Serena Williams is WTA Player of the Year 2013
World No. 1 women’s tennis player Serena Williams (32) has been named WTA Player of the Year for 2013.
In 2013, she won 78 out of her 82 matches, clinching 11 titles including the U.S. Open and the French Open. Earlier, she had become the oldest world No.1 in the history of WTA. Williams has been named the WTA Player Of The Year four times in past. She achieved the feat in 2002, 2008, 2009 and 2012.
India declines WTO Peace Clause proposal
India has decided not to agree to the ‘Peace Clause’ for agriculture subsidies that the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Roberto Azevedo has proposed for Bali talks. India will not agree to any deal until it is clear that the proposed interim solution will be available till a permanent solution to the issue of India’s Minimum Support Prices (MSP) transgressing the WTO norms has been found and agreed to.
What is the ‘Peace Clause’ offered by the WTO?
India wants to implement its Food Security Scheme by providing food entitlements at subsidized rates to 2/3rd of its population. To realize this, the government will have to procure a huge quantity of grains from farmers. The government procures grains at certain MSPs. However, WTO norms under the Agreement on Agriculture may hamper the plan as the rules set a subsidy cap of 10% of the value of production for developing countries. India is already inching closer to that limit. If India breaches that limit it would create dispute and may be dragged to the WTO Disputes Settlement Body. The ‘Peace Clause’ proposed by the WTO general-secretary offers an interim solution by allowing the developing countries to offer subsidies to farmers that are currently prohibited under WTO norms. The clause will restrict other WTO members from seeking penalties and facilitating the government to procure grains at MSPs and sell them at subsidized rates through Public Distribution System (PDS).
What is the problem then?
There is catch in this ‘peace Clause’ : While developing countries can provide WTO-prohibited subsidies to farmers without inviting any dispute under the Agreement on Agriculture, developed countries will have the right to drag these countries to the WTO Disputes Settlement Body, under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. This would render the peace clause null-and-void. There is also lack of clarity on when the proposed Peace Clause will expire and in case there arrives no solution or agreement at the eleventh Ministerial conference, the protection from the Peace Clause will end and its extension will be have to be renegotiated — a contingency India doesn’t want.
What is Minimum Support Price?
The Minimum Support Price (MSP) Scheme is a scheme of the Government of India (GOI) to safeguard the interests of the farmers. Under this Scheme the GOI declares the minimum support Prices of various agricultural produces and assures the farmers that their agricultural produce will be purchased at the MSP, thereby preventing its distress sale. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) acts as the Nodal Agency of the GOI.
China sets up air defence zone over East China Sea
In a recent international development, China has announced that it is creating an “Air Defence Identification Zone“ over an area that includes disputed Senkaku islands in the East-China Sea which are controlled by Japan but claimed by China.
Chinese defence ministry has also released protocol for aircraft identification that must be followed by all planes entering the area, under penalty of intervention by the military. As per the protocol, aircrafts are required to provide their flight plan, clearly mark their nationality, and maintain two-way radio communication allowing them to respond in a timely and accurate manner to the identification inquiries from Chinese authorities.
The outline of the new zone covers a wide area of the East China Sea between South Korea and Taiwan that includes the Tokyo-controlled islands known as the Senkaku to Japan and Diaoyou to China. As per Chinese defense ministry, China’s armed forces will exercise defensive emergency steps to respond to aircraft that do not cooperate in the identification or refuse to follow the instructions.
Why China took this stance?
The step from China follows a report that said Japan had sketched plans to strike down foreign drones that infringe its airspace if warnings to leave are ignored.
What is the dispute over Senkaku archipelago?
The Senkaku Islands (also known as the Diaoyu Islands in Mainland China or Tiaoyutai Islands in Taiwan, or the Pinnacle Islands) are a group of uninhabited islands controlled by Japan in the East China Sea. The dispute is over the claim of Senkaku islands which are located in the East China Sea. The main parts of the islands which are currently controlled by Japan are also being claimed by the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan (Republic of China). These islands are called Diaoyu in China, and Tiaoyutai Islands in Taiwan.
Background of Senkaku Islands:
Senkaku Islands were controlled by Japan since 1895.
From a 1945 to 1972 administered by the United Stateses.
US handover of authority to Japan in 1971, disputed by China
China and Taiwan claim the islands as their possession and a seizure by Japan and want Japan to return as the rest of Imperial Japan’s conquests were returned in 1945.
