Japan's second nuclear generator turns to government for aid after Fukushima disaster

Kyushu Electric Power Co has become Japan's second nuclear generator after the Fukushima disaster to seek state support this week as reactors across the country remain idled and industry losses stack up three years after the Fukushima disaster. All of Japan's 48 nuclear reactors have been shut down, pending stringent safety checks, since an earthquake and tsunami knocked out the Fukushima nuclear complex in March 2011.

Kyushu Electric, a regional monopoly that supplies power in southern Japan, said on Wednesday it was in talks with state-owned Development Bank of Japan Bank of Japan (DBJ) for financial backing. The country's nine publicly traded nuclear operators have together lost 3.2 trillion yen ($31 billion) in the two business years since then and five of them, including Kyushu Electric and Hokkaido Electric, also expect to be loss-making in the year just ended, Reuters reports. Japanese banking practices make it difficult for private lenders to extend credit, including refinancing existing loans, to companies that post three straight years of losses. That means the utilities are turning to a government-owned lender for help as the losses mount up and the cost of importing expensive fossil fuels for power generation while nuclear reactors are idle is draining their capital. "Capital funds have been continuously declining and liabilities might soon exceed assets," said a senior industry source familiar with Hokkaido Electric's finances. "Continued deficits have made it harder to borrow from banks. The way to solve this is to increase rates to boost revenue, but since this is very hard to do, other avenues are being considered." Hokkaido Electric's capital ratio - a key measure of financial health - has dropped to 8.9 percent from 24.2 percent before March 2011. Kyushu Electric's capital ratio has more than halved to 11.5 percent. The average capital ratio of Japan's top companies is 43 percent, finance ministry data shows. The utilities are also likely to be saddled with huge decommissioning costs as many idled reactors are unlikely to pass strict new standards, a Reuters analysis shows. Re-starts also face political opposition. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party is moving to revive nuclear power, but hasn't been able to get its coalition partner to sign off on a plan that defines nuclear power as an important source of electricity generation. Of Japan's 48 reactors, 17 are unlikely to be restarted, and as many as 34 may have to be mothballed, the Reuters analysis shows. The cost of decommissioning a reactor is estimated at around $1 billion. According to industry ministry data, the utilities have spent 9 trillion yen ($86.9 billion) on additional fuel costs in the three years since the Fukushima disaster. To ease the strain, the companies have been raising electricity charges, but were warned by the industry minister this week that further increases must be avoided. Source: The Voice of Russia

Read More........ → April 02, 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 not only brings benefits to the peoples of the five countries, but also contributes to promoting democracy in international relations, Xi said. He said all members should manage their own affairs well by growing the economy and improving people's lives, strengthen coordination of macroeconomic policies, reform the international monetary and financial systems, and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. They should jointly participate in the setting of international development agenda and make global development more balanced, he said. BRICS countries should work hard to boost cooperation in economy and trade, finance, infrastructure, movement of people and other fields, Xi said. He also called for improving global economic governance and increasing the say and representation of BRICS countries, and urged the BRICS nations to move toward the goal of integrated market, multi-tiered financial network, connectivity by land, air and sea, and greater cultural exchanges. Tangible Results: At the summit, the five BRICS members have achieved a number of tangible results, and agreed to expand their future cooperation to more sectors, according to a statement issued after the meeting. The most tangible outcomes, among others, is that the leaders have agreed to establish a development bank for mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the BRICS, as well as other emerging and the developing nations. The BRICS leaders believed that the bank serves as a supplement to the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development, adding that the initial contribution to the bank should be sustainable and sufficient. Meanwhile, the members also agreed to explore the construction of a financial safety net through the creation of a Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA). The leaders said the idea would help BRICS countries forestall short-term liquidity pressures, provide mutual support and further strengthen financial stability.  In the statement, the countries also expressed their common aspiration to
improve global economic governing make them more representative and to reflect the "growing weight" of the BRICS and other developing nations, adding that the leadership selection of international financial institutions should be open, transparent and merit-based. Additionally, the BRICS nations would explore the possibility of strengthening their cooperation between their state-owned firms, and promote the dialogues among the small and medium-sized companies. They would also consider to expand their cooperation to more sectors including public diplomacy, anti-corruption, drug control, youth exchanges, tourism, energy and sports. Also in the statement, the leaders of the BRICS countries voiced their opinions on a series of international hotspots including peace in the Middle East, Iranian nuclear issue, and the situation in Syria, Mali, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan. Cooperative Partnership between BRICS & Africa: Also on Wednesday, the leaders of the BRICS members and some African countries, after the summit, discussed their cooperation at the first BRICS Leaders-Africa Dialogue Forum, which is under the theme "Unlocking Africa's potential: BRICS and Africa cooperation on infrastructure." While addressing the forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the dialogue between leaders of BRICS and African countries reflected the political will of both sides to realize equality and inclusiveness and seek common development. Xi said the Chinese government is willing to form a cooperative partnership for transnational and trans-regional infrastructure, and help the African nations with the consultation, planning, feasibility research and project design of promoting interconnections and resource censor. He also promised to help Africa to train 300 managing and technical personnel specialized in the field of infrastructure, and encourage Chinese enterprises and financial institutions to participate in the building and operating the infrastructure. The Chinese leader also reaffirmed China's promise to give zero-tariff treatment to 97 percent of the tariff items of exports to China from the least developed nations having diplomatic ties with China. Other leaders of the BRICS nations said the BRICS countries would like to forge a cooperative partnership with Africa, and help Africa in constructing its infrastructure. The African leaders said Africa needs to strengthen its infrastructure, promote integration and industrialization, and lift over-all competitiveness and the capacity for sustainable development. The African nations are willing to set up with the BRICS members a cooperative partnership that highlights mutual support, mutual benefit and win-win results, said the leaders. Source: China.org.cn, Putin meets with Indian Prime Minister Singh "on the

On Tuesday, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin met with India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "on the sidelines" of a summit of BRICS countries, the Voice of Russia correspondent Polina Chernitsa repots.

sidelines" of BRICS summit: BRICS is an alliance for economic cooperation between Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – hence the abbreviation. At the meeting, Mr. Putin suggested to Mr. Singh to exchange opinions on acute issues of relations between the two counties and of the world’s political life. “High-ranking Russian and Indian officials meet very often,” Mr. Putin said. “This gives us an opportunity to maintain friendly relations and to control the situation in every sphere of these relations.” The Indian Prime Minister thanked the Russian President for his personal contribution in partnership between the two countries. “When you came to India in December,” Mr. Singh said, “we had a good opportunity to discuss many aspects of relations between our two countries. I am very satisfied with the results of those talks.” “At present, India and Russia are actively cooperating in the sphere of security, in atomic energy and in many other spheres,” Manmohan Singh continued. “The mechanism of annual summits allows to have very detail discussions of all aspects of cooperation between our two countries and global political problems.” Finance ministers of the BRICS countries unable to reach agreement on development bank - Russia’s Finance Ministry Head: Finance  ministers of the BRICS countries  yet unable to reach agreement on key

Anton Siluanov, Photo: RIA Novosti

questions concerning creation of the BRICS development bank – Head of Russia’s Finance Ministry Anton Siluanov said at a press conference in South African Durban. The parties also failed to reach an agreement on whether the BRICS members' involvement in the bank's management will be proportionate to the size of their contributions or whether they will manage it on a parity basis regardless of their contributions, he said. "We considered this issue today. A list of questions has been compiled to be answered, that is, the capital and the management mechanism, and also whether those who contribute more will have preferences or whether decisions will be made through a consensus. We agreed on the whole that we will continue working on establishing a BRICS bank after the unsettled issues are answered," Siluanov told journalists on the sidelines of a BRICS summit on Tuesday. The parties agreed to continue addressing these issues at the next meetings of the BRICS finance ministers, Siluanov said. It was agreed preliminarily that the establishment of a new bank would require each country's contribution of $2 billion, he said. "This is not a small amount of money. It will be not easy for us to discuss this at the parliament, and not only for us but also for the other countries. Therefore, this was discussed as an idea, and there are positive reviews on it, and we will continue working on a mechanism of its implementation," he said. BRICS agree on establishing

BRICS countries have agreed on establishing their Bank of Development (single financial institution for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), South Africa’s Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said in Durban Tuesday.

