Volume IX - Issue XII - December 2007
Fascinating Projects
United Nations, Google and Cisco announce Collaboration The United Nations (UN) announced on November 1 that it has teamed up with technology leaders Google and Cisco to launch a new online site to track global progress toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – the set of ambitious targets the world has set itself for slashing poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy and other social ills by 2015.  MDG Monitor is a web application that will track real-time progress toward the Goals in a number of categories in nearly every country in the world. In addition to featuring information on the MDGs, the new online resource will serve as an educational and advocacy platform with current data in areas such as public health, education and women’s empowerment.  Launching the project at UN Headquarters in New York, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (pictured) called the MDG Monitor the “newest beacon in the fight against extreme poverty and inequality.” “Now, for the first time, all information on the MDGs will be available in one place, for all who seek it, with a few simple clicks of the mouse,” he stated. “The MDG Monitor will not only help measure progress towards the Goals, it will also identify gaps and pinpoint areas where additional efforts are required.” The Secretary-General noted that while the world is facing a “development emergency,” it also has at its disposal the means to cut poverty in half in the span of a generation. But ultimately, achieving the MDGs is a matter of political will. “There is no silver bullet, but the resources, knowledge and tools for achieving the Goals do exist,” he stressed. “Having the tools to closely monitor data on the MDGs is one of the most important requirements for this endeavour to succeed.” Among its features, MDG Monitor will allow web surfers to use Google Earth to go anywhere on the planet and explore the places where work is being done to realize the MDGs, with access to country assessments and data collected by the UN worldwide. The online tool will enable more than 300 million Google Earth users to better understand the Goals and what it will take to achieve them through the MDG Monitor website (www.mdgmonitor.org). Agreed by world leaders from 189 countries in New York in 2000, the MDGs call for quantified, time-bound progress in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development. For more information, visit http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/.
Space Shuttle Discovery returns safely to Earth The space shuttle Discovery and its crew landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA, on Wednesday at 1:01 p.m. EST (18:01 GMT) after completing a 15-day journey of more than 6.2 million miles in space. The Discovery STS-120 mission added a key component to the International Space Station and featured an unprecedented spacewalk to repair a damaged solar array.  "This mission demonstrates the value of having humans in space and our ingenuity in solving problems," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for space operations, NASA Headquarters, Washington. Discovery's crew of Commander Pam Melroy, Pilot George Zamka and mission specialists Scott Parazynski, Doug Wheelock, Stephanie Wilson, Clayton Anderson and European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli delivered the Node 2 module, known as Harmony. Harmony will provide attachment points for European and Japanese laboratories to be added later this year and early in 2008.
In addition to Harmony's installation, Discovery's crew performed three spacewalks and relocated the P6 truss and solar arrays to its permanent position on the left side of the station. During the fourth spacewalk, the crew repaired a torn solar array on the truss, enabling the full deployment of the array. The crew and ground teams also worked on a problem with one of the station's Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, which allows the right side arrays to track the sun. On the second spacewalk, the joint was inspected, and metal shavings were discovered. Samples of the shavings returned with Discovery for further analysis. In the meantime, use of the joint will be limited to occasional adjustments for optimal position in relation to the sun. Melroy and Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson made history on Thursday, Oct. 25, when the hatch between the space shuttle and orbiting outpost was opened. They became the first female spacecraft commanders to lead space shuttle and space station missions concurrently. NASA astronaut and station Flight Engineer Daniel Tani, who launched with the crew aboard Discovery, remained on the station. He is scheduled to return home aboard space shuttle Atlantis on a mission targeted to launch Dec. 6. Tani replaced Anderson, who spent almost five months on the station, arriving in June 2007 aboard shuttle Atlantis. With Discovery and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the next phase of station assembly. Before Atlantis' STS-122 mission delivers the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory module to the station, Harmony must be relocated to its permanent location at the front of the complex. The station crew will conduct three spacewalks and robotically move two components this month to complete that task, allowing Atlantis to dock and Columbus to attach to Harmony. For more about the STS-120 mission and the upcoming STS-122 mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle The space shuttle is one of the most complex machines ever built. The shuttle’s capacity enables humans today to build the world’s largest orbiting laboratory, paving the way back to the moon, on to Mars and further into the universe. This is the 120th space shuttle flight, the 34th flight for Discovery and the 23rd U.S. flight to the International Space Station. For more information about the STS-120 mission, including images and interviews with the crew, visit: www.nasa.gov/shuttle.
