This paper presents a status report of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) on two crucial development parameters—inequality and poverty—that have a significant bearing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs; especially SDG-1 and SDG-10). The paper tracks the origins and movements of absolute and relative poverty, …
A two-day meeting hosted the by US of 17 countries opposed to the EU's emissions trading system (ETS) has ended without a joint declaration. The countries, however, reaffirmed their ambition to keep working on an alternative framework to address greenhouse gas emissions under UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). They …
Developing countries are bracing themselves for the worst effects of rising corn, soy and wheat prices on their poorest people. One of the worst hot-spots is Yemen which is heavily dependent on food imports, including for 90% of its wheat, and where 10m people are hungry today and some 267,000 …
The prices of internationally traded maize and soybeans reached all-time peaks in July, following an unprecedented summer in both the United States and Eastern Europe in terms of high temperatures and lack of rain fall. Wheat prices have also soared to levels comparable to the 2011 peaks but below all-time …
Catastrophic forest fires — spurred by hot and dry weather — have ravaged vast areas of Siberia, and ruined the region’s ecosystem, said Russian ecologists. Fires have destroyed 100,000 sq km of forests across Russia — an area bigger than Bihar — since the start of the summer season this …
Dozens of deer were released in China's Jilin province on Sunday during the launch of a project hoped to restore the region's Siberian tiger population. Initiated by World Wide Fund (WWF) and local forestry authorities, the program released 12 red deer and 22 sika deer into the forest in Wangqing …
Strong expansion of nuclear power as a carbon-free energy source in Asia is expected to press ahead despite the Fukushima accident in Japan that soured sentiment in some countries, a benchmark report said on Thursday. An earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima plant in February 2011, leading to the closure …
Beijing remains firm on its stance of settling the carbon tax dispute with the European Union through a multilateral approach, a Chinese official said. The official, who requested anonymity, said talks between China and the EU over the tax are making little progress. The EU sent a delegation to Beijing …
NEW DELHI, 17 JULY: India and Russia today discussed methods to further their nuclear trade by setting up two additional units at the Koodankulam power project in Tamil Nadu, despite the fact that the first two units are not yet operational, though they are ready. The matter was discussed today …
With the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project likely to be commissioned in August, Russia has agreed to extend a $3.4-billion credit for setting up two more 1,000-MW atomic power plants at the same site in Tamil Nadu. The two nations signed a protocol on Tuesday in Moscow for financing units 3 …
India and the Russian Federation today signed a protocol for funding two new units at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu. Russia will extend an export credit of $3,400 million to Russian organisations to help build the units. The credit will comprise 85 per cent of the value …
Study calculated each country's efforts to reduce energy use in industry, transport, and buildings as well as overall policies It lacks the glitz or glamour of the Olympics but the UK won a race that really does matter on Thursday, taking the gold in energy efficiency. A report launched in …
"Nobody came to our street to help. We need help," pensioner Lidiya Polinina told AFP by phone from Krymsk, the worst-hit town, recounting how she managed to survive the flood that has claimed over 100 lives. TV footage showed brown water rushing down the town's streets, where bodies lay on …
After Russia's worst floods in recent memory swept through the south of the country, thousands of people were last night sleeping in emergency shelters or the ruins of their homes, as anger against the regime of Vladimir Putin grew for failing to give warning of the disaster. More than 150 …
New Delhi India has jumped to the second position in the Global Innovation Efficiency Index in 2012, from 9th position last year, according to a study. Countries which are strong in producing innovation outputs despite a weaker innovation environment and inputs are poised to rank high in the efficiency index. …
A Chinese state-run oil company’s offer of tenders to foreign partners for nine oil blocks in the South China Sea has triggered a protest from Vietnam, amid rising tensions between China and several of its neighbours over the disputed region. Vietnam, which had earlier angered China by entering into joint …
The Sistema dispute could cost India a chance to bid for a stake in Russian government owned Alrosa, the world’s second largest diamond producing company after DeBeers. The Indian government has told Russia it is interested in bidding for Alrosa. The issue was flagged when Commerce Minister Anand Sharma met …
The Union government on Thursday furnished copies of agreements between India and the erstwhile USSR, and Russia, relating to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP). On June 18, a Division Bench comprising Justices P.Jyothimani and M.Duraiswamy asked Additional Solicitor-General M.Ravindran to furnish copies of the agreements. The Bench was hearing …
On Board PM's Special Aircraft: The new French President Francois Hollande has pledged to continue France's strategic partnership with India with same vigour as his predecessors Jacques Chirac and Nikolas Sarkozy who belonged to rival parties. Hollande expressed this sentiment during his first meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on …
Environmentalists have urged PM Manmohan Singh to take lead in ocean protection - an environmental issue that has so far failed to receive focused attention during negotiations and consultations at climate change meetings. For the Rio+20 convention that the PM is slated to address on June 21, the host Brazil …
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned on Tuesday that some countries may be on the brink of launching a retaliatory trade war against the decision of the European Union to include air travel in the emission trading scheme. The new scheme came into effect from January 1 this year. …
