Israel Corporation Unit Buys Yam Tethys Gas
Oil Refineries Ltd, a subsidiary of Israel Corporation, has struck a deal with Delek Group and Noble Energy to buy natural gas from Yam Tethys following the halt in the supply of natural gas from the East Mediterranean Gas Company (EMG), preferring to work with an Israeli supplier than face an uncertain supply, Globes reports. At first, Oil Refineries will check the company's system and gas flow and will pay spot prices.
Four Groups Preparing Bids to Build IDF's Negev Training Base City
Four Israeli consortia are preparing to bid for an IDF tender to build the army's training base city in the Negev. The project's total cost is estimated at NIS 10 billion, and will entail the construction of 250,000 square meters of buildings on a 1,400 dunam site. The Defense Ministry expects the Tzomet training base city to be operating by the end of 2013. 11,000 IDF soldiers are expected to serve there. The land currently used for training bases in central Israel will mostly revert to the Israel Lands Administration and is expected to be parceled out for home construction.
Report: ICQ Fires 10% of its Employees
ICQ has fired 10% of its workers, Globes reports, although the company has declined to comment. The instant messaging service was founded in 1996 and purchased by AOL in 2008 for $407 million. In April 2010, the Russian Digital Sky Technologies bought ICQ for $187.5 million. According to Globes, the number of ICQ users has dropped to 34 million a month – slightly over 10% of the 330 million that use Microsoft Messenger – and has also been affected by Facebook's chat application.
New Zealand Tornado Causes Millions of Dollars of Damage
Days after the most deadly spate of tornadoes to ever hit the US left hundreds dead and entire towns wiped out, Auckland, New Zealand was left reeling from a tornado that caused tens of millions of dollars of damage. The 200 km/hr twister – which according to witnesses struck suddenly, without warning - left one person dead and 14 injured and destroyed some 50 homes and businesses in its path, including a shopping mall.
Reality TV Star Kristin Cavallari Sporting $125,000 Engagement Ring
Reality TV star Kristin Cavallari, recently engaged to baseball player Jay Cutler, has been seen sporting a diamond engagement ring worth a reported $125,000. The ring's main stone is a 3-carat Asscher-cut diamond surrounded by 10 round brilliants of a combined 1.5 carats.