Created in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is America’s focal point for research, development and exploration of outer space. In 2005, the US President and Congress committed the United States to exploring the solar system and beyond: completing assembly of the International Space Station, flying the new Crew Exploration Vehicle no later than 2014, returning astronauts to the moon by the end of the next decade, and sending human missions to Mars and beyond. For nearly 50 years, NASA has been leading the world in the development and usage of advanced program and project management. Additional information about NASA can be found at www.nasa.gov. Sources for this story: NASA press release on November 7, 2007 and NASA website
Japan's SELENE Satellite Reaches Moon - The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) announced on November 7 that the have successfully performed the world's first high-definition image taking by the lunar explorer "KAGUYA" (SELENE,), which was injected into a lunar orbit at an altitude of about 100 km on October 18, 2007, (JST).  The image shooting was carried out by the onboard high definition television (HDTV) of the KAGUYA, and it is the world's first high definition image data acquisition of the Moon from an altitude about 100 kilometers. The first shooting covered the northern area of the "Oceanus Procellarum" toward the center of the North Pole, the second was from the south to the north on the western side of the "Oceanus Procellarum." The moving image data acquired by the KAGUYA was received at the JAXA Usuda Deep Space Center, and processed by NHK. The satellite was confirmed to be in good health through telemetry data received at the Usuda station.  Moon Images Shot by the Onboard (1) North Pole Area - This is a still image taken out from the first moving image shooting when the KAGUYA flew from the northern area of the "Oceanus Procel larum" to the center of the North Pole. As the altitude near the North Pole is high, the angle of the coming sunlight was lower, thus the shade of the crater topography looks long in the image.
 (2) The western side of the "Oceanus Procellarum" - This is a still image taken out from the second moving image shooting when the KAGUYA flew from the south to the north on the western side of the "Oceanus Procellarum." The dark part on the right of the above image is the Ocean (Oceanus Procellarum,) and the light area on the left is called the "highland."  (3) The west side of the "Oceanus Procellarum" - This is a still image taken out from the end part of the second moving image taking. A crater called "Repsold," whose diameter is 107 km, can be seen at the center on the near side of this image. The channel that crosses this crater is called the "Repsold Valley," and its length is about 180 km (equivalent to the distance between Tokyo and Shizuoka on the Tokaido Line in Japan.) For more information, visit http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2007/11/20071107_kaguya_e.html
UN Environment Agency announces Two New Projects The United Nations Environment Programme has announced the launch of two new projects worth some $100 million in the tea and sugar industries designed to boost the use of clean energy and stimulate development in Africa. Both projects aim to develop new forms of local energy generation to help rural areas overcome poverty, cut dependency on imported and expensive fossil fuels, and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, UNEP said in a news release.  The Tea Initiative, which will deliver small-scale hydro-electric power to plantations across East Africa, is expected to reach over 8 million people in the tea industry. Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia are among the countries which have already endorsed the initiative. “Tea is known to be good for you; now it is also getting better for the environment,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. He also hailed the decision by some countries in East Africa to establish power purchase agreements, which are contracts that allow unconventional generators of electricity to sell surplus power back to the grid, saying it “has opened up a raft of new opportunities for cleaner and renewable energy generation.” In a separate but related initiative, a project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) will help farmers use waste from the sugar industry to generate electricity – a move UNEP said will fuel sustainable economic growth. The project aims to reach approximately 10 million sugar farmers and their dependants in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda and Tanzania. The sugar initiative builds on the successes achieved in Mauritius, where up to 40 per cent of the country’s electricity needs are met by waste by-products from the sugar industry, UNEP said. For more information on these projects, visit UNEP Source for this article: UN News Release, November 8, 2007
Early start for London's Olympics Stadium Reported by Miles Shepherd in London An ahead of schedule start to construction was announced by London's Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). Construction was planned to begin as the Beijing Olympics start but in an announcement made on 7 November, promised construction would begin several months early. According to the official website www.london2012.com, ODA Chairman John Armitt noted that rapid progress in clearing and cleaning the site has allowed the construction phase to start construction two to three months early. The stadium is also on budget, Armitt claimed.  ©ODA Media ReleaseThe unique 80,000 seat stadium will be the centre-piece for the 2012 Games hosting the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the athletics events, converting down to a 25,000 seat permanent stadium after the Games when it will become a new home for athletics, combined with other sporting, community and educational uses. The innovative new design features a sunken bowl built into the ground for the field of play and lower permanent seating, designed to bring spectators close to the action. More controversially, the roof will be cable supported and will stretch 28 metres the whole way around the Stadium, providing cover for only two thirds of spectators. However, a fabric curtain will wrap around the stadium structure, acting as additional protection and shelter for spectators while facilities such as catering and merchandising will be grouped into self-contained ‘pod’ structures, adding to the spectator experience around the access level of the Stadium. Armitt also highlighted the accessibility of the stadium which is close to the new Stratford International rail station. 