Abu Dhabi to launch new building rules next year

The Abu Dhabi government will train representatives of construction industry on new building rules to be enforced in the emirate next year.

The Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA) has started workshops that will run till November. Experts from International Code Council (ICC) will conduct the sessions.

"The new building codes warrant largest training of its kind to take place in the UAE," said Ahmed Shareef, under-secretary of DMA and member of Abu Dhabi Building Codes Higher Council.

Shareef added: "We are working hard with all stakeholders to identify their roles and responsibilities in adopting and implementing new codes.

"The workshops will bring world-class standards and practices to the emirate of Abu Dhabi and will help us achieve a sustainable environment and the Emirate's 2030 vision at large."

NMDC's steel plant to be ready by 2012

Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh announced Tuesday that India's top iron ore producer NMDC Ltd would complete construction work for its integrated three million tonne steel unit in Chhattisgarh by 2012.

The minister, along with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, had visited the proposed plant site at Nagarnar, some 300 km from Raipur, in the state's restive but impoverished Bastar district Tuesday and inaugurated a DAV Residential Public School and DAV Industrial Training Centre.

The construction work for Rs. 15,000 crore plant is expected to begin by November or December this year.

"The construction work for the plant is to be completed on scheduled time by 2012 and the prime minister will be urged to dedicate the plant to the nation," Virbhadra Singh said at the function, according to an official statement.

The release added that land acquisition for the plant has been completed, and the unit will provide direct and indirect employment to about 20,000 people.

Lesbian vying Katy to kiss her

London: Just two months away from her wedding to comedian Russell Brand, singer Katy Perry gatecrashed a lesbian party full of 400 Australian women, with some vying to kiss her.

Many excited clubbers lined up to lock lips with the "I Kissed A Girl" singer, reports the sun.co.uk.

"Katy didn't mind being recognised. She was so sweet. Girls were pretty much lining up to meet or kiss her. I went to tongue kiss her and she said 'I won't be doing this in a few weeks after I'm married, unless of course Russell is watching!' She was just a lot of fun," said Muffy Reagan, a party goer.

Party organiser Lia Tilson, added: "Katy proved herself to be very down to earth and gay-friendly, dancing on stage and getting up close and personal with lots of local lesbians."

Women will distribute power bills

New Delhi: In a unique initiative, a private power company has decided to deploy women as bill distributors in its central and east Delhi area of operations. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit flagged off the first batch of 28 of them Monday.

The BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) said 150 women will be deployed as bill distributors in the two areas, adding that 150 women meter readers will also be subsequently deployed.

The company's initiative is designed to empower women, mainly from the economically weaker sections, BYPL CEO Ramesh Narayanan said.

"The initiative is also to improve field level customer engagement and sensitivity, increase efficiency besides increased understanding," he said.

Dikshit said: "Engaging women from the economically weaker sections for distributing electricity bills will go a long way in empowering them. It will help bring about a change in the attitudes and mindsets of people."

A BYPL spokesperson said that the women bill distributors will have their own identity and will don a special orange-coloured jacket with BSES logo. They will also carry a photo identity card for easy identification.

Being feminist help me have successful relationships

London: Singer Beyonce Knowles has revealed that her feminist values have helped her have successful relationships with men.

The "Halo" singer - who is married to hip-hop superstar Jay-Z - says she's always had good friendships with females and thinks that has played a big part in her never falling for the wrong type of man, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I think I am a feminist in a way. It's not something I consciously decided I was going to be; perhaps it's because I grew up in a singing group with other women, and that was so helpful to me. It kept me out of so much trouble and out of bad relationships," she said.

"My friendships with my girls are just so much a part of me that there are things I am never going to do that would upset that bond. I never want to betray that friendship because I love being a woman and I love being a friend to other women. I think we learn a lot from our female friends - female friendship is very, very important," she added.

August is Kelly Brook's 'naked' month

Brook recently made headlines for her topless photoshoot for Playboy magazine and has also stripped for the movie "Piranha 3-D", and says she is readily embracing the idea of going nude, reports thesun.co.uk.

"Playboy is something that I always wanted to do but I wanted to make sure it was the right time, the right concept and everything. Having this movie coming out where I get to make out underwater with a porn star naked, I just thought, 'Why not just embrace it and make this month my naked month where everything I do is naked?'" she said.

Brook also recently wore a scandalous red and black gown with a plunging neckline, leaving little for imagination.

Re.1 subsidy on diesel in WB

Kolkata, Aug 16 (IANS) The West Bengal government Monday declared a further subsidy of Re.1 on a litre of diesel meant for buses, mini buses and taxis.
Making the announcement at the state secretariat here, Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said the subsidy would entail an annual cost of Rs.280 crore.

Following persistent demands from the operators to raise bus and taxi fares, the state government last month announced a subsidy of Re.1 per litre on diesel used for public transport. But the operators felt the relief was inadequate.

The central government has hiked the price of diesel by Rs.2 a litre.