Bank of Development: The initial capital of the BRICS bank of development is expected to amount not less than $50 billion. It is not clear how the stakes will be distributed between the states. Durban is to host the BRICS summit on Wednesday. Besides the economic issues the leaders of BRICS are to discuss urgent international issues such as the Syrian crisis. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has already arrived to Durban for talks. BRICS countries have agreed on establishing their Bank of Development (single financial institution for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), South Africa’s Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said in Durban Tuesday. The initial capital of the BRICS bank of development is expected to amount not less than $50 billion. It is not clear how the stakes will be distributed between the states. Durban is to host the BRICS summit on Wednesday. Besides the economic issues the leaders of BRICS are to discuss urgent international issues such as the Syrian crisis. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has already arrived to Durban for talks. Source: Voice of Russia, Singh meets Chinese President Xi Jinping :Durban: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday met Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit of the BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - in Durban, South Africa. This was the first structured high-level contact between the two countries since the change of leadership in China. The meeting lasted for 45 minutes. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Dr Singh said India values its ties with China. "The bilateral relationship with China is of great importance. As Prime Minister of India, it has been my great privilege to interact regularly with the Chinese relationship over the last decade. I hope to intensify such dialogue and communications with you and the new leadership of China to put our relations on an even higher growth trajectory," Dr Singh said. The two leaders discussed all contentious issues, including the boundary and Chinese dams along the Brahmaputra River. Chinese President was all praise

for Dr Singh for his statesmanship and was hopeful that he would continue to improve ties between both the countries. Mr Jinping said relationship with India is important to China. "The Chinese President, in fact, himself told Dr Singh that he knew about the good bonding our prime minister shared with his predecessors," an Indian official said. Mr Jinping invited Dr Singh to China and the Prime Minister too invited the Chinese Premiere to New Delhi. Both the leaders have accepted each other's invitations; the dates are yet to be worked out. Mr Jinping had last week propounded five proposals for improving bilateral ties with India. These included keeping aside differences on various issues while improving mutual ties and accommodation of each other's concerns while dealing with "core interests". He had also suggested that peace and tranquility should be maintained on the boundary pending settlement of the issue. Fifth BRICS

BRICS is an international political organisation of leading emerging economies, arising out of the inclusion of South Africa into the BRIC: Image Link Wikimedia

