France sets out long-term nuclear recycling plans

Lescure (second from left) and Le Maire (centre) pictured with La Hague Site Director Stéphanie Gaiffe (far left) and Orano CEO Nicolas Maes (on the right) during the visit (Image: Orano)Minister for the Economy, Finance, Industrial and Digital Sovereignty Bruno Le Maire announced the decision to continue with France's treatment-recycling strategy for used nuclear fuel beyond 2040, with plans to extend the life of existing recycling plants and to launch studies for a new MOX fuel fabrication plant and a new used fuel processing plant.The announcement was made during a visit by Le Maire and Minister Delegate for Industry and Energy Roland Lescure to Orano's La Hague recycling site, days after France's Nuclear Policy Council (Conseil de Politique Nucléaire) said on 26 February that the country would continue with its closed nuclear fuel cycle strategy.Le Maire announced three measures that will be taken towards this goal: a sustainability/resilience programme extending the life of the La Hague and Melox recycling plants beyond 2040; the launch of studies for a new MOX fuel fabrication...

Read More........ → August 03, 2024

Private sector funding key to climate transition, World Bank chief says

WASHINGTON - The World Bank is working to slash how long it takes to get financing projects off the ground as part of a push to speed up and scale up the 79-year-old development lender, its president told AFP on Wednesday. It currently takes 27 months, on average, before "the first dollar goes out the door," Ajay Banga said in an interview in his brightly lit office in the Bank's headquarters close to the White House."If I can bring it down by one third over the first couple of years, that would be pretty good," he said. "The Bank needs to change and evolve."Banga, an Indian-born, naturalized US citizen who previously ran the payments company Mastercard, took over the management of the bank in June on a pledge to boost its lending firepower by encouraging greater private investment in the fight against climate change.In the seven months since, the 64-year-old has made some big changes, altering the development lender's mission statement to include a reference to climate change, and setting up a private sector advisory body to recommend solutions to address the "barriers to private...

Read More........ → April 02, 2024

Dubai Company Buys Used Cooking Oil to Turn Into Biofuel for Cars Citywide to Reduce CO2 Emissions

Used cooking oil collection truck and one of the biofuel production plants – Credit: Lootah BiofuelsA Dubai-based company Lootah Biofuels is producing biodiesel from used cooking oil bringing sustainable transportation options to a major oil-producing country. The result is a fuel that is less expensive, renewable, and clean. The United Arab Emirates company now boasts having their own fuel outlets across the city of Dubai, delivering 60 million liters annually. It is the brainchild of Yousif Bin Saeed Al Lootah, who wants the UAE to be the first nation in the region to mandate that biofuels blends be featured alongside other fuel in all public stations. They pay for the used cooking oil collected, thus giving an incentive to providers like restaurants, bakeries, and food chains, which provide 500,000 liters of waste oil every month. The company says it converted the waste oil into 770 tons of biofuel last year. The Lootah Biofuels website reports that used cooking oil has the highest carbon saving ratio amongst all the available biodiesel feedstock—and calculates their product...

Read More........ → March 30, 2024

Indian business confidence high amid hope of stable govt

Indian business optimism has climbed to its highest since 2010, as a significant majority of businessmen expects revenues to rise and profitability to get a boost in the next 12 months, according to a report by global consultancy firm Grant Thornton. Businesses in the country are optimistic about their growth prospects as the country gears up for an election which is expected to return a more business-friendly administration, the Thornton report released today said. At 89 per cent, optimism amongst Indian business owners remains well ahead of the global average of 44 per cent. This optimism is driven by 92 per cent of Indian businesses expecting their revenues to rise in the next 12 months, while 87 per cent believe their profits will get a boost. The hope of a stable government, and a significant reduction in the volatility of the Indian rupee have also boosted the optimism level, the report said. While optimism has risen on several fronts, there are certain constraints being felt by businesses globally, the report said. Rising energy cost is a pressing constraint for India, besides...

Read More........ → May 01, 2014

BRICS summit delivers tangible results, Singh meets Putin & Invites the Chinese Premiere

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L) poses for a group photo with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (1st L), South African President Jacob Zuma (C), Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff (2nd R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (1st R) during the 5th BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa, March 27, 2013. [Photo: Xinhua] The leaders of five major emerging economies on Wednesday wrapped up their latest round of summit in the South African city of Durban to promote their partnership for development, integration and industrialization. It is the first time for the BRICS nations, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, to hold their leaders' meeting on the continent of Africa. China Pledges to Enhance BRICS Cooperation While addressing the summit in his keynote speech, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on all BRICS members to work hand in hand for common development. He pledged that China would strengthen cooperation with other members to make economic growth of BRICS countries more robust and their cooperation better-structured and more productive. BRICS cooperation...

Read More........ → March 28, 2013

P5 1 expects Iran's positive response to new proposals - EU spokesman

The P5+1 group of countries mediating in international efforts to settle the nuclear problem of Iran expects that Iran will give a positive answer to its proposals made on Tuesday, says Michael Mann, the chief spokesperson for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. Speaking at a news conference following the first day of negotiations between P5+1 and Iran in Almaty on Tuesday, Mann said that, while he could not predict Iran's response, P5+1 really hoped that Iran would display flexibility and a positive attitude toward the proposals. Tuesday's talks between the P5+1 and Iran were followed by several bilateral meetings, a European Union spokesman said. The P5+1 put a proposal before Iran during the meeting, held in Almaty. The proposal was discussed and there would be more discussions on Wednesday, Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, told a briefing. He said several bilateral meetings had been held in the evening but that he had been asked not to elaborate. He declined to make detailed comments on sentiments...