'Together with the opening of St. Pancras yesterday (6 Nov), from where high speed Javelin trains will carry thousands of spectators to the Olympic Park in 2012, the project is very much on track.' This brings the centre of the Games to within two and a half hours of major European capital cities. Stressing the sustainable credentials of the London Games, Lord Coe – better known internationally as Olympic medalist (1500m and 800 m at both Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984) Sebastian Coe – noted ‘The stadium will stand for everything we talked about in the bid: it will be inspiring, innovative and sustainable – the theatre within which the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be played out and leaving behind top class sporting and community facilities after the Games.’  Artists impression of new Stadium ©ODA Media Release The ODA has announced that the stadium will be delivered for a budget of £496m, including inflation and VAT, in line with the budget announced by the Government in March. Two temporary bridges have been installed on the stadium area, which is largely an island site surrounded by waterways. These construction bridges will play a key role in minimising disruption to local residents by reducing the number of lorries on public roads and bridges. The stadium will be delivered by the Team Stadium Consortium consisting of construction contractor Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, designers HOK Sport Ltd and engineers Buro Happold Ltd, landscape architect HED and Planning Consultant Savills Hepher Dixon. Collectively, they have worked on a number of high profile and innovative projects including:
The strategy and the tactics for the Main Stadium design was welcomed by Paul Finch, chairman design review panel, who went on to support the principle of a temporary Olympic stadium. Finch also encouraged the design team to exploit and express the exciting design possibilities presented by the temporary nature of the structure and the wrap. Progress with work related to the construction seems to be progressing well. Other successes reported recently include demolition of the tallest remaining building on the Olympic Park site. The ODA is now almost half way through its demolition programme, having dismantled 106 of the buildings on the site. Similarly, more than 70 Km of cabling has been installed in the underground tunnels, leaving another 140 Km to follow. With strong stakeholder support behind them, the design and construction team seem well set to complete by their 2001 deadline, allowing time to fully test the stadium and related facilities.
Death of a Satellite Project reported by New York Times Reported by Larry Suda in New York According to a front page article in the New York Times on Sunday, November 11, a huge US government spy satellite project has been cancelled after falling behind schedule and running billions over budget.  Foundering since 2002, the project, called Future Imagery Architecture, was far behind schedule at that time and already projected to cost $2 billion to $3 billion more than planned. Because the review was “just months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and with the new satellites promising improved, more frequent images of foreign threats like terrorist training camps, nuclear weapons plants and enemy military maneuvers, they advised ….to seek an infusion of $700 million…” According to the Times article, “It took two more years, several more review panels and billions more dollars before the government finally killed the project — perhaps the most spectacular and expensive failure in the 50-year history of American spy satellite projects. The story behind that failure has remained largely hidden, like much of the workings of the nation’s intelligence establishment. But an investigation by The New York Times found that the collapse of the project, at a loss of at least $4 billion, was all but inevitable — the result of a troubled partnership between a government seeking to maintain the supremacy of its intelligence technology, but on a constrained budget, and a contractor all too willing to make promises it ultimately could not keep.” This might make a very good case study of a failed project and poor project management, if researchers could gain access to the project. The Times article can be seen at: In Death of Spy Satellite Program, Lofty Plans and Unrealistic Bids
NASA breaks ground for Constellation Program Test Flights With less than a year until flight tests of NASA's Constellation Program, work is under way on a launch pad that will host the first of those tests. Workers broke ground on a pad where the agency will test a launch abort system for the new Orion spacecraft at the U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range near Las Cruces, N.M  Orion's launch abort system will carry astronauts to safety in the event of a problem on the launch pad or during the spacecraft's climb to orbit. The first of five tests of the system, known as Pad Abort 1 or PA-1, is scheduled for fall 2008. Data from the series will help engineers refine the design of the launch abort system. "Flight tests are where the rubber meets the road. These tests will help validate our designs or correct any flaws," said Skip Hatfield, Orion Project Manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. "The goal here is simple: to provide our astronauts a route to safety should anything go wrong at a launch." The first launch abort test will include a mock-up of the Orion capsule on the pad. An abort motor will fire for two seconds, sending the boilerplate crew module to an altitude of one mile. Three 116-foot diameter parachutes will deploy to slow the mock crew capsule for landing. Constellation is developing the Orion spacecraft to send astronauts to the International Space Station and to the moon. Orion will be launched atop an Ares I rocket. The program is also developing a heavy-lift rocket, Ares V, to enable cargo missions to the moon. NASA plans to set up a lunar outpost by 2020, where astronauts will prepare for possible future missions to Mars and other destinations in the solar system.