Summit Declaration and action plan: Leaders of the BRICS nations, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa wrapped up their latest round of summit Wednesday in South African city of Durban. The following is the full text of the declaration and action plan of the summit: Fifth BRICS Summit, Durban: 27 March 2013: BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Development, Integration and Industrialisation: eThekwini Declaration: 1. We, the leaders of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, met in Durban, South Africa, on 27 March 2013 at the Fifth BRICS Summit. Our discussions took place under the overarching theme, "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Development, Integration and Industrialization." The Fifth BRICS Summit concluded the first cycle of BRICS Summits and we reaffirmed our commitment to the promotion of international law, multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations (UN). Our discussions reflected our growing intra-BRICS solidarity as well as our shared goal to contribute positively to global peace, stability, development and cooperation. We also considered our role in the international system as based on an inclusive approach of shared solidarity and cooperation towards all nations and peoples. 2. We met at a time which requires that we consider issues of mutual interest and systemic importance in order to share concerns and to develop lasting solutions. We aim at progressively developing BRICS into a full-fledged mechanism of current and long-term coordination on a wide range of key issues of the world economy and politics. The prevailing global governance architecture is regulated by institutions which were conceived in circumstances when the international landscape in all its aspects was characterized by very different challenges and opportunities. As the global economy is being reshaped, we are committed to exploring new models and approaches towards more equitable development and inclusive global growth by emphasizing complementarities and building on our respective economic strengths. 3. We are open to increasing our engagement and cooperation with non-BRICS countries, in particular Emerging Market and Developing Countries (EMDCs), and relevant international and regional organizations, as envisioned in the Sanya Declaration. We will hold a Retreat together with African leaders after this Summit, under the theme, "Unlocking Africa's potential: BRICS and Africa Cooperation on Infrastructure." The Retreat is an opportunity for BRICS and African leaders to discuss how to strengthen cooperation between the BRICS countries and the African Continent. 4. Recognizing the importance of regional integration for Africa's sustainable growth, development and poverty eradication, we reaffirm our support for the Continent' s integration processes. 5. Within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), we support African countries in their industrialization process through stimulating foreign direct investment, knowledge exchange, capacity-building and diversification of imports from Africa. We acknowledge that infrastructure development in Africa is important and recognize the strides made by the African Union to identify and address the continent's infrastructure challenges through the development of the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), the AU NEPAD Africa Action Plan (2010-2015), the NEPAD Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative (PICI), as well as the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plans that have identified priority infrastructure development projects that are critical to promoting regional integration and industrialization. We will seek to stimulate infrastructure investment on the basis of mutual benefit to support industrial development, job-creation, skills development, food and nutrition security and poverty eradication and sustainable development in Africa. We therefore, reaffirm our support for sustainable infrastructure development in Africa. 6. We note policy actions in Europe, the United States and Japan aimed at reducing tail-risks in the world economy. Some of these actions produce negative spillover effects on other economies of the world. Significant risks remain and the performance of the global economy still falls behind our expectations. As a result, uncertainty about strength and durability of the recovery and the direction of policy in some major economies remains high. In some key countries unemployment stays unusually elevated, while high levels of private and public indebtedness inhibit growth. In such circumstances, we reaffirm our strong commitment to support growth and foster financial stability. We also underscore the need for appropriate action to be taken by advanced economies in order to rebuild confidence, foster growth and secure a strong recovery. 7. Central Banks in advanced economies have responded with unconventional monetary policy actions which have increased global liquidity. While this may be consistent with domestic monetary policy mandates, major Central Banks should avoid the unintended consequences of these actions in the form of increased volatility of capital flows, currencies and commodity prices, which may have negative growth effects on other economies, in particular developing countries. 8. We welcome the core objectives of the Russian Presidency in the G20 in 2013, in particular the efforts to increased financing for investment and ensure public debt sustainability aimed at ensuring strong, sustainable, inclusive and balanced growth and job creation around the world. We will also continue to prioritize the G20 development agenda as a vital element of global economic stability and long-term sustainable growth and job creation. 9. Developing countries face challenges of infrastructure development due to insufficient long-term financing and foreign direct investment, especially investment in capital stock. This constrains global aggregate demand. BRICS cooperation towards more productive use of global financial resources can make a positive contribution to addressing this problem. In March 2012 we directed our Finance Ministers to examine the feasibility and viability of setting up a New Development Bank for mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies and developing countries, to supplement the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development. Following the report from our Finance Ministers, we are satisfied that the establishment of a New Development Bank is feasible and viable. We have agreed to establish the New Development Bank. The initial contribution to the Bank should be substantial and sufficient for the Bank to be effective in financing infrastructure. 10. In June 2012, in our meeting in Los Cabos, we tasked our Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to explore the construction of a financial safety net through the creation of a Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) amongst BRICS countries. They have concluded that the establishment of a self-managed contingent reserve arrangement would have a positive precautionary effect, help BRICS countries forestall short-term liquidity pressures, provide mutual support and further strengthen financial stability. It would also contribute to strengthening the global financial safety net and complement existing international arrangements as an additional line of defence. We are of the view that the establishment of the CRA with an initial size of 100 billion U.S. dollars is feasible and desirable subject to internal legal frameworks and appropriate safeguards. We direct our Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to continue working towards its establishment. 11. We are grateful to our Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors for the work undertaken on the New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement and direct them to negotiate and conclude the agreements which will establish them. We will review progress made in these two initiatives at our next meeting in September 2013. 12. We welcome the conclusion between our Export-Import Banks (EXIM) and Development Banks, of both the "Multilateral Agreement on Cooperation and Co-financing for Sustainable Development" and, given the steep growth trajectory of the African continent and the significant infrastructure funding requirements directly emanating from this growth path, the "Multilateral Agreement on Infrastructure Co-Financing for Africa." 13. We call for the reform of International Financial Institutions to make them more representative and to reflect the growing weight of BRICS and other developing countries. We remain concerned with the slow pace of the reform of the IMF. We see an urgent need to implement, as agreed, the 2010 International Monetary Fund (IMF) Governance and Quota Reform. We urge all members to take all necessary steps to achieve an agreement on the quota formula and complete the next general quota review by January 2014. The reform of the IMF should strengthen the voice and representation of the poorest members of the IMF, including Sub-Saharan Africa. All options should be explored, with an open mind, to achieve this. We support the reform and improvement of the international monetary system, with a broad-based international reserve currency system providing stability and certainty. We welcome the discussion about the role of the SDR in the existing international monetary system including the composition of SDR's basket of currencies. We support the IMF to make its surveillance framework more integrated and even-handed. The leadership selection of IFIs should be through an open, transparent and merit-based process and truly open to candidates from the emerging market economies and developing countries. 14. We emphasize the importance of ensuring steady, adequate and predictable access to long term finance for developing countries from a variety of sources. We would like to see concerted global effort towards infrastructure financing and investment through the instrumentality of adequately resourced Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and Regional Development Banks (RDBs). We urge all parties to work towards an ambitious International Development Association(IDA)17 replenishment. 15. We reaffirm our support for an open, transparent and rules-based multilateral trading system. We will continue in our efforts for the successful conclusion of the Doha Round, based on the progress made and in keeping with its mandate, while upholding the principles of transparency, inclusiveness and multilateralism. We are committed to ensure that new proposals and approaches to the Doha Round negotiations will reinforce the core principles and the developmental mandate of the Doha Round. We look forward to significant and meaningful deliverables that are balanced and address key development concerns of the poorest and most vulnerable WTO members, at the ninth Ministerial Conference of the WTO in Bali. 16. We note that the process is underway for the selection of a new WTO Director-General in 2013. We concur that the WTO requires a new leader who demonstrates a commitment to multilateralism and to enhancing the effectiveness of the WTO including through a commitment to support efforts that will lead to an expeditious conclusion of the DDA. We consider that the next Director-General of the WTO should be a representative of a developing country. 17. We reaffirm the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development' s (UNCTAD) mandate as the focal point in the UN system dedicated to consider the interrelated issues of trade, investment, finance and technology from a development perspective. UNCTAD's mandate and work are unique and necessary to deal with the challenges of development and growth in the increasingly interdependent global economy. We also reaffirm the importance of strengthening UNCTAD's capacity to deliver on its programs of consensus building, policy dialogue, research, technical cooperation and capacity building, so that it is better equipped to deliver on its development mandate. 18. We acknowledge the important role that State Owned Companies (SOCs) play in the economy and encourage our SOCs to explore ways of cooperation, exchange of information and best practices. 19. We recognize the fundamental role played by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the economies of our countries. SMEs are major creators of jobs and wealth. In this regard, we will explore opportunities for cooperating in the field of SMEs and recognize the need for promoting dialogue among the respective Ministries and Agencies in charge of the theme, particularly with a view to promoting their international exchange and cooperation and fostering innovation, research and development. 20. We reiterate our strong commitment to the United Nations (UN) as the foremost multilateral forum entrusted with bringing about hope, peace, order and sustainable development to the world. The UN enjoys universal membership and is at the center of global governance and multilateralism. In this regard, we reaffirm the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more representative, effective and efficient, so that it can be more responsive to global challenges. In this regard, China and Russia reiterate the importance they attach to the status of Brazil, India and South Africa in international affairs and support their aspiration to play a greater role in the UN. 21. We underscore our commitment to work together in the UN to continue our cooperation and strengthen multilateral approaches in international relations based on the rule of law and anchored in the Charter of the United Nations. 22. We are committed to building a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity and reaffirm that the 21st century should be marked by peace, security, development, and cooperation. It is the overarching objective and strong shared desire for peace, security, development and cooperation that brought together BRICS countries. 23. We welcome the twentieth Anniversary of the World Conference on Human Rights and of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action and agree to explore cooperation in the field of human rights. 24. We commend the efforts of the international community and acknowledge the central role of the African Union (AU) and its Peace and Security Council in conflict resolution in Africa. We call upon the UNSC to enhance cooperation with the African Union, and its Peace and Security Council, pursuant to UNSC resolutions in this regard. We express our deep concern with instability stretching from North Africa, in particular the Sahel, and the Gulf of Guinea. We also remain concerned about reports of deterioration in humanitarian conditions in some countries. 