What is a "global minimum tax" ?
Finance Ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) rich nations reached a landmark accord setting a global minimum corporate tax rate.
The aim of the decision is to place measures to ensure taxes were paid in the countries where businesses operate. Large multinationals such as Google, Amazon and Facebook often book profits in jurisdictions where they pay little or no tax.
It will discourage multinationals from shifting profits and tax revenues to low-tax countries regardless of where their sales are made.
It propose for a minimum 15% tax rate to reduce tax base erosion without putting local firms at a financial disadvantage, allowing competition on innovation, infrastructure and other attributes.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has been coordinating tax negotiations among 140 countries for years on rules for taxing cross-border digital services and curbing tax base erosion, including a global corporate minimum tax.
The global minimum tax rate would apply to overseas profits. Governments could still set whatever local corporate tax rate they want, but if companies pay lower rates in a particular country, their home governments could "top-up" their taxes to the minimum rate, eliminating the advantage of shifting profits.
Any final agreement could have major repercussions for low-tax countries and tax havens.
The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal club of wealthy democracies consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Economy
Tuberculosis (TB) : High-burden countries
The United States announced a $57 million aid for efforts against tuberculosis (TB) in seven high-burden countries - India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa, Tajikistan and Ukraine.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body.
Tuberculosis is spread from one person to the next through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs cough, spit, speak, or sneeze.
Social Issues
Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
Pakistan was put on the grey list by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June 2018 and the country has been struggling to come out of it.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), founded in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris, is an inter-governmental money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog.
The FATF having its Secretariat in OECD headquarters (Paris), works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from misuse and regulate operational measures for combating money laundering. It has also started dealing with virtual currencies.
Read More: FATF
International Relations
"I-Familia" by Interpol
The Interpol has launched a new global database named "I-Familia" to identify missing persons through family DNA and help the police solve cold cases in member countries.
The International Criminal Police Organisation(INTERPOL), headquartered in Lyon, France, is an inter-governmental organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control.
Read More: Interpol
International Relations
Ethanol-blending in petrol
India has advanced the target date for achieving 20% ethanol-blending in petrol by five years to 2025.
Ethanol extracted from sugarcane as well as damaged food grains such as wheat and broken rice and agriculture waste is less polluting and its use also provides farmers with an alternate source of income.
India is the world's third-biggest oil importer, relying on foreign suppliers to meet over 85% of its demand.
PM Modi launched a pilot project of E-100 (100 per cent ethanol) dispensing stations at 3 locations in Pune.
Read More: Biofuels
Environment
Raimona national park Assam
Raimona in Kokrajhar district has become Assam's sixth national park.
The five national parks that existed prior to the Raimona are Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri, Orang and Dibru-Saikhowa.
Eastern Assam's Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary is in the process of becoming the seventh national park.
Raimona is an integral part of Manas Biosphere Reserve and the Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve.
Flora and fauna: Golden langur, the mascot, the Asian elephant, the Bengal tiger etc.
Environment
World Environment Day : 5 June 2021
First held in 1974, World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated annually on 5 June.
The theme for 2021 is "Ecosystem Restoration", and will be hosted by Pakistan. On this occasion UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration will also be launched.
The Prime Minister released the Report of the Expert Committee on Road Map for ethanol blending in India 2020-2025, on the occasion.
He also launched the ambitious E-100 pilot project in Pune for the production and distribution of ethanol across the country.
India's theme for this year's event is promotion of biofuels for a better environment.
Grand Finale of Ganga Quest 2021
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) organized the Grand Finale of Ganga Quest 2021, an online global quiz contest on Ganga, rivers, and environment on the occasion of World Environment Day 2021.The quiz, first conceptualized in 2019, is organized by NMCG in association with Tree Craze Foundation.
Green Room Air Conditioners
Green Room Air Conditioners was launched on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). The launch event was organized in association with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).Environment