 Created in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is America’s focal point for research, development and exploration of outer space. In 2005, the US President and Congress committed the United States to exploring the solar system and beyond: completing assembly of the International Space Station, flying the new Crew Exploration Vehicle no later than 2014, returning astronauts to the moon by the end of the next decade, and sending human missions to Mars and beyond. For nearly 50 years, NASA has been leading the world in the development and usage of advanced program and project management. Additional information about NASA can be found at www.nasa.gov. To learn more about NASA's space exploration plans, visit: www.nasa.gov/exploration Sources for this story: NASA press release on November 14, 2007 and NASA website
Australian IPY Project - Aliens in Antarctica! Reported by Brenda Treasure in Melborne, Australia Australia will lead eight scientific projects, co-lead three, and participate in 46 other international projects as part of the International Polar Year 2007-2008 program. One of the Australian projects, “Aliens in the Antarctica”, is set to get underway again with some most interesting and important objectives.  This project will assess the extent to which people unintentionally carry propagules (seeds, spores, eggs) of alien (non-native) species into the Antarctic region during the 2007-08 summer. All people traveling to the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands by ship and aircraft, will have their clothing and equipment checked for propagules. The project will help us understand the threat that alien propagules pose. It will also enable us to establish appropriate mitigation methods to combat this threat. As human travel continues to increase, the impact of the non-native (alien) species that they often accidentally carry with them on ecosystems across the globe is becoming one of the major environmental challenges of the 21st Century. The impact of these alien species ranges from minor transient introductions to substantial loss of biodiversity and ecosystem changes  The Antarctic is not immune from the risk of invasive species, although to date impacts have been restricted to the milder sub-Antarctic islands. But as parts of the continent warm, it will become easier for non-native species to gain a foothold. It is also now easier for humans (and their unintended living cargo) to travel to and around the Antarctic than it ever has been, and many more people are doing so. Focusing on the annual migration of scientists and tourists to the Antarctic in 2007, this project will take samples from clothing and equipment to provide a unique snapshot of the number of spores, seeds, invertebrates and eggs transported to the continent: the first time that an assessment of the extent of transfer of alien species into an entire biome has ever been made. This project addresses two inter-disciplinary areas of science. The first is ecosystem evolution through examination of potential sources of new (alien) species to the Antarctic. The second is science to support conservation and environmental management. Data and information gathered during this project will inform those specifically involved in the conservation and protection of the Antarctic region as well as elsewhere in the world. The impact of invasives is one of the major topics in conservation biology worldwide. This topic currently is of major interest to the CEP and endorsement from the CEP will be sought at its next meeting. Expected Outcomes of this project The significant advances of this project are that we will be able to assess the absolute size of the threat of alien propagule transfer to the Antarctic region through human activity. There will be four major deliverables in this project: 1) is the assessment of this threat across a wide range of national operators and tourist operators and transport modes 2) once the threat is established, appropriate mitigation methods can be established to combat the threat, thus a major conservation outcome will be delivered 3) The project will result in significant outreach across the elements of global community that has interests in the Antarctic, as many people will be involved in the project through the propagule collection component, and many undergraduate students will be involved in the propagule analysis component of the project 4) Scientific papers and presentations