25. We welcome the appointment of the new Chairperson of the AU Commission as an affirmation of the leadership of women. (more) 26. We express our deep concern with the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in Syria and condemn the increasing violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law as a result of continued violence. We believe that the Joint Communique of the Geneva Action Group provides a basis for resolution of the Syrian crisis and reaffirm our opposition to any further militarization of the conflict. A Syrian-led political process leading to a transition can be achieved only through broad national dialogue that meets the legitimate aspirations of all sections of Syrian society and respect for Syrian independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty as expressed by the Geneva Joint Communique and appropriate UNSC resolutions. We support the efforts of the UN-League of Arab States Joint Special Representative. In view of the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria, we call upon all parties to allow and facilitate immediate, safe, full and unimpeded access to humanitarian organizations to all in need of assistance. We urge all parties to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers. 27. We welcome the admission of Palestine as an Observer State to the United Nations. We are concerned at the lack of progress in the Middle East Peace Process and call on the international community to assist both Israel and Palestine to work towards a two-state solution with a contiguous and economically viable Palestinian state, existing side by side in peace with Israel, within internationally recognized borders, based on those existing on 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. We are deeply concerned about the construction of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which is a violation of international law and harmful to the peace process. In recalling the primary responsibility of the UNSC in maintaining international peace and security, we note the importance that the Quartet reports regularly to the Council about its efforts, which should contribute to concrete progress. 28. We believe there is no alternative to a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. We recognize Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy consistent with its international obligations, and support resolution of the issues involved through political and diplomatic means and dialogue, including between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran and in accordance with the provisions of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and consistent with Iran's obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons(NPT). We are concerned about threats of military action as well as unilateral sanctions. We note the recent talks held in Almaty and hope that all outstanding issues relating to Iran' s nuclear program will be resolved through discussions and diplomatic means. 29. Afghanistan needs time, development assistance and cooperation, preferential access to world markets, foreign investment and a clear end-state strategy to attain lasting peace and stability. We support the global community's commitment to Afghanistan, enunciated at the Bonn International Conference in December 2011, to remain engaged over the transformation decade from 2015-2024. We affirm our commitment to support Afghanistan' s emergence as a peaceful, stable and democratic state, free of terrorism and extremism, and underscore the need for more effective regional and international cooperation for the stabilization of Afghanistan, including by combating terrorism. We extend support to the efforts aimed at combating illicit traffic in opiates originating in Afghanistan within the framework of the Paris Pact. 30. We commend the efforts of the AU, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Mali aimed at restoring sovereignty and territorial integrity of Mali. We support the civilian efforts of the Malian Government and its international community partners in realizing the transitional program leading up to the presidential and legislative elections. We emphasize the importance of political inclusiveness and economic and social development in order for Mali to achieve sustainable peace and stability. We express concern about the reports of the deterioration in humanitarian conditions in Mali and call upon the international community to continue to cooperate with Mali and its neighboring countries in order to ensure humanitarian assistance to civilian population affected by the armed conflict. 31. We are gravely concerned with the deterioration in the current situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and deplore the loss of life. We strongly condemn the abuses and acts of violence against the civilian population and urge all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and return to negotiations. We call upon all parties to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access. We are ready to work with the international community to assist in this endeavor and facilitate progress to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Brazil, Russia and China express their sympathy to the South African and Indian governments for the casualties that their citizens suffered in the CAR. 32. We are gravely concerned by the ongoing instability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We welcome the signing in Addis Ababa on 24 February 2013 of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. We support its independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty. We support the efforts of the UN, AU and sub-regional organizations to bring about peace, security and stability in the country. 33. We reiterate our strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stress that there can be no justification, whatsoever, for any acts of terrorism. We believe that the UN has a central role in coordinating international action against terrorism within the framework of the UN Charter and in accordance with principles and norms of international law. In this context, we support the implementation of the UN General Assembly Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and are determined to strengthen cooperation in countering this global threat. We also reiterate our call for concluding negotiations as soon as possible in the UN General Assembly on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and its adoption by all Member States and agreed to work together towards this objective. 34. We recognize the critical positive role the Internet plays globally in promoting economic, social and cultural development. We believe it's important to contribute to and participate in a peaceful, secure, and open cyberspace and we emphasize that security in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) through universally accepted norms, standards and practices is of paramount importance. 35. We congratulate Brazil on hosting the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012 and welcome the outcome as reflected in "The Future we Want," in particular, the reaffirmation of the Rio Principles and political commitment made towards sustainable development and poverty eradication while creating opportunities for BRICS partners to engage and cooperate in the development of the future Sustainable Development Goals. 36. We congratulate India on the outcome of the 11th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity (CBD COP11) and the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. 37. While acknowledging that climate change is one of the greatest challenges and threats towards achieving sustainable development, we call on all parties to build on the decisions adopted in COP18/CMP8 in Doha, with a view to reaching a successful conclusion by 2015, of negotiations on the development of a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties, guided by its principles and provisions. 38. We believe that the internationally agreed development goals including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) address the needs of developing countries, many of which continue to face developmental challenges, including widespread poverty and inequality. Low Income Countries (LICs) continue to face challenges that threaten the impressive growth performance of recent years. Volatility in food and other commodity prices have made food security an issue as well as constraining their sources of revenue. Progress in rebuilding macro-economic buffers has been relatively slow, partly due to measures adopted to mitigate the social impact of exogenous shocks. Many LICs are currently in a weaker position to deal with exogenous shocks given the more limited fiscal buffers and the constrained aid envelopes, which will affect their ability to sustain progress towards achieving the MDGs. We reiterate that individual countries, especially in Africa and other developing countries of the South, cannot achieve the MDGs on their own and therefore the centrality of Goal 8 on Global Partnerships for Development to achieve the MDGs should remain at the core of the global development discourse for the UN System. Furthermore, this requires the honoring of all commitments made in the outcome documents of previous major international conferences. 39. We reiterate our commitment to work together for accelerated progress in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the target date of 2015, and we call upon other members of the international community to work towards the same objective. In this regard, we stress that the development agenda beyond 2015 should build on the MDG framework, keeping the focus on poverty eradication and human development, while addressing emerging challenges of development taking into consideration individual national circumstances of developing countries. In this regard the critical issue of the mobilization of means of implementation in assisting developing countries needs to be an overarching goal. It is important to ensure that any discussion on the UN development agenda, including the "Post 2015 Development Agenda" is an inclusive and transparent inter-Governmental process under a UN-wide process which is universal and broad based. 40. We welcome the establishment of the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in line with the Rio+20 Outcome Document which reaffirmed the Rio Principles of Sustainable Development as the basis for addressing new and emerging challenges. We are fully committed to a coordinated inter-governmental process for the elaboration of the UN development agenda. 41. We note the following meetings held in the implementation of the Delhi Action Plan: . Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on the margins of UNGA. . Meeting of National Security Advisors in New Delhi. . Meetings of Finance Ministers, and Central Bank Governors in Washington DC and Tokyo.. Meeting of Trade Ministers in Puerto Vallarta. . Meetings of Health Ministers in New Delhi and Geneva. 42. We welcome the establishment of the BRICS Think Tanks Council and the BRICS Business Council and take note of the following meetings which were held in preparation for this Summit: . Fifth Academic Forum . Fourth Business Forumx. Third Financial Forum 43. We welcome the outcomes of the meeting of the BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors and endorse the Joint Communique of the Third Meeting of the BRICS Trade Ministers held in preparation for the Summit. 44. We are committed to forging a stronger partnership for common development. To this end, we adopt the eThekwini Action Plan. 45. We agree that the next summit cycles will, in principle, follow the sequence of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. 46. Brazil, Russia, India and China extend their warm appreciation to the Government and people of South Africa for hosting the Fifth BRICS Summit in Durban. 47. Russia, India, China and South Africa convey their appreciation to Brazil for its offer to host the first Summit of the second cycle of BRICS Summits, i.e. the Sixth BRICS Summit in 2014 and convey their full support thereto. eThekwini Action Plan: 1. Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs on the margins of UNGA. 2. Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisors. 3. Mid-term meeting of Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas. 4. Meetings of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in the margins of G20 meetings, WB/IMF meetings, as well as stand-alone meetings, as required. 5. Meetings of BRICS Trade Ministers on the margins of multilateral events, or stand-alone meetings, as required. 6. Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Agriculture and Agrarian Development, preceded by a preparatory meeting of experts on agro-products and food security issues and the Meeting of Agriculture Expert Working Group. 7. Meeting of BRICS Health Ministers and preparatory meetings. 8. Meeting of BRICS Officials responsible for population on the margins of relevant multilateral events. 9. Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Science and Technology and meeting of BRICS Senior Officials on Science and Technology. 10. Meeting of BRICS Cooperatives. 11. Meetings of financial and fiscal authorities in the margins of WB/IMF meetings as well as stand-alone meetings, as required. 12. Meetings of the BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues (CGETI). 13. Meeting of the BRICS Friendship Cities and Local Governments Cooperation Forum. 14. Meeting of the BRICS Urbanization Forum. 15. Meeting of BRICS Competition Authorities in 2013 in New Delhi. 16. 5th Meeting of BRICS Heads of National Statistical Institutions. 17. Consultations amongst BRICS Permanent Missions and/or Embassies, as appropriate, in New York, Vienna, Rome, Paris, Washington, Nairobi and Geneva, where appropriate. 18. Consultative meeting of BRICS Senior Officials in the margins of relevant sustainable development, environment and climate related international fora, where appropriate. New areas of cooperation to be explored, - BRICS Public Diplomacy Forum. - BRICS Anti-Corruption Cooperation. - BRICS State Owned Companies/State Owned Enterprises. - National Agencies Responsible for Drug Control. - BRICS virtual secretariat. - BRICS Youth Policy Dialogue. - Tourism.- Energy.- Sports and Mega Sporting Events.  Source: China.org.cn

