British Prime Minister David Cameron speaks at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013.
Cameron’s Clarion Call — Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos Thursday, British Prime Minister David Cameron has called for countries to work together in fighting the spread of tax avoidance, writes the BBC. He explained that “trade, tax and transparency” are the U.K.’s economic priorities, particularly during the country’s presidency of the G8 this year. He said those avoiding tax “need to wake up and smell the coffee,” a subtle reference to Starbucks who reportedly pay little tax in the U.K. Cameron reminded the forum that “this is a problem for all countries, not just for Britain.” The PM’s speech in Davos comes a day after his announcement that if reelected in 2015, the Conservative government will call for a referendum to decide whether the U.K. will stay in or out of the European Union. TIME’s Europe editor Catherine Mayer covered Cameron’s E.U. speech.
Moroccan Rape Law – The Moroccan government has announced its plans to change a law that allows rapists to evade charges if they marry their victims, reports Aljazeera. Article 475 of the country’s penal code disregards charges against men convicted of “corruption” or “kidnapping” of a minor if the convicted marries the victim. The change in law follows the case last year of a 16-year-old girl who committed suicide after she was forced to marry a 23-year-old who had raped her. Even though the legal age of marriage in Morocco is 18, judges often approve younger unions. The new article will mean a 10-year penalty for consensual sex after the rape of a minor, but this sentence will double if the sex leads to “deflowering.”
Assassination Plot – The Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced at a rally Wednesday that unidentified groups had entered the country with the aim of assassinating him and the head of the National Assembly, notes Reuters. Maduro was named successor by Hugo Chavez shortly before the Venezuelan president traveled to Havana, Cuba for surgery in early December. This is the fourth surgery Chavez has undergone since he was diagnosed with cancer in his pelvis in mid-2011. Maduro’s claim echoes previous accusations by Chavez that opposition leaders have plotted to kill him during his 14 years in power. Neither the president nor the vice-president has provided proof for these claims.
‘Giant’ Wind Turbines – British and Irish ministers will sign an agreement Thursday to build the world’s largest wind turbines across the Irish midlands, reports the BBC. Environmentalists have described the plan to build the 600 feet towers, which could generate energy for millions of U.K. homes, as “crazy” and believe that it will damage the Irish landscape. The proposed wind towers would transfer energy via cables under the Irish Sea back to the U.K. Even though developers claim that thousands of Irish jobs will be created, Andrew Duncan from Lakelands Wind Information said “it seems to be an Irish solution to a British problem … it seems they want to impose these wind farms on the Irish general public instead.” Irish energy minister Pat Rabbitte confirmed that the project is still in its infancy.
