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Systemic causes for the worldwide increases in food prices continue to be the subject of debate.

Systemic causes for the worldwide increases in food prices continue to be the subject of debate. Initial causes of the late 2006 price rises included unseasonable droughts in grain producing nations and rising oil prices. Oil prices further heightened the costs of fertilizers, food transport, and industrial agriculture. Other causes of the food crisis may be the increasing use of biofuels in developed countries, and an increasing demand for a more varied diet, meat in particular, across the expanding middle-class populations of Asia. These factors, coupled with falling world food stockpiles have all contributed to the dramatic worldwide rise in food prices. Long-term causes of the food crisis remain a topic of debate. These may include structural changes in trade and agricultural production, agricultural price supports and subsidies in developed nations, diversions of food commodities to high input foods and fuel, commodity market speculation, and climate change.

136%, maize by 125% and soybeans by 107%. In late April 2008, rice prices hit 24

The Russian energy strategy of 2003 set a policy priority for reduction in natural gas based power supply, aiming to achieve this through a doubling of nuclear power generation by 2020. In 2006 the Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom) announced targets for future nuclear power generation; providing 23% of electricity needs by 2020 and 25% by 2030.[1]

Russia has made plans to increase the number of reactors in operation from 31 to 59. Old reactors will be maintained and upgraded, including RBMK units similar to the reactors at Chernobyl. China and Russia agreed on further cooperation in the construction of nuclear power stations in October 2005.

The Russian government plans to allocate 127 billion rubles ($5.42 billion) to a federal program dedicated to the next generation of nuclear energy technology. About 1 trillion rubles ($42.7 billion) is to be allocated from the federal budget to nuclear power and industry development before 2015.[1]

ussian rescue teams were involved in clearing the debris after the earthquake. They are returning home now. We have increased supplies of fuel and have delivered humanitarian supplies. Many ordinary Russians are ready to help the Japanese people: they are collecting humanitarian aid and have offered to host the individuals who have lost their homes. I think that is a normal human response.

Additional requirements should probably be introduced, as well as restrictions for the construction of nuclear power plants in high-risk seismic zones.

It is probably more expedient to build new nuclear power plants, with cutting edge safety mechanisms, than to extend the lifetime of old ones.

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government taking on the role of employer of last resort.

do more to educate the whole work force

Lebanon joined the 15-member consensus required to pass a presidential statement, but then “disassociated” itself from the result. The statement “does not help in addressing the current situation,” said Caroline Ziade, Lebanon’s deputy permanent representative, in a widely anticipated move given that Syria has held sway over the Lebanese government for decades.

Although the statement also called for halting attacks against state institutions, a step demanded by various countries including Brazil and India, diplomats said the statement also increased pressure on the Syrian government to stop deploying tanks against its citizens.