 The project will be based around all intra-continental transport logistic modes (eg ship, planes, helicopters, yachts). Three main steps of the project are: (Step 1) Vacuuming of expeditioners’ outclothing and equipment for proagules; (Step 2) Examination of the vacummings for propagules; and (Step 3) Analyses of propagule data. The Project Leader is Dr Dana Bergstrom, Department of Envionment and Heritage, Australian Antarctic Divison, Kingston, Australia. Consortium members include the following organizations: Australian Government Antarctic Division (Australia); British Antarctic Survey (UK); Netherlands Institute of Ecology (Netherlands); Ecobia, CNFRA, University of Rennes (France); University of Stellenbosch (South Africa); Data Analysis Ecoology (Netherlands); National Netherlands Herbarium (Netherlands); and French Polar Institute (France). For more information about Australia’s participation in IPY 2007-2009, visit http://ipy.antarctica.gov.au/. During the International Polar Year (IPY) science agencies from countries interested in the Earth's polar regions—both Arctic and Antarctic—will coordinate their scientific research and observations. From 1 March 2007 to 1 March 2009 the IPY will involve over 200 projects, with thousands of scientists from over 60 nations examining a wide range of physical, biological and social research topics. The IPY will explore new scientific frontiers, deepen our understanding of polar processes and their links to global processes, increase our ability to detect changes, attract and develop the next generation of polar scientists, engineers and logistic experts, and capture the imagination of the global community.  Collaborators will start intensive short-term projects, expand existing polar research and develop infrastructure to support future polar research in six major themes: (1) determine the present environmental status of polar regions; (2) quantify and understand change in the polar regions; (3) advance our understanding of connections between the poles and the rest of the globe; (4) investigate the frontiers of science in the polar regions; (5) use the unique vantage point of the polar regions to investigate from the Earth's inner core to the Sun and the cosmos beyond; and (6) investigate the cultural, historical, and social processes of circumpolar human societies. For more information about IPY 2007-2008, visit http://www.ipy.org/. Sources for this story: IPY and Australian IPY websites.
Tony Blair Unveils Projects aimed to Boost Palestinian Economy Reported by Miles Shepherd in London, UK  According to the World Bank, Tony Blair, in his new role as Middle East envoy, unveiled a package of measures Monday, 19 November designed to aid the moribund Palestinian economy and inject fresh momentum into Israeli Palestinian peace talks. The former British prime minister (pictured) said the four development projects outlined yesterday had been the subject of debate for some time, and that their significance should not be exaggerated. ..." [The Financial Times (UK)] AP noted that "... Blair announced the projects at a joint news conference with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. ... The projects -- some already in the pipeline for months -- are an emergency Gaza sewage treatment plant; a Turkish-sponsored industrial park in the southern West Bank; an agroindustrial park in the West Bank town of Jericho; and cooperation on reviving the Palestinian tourism sector, with a focus on the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Jesus' traditional birthplace. The four programs, whose price tag wasn't given, could create thousands of jobs for Palestinians, Blair said. And other proposed plans to build recreational facilities and build housing could generate tens of thousands more, he added. ..." [The Associated Press/Factiva] Reuters reported that "... Work could now begin, Blair told a news conference, on creating industrial and commercial zones in the West Bank cities of Jericho and Hebron, largely funded by Japan and Turkey respectively, and improving tourist access and facilities at Bethlehem, the Christian pilgrimage site near Jerusalem. ... Blair said some sewage would run in new pipes from January and by June 200,000 of Gaza's 1.5 million people would benefit. ..." [Reuters/Factiva] The Daily Telegraph noted "... The timing of yesterday's announcement was crucial as it was intended to build momentum for next week's Israeli-Palestinian peace meeting at Annapolis, Maryland, by showing that economic progress was being made. But Palestinian investors - the people whose participation will decide ultimately whether the zones are a success - were disappointed after Blair's announcement as he failed to provide any of the security guarantees that they were seeking. Industrial zones have been tried before several times in the occupied