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Women allowed to become Bishops
The Church of England has voted to allow women to become bishops for the first time in its history. Its ruling General Synod gave approval to legislation introducing the change by the required two-thirds majority. A previous vote in 2012 was backed by the Houses of Bishops and Clergy but blocked by traditionalist lay members.
The Church of England has voted to allow women to become bishops for the first time in its history. Its ruling General Synod gave approval to legislation introducing the change by the required two-thirds majority. A previous vote in 2012 was backed by the Houses of Bishops and Clergy but blocked by traditionalist lay members.
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Malaysian plane crashes in Ukraine
A Malaysia Airlines jet carrying 295 people has crashed in east Ukraine on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. There are no signs of survivors at the scene of the crash near the village of Grabovo, in rebel-held territory close to the border with Russia. Both sides in Ukraine's civil conflict accused each other of shooting down the plane with a missile. It is still not clear why the plane came down. It is the second disaster suffered by Malaysia Airlines this year. Flight MH370 disappeared en route from Malaysia to China in March and still has not been found.
A Malaysia Airlines jet carrying 295 people has crashed in east Ukraine on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. There are no signs of survivors at the scene of the crash near the village of Grabovo, in rebel-held territory close to the border with Russia. Both sides in Ukraine's civil conflict accused each other of shooting down the plane with a missile. It is still not clear why the plane came down. It is the second disaster suffered by Malaysia Airlines this year. Flight MH370 disappeared en route from Malaysia to China in March and still has not been found.
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US want Food Programmes of developing nations reviewed
The US has called for a review of the food security and procurement programmes of developing countries, including India, by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to ensure that these do not distort trade or affect food security of other countries.
But India has said that the US proposal is “totally unacceptable” and that it will not support the protocol for trade facilitation pushed by developed countries till serious work starts on drafting a ‘permanent solution’ to resolve public stockholding issues.
India, China and Cuba have already stated that as a ‘permanent solution’ it wanted incentives for public procurement and food aid to be included in the ‘Green Box’ of permissible subsidies. The G-33, of which India is a member, is also working on an alternative solution of changing the base year of calculating subsidies that would allow much higher levels of sops.
China, Cuba support to India
India, China and Cuba have joined hands at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to demand inclusion of subsidies for food procurement and food-aid programmes in the list of permissible incentives. India has refused to give its consent to a trade facilitation protocol being pushed by several developed WTO members, such as the US, Australia and the EU, till there is a permanent solution on public stockholding.
At present, food procurement subsidies are categorised as trade distortive subsidies, which could attract sanctions from other countries on breaching the cap of 10 per cent of value of agriculture production.
WTO
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.
The US has called for a review of the food security and procurement programmes of developing countries, including India, by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to ensure that these do not distort trade or affect food security of other countries.
But India has said that the US proposal is “totally unacceptable” and that it will not support the protocol for trade facilitation pushed by developed countries till serious work starts on drafting a ‘permanent solution’ to resolve public stockholding issues.
India, China and Cuba have already stated that as a ‘permanent solution’ it wanted incentives for public procurement and food aid to be included in the ‘Green Box’ of permissible subsidies. The G-33, of which India is a member, is also working on an alternative solution of changing the base year of calculating subsidies that would allow much higher levels of sops.
China, Cuba support to India
India, China and Cuba have joined hands at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to demand inclusion of subsidies for food procurement and food-aid programmes in the list of permissible incentives. India has refused to give its consent to a trade facilitation protocol being pushed by several developed WTO members, such as the US, Australia and the EU, till there is a permanent solution on public stockholding.
At present, food procurement subsidies are categorised as trade distortive subsidies, which could attract sanctions from other countries on breaching the cap of 10 per cent of value of agriculture production.
WTO
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.
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Medicines Patent Pool inks pact with 7 firms for Anti-Aids Drugs
In a significant step in the treatment of AIDS, the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) has announced sub-licensing agreements with seven pharmaceutical companies for the manufacture of two anti-AIDS drugs. Indian pharmaceutical companies Cipla, Aurobindo Pharma, Micro Labs, Emcure and Mylan’s Indian subsidiary are part of the group of companies which will make generic HIV medicines, atazanavir (ATV) and dolutegravir (DTG). The other companies are: Desano of China and Laurus Labs.