Read More........ → March 28, 2013

US aviation watchdog orders review of Boeing 787s

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a review of electrical systems in Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner in the wake of a series of incidents such as a battery fire involving a Japanese airline earlier this week in Boston. A year after the FAA completed evaluation of the technologically advanced aircraft, the authority today said it would now review on the 787's design, manufacturing and assembly to examine critical electrical systems as well as other quality-control issues. ''We are concerned about recent events involving the Boeing 787,'' Ray LaHood, the transportation secretary, told a press conference in Washington. ''We will look for the root causes of the recent events and do everything we can to ensure these events don't happen again.'' FAA administrator Michael P Huerta said the review would focus on the electrical systems of the airplane, including the batteries and power distribution systems. The news comes after airlines eager to fly an airplane that promises significant fuel savings waited for years and have now started operating the aircraft. Boeing has delivered 50 of the airplanes since November 2011 and eight airlines, including All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, Air India, Ethiopian Airlines, Chile's LAN Airlines, Poland's LOT, Qatar Airways and United Airlines, are flying the 787s. This week's incidents involving battery and electrical connections comes on top of last month's inspection of the 787's fuel lines by FAA and has given rise to doubts that a combination of electrical and fuel line faults could cause serious problems. In December, the FAA ordered inspection of fuel line connectors on all 787s, warning of a risk of fuel leaks and fires. That coincided with the failure of one of the six electric generators of a United Airlines 787, forcing it to divert the Houston to Newark flight to New Orleans at mid-night. FAA said the review would not require the grounding of the 787 fleet. In a statement released today, Boeing expressed confidence in the design and performance of the 787. ''It is a safe and efficient airplane that brings tremendous value to our customers and an improved flying experience to their passengers. ''The airplane has logged 50,000 hours of flight and there are more than 150 flights occurring daily. Its in-service performance is on par with the industry's best-ever introduction into service – the Boeing 777. Like the 777, at 15 months of service, we are seeing the 787's fleet wide dispatch reliability well above 90 per cent,'' the company said. Boeing said the 787 completed the most robust and rigorous certification process in the history of the FAA over a year ago. ''We remain fully confident in the airplane's design and production system. Regular reviews of program and technical progress are an important part of the validation and oversight process that has created today's safe and efficient air transportation system. However, Boeing said: ''While the 787's reliability is on par with the best in class, we have experienced in-service issues in recent months and we are never satisfied while there is room for improvement. For that reason, today we jointly announced with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the start of a review of the 787's recent issues and critical systems.'' ''Just as we are confident in the airplane, we are equally confident in the regulatory process that has been applied to the 787 since its design inception. With this airplane, the FAA conducted its most robust certification process ever. We expect that this review will complement that effort,'' it added. Source: Domain-B

Read More........ → January 17, 2013

Carscoop's A-Z Guide to the 2013 Detroit Motor Show, the Final List

The North American International Auto Show(NAIAS) that takes place in Detroit is the first major event of the year for the automotive industry. In 2013, the show opens its doors on January 14 for the media and on the 19th for the public, who can visit the Cobo Center until the 27th and view all the new models on display. Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated premiere is that of the all-new, seventh-generationCorvette. GM, however, has a second ace up its sleeve for the 2013 NAIAS: the world debut of the Cadillac ELR hybrid coupe, aka the production version of the Converj concept that was launched at the same event four years ago. Germany's premium carmakers are also coming on strong – something only natural, since the U.S. market is extremely valuable to them. BMW has chosen Detroit to preview its brand-new 4-Series, the coupe version of the 3-Series saloon that may be billed as a concept, but is effectively ready to enter production. Munich's archrival, Mercedes-Benz, will premiere the CLA premium compact saloon and the
heavily revised E-Class in both saloon and convertible form. Their Japanese challengers won’t be outdone: Lexus will launch the third-generation IS sedanwith a design that closely resembles the LF-CC concept while Infiniti has the Q50 executive saloon that replaces the G series. Last, but not least, even though Ferrari decided to keep a hold on the F150 hypercar, visitors of the show will have the opportunity to see the new Maserati Quattroporte that spearheads the Trident’s assault in the luxury segment. You can scroll down to view the cars that debuted at the 2013 Detroit Motor Show. By Andrew Tsaousis, Source: Carscoop's

Read More........ → January 16, 2013

Q3 roundup of global retail leaders

In the third of this year's regular series of updates, IGD retail have rounded up the main developments at the leading global grocery retailers - Carrefour, Tesco, Metro and Walmart - since August. Divestment has been key feature for Carrefour: (1) In the fourth quarter Carrefour announced the sale of its business in Colombia to Cencosud, and of its Malaysian operations to Japanese retailer Aeon. Carrefour is clearly prioritising resource allocation to more mature markets where it holds a strong position, and emerging markets where it can harness growth potential (2) At the first half results presentation, when a 0.9% increase in net sales was reported, CEO Georges Plassat also outlined three areas of future focus: assets, merchandise and people (3) A survey by French trade magazine Linéaires revealed that Carrefour significantly lowered prices over the first half, closing the gap with price leader Leclerc and showing that in France, the group is well on the way to delivering EDLP. The price initiatives are beginning to kick in, and Q3 results indicated signs of improvement in French hypermarkets, especially in food sales (4) Carrefour has identified e-commerce as an area where it can accelerate in 2012. In line with this, it launched trials of virtual shopping walls at train stations in Lyon and Paris, during September and October, Tesco: improving UK performanceTesco: In China, Tesco closed four stores to concentrate on fewer regions and on key strategic areas. In South Korea, a sale and leaseback deal generated GBP300m which is likely to be invested back into the development of Tesco's business in the country. First half results revealed modest group sales growth and improving UK performance, alongside a fall in group trading profit, as the retailer invests in its plan to build a better Tesco. Performance from international operations was mixed, impacted by local economic conditions. Online has been a focus, both at home and internationally. Tesco is growing its network of dark stores in the UK, and plans to open two more over the next 18 months. In China, Tesco became the first supermarket retailer to launch a website offering recipe ideas, nutritional information and food education. Slovakia became the latest country to welcome online grocery shopping this year, following the launch of the service in the Czech Republic and Poland. Metro confident on positioning: Third quarter sales, reported last week, were up 2%, but EBIT was down 39%. European performance was mixed, with a sales fall of 2% in Germany, and divestments (Makro UK and Saturn France) impairing growth in western Europe. In Asia/Africa, sales were up 32.2% (+19% in local currency). Despite the difficulties and the uncertain economic outlook, Metro CEO Olaf Koch is confident that the group is on the right track with the strategic measures taken so far. The group continues to expect a rise in sales for the full year. In central and eastern Europe, Metro is to continue expanding the Real hypermarket business in Ukraine, while there have been rumours that it is considering the sale of operations in Russia. Metro revealed a new management structure at Real, as it attempts to realign the business and improve its profitability. Further east, more cash & carry outlets are expected to open in India by the end of the year, taking the total to 15. Metro sees potential for more than 100 Indian stores in the long term. Walmart's multichannel developments continue: At the annual analysts' meeting in October, Walmart outlined its plans for growth. These include accelerating small format store growth in the US, investing in price and e-commerce. Multichannel developments have continued apace. The launch of an advanced search engine for Walmart.com, tests of a self-scanning app and same-day delivery for online, and this week's collaboration between Mattel and Walmart Canada all reinforce the importance of e-commerce, in which CEO Mike Duke has said "we will play to win." Second quarter results, at the end of August, indicated ongoing momentum at home, with four successive quarters of positive comparable sales growth delivered in the core US stores. Although international growth slowed, these operations continue to be Walmart's main growth engine. Source: Fresh-Plaza

Read More........ → November 16, 2012

HDTV to become obsolete?

