Copiago, Chile (NewsBahn) – As three drills continued non-stop efforts to carve out escape tunnels for 33 miners trapped half a mile underground, the first capsule designed to lift the men out arrived Saturday at the mine site.

Painted in the red, white and blue of the Chilean flag, the slender “Phoenix Capsule” is designed to lift the miners one by one 2,300 feet to the surface and their loved ones, who haven’t seen them since the mine collapse on Aug. 5. Weighing more than 500 pounds, the 24-inch wide contraption can fit a 6-foot-4 person inside. It’s equipped with a supply of oxygen, communications equipment and retractable wheels. And an escape hatch.

Before any of the miners get inside, however, two people from the surface will ride down to join them. A rescue expert and a paramedic will evaluate the men’s physical and psychological condition to see who goes first.

Once on the surface, the men will be taken to a field hospital where they will be given antibiotics and fluids. Their eyes will be checked to ensure they’re adjusting after two months of darkness. After a brief visit with family, they will be choppered out to a nearby hospital where they will be get medical attention for at least two days.

First, though, the escape shafts have to be wide enough to accept the capsule and deep enough to reach the men. By early Saturday, one of three drills had created a 15-inch diameter hole about 1,400 feet into the mine, widening an earlier shaft. A second drill, which has been beset by technical issues, had created a tunnel wide enough for the capsule – about 28 inches–but it was only about 570 feet down. A third, of the type used to explore for oil, was about 200 feet below the surface.

Officials have maintained they will extract the miners by Nov. 1.

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New York, NY, United States (AHN) – The U.S. government has granted $434 million to the Philippines for investments in roads, community development projects and improvements in the country’s tax collection efforts under a five-year economic compact that aims to fight poverty.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Philippine President Benigno Aquino III presided at the grant signing held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

The grant was signed by Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) CEO Daniel Yohannes and Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.

“This compact we were signing was created by and for the people of Philippines. Reflecting the policies articulated by President Obama at Millennium Development Goals Summit, this is a results-focused program promoting sustainable economic growth. This example of country-designed solutions strives to move the poor from poverty to prosperity,” Yohannes said in a statement.

The MCC agreement provides $214.4 million to construct and repair about 140 miles (220 kilometers) of a highway that traverses 15 municipalities to improve access to markets and services for farmers, fishers, and small businesses in some of the poorest provinces in the country.

Another $120 million is allocated to expand Kalahi-CIDSS, a development project that empowers communities by encouraging their participation in poverty-reducing activities. It will provide community grants to support building of critical infrastructure such as water systems, clinics, and schools.

The project allows poor communities to design and manage projects they need to increase their incomes and improve their lives.

A $54.3 million fund seeks to computerize and streamline business processes to bolster the effectiveness of tax collection and reduce opportunities for corruption.

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Brussels, Belgium (AHN) – The European Union ordered telecommunication companies to remove their roaming charges when they use their mobile units overseas. The move seeks to prevent phone owners from getting a bill shock when they return from a trip abroad.

EU Commissioner in Charge of Digital Affairs Neelie Kroes explained that roaming charges made by telecom firms were an outdated concept.

Kroes’ predecessor, Viviane Reding, ordered in 2008 the placing of a cap on the amount mobile phone companies could charge consumers for making calls, sending text messages and downloading data when overseas. The European Parliament backed Reding’s order.

Kroes blamed the high roaming charges collected by phone firms to a lack of a competitive single market for all aspects of telecoms in the continent. She said if there is a genuine EU single market, price differences between voice, SMS and data should be based on real cost of providing these services.

The EU said it does not want to send telecom operators out of business because its price ceilings are reasonable and no operator will go out of business because of the new measures ordered.

The proposal caused the GSM Association – which includes large telecom companies such as Orange and Vodafone – to complain that the EU order is politically motivated and will cause their revenue to dip and stifle investment and innovation in the industry.

EU residents sent 2.5 billion text messages worth $951 million (634 million pounds) when traveling within Europe. The EU is set to make a policy review on price regulation in 2011, which could end regulation if the telecom industry makes genuine moves to create a competitive single market across the regional bloc.

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Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada (AHN) – A growing number of Nunavut residents are up in arms against a proposed uranium mine near Baker Lake. To show their opposition, they have petitioned the provincial government to conduct a public inquiry into the project.

At least six Nunavut communities have signed the petition asking that the provincial legislature table in summer a public investigation. Instead of a probe, Premier Eva Aariak ordered the holding of public forums later this year to check the public pulse on the issue.

The uranium project was proposed by French firm Areva, which runs several uranium exploration and mining projects in Canada.

The Nunavut Impact Review Board started the regulatory process last spring for the $1.5-billion Kiggavik project in the Thelon Basin, which is home to major caribou herds. There are several other major uranium project applications pending before the board, which needs to balance the impact of uranium mining on the area’s wildlife population.

Areva Resources Canada operates the McClean Lake site in northern Saskatchewan. The firm also is a partner in the McArthur and Cigar Lake mines in the same province. These two deposits are considered the largest high-grade uranium deposits in the world.

Areva claims it deploys ISO 14001-compliant environmental management systems at all of its sites and operations.

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Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (AHN) – BlackBerry maker Research in Motion is set to launch new products in a bid to reverse dipping market share.

According to reports, RIM is set to roll out next week its version of the tablet computer to rival Apple’s popular iPad. The device could be introduced at the DEVCON 2010 in San Francisco. The gadget, likely to be named BlackPad, features a seven-inch touch screen, one or two built-in cameras, Bluetooth and broadband connections.

The BlackPad could connect to wireless networks using a BlackBerry and will be run by an operating system by QNX Software Systems. RIM bought QNX this year.

Another RIM device reported to be introduced next week is the new BlackBerry Storm, which will have a 3.7-inch touchscreen, no visible keyboard and ultrathin body. It is expected to equal Apple’s iPhone.

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When you start a business, the first thing that you will worry about is money. Where will the money come from? How are you going to spend it wisely? Will you have enough? The new business credit or bank card is the solution to these questions. You no longer have to worry about the capital that you need to start a business. All you have to worry about is how you can succeed in running your business. Of course, there are a few small things that you need to keep an eye on when it comes to using these business credit cards.

• Watch your spending – You shouldn’t watch how much you are spending but how you are using your new business card. It should be used for business purposes only. Keep a separate card for your personal purchases so that you can at least keep your accounting books clean in the long run.

• Itemized reports – You will need to know what you are spending on and at the end of the year credit card companies and banks can help you. Read rest of story…