uindia.com

India and Cuba have finalised India Cuba Hydrocarbon agreement for cooperation in the oil and gas sector.   This emerged at an hour long meeting between Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora and his counterpart from Cuba Yadira Garcia Vera, Minister of Basic Industry, in the afternoon yesterday (evening India time) at Madrid (Spain) on the occasion of the 19th World Petroleum Congress.   Recognising the need for such a mechanism for facilitating further cooperation between the two countries, the two sides agreed that Indian Petroleum Minister would visit Cuba for signing the agreement, which could coincide with spudding of oil wells by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Videsh in its exploration block in Cuba.   Deora recalled the long-standing friendly relations between the two nations and emphasised that the process to further cement ties should be carried forward in the backdrop of ventures finalised in recent years.   OVL acquired interests in nine exploration blocks in Cuba including 100 per cent in two blocks.   The contracts for these blocks were signed in 2006. He expressed keen interest of the Indian companies to participate in both upstream and downstream projects in Cuba, which have good potential to fructify.   Vera invited investment in the planned new refinery project on the West coast of Cuba.   She said the project is slated to have a capacity of 150 thousand barrels a day (7.5 million tonnes per annum).   Further Indian companies could also participate in the capacity expansion and upgradation of the existing refineries. Showing keen interest in the proposal, Indian side explained that India has set up refineries, which produce latest grade environment-friendly fuels of Euro-III and Euro-IV standards.   Besides domestic markets, these products also cater to export markets including the US and Europe.   Deora was accompanied during the talks by Petroleum Secretary M S Srinivasan, Indian Ambassador to Spain Sujata Mehta, CMD ONGC R S Sharma and MD ONGC Videsh R S Butola. (ANI)

India Social Life

Israel resumes cargo supplies to Gaza - army officials

 02.07.2008 05:26   rian.ru

Israel resumed on Wednesday supplies of commercial and humanitarian cargo to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, previously suspended due to militant rocket attacks, Israeli army officials said.

Russia Social Life

The world’s most expensive apartments. INFOgraphics

 02.07.2008 05:26   rian.ru

Global Property Guide, a British guide to international residential real estate, has ranked the most expensive property markets in cities around the world

Russia Social Life

Child killed as bus falls into river in Russia's Far East

 02.07.2008 05:26   rian.ru

Russia Social Life

Ex-UES chief Chubais auctions chair for $70,000 for orphanage

 02.07.2008 05:26   rian.ru

Anatoly Chubais, who headed Russia's electricity monopoly UES until it was dissolved on Monday, raised $70,000 for a children's home by auctioning his office chair, a source at the auction said on Wednesday.

Russia Social Life

First Choice Power Accepting Reduce Your Use Grant Applications

 02.07.2008 04:34   prweb.com

First Choice Power is now accepting applications for First Choice Power Reduce Your Use Grants. The $1,000 Reduce Your Use Grants provide funding for energy-efficiency products and services to reduce energy usage and costs now and in the future. (PRWeb Jul 2, 2008) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/07/prweb1067874.htm

World Ecology & Environment

Entrepreneurial Chicago Native Brings Geothermal Experts to Town

 02.07.2008 03:40   prweb.com

Chicago native, Brian Hayden saw a thirst for education among geothermal heat pump system designers and installers and he's quenching it with his start-up, HeatSpring Energy. This July, there will be a conference featuring leading geothermal heat pump experts in Oak Brook, IL on how to build and install these systems. (PRWeb Jul 2, 2008) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/07/prweb1064504.htm

World Ecology & Environment