territories to try to stimulate employment but they have always failed because of Israel's reaction to threats to its security. ..." [The Daily Telegraph (UK)/Factiva] Source: World Bank Press Review, November 20, 2007. Shuttle Atlantis preparing for December 6 Launch to deliver European Laboratory to the International Space Station  NASA’s Space Shuttle Program completed its review for the Atlantis STS-122 Mission on November 13, and the International Space Station Program will hold its readiness review on November 27. The November 30 readiness review included the selection of an official launch date for the assembly mission that will deliver the European Space Agency Columbus Laboratory to the space station. The current targeted launch time is 4:31 p.m. EST on December 6, 2007. November 30 Briefing were: Bill Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator for Space Operations Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle Program Manager Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program Manager Doug Lyons, STS-122 Launch Director Atlantis’ STS-122 mission will deliver the Columbus Laboratory, a 23-by-15-feet research laboratory and the future center of the European Space Agency’s activities in space. It will be followed over the next two missions by components of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s module, called Kibo. But for now the focus is on Europe. In addition to the Columbus module itself, Atlantis will deliver experiments to be performed in orbit and two astronauts to perform them – one to visit and one to stay.  A veteran space flier, Navy Cmdr. Stephen N. Frick, will command the STS-122 shuttle mission. Navy Cmdr. Alan G. Poindexter will serve as pilot. Mission specialists include Air Force Col. Rex J. Walheim, Stanley G. Love, Leland D. Melvin and European Space Agency astronaut Hans Schlegel. Poindexter, Love and Melvin will be making their first spaceflight. Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Daniel Tani, who is aboard the International Space Station, will return home with the STS-122 crew. STS-122 will deliver European Space Agency astronaut Léopold Eyharts to the complex. The space shuttle is one of the most complex machines ever built. The shuttle’s capacity enables humans today to build the world’s largest orbiting laboratory, paving the way back to the moon, on to Mars and further into the universe. For more information about NASA’s space shuttle program and the STS-122 mission, including images and interviews with the crew, visit: www.nasa.gov/shuttle.  Created in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is America’s focal point for research, development and exploration of outer space. In 2005, the US President and Congress committed the United States to exploring the solar system and beyond: completing assembly of the International Space Station, returning astronauts to the moon, and sending human missions to Mars and beyond. For nearly 50 years, NASA has been leading the world in the development and usage of advanced program and project management. Additional information about NASA can be found at www.nasa.gov.
Mali to Get Sweetness, Power and Fuel from Sugar  Illovo Sugar, a major South African sugar company, signed a deal with the government of Mali to invest in a R1,4bn ($200m) integrated project (sugar, ethanol, power). This covers everything from long-term labour relations, shift systems and the legality of foreign workers, to repatriation of dividends, set prices for ethanol and electricity, and the incorporation of ethanol into the country's fuel. A 200 000 ton per annum sugar mill, an ethanol plant and an electricity co-generation facility (4 Megawatt into the national grid) will be constructed, over and above Illovo’s management of a 14 000 hectare cane-growing operation on behalf of government and the local community. This is not dissimilar to an existing operation they have in Zambia, says Illovo MD Don MacLeod.  When the dry cane stalks (bagasse) and leaves are harvested and burnt in huge boilers, power is produced. Unlike the production of biodiesel - which has the potential to drive up world food prices because it diverts food to fuel - the production of ethanol is not expected to drive sugar prices higher. That is because ethanol is produced from molasses, a non sucrose byproduct. Mali is a landlocked nation in Western Africa and the seventh largest country in Africa. It borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its borders on the north stretch into the centre of the Sahara, while the country's south, where the majority of inhabitants live, features the Niger and Senegal rivers.
