DHL Express is about to reconsider the standard shipping rates quoted for Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The courier’s Russian division told SeaNews that the increase in rates will vary from 4.9% to 15%. The change in the shipping rates will affect all of DHL Express customers except for companies whose agreements with the courier provide for special terms. The exact rates for each particular country will be settled before the end of the year. The new rates will come into effect in January 2012.

Ural Airlines keeps expanding its Yekaterinburg-China flights network. Starting November 2, 2011, the carrier will be operating flights from Yekaterinburg to Guangzhou with a convenient connection in Novosibirsk (the wait in Tolmachevo Airport comes to two hours). The flights will be operated twice a week, every Wednesday and Saturday. The cheapest round trip tickets are available for ?599 (plus the fees). In addition to this, Ural Airlines already offers Yekaterinburg-Beijing flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

Pipe Metallurgical Company (TMK) BOD Chairman Dmitri Pumpyansky and Lhoist Group BOD Chairman Baron Jean-Pierre Berghmans met Governor of Sverdlovsk Region Alexander Misharin in Yekaterinburg. The businessmen spoke with the government official about the issues related to the development of TMK and Lhoist joint venture meant for the production of lime and related products at Yuzhno-Mikhailovsky deposit in Sverdlovsk Region. The project presented to the governor and the plans for its development were approved of by the official.

The 2nd international forum on Environmental Innovations as a Way to Success will take place in Yekaterinburg on November 16-18, 2011. Germany’s former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is expected to attend the forum. The event coordinators report the forum aims to offer businesses some specific solutions that could help them enhance their efficiency and protect the environment. The agenda of the forum covers issues like A Big City’s Environment, An Industrial Enterprise’s Environment, The Environment of a Settlement, The Human Environment, and Environmental Innovations & Environmental

A cooperation agreement was signed by Chelyabinsk Region Government and Ural Airlines at the Governor’s residence. The signing was performed by Ural Airlines Director-General Sergey Skuratov and Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Mikhail Yurevitch. The agreement provides for the cooperation of the regional authorities and the air carrier in the field of international flights development in Chelyabinsk. This winter, Ural Airlines intends to launch three international flights departing from Chelyabinsk: to Vienna, Harbin, and Dubai. The cooperation agreement covers some subsidies for Vienna and