1. Piyush Goel attends G 20 ministers WTO Dispute Settlement reforms meeting in Bali
Tags: place in news Summits International News
The Indian Commerce minister Piyush Goel in a tweet said that he participated in a discussion on WTO’s Dispute Settlement Reform that was convened by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai on the sidelines of the G20 ministerial meeting in Bali, Indonesia on 21 September 2022.
The 12th World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference held in Geneva, Switzerland from 12-17 June 2022, had promised to revive the dispute settlement body in the next two years.
WTO Dispute Settlement System
WTO is a global body which was set up in 1995 to promote rule based trading systems in the world and it also settles trade related disputes between the member countries.
A member country can complain against another member country to the WTO if it believes that the country is not following WTO rules regarding trade.
The Dispute Settlement Mechanism is a two tier process in the WTO.
First, the member countries are encouraged to settle their dispute through consultation.
If this fails then the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body appoints a panel to look into the dispute.
The countries have the right to appeal against the ruling of the panel to an Appellate Body set up by the Dispute Settlement Body. The ruling of the Appellate body is binding on the countries of WTO.
Objection of the United States to the Dispute Settlement System
The United States government has blocked the appointment of members to the Appellate Body since 2019. The Appellate body structure is at present not working but the panel system is still functioning.
The United States wants to abolish the Appellate system of the WTO as it believes that it has become synonymous with litigation and has become prolonged, complicated and expensive.
However the developing countries are of the view that a two tier dispute settlement system is essential for the functioning of the WTO dispute settlement system.
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
- It was set up on 1st January 1995 replacing the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT).
- Its main purpose is to promote rule based trading systems in the world and it also settles trade related disputes between the member countries.
- The headquarters of WTO is in Geneva, Switzerland.
- There are 164 member countries.
- Director General of WTO : Dr Ngozi -Okonjo-Iweala of of Nigeria
- Report released by WTO : World Trade Report
2. India exports first consignment of vegetable based meat products to US
Tags: National National News
India has exported the first consignment of plant-based meat products from Nadiad in Kheda district of Gujarat to California.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The first shipments exported to the US from Nadiad include vegetarian food products like momos, mini samosas, patties, nuggets, spring rolls, burgers.
Due to the rich fiber and low cholesterol content, vegan food products are becoming alternative food products around the world.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA) said that they are working towards promoting plant-based meat products without interfering in the traditional animal-based meat export market.
APEDA plans to promote a variety of vegetarian food products, including pancakes, snacks and cheese, to Australia, Israel, New Zealand and other countries in the coming months.
About “APEDA” :
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December 1985.
This authority functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Headquarters- New Delhi
Chairman- Dr. M. Angamuthu
3. President Draupadi Murmu confers NSS Awards 2020-21 at Rashtrapati Bhawan
Tags: Awards National News
President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Service Scheme (NSS) Awards for the year 2020-21 on September 24 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- A total of forty-two Awards were given. Two Universities, ten NSS Units, their Programme Officers, and 30 NSS Volunteers received the awards.
Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Nishith Pramanik and Youth Affairs Secretary Sanjay Kumar were present on the occasion.
About National Service Scheme (NSS) Award :
The Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, awards the National Service Scheme every year.
These Awards were instituted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 1993-94 on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee Year of National Service Scheme.
The awards are given to recognize and reward the outstanding contribution for voluntary community service made by Universities and Colleges, 2 Councils, Senior Secondary, NSS Units and Program Officers and NSS Volunteers for promotion of NSS in the country.
About National Service Scheme (NSS) :
It is a Centrally Sector Scheme that was launched in 1969.
Its primary objective is to develop the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service.
The ideological orientation of the NSS is inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.
The motto of NSS is “NOT ME, BUT YOU ‘स्वयं से पहले आप’.
4. Booker Prize winner British author Hilary Mantel dies at 70
Tags: Person in news International News
Hilary Mantle, the first woman to be awarded the Booker Prize twice and author of the popular novel 'Wolf Hall', died in London on September 22, 2022, at the age of 70.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Mantle was awarded the Booker Prize in 2009 for the first novel in the Thomas Cromwell series, Wolf Hall, and in 2012 for the novel Bring Up the Bodies.
The third novel of the series 'The Mirror and the Light' was published in the year 2020 which was well received by the readers and was listed for the Booker Prize,2020 for a long time.
The Wolf Hall has sold over five million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 40 languages.
Its TV adaptation became a hit West End show and won a Golden Globe.
She was born on July 6, 1952 in Glossop, Derbyshire, England.
She graduated in law from the University of Sheffield.
In 1973, she married Gerald McEwen, a geologist.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About International Booker Prize :
The International Booker Prize is awarded annually to a translation of a novel published in the UK or Ireland.
The Booker Prize was established in 1969 by the Booker Mcconnell Company of England.
Under this, the amount of 50 thousand pounds i.e. 44 lakh rupees received is divided between the translator and the writer.
French novelist David Diop was awarded the 'International Booker Prize 2021'.
In May 2022 renowned Indian author Geetanjali Shree was awarded the International Booker Prize for her novel 'Tomb of Sand'.