World Bank & Global Environment Facility  The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors have approved a new International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loan of 50 million Euros and Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant of US$5.5 million to Romania for the Integrated Nutrient Pollution Control Project. The project supports Romania’s commitments to meet EU environmental standards through an integrated program demonstrating links with other environmental investments, especially sanitation and waste management, and will help reduce nutrient discharges into water bodies. “The Project supports integration of rural environment investments at the local level to promote better health outcomes and improved quality of life,” said Karin Shepardson, head of the Bank task team for the project. “Its design has been adapted to support Romania in meeting its EU commitments as a New Member State, and both complements and promotes use of EU grant funds for environment and rural development investments.” After EU accession, the projected cost for Romania’s compliance with the environment acquis was estimated at Euro 17 billion over a period of 11 years – the highest of any accession country. The most significant efforts will be required in the water sector, where agreements with the EU for improved water management include addressing nitrate pollution from agricultural sources. The combination of underdeveloped sanitation, poor livestock management, and a large number of small farms results in significant nitrate and microbial contamination of shallow groundwater – the main source of potable water in rural areas.  The Project builds from a successful pilot in Calarasi County financed with earlier GEF support and several ongoing IBRD programs for rural development and agriculture. Successful elements have been scaled-up and complemented by actions to strengthen institutional and regulatory capacity for its integration into national programs. Contributions from the GEF are part of the Black Sea-Danube Strategic Partnership Investment Facility managed by the World Bank. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is an international financial mechanism with 177 member countries that addresses global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives. GEF grants support projects in developing countries related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer and persistent organic pollutants. Since its inception in 1991, GEF has provided $6.2 billion in grants and leveraged $20 billion in co-financing for over 1,800 projects in over 150 countries. For more information on the World Bank’s work in Romania,
Media City Project underway in Salford, UK  Project management, design and construction company Bovis Lend Lease UK Limited has announced that it has signed a £351 million (approximately A$800 million) contract to develop the landmark 37-acre site at the heart of Media City in Salford, in the UK. According to a press release by the company on 9 November, Bovis Lend Lease has been appointed as Management Contractor for this unique scheme sited alongside the Manchester Ship Canal. The first phase of Media City will cover almost 40 acres, with the full development covering up to 200 acres. It will be home to scores of industries linked to broadcasting and the media industry. BBC, the UK’s leading broadcast and media company and the anchor tenant on Peel Property Group’s prestigious Media City UK scheme, has apparently signed the lease agreement for three landmark buildings following several months of final negotiations. Murray Coleman, CEO of Bovis Lend Lease UK, said: “We are delighted to be appointed to this scheme which will be a flagship project not only in the UK but throughout the world. Our vision for our business is to be the number one choice for our clients and supply chain, and this project builds on our continuing successful long term relationship with Peel Holdings. We are very proud to be involved in Media City.”  Media City is a mixed use development that includes a variety of building types and uses including commercial, retail, performing studios, hotels and production offices as well as a grand piazza twice the size of London’s Trafalgar Square. This scheme represents Bovis Lend Lease UK’s 25th contract with Peel since the successful completion of the Trafford Centre in 1998. All of these schemes have been negotiated on a Management Contract basis. Media City UK has been developed by a partnership of Peel Holdings Ltd, the Northwest Regional Development Agency, Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company and Salford City Council, all based in the UK. France to bankroll Viet Nam rail project The French government has given Viet Nam a preferential loan worth 280 million euros (US$420 million), the biggest of its kind bankrolled by France, to partly implement an urban railway route project in Ha Noi. The loan agreement was signed on November 22, 2007 by the project’s management board and France’s International Consulting Engineers for Rail and Urban Transport (Systra) in Ha Noi. Of the total loan, the French Government gave 200 million euros, and the French Development Agency (AFD) sponsored 80 million euros. The Vietnamese Government provided the counterpart capital of 178 million euros, to realise the project, whose total investment capital amounted to 458 million euros. AFD also donated a non-refundable loan worth 500,000 euros to refurbish the capacity and organisational structure of the project’s management board as well as a 1.27 million euros non-refundable goodwill loan to protect the environment during project implementation.  