North Korea to produce electricity from rice husk.

.

PYONGYANG, February 18 (Itar-Tass) -- North Korea has designed a
facility to produce electricity from rice husk, popular Pyongyang Sinmun
newspaper reported on Friday saying scientists of the Heat Technology
Research Institute "brilliantly coped" with the assignment of Kim Jong Il.
The newspaper said the Institute designed a gas-generating system that
is fit for fuel qualities of rice husk, which the country has in
abundance. It comprises a gas-generating furnace, cooling and filtration
systems, and other "simple devices" to produce electricity. Flammable gas
is produced due to thermal processing of husk and is then fired to rotate
a turbine.
The facility burns 100 kilograms of husk in an hour and can produce 50
kW of electricity.
The scientists "by their valuable achievements have contributed to
increased production and living standards of the people and set a major
goal for themselves to introduce the new rice husk gas-fired electricity
generating systems across the whole country," the newspaper said.
Experts believe the invention is of major significance for North Korea
that experiences a sharp shortage of electricity.

.FISU delighted with Kazan preparations for Universiade-2013.

KAZAN, February 18 (Itar-Tass) -- First Vice-President of the
International University Sport Federation (FISU) Claude-Louis Gallien
highly assessed the readiness of Kazan to host the Summer Universiade in
2013.
"I'm delighted with what I saw here and I admire not only the venues
but the people that are involved in preparation of the Universiade. I
think that the Russian national team is lucky to have Kazan because the
2013 Summer Universiade leaves such a rich legacy," Gallien said on
Thursday.
"The level of readiness for Universiade-2013 can be assessed as very
high," he added.
Gallien visited Kazan with FISU Director for Educational Services and
Development Kole Gjeloshaj and met Tatarstan's President Rustam
Minnikhanov to discuss the creation of the FISU International Education
Center in Kazan.
Gallien said Tatarstan's capital city was chosen to host the center as
"Kazan provided the best terms for it" and has a good geographical
location between Europe and Asia.
"FISU International Education Centre in Kazan will be open to students
from all over the World," Gallien said adding the Centre acts as a magnet
for a wide range of students thanks to not only its well-developed sports
infrastructure but also a high level of education that in the long term
will be available online.
The FISU representatives started their visit with a tour around the
2013 venues. Gallien and Gjeloshaj visited the Ak Bars Wrestling Palace
and the Olymp Sports Complex. Their next stop was the Universiade Village,
key venue of the World University Summer Games in Kazan which is to host
over 13,000 athletes and delegates during the Games.
Universiade Village Mayor Farid Abdulganiev took the guests on a
walking tour around the unique student campus and showed them the rooms
where students of Kazan Federal University reside and also special
premises such as an ice generator room, video hall, Internet room and
medical station.
Gallien and Gjeloshaj studied the miniature model of the Universiade
Village and the Universiade Kremlin and learned about the full operation
of the Universiade Village during the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan.
Besides, they visited the construction site of the research laboratory
building of the Volga Region Academy of Physical Culture, Sports and
Tourism, the Burevestnik swimming pool, Tennis Academy and attended the
Kazan 2013 volunteers workshop.

.Georgia says no US request for missile shield radar.

WASHINGTON, February 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Georgia's Foreign Minister
Grigol Vashadze who met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday
said he had not received any official request to deploy a missile shield
radar in his country.
"There was no official request to us," he told Tass on Thursday.
"I hope you do not expect me to tell you what the (Obama)
administration thinks about it. As for Georgia, we stand for any
cooperation with the United States, including in the military sphere.
There was no official request to us. We shall talk when it comes," he
specified.
Vashadze said major developments are in store for US-Georgian
relations this year, but did not elaborate.
A group of US Senators has recently called on the Pentagon to deploy
the missile shield radar against Iran not in Turkey, but in Georgia as it
has a better geographical location.
So far there was no reaction from the US administration.
As for the next round of talks with Russia on Abkhazia and South
Ossetia due in Geneva next month, Vashadze said he did not expect any
major progress.
"Unfortunately, I do not expect anything specific from that round of
talks," he said, adding Russia would continue to insist that Georgia signs
agreements on the non-use of force with the two former provinces which
declared independence after the 2008 aggression. Instead Georgia wants to
negotiate non-use of force with Russia rather than with the two newly
independent countries.
"Georgia has exhausted the possibility to advance any initiatives. On
November 23 we have taken on a legal obligation in the European parliament
not to use force. Now Moscow has to take the same international legal
obligation," he said.
As for talks with Clinton, the minister said he discussed bilateral
cooperation, stability and security in the Caucasus, as well as
interaction in the NATO framework and cooperation in Afghanistan.
-0-nec


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