In the second part of our week-long series on the world food crisis, Jonathan Watts travelled to Banaue in the Philippines, where he talked to rice farmer Marlon Tayaban about the problems he faces feeding his six children

Added: 2008-05-28

Video: A precarious future in the rice paddies

Category: varial news

12,000 dead in China quake; rescuers struggle to find thousands unjured

Rescuers were struggling this morning to reach victims of the devastating earthquake that killed 12,000 people in south-west China and trapped thousands more in the rubble of collapsed schools, factories, hospitals and homes

Shire's move to Dublin could be the start of a tax exodus

One of Britains largest drugs companies is to move its headquarters to Dublin in an effort to limit its tax bills. Accountants say that this could be just the beginning of a spate of similar moves by other UK multinationals. Shire, the UKs third-biggest pharmaceutical company, will incorporate its new holding company in Jersey and hold all board meetings in Dublin. Its operations and 300 staff will remain in Basingstoke, Hampshire. The move is understood to be a result of disquiet about a possible government crackdown on profits from offshore subsidiaries. Most UK companies do not pay corporation tax on offshore profits that are kept overseas unless the foreign subsidiary is deemed to have been set up to avoid tax. However, all firms must pay corporation tax of 28 per cent on all profits brought into the UK, topping up any lesser tax already paid in another country to the UK level. The Government is reviewing this top-up policy, but it is feared that it may also widen the scope of antiavoidance measures, making new rules ultimately more onerous than the present ones. Accountants also say that many firms have grown tired of waiting for the outcome of a consultation that began more than two years ago. Chris Sanger, head of tax policy for Ernst & Young, the accountancy firm, said: By delaying the new rules, the Government are exposing themselves to the risk that companies will take action. Quite a few other multi-national companies with overseas activities are quite far down the road of seeking alternative tax headquarters so they can be sure of the tax charges they face. Inertia has kept them here, but in todays economic climate they are looking at all their expenses - including tax. The Irish Republics corporation tax rate of 12.5 per cent is less than half that of the UK. Shire, a FTSE 100 company that is worth more than

Moscow to host big Turner show

Tate Britain to lend 110 works by JMW Turner to Pushkin Museum for ground-breaking exhibition