We live under the most liberal trade regime in history not because the WTO enforces it, but because important countries - rich and poor alike - find greater openness to be in their best interest.
Highlighting a steep disparity in the pay hikes of executives and the labour force during the economic boom, Raymond Torres, director at the ILO's International Institute of Labour Studies in Geneva, pointed out that worldwide the average hike in executive pay was 10 per cent as compared to a mere 0.7 per cent for workers.
India is among the worst-performing BRICS nations along with Brazil (ranked even lower than India at 71st this year).
The 18 new members were elected by absolute majority through a secret ballot.
The governor of Indiana, who was returning from a campaign event in Iowa, was not hurt in the bumpy landing.
The Nano is developed to meet all the safety features that are applicable for passenger cars in India -- which is not saying much. What we like is the fact that the car will be able to meet the upcoming safety norms too. Current norms stipulate that the cars sold in India should meet norms set for full frontal crash, head impact on steering wheel, body block impact on steering system and seat belt anchorage strength, etc.
The company has already unveiled the European version -- Nano Europa -- at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month -- which is likely to be fitted with a more powerful engine than the Indian version complying with Euro-V emission norms.
Somavia ran unopposed to continue his stint as the ninth Director-General in the Geneva-based agency's 89-year history, and will formally begin his new five-year term in March 2009. During his tenure, the ILO witnessed a huge increase in the number of ratifications in labour standards as well as its own adoption of a landmark Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation in June of this year.
The UK government today approved a grant of pound 27 million to Tata Group-owned Jaguar Land Rover
The Tata Europa is a jazzed-up version of the Nano that we got to see at the Auto Expo in India last year, but there are some important changes.
Astronomers have discovered a batch of three 'super-Earths' orbiting a nearby star, and two other solar systems with small planets as well, which suggests that Earth-like planets may be very common.
Not satisfied with the UPA's replies to their queries on the nuclear issue, the Left parties are likely to ask the government to finalise an India-specific safeguards agreement with International Atomic Energy Agency only after the 123 agreement with the US lapses.
India was elected last year and its term ends in 2010, but it would be eligible for re-election. Most members, including Pakistan and Bahrain, were elected despite opposition from the human rights groups who said that their record had been dismal.
Captain Saurabh Kalia was captured, tortured and barbarically killed in the Kargil War. For 20 years, his father has waged a war of his own to get justice for his son. Captain Kalia is no more, but he lives on in the home he did not return to.
After India filed its complaint at the WTO in 2012, the dispute settlement panel of the body in July this year had ruled in India's favour against the USA's imposition of higher duties on New Delhi's steel imports.
Alexander Zverev snatched the Laver Cup for Team Europe as he beat Canada's Milos Raonic in the final rubber of a thrilling three days of action in Geneva's Palexpo Arena on Sunday.
The prospects for ministers pushing through an outline deal in the so-called Doha round of trade talks hang in the balance, with the US struggling with scepticism from Congress and its business and farm lobbies.
The US on Tuesday made an offer to reduce its overall trade distorting subsidy to $15 billion. India's commerce and industry minister on Wednesday rejoined the crucial negotiations to break the Doha deadlock after his government won a confidence vote in Parliament on Tuesday.
The chance of ministers meeting next month to push forward the so-called Doha round of trade talks increased yesterday after diplomats said they had made progress on setting goals for the negotiations.
'The credibility of the messenger here is highly suspect. This is something which the global community is aware of'
Reacting to the revised draft modalities put out by the WTO in Geneva on February 8, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said while convergence has been achieved in some areas, brand new text with regard to many unresolved issues has also been brought out.
Given all the risks in the world today, including the political instability, economic uncertainty, public health emergence and terrorism, there is not much buffer to absorb a significant change for the worse in the operating environment
Ahead of the G-8 meeting in Tokyo next month, WTO negotiations have picked up pace in Geneva with a strong expectation of receiving support for a Doha deal from leaders of industrialised nations such as US, EU and key developing countries like India and South Africa. Though India is not a member of G-8, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be attending the meeting along with heads of other four 'outreach' countries that include Brazil.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranked Singapore as the priciest ahead of Zurich, Hong Kong, Geneva and Paris.
India has already sent its team of officials to negotiate on agricultural subsidies, which would be followed by talks on industrial tariffs or Non-Agricultural Market Access.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who has just won a Champions League and Premier League double with Manchester United, could complete a remarkable treble of winners' medals by leading Portugal to victory in Euro 2008 this month. The 23-year-old winger, who scored 42 goals in all competitions for United last season, will be the key as Portugal look to ease their way past co-hosts Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Turkey in Group A in Basel and Geneva.
'None of these three countries -- Turkey, Iran or Malaysia -- ever made a hostile move against India to support the Pakistan-based terrorist elements,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
"It will become clear in the next few days whether the US and other developed countries are serious to conclude the Doha negotiations, which have dragged for seven long years," a senior commerce ministry official told PTI. India along with other members of the G-33 (a group of countries with protective interest) is apprehensive of the US exerting pressure on the negotiating group to cut the number of Special Products.
'What is there to worry about, he has asked, when there is so much freedom in the country?' 'Freedom can never be adequate, as Kher seems to think.' 'Its presence should be so pervasive that all citizens will feel secure and expect justice to be done if anything untoward happens,' argues Amulya Ganguli.
The United States on Monday said India 'missed' a major opportunity to get a liberalised regime for the much sought-after H1B visas by not agreeing to Doha deal in Geneva this July.
The government on Monday announced the appointment of Jayant Prasad, India's permanent representative in Geneva, as the next ambassador to Afghanistan.
"We have always said if the WTO Director General feels there is a chance for (another) opening, then we will be prepared to come again to Geneva," Commerce Secretary G K Pillai told reporters on the sidelines of a Ficci-CUTS conference in New Delhi. A marathon meeting of 30 trade ministers failed to reach a common ground when they met in Geneva between July 21-29 on an issue of the level of protection for developing countries in case of import surge.
Christophe Clivaz of Swiss Learning will answer all your queries related to education in Switzerland.
Not the one to give up hope, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy is visiting India next week to find ways for picking up the threads from last month's failed trade talks in Geneva.
India said on Wednesday developed countries were still not willing to fulfil their commitments under the World Trade Organization agreements and warned this could put the entire global trade at risk.
Some 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India, and 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation, the UN estimates.
Sri Lanka has refused to cooperate with a United Nations investigation into alleged war crimes during the final phase of the country's civil war, saying it will not subject itself to the jurisdiction of the top rights body.
India on Friday rejected the US charge that it is blocking the Doha Round of trade talks but said the officials of the two countries will intensify their engagement in Geneva to streamline the differences on cut in duties on industrial and farm goods.
India has four guns per 100 people.
