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An explosion occurred at the Vector State Virology Research Center near Novosibirsk . This research center has one of the most comprehensive collections of dangerous viruses in the world. According to Rospotrebnadzor, on the fifth floor of a six-story laboratory building, a gas bottle exploded during repair work, after which a fire broke out on an area of 30 square meters. The fire is eliminated. One worker suffered. With burns of the second and third degree, he was taken to the hospital. In Rospotrebnadzor emphasized that in the room where the explosion occurred, there were no biohazardous substances. At the...

Residents of a city in Siberia don’t need to fly off to tropical locales for picturesque selfies taken by pristine turquoise waters. Thousands of Novosibirsk residents — ranging from scantily clad women to newlyweds — have been busy instagramming near a bright blue lake nicknamed the “Siberian Maldives.” The lake is blue, however, due to a chemical reaction between toxic waste elements from a local power station. Environmentalists are warning people against coming into contact with the water. Siberian Generating Company said Friday it has deployed guards to keep trespassers at bay, but insists the lake presents no environmental danger.

Residents of a city in Siberia don’t need to fly off to tropical locales for picturesque selfies taken by pristine turquoise waters. Thousands of Novosibirsk residents — ranging from scantily clad women to newlyweds — have been busy instagramming near a bright blue lake nicknamed the “Siberian Maldives.” The lake is blue, however, as a result of a chemical reaction between toxic waste elements from a local power station, and environmentalists are warning people against coming into contact with the water. “We can compare it only with photos of the Maldives,” said Sergey Griva, a local resident who visited the...

A new Stalin statue will be erected in Russia’s third-largest city of Novosibirsk next spring as the legacy of the Soviet dictator continues to divide society. Contemporary attitudes are split in Russia toward the historical role of Stalin, who is responsible for the deaths and suffering of millions of Soviet citizens during his rule from 1924 until his death in 1953. Polls show Russians view him as a “remarkable” figure and the younger population is unaware of Stalin-era purges, while President Vladimir Putin has dismissed attacks on Stalin as a ploy to demonize Russia. A Novosibirsk action group voted Saturday...

Pentagon officials are keeping an eye on a delivery by the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association in Russia of three new Su-34 “Fullback”, two-seat, fighter bombers last week. It is part of an effort to create an operational force of 24 aircraft by the end of 2010. Future goals are a complete air regiment of 44 aircraft by 2010 and a total force of 200 Su-34s by 2020. Borts 04 and 05 went to Lipetsk AB combat training center – Russia’s “Top Gun” school – which is 270 mi. southeast of Moscow. Their arrival was the subject of a Russian television...

TEHRAN. Feb 25 (Interfax) - The beginning of Russian nuclear fuel deliveries to Iran for the initial core fuelling of the nuclear power plant under construction in Bushehr will be discussed during Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency chief Sergei Kiriyenko's visit to the plant's construction site on Sunday, a source from the Russian delegation accompanying Kiriyenko on the trip said. Russia's offer to establish a joint venture for uranium enrichment on Russian territory was not discussed at Saturday negotiations between Kiriyenko and Iranian Vice President for Atomic Energy Qolam-Reza Aqazadeh, although they discussed fuel supplies, the source said. The...

More Dead Scientists Devvy Kidd April 21, 2002 Back on December 31, 2001, I posted a piece on the unusual number of micro-biologists who died within a 33 day period. If you haven't read that piece, you should so this update will make sense to you: http://www.devvy.com/micro_20020104.html I have received an update from Ian Gurney and with his permission, below is that information: April 15, 2002 By Ian Gurney "And so to the New Year, and still the scientists keep dying. On February 9th. the Russian daily Pravda reported that: "The head of the microbiology sub-faculty of the Russian State...