The broadcasting industry is gearing up for the ‘next big thing’, and well beyond today’s 3D, ‘smart’ TVs and HDTV. With the giant IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin now underway, and just days away from IBC, the professional end of the broadcasting industry, the talk is all about Ultra-HDTV. We expect the first announcements regarding future 4K transmissions to be made this coming week, at IBC. The high-end set manufacturers (Sony, Panasonic, LG, Samsung and Toshiba) all have 4K units on show, and there’s a growing amount of 4K-for-TV experimental footage now emerging (view online HERE). Hollywood, of course, has been 4K for years. Incidentally, IFA also has plenty of 8K displays on show and achieving retina-matching qualities. LG and Sony have both made commitments to put their 4K sets on sale this side of Christmas – albeit at eye watering prices! Last month’s Olympics also saw some very demanding ‘full’ Ultra-HD tests take place from the Olympic Park, with 8,000-line (8K) transmissions beamed to special viewing sites in the UK, Japan and the USA. Audience reaction was highly positive. Japan’s public broadcaster NHK has been spearheading the move towards this next-generation transmission system and has invested considerably in the technology (and has achieved some notable patents in the process). However, despite the success of these 8K transmissions it is probable that the first step for broadcasters and consumers will be 4K resolution (which is in effect 3840 x 2160 pixels for home viewing) display, and can be compressed efficiently by the new HVEC/H.265 compression algorithms. Ericsson has just unveiled its first H.265 professional encoder targeting the telco and second screen market. Satellite operators such as SES already have plans for 4K (and 8K if needed), and its playout arm (SES Platform Services, SPS) is also planning for 4K. Same with the set-top box industry. Pace, for example, says it is fully-prepared for 4K/H.265 demands. Now all the industry needs is a couple of years to start assembling programming – other than movies. My guess? Sport, sport and more sport will be the early 4K driver for pay-TV fans. Other ‘event-led’ TV will fill in the gaps. And my best guess? Four years away, the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games could prove to be a real motivator for set sales and compelling content. Make a diary date now. Source: Advanced Television

Read More........ → November 16, 2012

BRIC countries to drive DTT receivers market

BRICS is an international political organisation of leading emerging economies, arising out of the inclusion of South Africa into the BRIC: Image Link Wikimedia

The global active base for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Receivers is projected to reach 2.4 billion units by 2018, driven by TV digitisation in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) countries, according to GIA research. Future growth in the demand for DTT Receivers will also be driven by the widespread adoption of digital TV standards across various consumer electronic devices. Many Western European countries such as Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Spain have already become fully digitalised by successfully completing DSO. Other major markets such as Italy, UK, Japan, Canada, Portugal, and South Korea are poised to complete ASO in 2012. By the year 2015 some of the most populated countries in the world such as China, India, Mexico, Romania, Russia, and the US aim to completely switch over to digital format in all forms of broadcasting. GIA suggests the fortune of the global market for DTT receivers is poised to chart a growing pattern on the demand graph in future, primarily driven by the widespread popularity of free terrestrial television. In fact, free terrestrial TV continues to find favor among a large number of consumers, especially in developed nations, in spite of the growth in the adoption of pay TV in recent times. The affordability of free terrestrial TV is the major factor responsible for this trend, as consumers are only required to pay a single upfront amount for the receiver with no additional subscription costs. Additionally, with terrestrial digitalisation garnering widespread popularity on a global scale, emerging countries such as China, South Africa and Brazil are projected to witness a surge in demand for DTT receivers in future. China alone is projected to account for a substantial amount of users in the coming years. GIA points out that the DTT Receivers market is being driven by the digitisation of television across the globe. Television continues to strengthen its position in the global media market by cornering a greater share of viewer attention and revenues, despite the growing competition from alternate media channels. The potential for growth is immense given the fact that about 50 per cent of the world’s population is yet to be touched by the television boom. Emerging markets, particularly India and China, offer enormous growth prospects. Over the years, Multiple Systems Operators (MSOs) have been making enormous investments for delivering and supporting enhanced video, voice and data services such as VoD and HD digital video. MSOs have been offering bundled broadband service packages in order to gain an edge over providers of digital broadcast satellite services and telecom companies. The need to compete effectively is essential given the fact that content providers are offering increasingly personalised content through the Internet and to multiple user devices. This led MSOs to upgrade their networks by using Networked (PVRs) which allow them to shift video storage to the networks from the set top boxes thereby adding more capacity. MSOs are also placing increased emphasis on offering time-shifted television to consumers. These efforts have led to numerous technological advancements, which have proven beneficial for the global television industry. A case in point is online TV content and Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) that have played a critical role in boosting overall viewership. The US and Europe account for nearly two-thirds of the global active base for DTT Receivers. However, with these markets nearing saturation, emerging markets such as China, India, Russia, and Brazil are expected to drive the market for DTT Receivers in future as these countries embark on digitisation of TV. Source: Advanced Television

Read More........ → August 18, 2012

Ecologist Paul Watson being “hunted down in revenge”

By Yulia Belova, Paul Watson, head of the radical ecological Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, is rumoured to have found shelter in Ecuador after fleeing Germany on July 22, where he was to be handed over to Costa Rican authorities. Japan has also joined in the hunt for the fugitive captain. Watson has also seen a $500,000 compensation lawsuit filed against him over a ruined vessel. Meanwhile, Ecuadorian

Read More........ → August 16, 2012

Nissan Eyeing London Black Cab Market with New NV200 Taxi

After winning the hearts and minds of New York City officials with the NV200 Yellow Cab, Nissan is aiming to do the same in the city of London. While athletes from all over the world compete in the 2012 London Olympic Games, Nissan presented its vision for the city's black cab of the future aptly named the 'NV200 London Taxi'. You may have noticed from the pictures that the 'black cab' version of the NV200 features a visibly wider front track (200mm to be precise) than the NYC model with blistered wheel arches as well as  new side steps. This is because Nissan had to re-engineer the NV200 in order to conform with the regulations set in the TfL London Taxi Conditions of Fitness and which include being able to accommodate a wheelchair passenger and achieve a 25ft (7.6m) turning-circle. The NV200 London Taxi comes equipped with sliding passenger doors and can seat five adults excluding the driver: three on the rear bench and two on rear-facing, fold-down seats. Nissan removed the front passenger seat to create space for luggage. Whereas the NYC Yellow Cab model is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine, the Black Cab version of the NV200 is fitted with a 1.5-liter turbo-charged diesel available with two power outputs: 89hp and 110hp. Versions fitted with the 89hp engine feature a five-speed manual gearbox, while 110hp variants benefit from a six-speed unit. Both powerplants are fully compliant with the latest EuroV emissions regulations. The 89hp engine returns a combined fuel economy of 53.3mpg UK (44.1mpg US or 5.3lt/100km) with CO2 emissions that start from 139g/km. Nissan claims that the NV200 offers 50 percent better fuel economy than the most efficient London black cab today "Fuel costs account for around 10 percent of taxi driver overheads," says Nissan. "Over the course of a year, NV200 London Taxi drivers would spend around 50% less - about £700 - on fuel than TX4 drivers," the company added. According to the Japanese automaker, the diesel version of the NV200 London Taxi is expected to be competitively priced below the new TX4, the London Taxi Company's current model. "As a relevant simulation, if all of London's licensed taxis were replaced with the NV200 London Taxi, there would be a CO2 reduction across London of 37,970 metric tonnes each year - the equivalent of planting 10,000 acres, or two Congestion Charge zones, of trees every 12 months," the Japanese company said. Pending testing, which includes a crash-test, the diesel-powered NV200 aims to receive full London Taxi certification later this year and go on sale during the course of 2013. Aside from the diesel model, Nissan is also developing an all-electric version named e-NV200 London Taxi. "With running costs estimated to be around one fifth of a conventional, diesel-powered Hackney Carriage [another name for the London Black Cab] it is likely to be popular with drivers too," said Nissan. 

