New air quality regulations under consideration in China
3 July 2009 - China is considering new air quality regulations as it looks to build on its success clearing Beijing's skies during the Olympics, environmental officials from the capital said on Friday. In the year since the Games the capital has enjoyed extended periods in which the skies have appeared their cleanest for years and officials say they are still pushing for further improvements even without the scrutiny brought by the Games. (more)

Orders to US factories rise more than expected in May
3 July 2009 - Orders to US factories jumped in May by the largest amount in nearly a year, another sign that the nosedive in manufacturing is nearing an end. The Commerce Department said Thursday that total orders rose 1.2 per cent in May, better than the 0.8 per cent increase that economists had expected. The May increase was the best showing since a 2.1 per cent rise last June. The back-to-back increases in April and May were the first consecutive gains in nearly a year. (more)

Russia's President says US and Russia must put aside differences
3 July 2009 - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday Washington and Moscow must set aside the power politics of the past and use a forthcoming summit to unite in tackling global economic and political problems. President Barack Obama's first visit to Moscow next week is expected to demonstrate the first fruits of his and Medvedev's attempts to 'reset' thorny relations, which reached post-Cold War lows under the previous US administration. (more)

Russian gambling halls shut down in most cities
3 July 2009 - One of the glitziest symbols of cash-splashing Russians vanished from Russia's cityscapes Wednesday as a law banning casinos, slot-machine parlours, and betting halls outside four remote regions of the country came into effect. The gambling law confines gambling to four special zones in far-flung regions of Russia, most thousands of miles away from Moscow. The industry is seen by officials as a breeding ground for corruption and organized crime. (more)

Say no to vodka, President tells Russians
3 July 2009 - President Dmitry Medvedev has told Russians they must kick the alcohol habit. Health Minister Tatyana Golikova has been ordered to devise an anti-alcohol strategy. The Russian government is also trying to wean Russians off gambling. From Wednesday, all gambling halls and casinos will shut and gaming will be allowed only in Las Vegas-style zones in four rarely visited regions of the country. (more)

US: Future for plug-in cars linked to electric utilities
3 July 2009 - Under pressure to deliver sharply higher fuel economy in coming years, US automakers are deepening ties with electric utilities as rechargeable cars move from the drawing board and head toward the dealership. Both the embattled auto industry and the utilities are retooling and both industries have a stake in the success of the growing effort to deliver electric-powered vehicles to US consumers. Such plug-in and pure electric vehicles are projected to play a key role in allowing automakers to meet an aggressive US fuel-economy target for 35 miles to the gallon for passenger cars by 2016. (more)

US: Wall Street dealmakers launches green tech boutique
3 July 2009 - Former top UBS AG investment banker Jeffrey McDermott and several other Wall Street veterans have launched a boutique advisory firm focused on alternative energy and 'cleantech' companies. The formation of Greentech Capital Advisors LLC represents two of the biggest trends in financial services these days. (more)