In a significant step in the treatment of AIDS, the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) has announced sub-licensing agreements with seven pharmaceutical companies for the manufacture of two anti-AIDS drugs. Indian pharmaceutical companies Cipla, Aurobindo Pharma, Micro Labs, Emcure and Mylan’s Indian subsidiary are part of the group of companies which will make generic HIV medicines, atazanavir (ATV) and dolutegravir (DTG). The other companies are: Desano of China and Laurus Labs.
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Bolivia legalises Child Labour
Bolivia has become the first nation to legalise child labour from age 10. Congress approved the legislation early this month, and Vice-President Alvaro Garcia signed it into law on 17th July in the absence of President Evo Morales
The bill’s sponsors say lowering the minimum work age from 14 simply acknowledges a reality: Many poor families in Bolivia have no other choice than for their kids to work. The bill offers working children safeguards, they say.
Under the legislation, 10-year-olds will be able to work as long as they are under parental supervision and also attend school. It sets 12 as the minimum age for a child to work under contract. They also would have to attend school.
Bolivia has become the first nation to legalise child labour from age 10. Congress approved the legislation early this month, and Vice-President Alvaro Garcia signed it into law on 17th July in the absence of President Evo Morales
The bill’s sponsors say lowering the minimum work age from 14 simply acknowledges a reality: Many poor families in Bolivia have no other choice than for their kids to work. The bill offers working children safeguards, they say.
Under the legislation, 10-year-olds will be able to work as long as they are under parental supervision and also attend school. It sets 12 as the minimum age for a child to work under contract. They also would have to attend school.
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Australia abolishes Carbon Tax
Australia on 18th July axed carbon tax. The upper house Senate voted 39-32 to scrap the charge, which was imposed by the former Labor government on major polluters from 2012 in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the carbon tax, the country's biggest polluters, including mining, energy and aviation companies, paid for the emissions they produced, giving them an incentive to reduce them. The current administration favors a "direct action" plan that includes financial incentives for polluters to increase their energy efficiency.
The Climate Action Tracker, an independent monitor of countries' carbon pledges and actions, has said this method will increase Australia's emissions by 12 percent in 2020 instead of reducing them by five percent from 2000 levels as per its own target.
What is carbon tax?
A carbon tax is usually defined as a tax based on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) generated from burning fuels. It puts a price on each tone of GHG emitted, sending a price signal that will, over time, elicit a powerful market response across the entire economy, resulting in reduced emissions. It has the advantage of providing an incentive without favoring any one way of reducing emissions over another. By reducing fuel consumption, increasing fuel efficiency, using cleaner fuels and adopting new technology, businesses and individuals can reduce the amount they pay in carbon tax, or even offset it altogether
Carbon Taxing in Australia
A carbon pricing scheme in Australia, commonly referred to as a carbon tax, was introduced by the Gillard Government and became effective on 1 July 2012
The scheme required entities which emit over 25,000 tons per year of Carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gases and which were not in the transport or agriculture sectors to obtain emissions permits. The Department of Climate Change said there were 260 liable entities in June 2013. When related parties are identified, there are approximately 185 discrete companies which have paid carbon tax in 2013. Permits are either purchased or issued free as part of industry assistance measures.
Australia generates 1.3% of global emissions; on a per capita basis Australia is the eleventh highest emitter of all countries, and second (after Luxembourg) of developed countries
Australia on 18th July axed carbon tax. The upper house Senate voted 39-32 to scrap the charge, which was imposed by the former Labor government on major polluters from 2012 in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the carbon tax, the country's biggest polluters, including mining, energy and aviation companies, paid for the emissions they produced, giving them an incentive to reduce them. The current administration favors a "direct action" plan that includes financial incentives for polluters to increase their energy efficiency.
The Climate Action Tracker, an independent monitor of countries' carbon pledges and actions, has said this method will increase Australia's emissions by 12 percent in 2020 instead of reducing them by five percent from 2000 levels as per its own target.
