Latest news with #CAP
Irish Independent
7 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
IFA raises alarm over CAP as Germany pushes back on bigger EU budget
European People's Party calls for bigger budget to meet new priorities Irish farmers could be caught in the crossfire of a major budget row in Europe, as Germany resists calls for more EU spending while changes to CAP funding threaten to reshape rural incomes. The European Union's next long-term budget must be bigger than the current one, the main political group in the European Parliament said, putting itself on a collision course with the biggest contributor Germany, which does not want any increase.
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
100 per cent fee waiver for EWS girls: Chandrakant Patil
In a move aimed at empowering female students from economically weaker sections, Maharashtra's higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil has issued strict directives to ensure 100 per cent tuition and examination fee concession is effectively implemented in all government, aided, partially aided, and permanently unaided colleges and polytechnic institutes, as well as in public and government-affiliated universities across the state. During a meeting held on Thursday, Patil said all educational institutions must take serious note of these directives. Patil made it clear that no fees should be collected at the time of admission from eligible female students enrolled in professional courses through the Centralized Admission Process (CAP). Referring to past lapses, Patil warned institutions that if any fees were collected during the previous academic year, they must be refunded immediately. 'The tuition fee scholarship amount under the scheme is directly deposited into the institution's bank account, whereas the examination fee is transferred to the student's Aadhaar-linked bank account, ensuring transparency and timely benefit delivery. To address grievances effectively, the directorate of technical education has set up a dedicated helpline and support desk, with a special nodal officer to be appointed for expediting the resolution of complaints, particularly those related to unauthorised fee collection,' said Patil. 'Under the Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Education Fee Scholarship Scheme, as of June 16, 2025, the technical education department has disbursed a total of ₹784.46 crore directly benefiting 1,03,615 female students. In addition, the higher education department has received 1,32,188 applications, out of which ₹55.83 crore has already been distributed to 61,526 students. The remaining applications are currently undergoing final verification,' said Patil. The scheme is not limited to diploma-level courses, but also extends to postgraduate professional programs such as MBA, MCA, and thereby widening the scope of higher education opportunities for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
'Slow Food' calls for European Union (EU) agrifood trade overhaul; urges shift to agroecology, fair farmer incomes & shorter supply chains
BATHINDA: Slow Food, a global movement of farmers united by the goal of ensuring everyone has access to good, clean, and fair food, has called for a bold shift in European Union (EU) trade policy. The organisation is advocating for policies that support agroecology and fair farmer incomes through a reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), along with: Environmental and social production standards on imported food through " mirror measures ". Shorter, fairer supply chains that empower local producers and communities. Food sovereignty and agrobiodiversity rooted in food cultures and inclusive governance. As global food prices remain volatile and supply chains face increasing disruptions, Slow Food released a new policy brief on Wednesday, urging the EU to rethink its approach to food trade. The brief, titled 'What's the Deal? Making EU Agrifood Trade Work for Better Food Systems', explores how the current global trade model—based on deregulated markets, export-led agriculture, and corporate consolidation—is undermining the shift towards fairer and more resilient food systems, both in Europe and worldwide. As a major global trading power, the EU plays a significant role in sustaining this flawed system. Its current agrifood trade policies are seen as hindering progress towards more diverse, equitable, and sustainable food systems, at home and abroad. The trade tensions of 2025, triggered by US tariff threats, highlighted the fragility of the global food system—one so unstable that the actions of a single government could push millions into hunger and poverty. However, crises can also bring new opportunities. 'The fragile state of global food prices and supply chains is a direct result of a broken trade system. The EU must use this moment to shift towards agroecological, localised, and socially just food systems,' said Marta Messa, Slow Food Secretary General. 'Europe must stop outsourcing the true cost of its consumption. We need a trade policy that nourishes people—not just corporate profits.' The policy brief begins by examining the failures of the current food trade system, rooted in colonial exploitation, deregulation, and the rise of powerful corporations. It identifies the causes of the crisis, including the industrialisation of agriculture, market liberalisation, and treating food as a simple commodity. In response, Slow Food presents an alternative vision, grounded in agroecology, food sovereignty, and the relocalisation of food systems. It proposes three key reforms: Enforcing mirror measures so all imported goods meet EU environmental and social standards. Supporting a shift away from industrial animal farming towards agriculture that ensures better animal welfare. Strengthening corporate accountability and promoting local food democracy to transfer power back to communities.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Science
- Daily Mirror
Mystery mummified creature with 'human-like hands' probed by scientists
The mummy, dubbed the 'Capacabra', was found at Michigan State University during renovations of Cook-Seevers Hall - but the creature's true identity remains unknown A mysterious creature with human-like hands found mummified in a historic building is being probed by scientists - and nobody's quite sure what it is. The mummy, dubbed the Capacabra, was found at Michigan State University in the US city of East Lansing, during renovations of Cook-Seevers Hall. And though it's since become a mascot for the university's Campus Archaeology Program (CAP), the creature's true identity remains unknown. Now PHD student Jerielle Cartales, who earned her master's degree at Scotland's University of Dundee, is working to solve the mystery. She said: "It is roughly the size of a small cat, and it's got a very long, skinny tail, which goes hand in hand with cat-like features. "But it has very, like, almost human hands. There's five fingers, and nails, and everything - it looks almost humanoid. "It is covered with a very thin layer of tissue, but it is all super thin - it feels like old parchment paper. "It has its nose and its ears still, but they're very dried out. It's very dusty, dry, and weird." The creature has been compared with the mythical chupacabra - a bloodsucking cryptid from American folklore. Hence the "capacabra" nickname, with its nod to the CAP initials. And just like its notorious namesake, the animal is shrouded in mystery. Even its age is unknown at this point, though it can't predate 1889 - when the building was constructed. "The creature is very mummified" said Ms Cartales, who studies forensic anthropology. So the interesting thing is that it could have been there for a month, it could have been there for 50 years, we don't really know. "Theoretically, I guess we could try radiocarbon dating it, but the building itself isn't old enough for it to be worth it." Theories about the animal's true identity have varied. After the remains were discovered in 2018, one expert tentatively suggested it could be an opossum. "I didn't think so," said Jerielle. "And so we were throwing out a bunch of ideas about what it could be. We were throwing out like 'maybe it's a dog, maybe it's a cat,' but raccoon didn't even make the list. And now, that's my very strong hunch." The mummy has now been X-rayed and its skeleton compared with other known species. Using a textbook, leading candidates like dog, cat, and rat were quickly ruled out. Raccoon was a good match, but without a dental comparison it's hard to be sure. Ms Cartales said: "A raccoon has the same general cranium shape, and the same with the snout shape. "But the osteology text doesn't have any good images of dentition for the raccoon because their example was edentulous. So I'm trying to find an example of a raccoon I can use for dentition. That's the next step." Jerielle thinks the creature may have entered the building through an air duct, got trapped, and become mummified over time. She said: "Mummification happens in very dry environments. "If it was found next to an air duct, which seems to me like the most accessible point for an animal to get in from the outside, then that would be a pretty regular supply of warm, dry air, especially in the colder months. So, to me, that's the most likely explanation. "And then during the summer, it gets very hot here, and it's humid. But if you're protected by a building, and especially in some sort of duct system, then it really would just be dry, hot conditions, which is pretty perfect for mummification." For now, Ms Cartales thinks a raccoon is a best candidate. She added; "I'm a scientist, I'm never going to say 100% on anything. "I would say at this point, I'm about 75% sure that it's a raccoon, but I need to finish the rest of my analysis."
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Retail sector: CAP voices concerns over lack of ‘meaningful' tax reforms
LAHORE: The Chainstore Association of Pakistan (CAP) has raised significant concerns over the lack of meaningful tax reforms for the retail sector in the proposed Finance Bill 2025–26. The CAP has also warned that targeting domestic e-commerce could inadvertently harm the formal retail sector and jeopardize the growth of Pakistan's digital economy if not revised. The CAP acknowledged the government's efforts to broaden the tax base and formalize the economy. However, the association argues that inconsistent and short-sighted policies have placed disproportionate burdens on tax-compliant retailers integrated with the Federal Board of Revenue's Point of Sale (FBR-POS) system. The absence of a clear, long-term taxation roadmap, developed in consultation with stakeholders, has further deepened uncertainty within the sector. 'This year, the retail ecosystem anticipated a strategic, long-term approach in the Finance Bill,' said CAP Chairman Asfandyar Farrukh. 'Instead, we see a continuation of past practices, with our proposals to foster formal retail growth and encourage broader documentation largely overlooked.' Organized retail currently accounts for only 10% of Pakistan's retail and wholesale trade, significantly lower than the 15–20% share observed in comparable economies. Informal competition, increasing compliance burdens, and uneven enforcement continue to hinder growth, investment, and job creation in the formal retail sector. CAP Patron-in-Chief Tariq Mehboob highlighted the detrimental impact of last year's decision to eliminate the GST concession for customers of tax-compliant retailers, which has further tilted the competitive landscape in favor of informal players. 'Schemes like Tajir Dost failed due to inadequate planning and lack of stakeholder engagement,' Mehboob stated. 'There is still an opportunity to revise the Finance Bill before its finalization. Without prompt action, we risk losing another year without meaningful reform.' To encourage digital payments and economic documentation, the CAP has proposed reduced GST rates for consumers who transact digitally with retailers of any size. These rates, coupled with simplified compliance measures and built on the success of provincial incentives, would lower costs, promote formalization, and reduce reliance on cash transactions. Additionally, the CAP has recommended a fixed quarterly advance income tax regime for small retailers, payable through branchless banking and adjustable against annual filings. The association also advocates for a stable, three-to-five-year tax framework, complemented by incentives such as cashback programmes and service benefits at NADRA and passport offices, to build trust and encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to register. Pakistan's e-commerce sector has experienced remarkable growth, expanding by over 35% annually and empowering more than 100,000 micro and small sellers while generating jobs in technology and logistics. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the sector facilitated over PKR 538 billion in digital payments in 2024. The CAP supports positive measures in the Finance Bill, such as the 5% digital presence levy on imported goods sold through foreign platforms like Temu and the introduction of e-commerce transaction reporting to enhance documentation. However, the CAP has expressed concern over several proposed tax compliance measures that could undermine these gains. Key concerns include blanket sales tax withholding on already documented businesses without input adjustment, mandatory sales tax registration for micro-sellers—particularly impacting youth and women entrepreneurs—and complex, multi-rate income tax withholding for platforms, payment providers, and courier services. These policies risk creating operational bottlenecks, complicating payment recovery, and increasing compliance costs across the e-commerce value chain. The CAP has called on the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Board of Revenue, and the Ministry of Commerce to suspend the implementation of these measures and engage in urgent consultations with stakeholders, including online sellers, platforms, and service providers. The association has put forward several recommendations to address these issues: limiting the 2% sales tax withholding to non-Active Taxpayer List (ATL) sellers, accepting income tax registration as sufficient for small, home-based online sellers, implementing a simplified single-rate income tax withholding of 0.25%, restructuring penalties to encourage rather than punish compliance, rationalizing provincial taxes on essential digital services, and providing a transition period of at least two to three months for e-commerce businesses to adapt. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