Source: Carscoop

Read More........ → August 10, 2012

Ranbaxy in surprise $106 mn Q2 loss

Ranbaxy Laboratories, India's top drugmaker by sales, posted an unexpected quarterly loss of 5.86 billion rupees ($106 million) as foreign exchange losses ballooned although sales in its key U.S. market more than doubled. Ranbaxy, controlled by Japan's Daiichi Sankyo Co, recorded a loss of 5.99 billion rupees on foreign currency derivatives in fiscal second quarter ended June, compared to a gain of 1.12 billion rupees a year earlier, it said. Net sales rose 54.5 percent to 31.74 billion rupees, Ranbaxy said. Analysts had forecast net profit at 3.21 billion rupees on net sales of 29.06 billion rupees. The depreciation of the Indian rupee against

Read More........ → August 09, 2012

USA dominated 100m swimming events

By Yulia Monakhova, On Monaday, July 30th American swimmers dominated 100m Backstroke events by taking home two gold medals and one silver. In addition American veteran Matthew Grevers set a new Olympic record along the way. The 27-year-old Grevers remained in a full body length lead over his teammate. On the turn Grevers was second but he pulled his strength in the final straight and won with 52.16 seconds. The previous record-holder was also an American swimmer Aaron Piersol who won gold in 2008 Beijing Olympics with a record of 52.54 seconds. Back in 2008 Grevers took home the silver medal.Grevers' teammate Nick Thoman claimed the silver in 52.92 seconds. Bronze went to the Japanese swimmer Ryosuke Irie, whoi came just 0.05 seconds later. Irie was chased by Camille Lacourt of France, who was 0.11 seconds apart. Fifth place of the event was taken by Liam Tancock of Great Britain, who finished 0.27 seconds later. Tags: 2012 Summer Olympics , gold, sport, News, Sports, Olympic Games , World, Читать далее, Source: Voice of Russia. 

Read More........ → August 05, 2012

Olympic scandals rattle London

By Pershkina Anastasiya, Ukraine may go to Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne to dispute the results of the final 16 boxing tournament in which Britain’s Anthony Ogogo was unlawfully awarded victory over Ukraine’s Yevgeny Khytrov. This referee scandal, though the most high-profile at the moment, is not the only cheats scandal that has marred the first week of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. During the gymnastics team scoring competitions the judges offended the Japanese by awarding a low score to the team’s leader. Japan immediately contested the score. As a result, the judges re-jiggered the scores and Japan won the silver medal. That knocked Ukraine to fourth position causing the team’s anger. In the final 16 boxing match the judges declared Britain’s Anthony Ogogo the winner, even though his score was the same as his Ukrainian opponent Yevgeny Khytrov’s and his performance was less spectacular. During a semifinal epee fencing bout the German fencer hit her South Korean opponent four times in the last minute. Even though the unfairness of this was evident, the judges did not bother to mend it. Eurosport.ru observer Igor Zelenitsyn says that these scandals occurred through the judges’ fault. Source: Voice of Russia. 

Read More........ → August 04, 2012

McDonald's focusing on value in slowing global economy

McDonald's Corporation today reported its results for the second quarter ended June 30, including a 3.7 percent increase in global comp sales. Broken down by segment: (1) McDonald's U.S. generated comp sales growth of 3.6 percent, leveraging its everyday value offerings, menu variety and reimaged restaurants; Europe's comp sales were up 3.8 percent behind value options balanced with premium product introductions and reimaged restaurants; (2) Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) posted a modest comp sales increase of 0.9 percent. Solid performances in Australia and China were offset by a still-recovering Japan. Heading up his first earnings call since taking over as CEO, Don Thompson noted McDonald's continued solid performance despite a slowing global economy and stronger headwinds on both the top and bottom lines. The company will continue to focus on its Plan to Win and three strategies: optimizing the menu, modernizing customaner experience and broadening accessibility. U.S. results: Thompson said the U.S. system continues to build sales and guest counts, albeit at a slower pace because of increased competition from convenience store and grocery segments, as well as the fast casual segment. "For us, we just need to remain focused on what is in our realm of control. That is beverages, premium products, breakfast, promotional food events like the Chicken McBites and value," he said. "We just need to make sure we're appealing to customers more and focus on our business plan." The breakfast daypart continues to experience strong momentum, as do beverages and value promotions. For example, a recent focus on the 20-piece Chicken McNugget offering helped increase total sales of chicken by nearly 11 percent versus the same period last year. Thompson said customers can expect several new beef and chicken products within the next year, including wraps and premium sandwiches such as the pub burger, as well as additional innovations in the beverage and breakfast spaces. Europe: The United Kingdom and Russia delivered strong sales for McDonald's during the quarter, and the U.K., France and Spain systems have gained market share to drive Europe's overall performance. Thompson said the company is re-engineering its 2012 plans to drive traffic in Europe, including a stronger focus on value and promotions and the expansion of breakfast and beverages. In France, McDonald's plans to increase its media spend to strengthen its voice. And in Germany, the chain will continue to step up its value messaging, which has contributed to strong sales and guest counts. APMEA: Thompson said the company is witnessing fragile consumer confidence in Australia, as well as a difficult economy and continued disaster recovery in Japan. In China, tier I cities are experiencing an economic slowdown and competition has increased. Still, McDonald's is on track to open 225 to 250 new restaurants this year while focusing on conveniences like McDelivery and dessert kiosks. Also, the company will continue to add to breakfast, the fastest growing daypart, which now represents more than 9 percent of sales in the country. In response to all APMEA activity, the company has introduced value platforms to build traffic short term, with the objective of maintaining that traffic long term while building tickets as customers trade up. "Let me be clear: we're not satisfied. But we have a resilient business model, a talented system, and experience in every type of operating environment," Thompson said. "We understand what we are facing – from the macro economic environment to increasing competition. We've been in these situations before and we'll draw on that experience and stay focused on the things that differentiate us." Image Link Flickr, Source: QSRweb.com

Read More........ → August 02, 2012

Toyota hybrids top four million worldwide

By Toby Price: Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan has reached a milestone after leading the way in hybrid vehicles. On Tuesday, it announced its global hybrid vehicle sales had topped four million units in April 2012. 1.5 million Toyota hybrids have been sold in the US alone. "All of us at Toyota would like to sincerely thank our customers, who have made Prius the best-selling hybrid in the industry," said Bob Carter, Group Vice President and General Manager, Toyota Division. "While we're proud of this accomplishment, we are not stopping here as hybrids will continue to be a core technology for Toyota." In August 1997, TMC launched the "Coaster Hybrid EV" in Japan. Later that same year, it launched the "Prius" – the worldf's first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle. Sales of the Prius began in North America, Europe and elsewhere in 2000. Next came the second-generation Prius in 2003 and the expanded use of TMC's hybrid system on such vehicles as minivans, SUVs, rear-wheel-drive sedans and compact hatchbacks. In particular, the third-generation Prius launched in May 2009 received strong support from customers around the world, leading to global cumulative sales of TMC's hybrid vehicles topping 3 million vehicles by the end of February 2011.Since then, new models such as the "Prius α" (Prius Alpha) and the "Aqua" have been launched. TMC currently sells 18 hybrid, passenger vehicle models in approximately 80 countries and regions around the world. This year, hybrid vehicles have accounted for 15% of TMC's global vehicle sales. With the upcoming "Yaris Hybrid" scheduled for launch in Europe and the Lexus "ES 300h" for the United States, TMC is committed to augmenting its product line-up even further and increasing the number of countries and regions in which it sells hybrid vehicles. As of 20 April 30, 2012, TMC calculates that TMC hybrid vehicles, since 1997, have led to approximately 26 million fewer tons of carbon dioxide emissions than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance. American fondness for Prius The Toyota Division of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA has sold 1.5 million hybrid vehicles in the US, accounting for 65 percent of all hybrid vehicles sold in the region. Prius, the iconic hybrid brand, comprises half of all hybrids on the road in the US with sales totalling 1.2 million units through April 2012. The expansion of the Prius has been successful in the US since the Prius v was introduced in to the market followed by Prius c and Prius Plug-in during the first quarter 2012. In that time, Prius family sold 60,859 units in the US. Source: Renewable Energy Magazine