What is carbon tax?
A carbon tax is usually defined as a tax based on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) generated from burning fuels. It puts a price on each tone of GHG emitted, sending a price signal that will, over time, elicit a powerful market response across the entire economy, resulting in reduced emissions. It has the advantage of providing an incentive without favoring any one way of reducing emissions over another. By reducing fuel consumption, increasing fuel efficiency, using cleaner fuels and adopting new technology, businesses and individuals can reduce the amount they pay in carbon tax, or even offset it altogether
Carbon Taxing in Australia
A carbon pricing scheme in Australia, commonly referred to as a carbon tax, was introduced by the Gillard Government and became effective on 1 July 2012
The scheme required entities which emit over 25,000 tons per year of Carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gases and which were not in the transport or agriculture sectors to obtain emissions permits. The Department of Climate Change said there were 260 liable entities in June 2013. When related parties are identified, there are approximately 185 discrete companies which have paid carbon tax in 2013. Permits are either purchased or issued free as part of industry assistance measures.
Australia generates 1.3% of global emissions; on a per capita basis Australia is the eleventh highest emitter of all countries, and second (after Luxembourg) of developed countries
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Rajapaksa inducts war crimes experts in probe panel
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 17, directed a Commission of Inquiry appointed by him to probe the roles of Sri Lankan army and the rebel Tigers, during the nearly 30 year war, for alleged violation of international humanitarian law.
The announcement comes about three months after the U.N. Human Rights Council adopted a resolution that calls for an international probe into Sri Lanka’s rights record.
The Sri Lankan government has rejected the inquiry and said it would not offer any cooperation. In August 2013, President Rajapaksa appointed a commission to look into cases of disappearances after the brutal war that ended in 2009. The commission has been holding public hearings in many parts of the country, including the island’s Northern Province, and received over 15,000 complaints until January this year.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 17, directed a Commission of Inquiry appointed by him to probe the roles of Sri Lankan army and the rebel Tigers, during the nearly 30 year war, for alleged violation of international humanitarian law.
The announcement comes about three months after the U.N. Human Rights Council adopted a resolution that calls for an international probe into Sri Lanka’s rights record.
The Sri Lankan government has rejected the inquiry and said it would not offer any cooperation. In August 2013, President Rajapaksa appointed a commission to look into cases of disappearances after the brutal war that ended in 2009. The commission has been holding public hearings in many parts of the country, including the island’s Northern Province, and received over 15,000 complaints until January this year.
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Boost Economic Growth: B 20
Australia wants Western countries to continue cooperating with Russia within the G20 framework, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on the sidelines of the B20 summit, after the US and EU agreed new sanctions on Russia. The event held on July 16 - 18 in Sydney involves more than 300 business leaders from 48 countries who decide on aspects of the G20 agenda.
The G20 consists of the group of 19 world leading economies and the European Union. The G20 represents about 85 percent of global GDP, 80 percent of world trade and two thirds of the world's population. Last year Russia hosted the G20 summit and in 2015 the presidency will pass to Turkey.
Other decisions
Australia wants Western countries to continue cooperating with Russia within the G20 framework, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on the sidelines of the B20 summit, after the US and EU agreed new sanctions on Russia. The event held on July 16 - 18 in Sydney involves more than 300 business leaders from 48 countries who decide on aspects of the G20 agenda.
The G20 consists of the group of 19 world leading economies and the European Union. The G20 represents about 85 percent of global GDP, 80 percent of world trade and two thirds of the world's population. Last year Russia hosted the G20 summit and in 2015 the presidency will pass to Turkey.
Other decisions
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Implement unilateral structural reforms for diversified and
sustained growth
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Close infrastructure gap which could create 100 million jobs and
generate 6 trillion US dollars
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Create human capital in the right place, at the right time with
the right skills
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Allow private sector investment which is a prerequisite for
sustained and inclusive economic growth
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Frame policies that ensures greater structural flexibility and
freedom of movement across borders of goods, services, labor and capital within
an effective regulator
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Framework which promotes transparency in commerce
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Ensure safely regulated, accessible and affordable finance
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