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According to Microsoft’s press conference, which took place today in Los Angeles, E3 Media & Business Summit , have been kicked off . The major announcement was a planned overhaul of the Xbox 360 console interface. In fact, Microsoft have inserted a number of upcoming casual and family game titles. For instance, just like the Mii the customized cartoon avatars that can be found on Nintendo’s popular Mii console. Also, Microsoft said that Miis and users will be able to select from a wide variety of clothes, accessories and hairstyle.
Source: Reuters

The head of French energy giant Total has said it will not invest in Iran because it is too politically risky.

The company had been planning to develop the huge South Pars gas field, but Christophe de Margerie told the Financial Times it would not go ahead.

The announcement comes a day after Iran test-fired a series of missiles amid weeks of rising tensions with Israel and the US over its nuclear ambitions.

Analysts say Total's move will be a big blow to the Iranian energy industry.

It means Iran is now unlikely to significantly increase its gas exports until late into the next decade, they add.
Full story at: www.bbc.co.uk

For the first time in about three decades the Kellogg Twenty will come back to Baltimore. The 154-year-old $20 gold coin was a unique California Gold Rush specimen, which, for a certain period of time, was owned by John Work Garrett, who was a Baltimore resident, as well as a diplomat. The Kellogg Twenty is considered by a lot of coin collectors to be one of the finest gold coins in the United States from the middle of the 19th century.

A company with headquarters in Seattle agreed to sell 300,000 acres from the Rocky Mountains for conservation. It is worth mentioning that in such a way the company looks forward to protect some of the most prized territories in the region from development. The current land deal is considered to be the largest of its kind in the history of the United States.

Over 300,000 acres of land featuring threatened and endangered animals such as grizzly bears and lynx will be transferred to public ownership after the government made a deal with the Seattle-based company, Plum Creek Timber. The deal is valued at $500,000 and for signing the agreement a ceremony took place in Montana on June 30.

Source: Bizaims.com

For a second month in a row there were more casualties of NATO and U.S. troops in Afghanistan than in Iraq. It is worth mentioning that the fundamentalist militia was able to stag a complicated jailbreak, the result of which was the escape of 886 prisoners. Afterwards militia promptly penetrated a strategic valley outside Kandahar.

According to the information provided by the Pentagon last week, the Taliban are going to maintain or even increase the pace of its assaults, which already increased by 40 percent this year in comparison with 2007. A number of observers consider that the rebellion has achieved its peak.

Source: CoinsDig.Com

Recently the Bank of Russia presented three new investment coins: St. George the Victorious, Sable and One Chervonets. The peculiarities regarding the three specimens are presented below.

Investment Coin

St. George the Victorious

This coins was issued on February 1, 2006. Below there are several characteristics of the St. George the Victorious investment coin.

Source: Dig4coins.Com

The number one search engine, Google, is a member of a group that consists of big technological companies that fight against the threat coming from the lawsuits on patent violation. This information was provided by the official website of Wall Street Journal. According to the newspaper's website the group of tech giants is called Allied Security Trust and it looks forward to acquire key intellectual property before it comes into the possession of other parties, which in their turn might use it against the tech giants.

Source: CoinsDig.Com

On June 30, a Paris court ordered one of the biggest Internet auctioneers, eBay, to pay 40 million euros (which is about 63 million USD) in damages to the French-based luxury fashion and leather goods brand and company, Louis Vuitton, due to the fact that the auctioneer was selling counterfeit luxury goods of the brand online. In addition the commercial court banned the Internet auctioneer from selling such perfume brands as: Christian Dior, Kenzo, Givenchy and Guerlain, having the goal of providing a message about copyright protection.

Source: Bizaims.Com

Source: Dig4coins.Com

Treasures of Australia is a beautiful series of locket coins celebrating Australia’s abundance of natural riches. This first release contains stunning blue sapphires, which are found in major accumulations in Queensland and New South Wales.

Proof Quality 99.99% Pure Gold

The 2007-dated coin is struck from 1oz of 99.99% pure gold in proof quality.

Striking Reverse Design

The coin’s reverse design portrays an abstract interpretation of Australia’s stark and beautiful landscape.

Source: Dig4coins.Com

The Finance Minister of Japan, Fukushiro Bukaga, at a press conference announced that a new 1000-yen Hokkaido commemorative coin is going to be issued on July of 2008. The issue will take place before the G8 summit, which this time will be held at Lake Toya in Hokkaido. It is worth mentioning that this is the first coin is an eight-year series that consists of 94 commemorative coins marking the "60^th anniversary of the Local Autonomy Law".

Source: Dig4coins.Com

14 May 2007 Wednesday… The Singapore Mint is pleased to announce the launch of the first ever limited edition Orchid Series Currency Notes ez-link Cards! The splendour of the nine different orchid hybrids in the first series currency notes is beautifully captured in this set of specially created ez-link cards.

Source: Dig4coins.Com

With the continuous fluctuation of metals in 2008, the final figures this year will undoubtedly suffer changes. Still the costs of producing coins last year registered much worse results after copper, zinc and nickel reached their peak value.

The following fiscal costs in striking penny and nickel were presented to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology by the United States Mint Director Ed Moy on March 11, 2008:

    * Penny costs 1.67 cents
    * Nickel costs 9.53 cents

Source: Dig4coins.Com

The Central Bank of Ireland are pleased to announce the issue of the 2008 Annual Mint Set. This is the sixth and final mint set in the 'Heritage of Ireland' series. This set features the ancient passage tomb at Newgrange. Built over 5000 years ago, the burial chamber is entered through a long stone passage with the whole area being covered by a huge mound. The tomb is bordered by 97 kerb stones bearing decorative patterns in the Megalithic art style.

Source: Dig4coins.Com

Let's start with the definition of the Coin Modernization and Taxpayer Savings Act of 2008, which is a document aimed towards changing the metals used in producing pennies and nickels into steel.

The Act was developed to save the production costs of coins in the United States. According to the calculations the US Treasury will be able to save a huge sum of money: $30.34 millions for pennies and $21.92 for nickel. It is worth mentioning that today metals applied in the production of coins (i.e. copper, zinc and nickel) show instability on the market.

The US Mint spends 1.26 cents for producing one penny and 7.7 cents for producing a nickel. Among other costs there are: 4 cents for a dime, 10 cents for a quarter and 16 cents for one dollar coin.

Source: Dig4coins.Com

A man from Florida sued the US Treasure Secretary Henry Paulson stating that before George Washington there were 10 men who had the same powers as the president of the United States. The man wants these men to be added into the Presidential $1 coin series.

According to Stanley L. Klos of Palm Beach the ten men were: Samuel Huntington, Thomas McKean, John Hanson, Elias Boudinot, Thomas Mifflin, Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock, Nathanial Gorham, Arthur St. Clair and Cyrus Griffin.

Full story: dig4coins.com