Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 26 September 2015

:: International ::

U.S. moots ‘Sri Lankan judicial mechanism’ with foreign judges

A draft resolution, submitted by four countries, including the U.S. and the U.K., in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has mooted the participation of Commonwealth and other foreign judges in “a Sri Lankan judicial mechanism” to probe allegations of war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law.
Sri Lanka has co-sponsored the resolution. The proposed mechanism includes the Special Counsel’s office, according to the draft, which has been hosted on the extranet of the UNHRC.
The text of an old draft had called upon the Sri Lankan government “to involve international investigators, prosecutors and judges in Sri Lanka’s justice processes”.
Jehan Perera, executive director of the National Peace Council and a law alumnus of the Harvard University, says the earlier version on the nature of judicial mechanism was ambiguous whereas the revised text is more specific and it reiterates the government’s position, which is for a domestic mechanism.
Dr. Perera says the role of the foreign judges is likely to be more in the form of advisory as otherwise there will have to be amendments to the existing laws.
Another significant feature of the resolution is that “the reputation of those, including within the military, who conducted themselves in an appropriate manner with honour and professionalism” would be safeguarded even as a “credible accountability process” will be in place for “those most responsible for violations and abuses”.
The document also talks of “the need for a process of accountability and reconciliation for violations and abuses committed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam”.

:: Business ::

Chinese Taipei has dragged India to WTO

Chinese Taipei has dragged India to WTOagainst imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of USB flash drives or pen drives as known in common parlance.
On May 22, India had imposed anti-dumping duty on the imports of 'USB Flash Drives' from China and Chinese Taipei ($3.06, $3.12 a piece). The duty is for five years.
The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation.
After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel.
USB Flash Drives in the market parlance are also known by various other names such as pendrive, keychain drives, key drives, USB sticks, flash sticks, jump sticks, USB keys or memory keys.
The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) in the Finance Ministry had imposed the anti-dumping duty on recommendations of Directorate General of Anti-Dumping & Allied Duties (DGAD).

:: Miscellaneous ::

Post reforms, world looks differently at India: World Bank President Jim Young Kim

World Bank President Jim Young Kim has said reforms initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have had a huge impact on the way world looks at India and praised the progress made in ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign and ‘Clean Ganga’ programme.
During a meeting with Modi on the sidelines of the ongoing UN General Assembly session, the World Bank President praised the progress made in ‘Swachh Bharat’ and ‘Clean Ganga’ programme where the World Bank is an important partner, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
The Prime Minister spoke on the progress made on the thousands of toilets that has been constructed, and also on the international technology that is being sought now on the ‘Clean Ganga’ program, on his ambitious programs for 175 gigawatts of renewable energy, Swarup said.
The two leaders also discussed on the governance structure of the World Bank.

:: Sports ::

Swiss target world soccer chief Blatter in criminal probe

Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Sepp Blatter, the head of world soccer body FIFA, on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation of funds, the Swiss attorney general's office said on Friday.
It said Blatter was interrogated after a meeting of FIFA's executive committee in Zurich, and authorities carried out a search at the organisation's headquarters on Friday.
It was the first time that authorities investigating corruption in the world's most popular sport had pointed the finger directly at Blatter, the 79-year-old Swiss who has run its powerful governing body for the past 17 years.
He has denied wrongdoing and his U.S. attorney said he was cooperating with the Swiss probe.
A source close to FIFA said that as Blatter has not been arrested, charged or indicted, it would probably be for him to decide whether he stays in his post until February, when he is due to step down.