Read More........ → February 27, 2013

US, Japan vow 'strong action' on N. Korea: Obama

President Barack Obama on Friday said the United States and Japan are committed to "strong actions" in response to North Korea's "provocations" as he welcomed Japan's premier to the White House. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held his first meeting with Obama two months after his right-leaning Liberal Democratic Party swept back into power, on a visit aimed at sending a strong signal to China over a territorial row. North Korean nuclear tests – what next? Sergey Duz: Russia is calling on all countries not to use the fact that North Korea, despite a ban, has tested nuclear weapons, as a pretext for a military attack on North Korea. Russia also insists that attempts to persuade North Korea not to create, test or use nuclear weapons should not be stopped. At the same time, Russia does not believe that the fact that North Korea now has nuclear weapons presents a serious threat for security in the world. This position of Russia was recently expressed by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He said that although Russia condemns the North Korean nuclear tests, it...

Read More........ → February 23, 2013

High skilled immigration bill introduced in US Congress

Targeting highly skilled talents from India and China, a bi-partisan group of US lawmakers have introduced a new bill in the Congress to create more than 125,000 new visas to attract global talents to America. The bill called Startup 3.0 proposes to help increase America's access to talent by creating a new set of conditional visas for 75,000 immigrant entrepreneurs and 50,000 foreign STEM (Science technology, engineering and math) graduate students.This will create half a million new American jobs, claimed authors of the bill, early this week. The bill has the support of top US companies and organisations like Microsoft, Google, National Small Business Association (NSBA), CTIA, Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Financial Services Forum, Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), TechAmercia, Information Technology Industry (ITI), Compete America, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and TechNet. Startup 3.0 allows qualified companies to apply research and development tax credits to their payroll tax liability, up to $250,000. For small startups, it also makes permanent...

Read More........ → February 17, 2013

China says it firmly opposes NKorea's N-test

Beijing: China "firmly" opposes the latest nuclear test conducted by North Korea, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday. "On February 12, 2013, (North Korea) conducted another nuclear test in disregard to the common opposition of the international community," said the foreign ministry, adding that "the Chinese government is firmly opposed to this act," reported Xinhua. North Korea's official KCNA news agency has confirmed the nuclear test took place. "The scientific field for national defence of (North Korea) succeeded in the third underground nuclear test at the site for underground nuclear test in the northern part of the DPRK on Tuesday," said the news agency. Pyongyang has already conducted similar nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009. The foreign ministry said it is the firm stand of the Chinese side to bring about denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, prevent nuclear proliferation and safeguard peace and stability in northeast Asia. "We strongly urge (North Korea) to honour its commitment to denuclearisation and refrain from any move that may further worsen the situation.To...

Read More........ → February 16, 2013

Obama announces troop withdrawal, economic measures in State of the Union address

US President Barack Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address. Obama's speech took place in front of a joint session of Congress as many Americans watch from home. While inviting the president to give the yearly address, House Speaker John Boehner cited the country's "immense challenges" ahead. Obama urges Iran to diplomatic solution; US President Barack Obama told Iranian leaders it was time they ended a standoff over the country's nuclear program, just two weeks before fresh talks with world powers. "The leaders of Iran must recognize that now is the time for a diplomatic solution, because a coalition stands united in demanding that they meet their obligations," Obama said in his State of the Union address. US President pledges not to send troops abroad to fight terrorists: To fight terrorists, the US does not have to send troops abroad or occupy other countries, said President Barack Obama while delivering his annual State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday. He made it understood that to counter the terrorist threat the US will help such...

Read More........ → February 14, 2013

BRICS to strengthen cooperation in health sector

BRICS is an international political organisation of leading emerging economies, arising out of the inclusion of South Africa into the BRIC: Image Link Wikimedia New Delhi, Jan 10: Health officials of the BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - Thursday discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in areas of manufacturing affordable health products and developing advanced health technologies. The two-day deliberations begin Thursday with meeting of health secretaries and senior advisers, while the health ministers would participate on Friday. The meeting will result in adoption of a Delhi Communique, which will see concrete plans on issues like integrated management of non-communicable prevention, coordination and financing of research and development for medical products, strengthening health surveillance and drug discovery and development. Addressing the meeting, India's Health Secretary P.K. Pradhan said BRICS countries represent 43 percent of the world's population and this is both a strength and challenge for them. "Although...

Read More........ → February 07, 2013

Rajnath Singh to head BJP after Gadkari quits

New Delhi: Rajnath Singh was on Wednesday unanimously elected president of BJP, capping last minute dramatic turn of events which saw Nitin Gadkari being forced out of the race for the second term. The 61-year-old senior party leader from Uttar Pradesh takes the baton back from Nitin Gadkari whom he handed  over the post in 2009. Singh, who emerged as the consensus candidate on Tuesday night after Gadkari  dramatically opted out of the race for a second term, was the only candidate to  file the nominations and was declared elected unopposed. Gadkari was among the first ones to wish the new party president soon after the announcement by election officer Thawar Chand Gehlot in the presence of top party leaders including LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu. Gadkari, whose  candidature was being pushed strongly by RSS, suddenly quit the race in the midst of allegations of impropriety by his company Purti Group. I am taking over as BJP president in unhappy circumstances: Rajnath Singh.After taking over, Rajnath Singh said, "I accept this...

Read More........ → January 24, 2013