France to Impose Financial Transaction Tax
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced plans to unilaterally impose a 0.1 percent tax on financial transactions in France starting in August, a move strongly opposed by the nations financial sector. Sarkozy said, “Theres no reason why deregulated finance, which brought us to the current situation, cant participate in the restoration of our accounts.”
Baby milk contains radioactive caesium
Traces of radioactive cesium thought to be from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant were detected in Japanese baby formula on Tuesday as concerns about food safety continue almost nine months after the accident.
Shares in the firm fell 10% in early trading in Tokyo after it said it would recall 400,000 cans of the formula. Meiji produces the milk, which is only sold in Japan, in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo. The factory’s location is within 200 miles (320km) of the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant.
The recall was started after tests found up to 30.8 becquerels of caesium per kilo of Meiji Step powdered milk. The level is below recommended limits set by the Japanese government, but Meiji has gone ahead with the recall. Milk powder is the latest foodstuff to be affected by radioactivity in Japan after shipments of beef were banned in August and rice in September, also for caesium contamination.
Climate change inequalities
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has conducted a study of the social impacts of climate change in Britain. It includes analysis of where CO2 emissions comes from, and who is most vulnerable to climate change. Britain’s top earning 10% have double the emissions of the poorest 10%. That includes four times as much carbon from private vehicles, and six times as much from aviation.