Soyuz swaps parking spot on ISS.

MOSCOW, July 3 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying
half of the International Space Station crew has re-docked after a brief
25-minute flight overnight to swap the parking post.

The Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft moved from docking port of Zvezda module
on the space station's aft to a berth on its bottom, linking the
spacecraft to the Earth-facing Pirs compartment. Zvezda will be used to
accommodate Progress cargo spaceship due to launch from Baikonur on July
24.
Crew Commander Gennady Padalka manually re-docked the spacecraft. "The
re-docking from Zvezda to Pirs compartment went normally," spokesman of
the Russian mission control center told Tass.
Besides Russia's Padalka, NASA astronaut Michael Barratt and Japanese
astronaut Koichi Wakata were onboard Soyuz.

.Russia to stop producing incandescent bulbs.

ARKHANGELSK, July 3 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia plans to ban the production
and sales of powerful incandescent bulbs in 2011, according to Economic
Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina, who will chair the task force for
energy efficiency.
She said on Thursday incandescent bulbs above 100 Wt would no longer
be produced, which will save from 10 to 20 percent of electricity.
To encourage energy saving Russia plans to introduce easy taxation,
depreciation benefits and reimburse credit interest for energy efficient
projects.
A corresponding law bill is being drafted and Nabiullina hopes it will
be passed in autumn at the latest.
"The basic norms of the law bill are expected to come into force from
January 1, 2010," she said.
President Dmitry Medvedev said "tough decisions and tough
recommendations" will be necessary to promote energy efficiency.
"In some cases we shall resort to bans, for example, ban incandescent
bulbs. It is a revolutionary measure to control incandescent turnover," he
said.
"Today it seems difficult, however leaders of major regions and
industrial enterprises should know that all energy saving requirements
will be included into standards and they will bear responsibility,
including material, for violations," the president warned.

.Russia, Azerbaijan to compromise on border river.

BAKU, July 3 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia and Azerbaijan are ready to
compromise on the use of the water from the Samur River on the border
between the two countries.
"This is envisaged in the Joint statement of the presidents of the two
countries on the basic principles of the completion of the border
delimitation and distribution of water resources of the Samur River signed
during the visit of the head of Russian state Dmitry Medvedev to Baku,"
Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vladimir Dorokhin said on Thursday.
"Acceptable solutions regarding the Samur River are possible on the
basis of compromise in the interests of both countries," he said and
praised "flexible and constructive position" of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan, which currently controls water distribution from the
river, is ready for joint control of the flow to its territory and
neighboring Dagestan in Russia.
Dorokhin said the solution of the water issue would help agree on
other border delimitation aspects, including the construction of a bridge
over the river.
Delimitation talks are "proceeding well and over 90 percent of the
390-kilometer long border line have been agreed," according to the
ambassador.
Three border sections, including the Samur River, remain unsettled.

.Russia to assist Angola with satellite communications.

MOSCOW, July 3 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian Energiya Space Corporation
will build a geostationary satellite for the national communications
system of Angola, according to a contract signed between Russian arms
trader Rosoboronexport and Angolan telecom and IT ministry.
Following a visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Angola "a
package of documents has been signed, including contracts to implement the
ANGOSAT project and a Memorandum on its financing," Rosoboronexport said
on Thursday.
"The contracts envisage the creation and launch of ANGOSAT telecom
satellite, the provision of a geostationary orbital position for it, and
works to create last-generation digital TV, radio and Internet system on
the territory of Angola," it said.
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