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 hotel in orbit, lunar sightseeing flights and luxury rides into the cosmos -- all are part of Russia's vision to ensure it is not left behind in the growing space tourism industry. Russian firms unveiled their plans at the country's premiere air show this week at Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, …
Bulgaria has given investors in a trans-Balkan oil pipeline aimed at transporting Russian crude through Bulgaria to Greece more time to improve their environment plans, the environment ministry said on Monday. The company which manages the 300-km Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline project has been given one more month by the end …
The EU could yet table a proposal that would throw the beleaguered Kyoto Protocol a lifeline and secure the future of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) beyond 2012, government negotiators and observers have told Point Carbon News. Officials from the bloc's member states will in the next few weeks discuss …
Denmark and its self-governing dependency of Greenland plan to present a seabed claim extending to the North Pole before the end of 2014 against competing claims from other Arctic states, Danish officials said on Monday. Ownership of the Arctic seabed has grown in importance as the shrinking of sea ice …
Before the rebellion broke out in February, Libya exported 1.3 million barrels of oil a day. While that is less than 2 percent of world supplies, only a few other countries can supply equivalent grades of the sweet crude oil that many refineries around the world depend on. The resumption …
Russia has put forward "proposals" to build new nuclear power plants in Iran after the completion of the Bushehr project, local media reported Sunday quoting the Islamic republic's atomic chief. "We have held negotiations with the Russians regarding the construction of new nuclear power plants. They have put forward some …
Belarus said Friday that it would suspend an agreement to give up its supply of highly enriched uranium, torpedoing, at least temporarily, what was considered a significant victory by the Obama administration in curtailing the spread of dangerous nuclear material. The move comes in response to the latest wave of …
Iran’s top nuclear negotiator said Tuesday that a Russian proposal could be “a basis to start negotiations” on Iran’s disputed nuclear program. The proposal calls for the other countries to make limited concessions to Iran for each step it takes toward opening its nuclear program fully to international inspection and …
Tehran: Iran on Saturday said it is removing the fuel from the reactor of a Russian-built nuclear power plant, a move seen as a big blow to its controversial nuclear programme. The decision to remove the fuel from the reactor of the nuclear plant in the southern city of Bushehr …
The recent Group of Seven (G-7) summit clearly indicated what the outcome of the Rio conference is likely to be. There was no significant mention of any environmental issues nor was the subject of environmental aid debated at the summit.The single environmental issue discussed at the G-7 summit—the state of …
A canvas depicting Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama standing face-to-face getting ready to battle with their penises. Glass cases with Soviet condoms and old Russian pamphlets on “women’s illnesses”. Titillation is not the objective of Moscow’s first sex museum, Tochka G (G Spot) but that’s exactly the reason it is …
The polar ice cap in the Arctic has melted to near its 2007 record minimum level and in some areas is 50 percent smaller than average, Russia's environmental monitoring agency said Thursday. "According to the results of observations, the Arctic ice sheet is currently near the minimum that was observed …
Arctic ice cover receded to near record lows this summer, opening elusive northern trade routes from Asia to the West, Russia's climate research agency said on Wednesday. After the third hottest year on record since 1936 in the Arctic last year, ice cover has melted as much as 56 percent …
The Cabinet on Monday approved a proposal to sign a cooperation agreement between Bangladesh and Russia to set up the much-talked-about Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. The approval came from the Cabinet's 121st regular meeting held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The meeting also approved …
The cabinet at its weekly meeting yesterday approved a proposal to sign a cooperation agreement with Russia to set up the much talked-about Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna. It also approved the draft of the Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development Academy Act 2011. Briefing reporters after the meeting, …
Renault is weighing a plan to launch vehicle production at a third site in Russia in partnership with its Japanese ally Nissan and its local affiliate Avtovaz, according to the Russian carmaker
Countries from India and Indonesia to Russia are tightening their grip on natural resources as they limit exports to build up domestic industry in a trend that will spawn many challenges to World Trade Organization rules. Export barriers are tightening on commodities ranging from food and coal to iron ore …
World leaders who oppose a global agreement to tackle climate change are making a similar mistake to the one made by politicians who tried to appease Adolf Hitler before World War Two, a British government minister said on Thursday. Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Huhne said governments must redouble …
Expanding its role beyond maintaining peace in conflict areas, the UN Security Council, issued its first statement on climate change. Its text was, however, weakened by disagreements about the role of 15-member body in combating climate change as well as on how definitively can climate change be linked to security. …
The persistent inability of the United Nations to forge international consensus on climate change issues was on display Wednesday, as Security Council members disagreed over whether they should address possible instability provoked by problems like rising sea levels or competition over water resources. Western powers like the United States argued …
