Wall Street Journal: Iran Prepares Proposals on Nuclear Program
’DUBAI -- Iran is preparing a package of proposals it hopes to use as the basis for fresh negotiations with Western governments over its nuclear program, its government said over the weekend, a possible signal that Tehran is willing to rebuild diplomatic links after weeks of drubbing the U.S. and Britain for alleged complicity in election unrest. The announcement of the proposals, made by Iran's foreign minister at a news conference in Tehran Saturday, came as five Iranian officials, who had been held by U.S. forces in Iraq for more than two years, returned home after being released. The return of the men, three of whom Iran has identified as diplomats, could remove a major stumbling block to further, high-level talks between U.S. and Iranian officials. Amid Iran's diffuse power structure, it is difficult to determine if the announcement of the package is a serious effort to kick-start new talks. It could also be window-dressing aimed at distracting foreign critics from still-sporadic rotests and the regime's heavy crackdown on dissent after June 12 presidential elections.’

Business Standard: Areva planning major investments in India
’Areva, the French nuclear reactor maker, is broadening its business plan for India with major investments in its strategic joint ventures with Bharat Forge, Tata Group, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), though it is exiting from the power transmission and distribution (T&D) business in the country. Areva, which is planning a large scale nuclear reactor forgings facility in India with Bharat Forge, will invest over Rs 2,000 crore in two shell companies, Sushil Kumar Chadda, advisor (energy) for Bharat Forge told Business Standard. Also, the company said on Friday in a statement from Paris, "Areva has finalised the terms of a framework agreement with the Indian engineering company TCE Consulting Engineers (TCE), a subsidiary of Tata Sons. This agreement for the supply of engineering services will be signed shortly."’

CPJ: Niger ramps up censorship
’We are writing to express our alarm at your administration's increasing restrictions on the Nigerien private press. We are concerned by the ongoing censorship of stories about the public opposition to your plans for a constitutional amendment that would scrap presidential term limits. The council has imposed other restrictions on the private media, including a ban since June 8 on live programming that discusses the current political crisis, and several other journalists at various media outlets are facing criminal prosecutions for their coverage of sensitive issues, according to CPJ research. Dounia Director General Abibou Garba is facing criminal charges of defamation and broadcasting false news for airing a television debate in April in which an activist described a uranium exploitation deal between French nuclear energy giant AREVA and the government as "looting of Niger's resources."’

This is Money: EDF's Green Britain stunt turns into farce
’It was supposed to celebrate all things green. But the French energy giant EDF was left feeling distinctly off colour after its Green Britain Day stunt on Friday triggered intervention by the Advertising Standards Authority and threats of legal action. The ASA revealed that it is to launch a formal investigation after more than 80 complaints against the ad campaign. The EDF department headed by Andrew Brown, brother of the Prime Minister, had organised a series of events around the country with the slogan 'Do something Green for the Team', complete with a green Union Jack logo. This angered Ecotricity, the wind turbine energy company that has been using a similar logo for the past three years. Ecotricity, headed by former New Age traveller Vince Dale, is going to the High Court seeking damages and asking for EDF to be banned from using the logo.’