Archive
International News Services archives articles supplied to clients one year or more after initial publication. These articles are protected by a password and not made available to readers without permission from clients. They are used as a background resource by agency journalists. Upon client requests, International News Services will remove such articles from the archive or not upload them in the first place. They are included to demonstrate the breadth of topics undertaken by the agency and also to help promote clients’ coverage.
CYBERTERRORISM ADVICE
BY JONATHAN THOMSON
A FORMER US intelligence officer who was head of information technology security for the American Department of Defence has warned against an “over-reaction” to threats from so-called cyber-terrorists.
Despite widespread reports warning of the potential for Internet based attacks by organisations such as Al Qaida, particularly since September 11 2001, Bob Ayers told Computer Weekly he did not expect a major cyber-terrorism incident in near or mid-future.…
ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE
BY KEITH NUTHALL
IT could be the most underestimated commercial crime in the world, the illegal trade in wildlife and their products. Some estimates put its value at US$5 billion-a-year, but governments do not really seem to care. Keith Nuthall reports.…
KROES HEARING
Keith Nuthall
NEELIE Kroes, the European Union (EU) Commissioner-designate for Competition – called the Commission’s second most important job after its president’s – vigorously defended herself at the European Parliament against allegations of divided loyalties today.
Appearing at a hearing before parliament’s economic committee earlier today, she endured a three hour grilling from cross-party tormentors who included her Dutch countryman Paul van Buitenen, formerly a whistle blower and now an MEP.…
KROES HEARING
BY KEITH NUTHALL
BRUSSELS whistle-blower and now anti-fraud MEP Paul van Buitenen has been using his new position to undermine his countrywoman competition-commissioner designate Neelie Kroes. Van Buitenen followed up a short broadside against Kroes’ commercial links at this week’s European Parliament hearing by circulating detailed allegations on paper to its press officers: these were all vigorously denied by Kroes as “unfounded and nonsensical”.…
KALLAS QUESTIONAIRRE
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE NEW and first European Commissioner for fraud has indicated that he could be as cool towards Brussels whistle-blowers as outgoing Commission administration vice-president Neil Kinnock. Replying to a European Parliament questionnaire on his appointment, Estonia’s Silim Kallas declared he would not change existing criticised ‘guarantees’ to whistle-blowers, saying it was “the last and least desirable option” for airing allegations.…
FINANCIAL MALPRACTICE
BY KEITH NUTHALL
NATIONAL company office-holding disqualifications should be enforced across the European Union (EU) to prevent corruption, a European Commission policy paper (Communication) has suggested. Such orders are currently limited to the territory of a member country that made them, but the Commission has suggested that “certain categories of disqualifications should be recognised and enforced throughout the EU”.…
COMMISSION HEARINGS
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE POLITICIANS appointed to the incoming European Commission taking office on November 1 start intensive hearings at the European Parliament on Monday (27-9), with the competition Commissioner-designate Neelie Kroes expecting tough questioning.
The Dutchwoman has been a board member of many large European companies, such as Swedish automobile manufacturer Volvo, mobile phone group MMO, French defence company Thales and shipping group Royal P&O Nedlloyd.…
European Commission report on fraud
BY ALAN OSBORN
The creation of a European Public Prosecutor next year is among a number of
actions announced by the European Commission in its fight against fraud. In
its annual report the Commission claims to be slowly winning the battle,
saying there was a reduction of 20 per cent to 482 million euros in
financial “irregularities” in 2003.…
ANDREASON HEARING
BY ALAN OSBORN
MARTA ANDREASEN, former chief accountant of the European Commission, expects to hear in a matter of days whether or not she is to be dismissed for breaching staff regulations, she said today (Thurs 30-9). Ms Andreasen has been suspended for over two years following her public disclosures of serious weaknesses in the Commission’s accounting procedures and an internal Commission disciplinary board has recommended her dismissal.…
USA - WOMEN'S WORK
BY MONICA DOBIE
WORKING woman in the United States spend twice as much time doing household chores and caring for children as do working men, according to a US Department of Labour study which focused on how Americans spent their time outside of work.…