At the ceremony in Ha Noi, Hervé Novelli (pictured), French Secretary of State for Enterprises and Foreign Trade, who was in Viet Nam for the two day France-ASEAN Counsellor Forum, said that the fund was proof of the French Government’s commitment to further support Viet Nam and strengthen relations between the two nations. The project includes construction design and supervision, equipment supply, installation and project management. The 12.5km route from suburban Nhon to the downtown Ha Noi station will have a 9.6km elevated section, and the remaining 2.9km will run underground. It will also have 15 stations and a 15ha maintenance centre in Tu Liem District. When completed in 2010, the route will be able to transport 9,000 passengers per hour, helping to ease the traffic congestion in Ha Noi. La France finance un projet ferroviaire au Vietnam Le gouvernement français a offert un prêt préférentiel au Vietnam d’une valeur de 280 millions d’euros, le plus important de ce type jamais financé par la France, pour construire une partie du réseau ferroviaire urbain d’Hanoi. L’accord de prêt a été signé dans la capitale vietnamienne le 22 novembre 2007 par le HRB, cellule de management de projet de la mairie de Hanoi chargée de mener la réalisation du projet, et SYSTRA, une ingénierie de transport urbain française. Sur le montant total du prêt, le gouvernement français donne 20 millions d’euros, et l’Agence de Développement Française (AFD) sponsorise 80 millions d’euros. Le gouvernement vietnamien fourni en contrepartie un capital de 178 millions d’euros pour réaliser le projet ; soit un capital total investi de 458 millions d’euros. L’AFD fourni aussi un prêt non remboursable de 500 000 euros pour améliorer la compétence et la structure organisationnelle de la cellule de management de projet ainsi que 1,27 millions d’euros de prêt non remboursable pour la protection de l’environnement durant la réalisation du projet. Lors de la cérémonie à Hanoi, Hervé Novelli (pictured), (en photo ci-contre), Secrétaire d’Etat chargé des entreprises et du commerce extérieur, qui était 2 jours au Vietnam pour le Forum de l'Association des Etats de l'Asie du Sud Est (ASEAN), a déclaré que ce fond était la preuve de la volonté du gouvernement français de soutenir plus encore le Vietnam et de renforcer les relations entre les deux nations. Le projet inclus les études de construction, et la supervision, la fourniture d’équipements, l’installation et le management du projet. Les 12,5km de rails depuis la banlieue de Nhon jusqu’à la station du centre ville de Hanoi comprendront des sections élevées de 9,6km, et les 2,9km restants seront sous-terrains. Il y aura aussi 15 stations, et 15 ha de centre de maintenance dans le district de Tu Liem. Une fois fini, en 2010, le réseau sera capable de transporter 9 000 passagers par heure, facilitant ainsi la congestion du trafic à Hanoi. UN Project helps Earthquake survivors in Peru  The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is carrying out a project to help some 80,000 people in Peru affected by a massive earthquake that caused widespread death and destruction there in August. The quake affected some 370,000 residents in the central coast of the country, exacerbating conditions caused by months of low temperatures which had resulted in loss of crops, cattle and other means of subsistence. The $7 million, nine-month operation aims to prevent a deterioration of the nutritional status of the victims, especially children up to two years of age, women and the elderly. It also has a food-for-work component that will help affected residents reconstruct their homes and productive infrastructure, WFP said in a news release.  “Although many people continue to face precarious living and working conditions, food assistance is arriving for those who need it most,” said Guy Gauvreau, WFP's Representative in Peru. In the first hours after the earthquake, WFP began an immediate response operation which provided some $500,000 worth of assistance in the first two months to 25,000 people. The new effort is funded by donors as well as the UN's own Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which was set up to close the resource gap that can hamper emergency relief efforts in their early stages.
Undersea Cable Project to Link East Africa & Europe A consortium of companies planning an undersea cable linking eastern Africa with Europe on Monday, November 26, 2007 announced that it has won the funding needed to start construction, a move organizers said will bring eastern Africa affordable and reliable telecommunications for the first time.  Five development finance institutions agreed to loan the consortium a total of $70.7 million. The East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy) has been working on the $235 million fiber-optic cable project for five years, said Lars Thunell, the Executive Vice President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector lending arm of the World Bank. ..." [The Associated Press/Factiva] Xinhua noted that "...Some 11 state telecommunication companies across Africa are each contributing between $10 million and $30 million alongside 25 private telecommunication firms which are each contributing between 2.5 million and 7.5 million dollars, [Chair of the EASSy Consortium, Sammy] Kirui said.  The EASSy project will cover 21 states in eastern and southern Africa, linking a combined population of 250 million and covering 10,000 km. The backhaul bit of the project will link the landlocked states in the region, from South Africa to Somalia. ..." [Xinhua/Factiva] "Construction work will start in mid-December and the cable is expected to be ready for commissioning in the first quarter of 2009, added Kirui, also managing director state-owned Telkom Kenya. The EASSy project had been delayed over disagreements between member nations over its financing, access and management. ..." [Agence France Presse/Factiva] Reuters reported that "...Among the countries in the project are Kenya, Rwanda, Lesotho, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and South Africa. Others include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Zambia. Landlocked countries will access the cable through terrestrial fiber optic networks connected to six landing points along the coast. The cable is meant to help reduce internet connection costs, which the IFC says cost consumers on Africa's East Coast between $200 and $300 a month. Source: World Bank press review, November 27, 2007.
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