Read More........ → July 28, 2012

Harumafuji captures title in Nagoya

NAGOYA — The first showdown in 29 years between undefeated wrestlers on the final day of a major sumo tournament wasn't even close. Moment of truth: Harumafuji (left) pushes Hakuho out of the ring at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday.KYODO Ozeki Harumafuji was leagues above rival Hakuho on Sunday, winning the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament and his third career Emperor's Cup, while denying the yokozuna his 23rd career title. The Mongolian ozeki, whose last win came here last year, won with a perfect 15-0 record in a tournament for the first time. Hakuho had been the last to achieve the same feat as an ozeki at the 2007 summer basho. "I believed in myself and put my heart and soul into it until the last fight," said the 28-year-old Harumafuji, who will be aiming for a shot at sumo's highest rank of yokozuna at the autumn meet in September. Harumafuji, who had previously held an 11-22 record in meetings with Hakuho, got a quick jump at the tachiai as he gave the yokozuna a smack to the face before digging his left hand over for a strong grip on the top of Hakuho's mawashi. Hakuho, who was seeking his first title in two meets, tried to change grips, but Harumafuji used his opponent's momentum to twist him around and over the straw bales with his firm left-handed grip driving him all the way out at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium. "After winning last year, I struggled a lot with injuries and I wasn't able to respond to the fans' expectations. I promise to train hard and give my all, so I can continue to encourage sumo fans," Harumafuji said. Hakuho, whose lack of power to produce a counterattack was glaringly obvious, failed in his bid for a record ninth undefeated championship title. He was heckled by the crowd on the 14th day when he used a "henka" sidestep maneuver to beat ozeki Kisenosato.  "The end result is that I did poorly at this tournament, too. I felt confident because I got my right inside. I wanted to break his balance and go for a throw," said Hakuho, who failed to win titles at two consecutive meets for the first time since becoming the lone yokozuna at the 2010 spring basho. "After missing out on two straight titles, I know that I am lacking something. I have to go back to the starting point and remember my fundamentals." There have only been four previous times since the establishment of the 15-day system in 1958 that undefeated wrestlers have faced off to decide the championship title on the final day, and it was the first time between an ozeki and yokozuna. The last time was when Takanosato beat Chiyonofuji in a yokozuna matchup at the 1983 autumn basho. In other key bouts, Kakuryu dumped rival ozeki Kotoshogiku (10-5) with a powerful underarm throw after getting his left hand in for an outer grip, ending his campaign on 9-6. Kotooshu manhandled rival ozeki Kisenosato (10-5) in a lopsided bout to pick up his ninth win. Estonian ozeki Baruto (9-6) sent Russian Aran (9-6) packing with a series of hefty shoves. Rank-and-filers Kaisei and Masunoyama earned the Fighting Spirit Prize as both finished on 11-4, the third best finish in the elite makuuchi class after Hakuho's 14-1 mark. Myogiryu picked up the Technique Prize, winning on the final day to notch an eighth win. Kyokutenho, winner of the summer basho in May, salvaged a semblance of pride with his second straight win in a takeout of Hochiyama (1-14) after a nightmare 0-13 start. Source: The Japan Times Online

Read More........ → July 24, 2012

U.S. says no change to plan to deploy Osprey in Okinawa in Aug.

TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- The U.S. government has told Japan there is no change in its plan to deploy the MV-22 Osprey aircraft at a U.S. military base in Okinawa Prefecture in August, sources close to the matter said Saturday, amid concerns over safety following two recent crashes involving the military transport aircraft. The U.S. government has judged that an accident in Morocco in April and another in Florida earlier this month were not caused by problems with the aircraft, the sources said. The United States plans to deploy the Osprey aircraft at the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa in August after bringing them to the Marine Corps' Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture in late July for safety checks and trial flights. In Okinawa, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda told Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima on Saturday that the government will explain the deployment in a responsible manner, according to prefectural government officials. Noda visited Okinawa to attend a memorial service for the war dead on the 67th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, a World War II ground battle. Source; The Coming Crisis

Read More........ → June 27, 2012

Connected TV becoming mainstream

Advanced Television: A survey of TV set makers regarding shipments for Q4’11 by DisplaySearch reveals the extent to which connected TV has broken out of the high-end and is becoming a mainstream feature across all regions. This reflects the new realities of the TV business. Global and emerging markets are seeing features introduced at the same pace as developed markets. All regions are seeing connected TV penetration

Read More........ → June 16, 2012

Asian tigers move away from dollar

China, Japan and South Korea are taking further steps to replace the dollar in trade between them as the countries start negotiations on a free trade agreement, Vladimir Rozhankovsky, Head of Research at Nord Capital told RT. The deal would be signed by the end of the year, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao with Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak announced during their Fifth Trilateral Summit in Beijing on May 13. The countries have been mulling the idea of the union for several years. “China started negotiations on using national currencies in the region’s trade as early as in 2008, during the crisis as the country wanted to secure itself from probable default of the US dollar,” Rozhankovsky told RT. In 2010 China and Japan agreed on trading some commodities in the yen and the yuan. “It took about two years to trial the idea of trade in the local currencies and now it’s time to follow up a success,” Rozhankovsky said. Source: The Coming Crisis

Read More........ → June 13, 2012

She has many firsts to her credit

Saina Nehwal is one of the best known female Indian Badminton players. She has the credit of upsetting some of the top seeded players in world championships. She is the first Indian woman to have entered the singles quarter final round of the event at the Olympics and the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships. Saina was the under-19 national champion.She created history by the winning the prestigious Asian Satellite Badminton tournament (India Chapter) twice, becoming the first player to do so. She was born on March 17, 1990 at Hisar in Haryana. Her father Dr. Harvir Singh and mother Usha Rani were former State Badminton Champions in Haryana. She had her initial schooling and badminton training in Hyderabad. Saina started her badminton training at the age of eight under the guidance of S M Arif, who was a Dronacharya Award winner.In 2006, she became the first Indian woman to win a 4-star tournament, the Philippines Open. She entered the tournament as the 86th seed and went on to stun several top seeded players before defeating Julia Wong Pei Xian of Malaysia for the title. The same year also she was runner up at the 2006. In 2008 she became the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships by defeating ninth seeded Japanese Sayaka Sato. Saina is on the par with Prakash Padukone and her mentor Pullela Gopichand who both won the all England championships which are of similar status to the super series. She bagged the Khel Ratna award and received the Arjuna award in August, 2009 while her coach Gopichand was presented the Dronacharya award at the same time. Saina has also been awarded with Padma Shri in January 2010. She won 2010 Commonwealth games gold in the women's singles badminton event She is the brand ambassador of Deccan Chargers, an IPL team from Hyderabad. Saina successfully defended her Swiss Open by defeating World No. 2 Shixian Wang of China on March 18, 2012, just the next day after she turned 22. Source: The Hans India

Read More........ → May 22, 2012

BBC World News reaching more than 330m households worldwide

Mumbai: New figures show that BBC World News has burst through the 300million distribution mark– increasing the number of households it broadcasts in by more than 40 million over the past year. Total distribution of the BBC’s international news channel now stands at more than 330 million households following recent deals with Comcast in the US, TV4 in Sweden, ERT S.A. in Greece and D life, a major distribution deal with Disney in Japan. BBC World News is expected to receive a further boost when it moves into state-of-the-art new broadcasting studios in London later this year, improving the look and feel of its international news output for audiences. BBC World News Commercial Director Colin Lawrence called it evidence of both ‘a breakthrough year’ for the channel and ‘our audiences increasing hunger for global news they can trust in very turbulent times’. Full-time 24/7 distribution of the channel has also risen from 179 million to more than 200 million households, making it one of the biggest international news channels in the world. Colin Lawrence said: “It has been a breakthrough year for the BBC’s international channel and we are determined to build on it. We have focused on building deeper and stronger relationships with MSOs, as well as creating new partnerships which may build the BBC World News brand footprint in strategic markets. “It’s no coincidence we’ve made this progress in what has been a year of huge international news and events. In turbulent times, international audiences increasingly turn to the BBC and want news that they can trust. It reflects growing evidence that audiences may be growing tired of more slanted broadcast news and value our intelligent and un-spun global perspective. “In another defining year for news - including major elections in the US, China, Russia, France and elsewhere - we expect the hunger for fair and accurate international news to grow. Alongside our move to state-of-the-art new studios in London, this should provide another lift in our performance. Source: Media News Line

Read More........ → May 22, 2012