5. Coal India Ltd to ink MoU with Three PSUs for Coal to Chemical Products
Tags: National Economics/Business National News
Coal India Limited (CIL) will sign MoU with three major public sector undertakings – Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and GAIL (India) on 27 September for setting up four Surface Coal Gasification (SCG) projects.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- These public sector undertakings will join hands to set up coal-to-chemical projects through the Surface Coal Gasification (SCG) route.
Through the SCG route, coal is converted into syngas which can then be processed for downstream production of value-added chemicals. They are produced through imported natural gas or crude oil currently.
The envisaged end products are di-methyl ether, synthetic natural gas and ammonium nitrate.
The proposed projects will reduce foreign exchange expenditure and create more than 23,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
A target of achieving 100 million tonnes of coal gasification by 2030 has been set by the Ministry of Coal.
What is Syngas ?
It is an abbreviation for synthesis gas, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
This is produced by gasification of a carbon containing fuel to a gaseous product that has some heating value.
6. 20th Meeting of Prosecutors General of SCO Member States takes place in Kazakhstan
Tags: International Relations International News
The 20th Meeting of Prosecutors General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Member States was held in Astana, Kazakhstan on September 23.
The next (21st) meeting of the Prosecutor Generals of the SCO member states will be held in China in 2023.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- From India's side, learned Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta and Additional Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs Dr. Anju Rathi Rana participated in the meeting.
Mehta highlighted the initiatives taken by the Government of India to address international economic offences at the international level by ratification of two United Nations Conventions.
These two UN Conventions are - the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNCTOC) and its three protocols and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
He said, in order to curb the threat of international economic crimes at the national level, India has implemented a number of legislative measures to prevent, detect and punish money laundering by special legislation.
A Protocol incorporating the deliberations of the 20th meeting of the Prosecutor General of the SCO Member States was signed and adopted by the SCO Member States.
Salient features of the Protocol :
Strengthening cooperation in relation to recovery of proceeds made through money laundering.
Cooperation on issues relating to dealing with economic offences such as money laundering, search, confiscation and recovery of proceeds of crime from the States.
Using the forums of bilateral and multilateral gatherings to discuss ways to strengthen the system to deal with economic offences.
Continuing to exchange information on domestic laws governing the recovery of proceeds of each seizure and offence.
To develop cooperation between the General Offices of Prosecutors of the SCO Member States in the field of advanced training of prosecutors.
To conduct and participate in bilateral and multilateral programs to combat economic crimes.
7. First India-Australia-Indonesia foreign minister’s trilateral meeting held in New York
Tags: place in news Summits Person in news International News
External Affairs Minister S.Jaishanker held the first trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of India, Indonesia and Australia in New York on 23 September 2022.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- In a tweet the minister said that he discussed the maritime issue, blue water economy with the Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi and the Australian foreign minister Penny Wong and emphasized the centrality of ASEAN in the Indo-Pacific region.
- World leaders are in New York to participate in the High Level Week at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
8. Quad foreign minister sign an agreement to operationalise Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief at New York
Tags: place in news International News
The foreign ministers of the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) signed an agreement in New York, United States on 23 September 2022 to operationalise Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the Indo-Pacific area.
Foreign ministers of India(S.Jaishanker), Australia(Penny Wong,), United States(Anthony Blinken) and Japan(Hayashi Yoshimasa ) signed the agreement to operationalise, which was announced by the Quad Leaders in Tokyo on 24 May 2022, as part of a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.
Under the HADR, the member countries will coordinate their disaster response operations in the region with other National and International agencies, private ,non-governmental organisations .
Next Quad foreign minister’s meeting to be held in New Delhi
They also agreed to hold the next foreign minister’s meeting of the Quad in India in early 2023.
The concept of QUAD was given by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007 for maritime cooperation between these countries after the Indian Ocean Tsunami disaster in 2004.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) :
- It is a group of Australia, India, Japan and the United States to promote cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
- The first in person summit meeting of the Quad leaders was in Washington, United States in 2021.
- The second in person summit meeting was held in May 2022 in Japan
- The third summit meeting will be held in Australia in 2023.
9. Foreign Minister Jaishankar attends high level L-69 group meeting in New York
Tags: place in news Summits International News
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended the High Level Meeting of the L.69 Group on "Reinvigorating Multilateralism and Achieving Comprehensive Reform of the UN Security Council” in New York, United States of America on 23 September 2022.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The L.69 Group consists of developing countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Caribbean and Small Island Developing States, focused on reforms of the UN Security Council.
- Dr S. Jaishankar is on an official visit to the United States from 18-28 September 2022. He is leading the India delegation for the High Level Week at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
10. National Workshop on Role of Agri Start-ups in Honey Value Chain held in Varanasi
Tags: National National News
National Bee Board (NBB), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in collaboration with National Seed Research and Training Centre (NSRTC) Varanasi, organised a National Workshop on Role of Agri Start-ups in Honey Value Chain at NSRTC Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on 22 September.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Beekeepers, honey startups and FPOs, stakeholders in beekeeping, officials from various ministries, government organisations, institutions, state horticulture departments, agricultural universities, etc. participated in the workshop.
Sweet Revolution :
It is an ambitious initiative of the Government of India for promoting 'beekeeping'.
It aims to accelerate the production of quality honey and other related products.
In order to give a boost to the sweet revolution, the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission was launched by the government in 2020.
There are about 20,000 different species of bees in the world.
Bees live in colonies and each colony has three types of bees, the queen bee, the worker bee, and the drone bee.
