The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is hosting today's Vienna meeting between Russia, France, the U.S, and Iran, which will attempt to finalise an agreement on sending Iranian uranium abroad for enrichment.  Iran says it will enrich the uranium itself, if talks fail.  Nuclear talks have uncovered differing opinions on sanctions for Iran from Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev.  Russia-U.S. talks on a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START 1) are being held today in Geneva, with Medvedev saying that he aims to complete negotiations by December.  Russia, Venezuela and Iran have proposed replacing the dollar as the currency for oil transactions.  Russian oil major Lukoil says its partner ConocoPhillips has no plans to sell its stake.  Nigerian and Serbian companies have both announced new joint ventures with Gazprom.  Alexander Lebedev's Timan Oil and ...

TODAY: EU Russia-Georgia report out! Tilted towards blame on Georgia; Russia claims vindication on who started it issue; denies report's accusations of Moscow violating international laws; PR machines crank up on both sides.  PACE to vote today on rights; Yushchenko says he will meet Medvedev despite recent freeze in relations; Medvedev to ditch Putin's wordsmith? 'Open hostilities began with a large-scale Georgian military operation against the town of Tskhinvali and the surrounding areas, launched in the night of 7 to 8 August 2008' - the Telegraph quotes the EU report which suggests the blame for starting the war lies with Georgia, whose actions in South Ossetia were unjustifiable under international law.  Reuters argues the report is 'likely ...

TODAY:  Drug use nightmare for Russia; Medvedev calls for US support.  START talks to restart; tanks for Chavez.  Possible loan to Ukraine whilst relations remain chilly.  Black September anniversary; Scott Anderson interview.  Russia denies arms in Arctic Sea; infrastructure shortcomings scrutinized.  Russia is the world's biggest consumer of Afghan heroin, says President Medvedev, which 'is a threat to the country's national security' and 'a serious challenge to the health of the nation', which is already fighting demographic decline.  The President is calling on US troops to help curb the wave of drugs leaving the war-torn country.  Sergei Lavrov has said that isolating North Korea must be avoided and resumption of six party talks prioritized.  Lavrov has also objected to claims ...

Major energy companies are lined up to lock deals and land big profits with India’s new nuclear trade. India was out of the global nuclear loop for over 30 years, until now.

Jason Simpkins of Money Morning says that “…some analysts estimate that India’s nuclear energy sector could be worth as much as $200 billion.”

Here he shows us what majors are lined up for the deal:

India launched its first nuclear test in 1974, but the country refused to sign the global Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). As a result, the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) banned India from global nuclear trade.

That ban was lifted last September when Washington pushed through a “waiver” that freed India from 34 years of sanctions.

Critics of the deal worry that by lifting the trade

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The price of crude oil has fallen to a seven month low. A new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency says that Iran has substantially improved its nuclear enrichment facilities whilst continuing to stall a UN investigation. France's Total is in talks with state-run Kazakh oil producer KazMunaiGaz over Eni’s position as operator of the Kashagan field. The economic crisis is having a particularly damaging effect on the renewable energy sector.

Uranium Hunter Corporation is a natural resource company devoted to the exploration and development of deposits of uranium in East Africa. The company has acquired properties in Tanzania that further enhances their position to become an established leader within the renewable energy industry.

Around the world nuclear energy is becoming a core issue for many countries. Currently, 30 countries representing two-thirds of the world’s population use some 442 nuclear reactors to produce 16% of global electricity. Expansion of nuclear energy is underway in some countries already like China and India, who have plans to quadruple their nuclear capacity by 2020.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has significantly increased their projection of world nuclear generating capacity, and they now anticipate at least 60 new plants to be built in the next 15 years. East Africa and Asia are two regions

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