Importance of Senkaku islands:
Senkaku Islands are believed to have abundance of natural resources and is also strategically important as it is close to international trade rout
COP-19 climate talks at Warsaw concludes
The 19th Conference of Parties (COP-19), to the Kyoto Protocol concluded in Warsaw, Poland.
The UN Conference on Climate Change 2013 concluded with negotiating countries reaching a compromise on how to combat global warming. They came out of the long standing impasse by approving a way out for a new global climate treaty to be signed in Paris in 2015.
What was the purpose of COP19 talks at Warsaw?
Al these deliberations are focused towards reaching a new global climate treaty which will replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which sets targets for developed nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol is valid till 2020. Keeping this in view.the global agreement has to be agreed on by 2015 and in force by 2020, which made it imperative that delegates thrash out a large part of the draft version this year (2013) for consideration at next year’s COP-20 in Lima, Peru.
What is the outcome of COP-19 talks at Warsaw?
Delegates to COP19 agreed that all nations should work to cut emissions from burning coal, oil and gas as soon as possible, and ideally by the first quarter of 2015. Major decisions adopted at this conference include decisions on further advancing the Durban Platform, the Green Climate Fund and Long-Term Finance, the Warsaw Framework for REDD Plus, the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage and other decisions
SFC test fire Dhanush missile successfully
India’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC) successfully test-fired nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile from a naval ship off Odisha coast.
Dhanush Missile:
Surface-to-surface missile developed by DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP)
Naval variant of India’s indigenously developed ‘Prithvi’ missile
Single-stage, liquid propelled
Can carry conventional as well as nuclear payload of 500 to 1,000 kg and strike both land and sea-based targets
Already inducted into the armed services
National Lok Adalat settles around 35 lakh cases in India: NALSA
The National Lok Adalat held all over the country effectively settled a record 35 lakh cases pending in various courts.
The National Lok Adalats were organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee. They were organized in the apex court, all 24 high courts and all the district and sub-district courts of the country. This was the first time that cases were taken up at the same time all over the country for settlement.
The National Lok Adalat, organized simultaneously in the Supreme Court and courts all over the country, resolved over 35 lakh cases related to accident claims, matrimonial disputes, dud cheques and traffic fines, among others, in a single day.
The gigantic exercise was held to settle 39 lakh pending cases relating to motor accident claims, matrimonial disputes, labour disputes, dud cheques, bank recovery cases, civil suits and traffic tickets.
As per Chief Justice P Sathasivam who inaugurated National Lok Adalat, the main object of the adalat was to expedite justice to litigants and make sure that there were no further appeals. He viewed the settlement of disputes through the Lok Adalat as cost-effective, and also providing easy access to justice.
Afghanistan Assembly gives nod to Afghan-US bilateral security agreement
Paving the way for the continuation of some US troops in Afghanistan after 2014, the Loya Jirga, Afghanistan’s Grand Assembly of tribal elders and elite persons on gave nod to the issue of signing the Afghan-US Bilateral Security Agreement. The Afghanistan National Grand Council (Loya Jirga) called on country’s President Hamid Karzai to sign the bilateral security agreement with United States by the end of the year.
What would be the effect of this development?
The resolution passed by the Loya Jirga will render thousands of US troops to remain in Afghanistan once combat operations are over. Earlier, Afghan president Hamid Karzai said that the bilateral security agreement with the US will be signed after presidential elections in 2014. However, as per the US, the delay to agreement was neither practical nor possible. Once the pact is in place, at least 15,000 foreign troops may remain in Afghanistan, which will primarily provide training and mentor to Afghan national security forces.
What is Loya Jirga?
The Afghan constitution of 2003 established a Loya Jirga, consists of both houses of parliament and elected heads of regional administrations, with the power to amend the constitution, impeach the president and decide on matters of national sovereignty.
Breakthrough deal at Iran and P5+1 nuclear talks
A key breakthrough deal has been clinched at Iran and P5+1 group of nations negotiations aimed to curb Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for limited sanctions relief. The Chief Negotiator for the P5+1 nations, Catherine Marie Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarief inked the deal to this effect at UN Headquarters in Geneva. The interim agreement for 6 months is intended to provide time and space to the international community to work out a comprehensive agreement.
What are the key features of the deal?
Iran will stop enriching uranium beyond 5%, the level at which it can be used for weapons research, and cut its stockpile of uranium enriched beyond this point.
Iran will provide greater access to inspectors including daily access at Natanz and Fordo nuclear sites.
In return, there will be no new nuclear-related sanctions for 6 months.
Sanctions relief worth about $7 billion on sectors including precious metals.
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