Search Results for: International Law

BY MARK ROWE
THE 19th century saw imperial rivalry create the “Great Game”, when Russia and the British Empire tweaked one another’s tails in the region that following Russia’s Bolshevik revolution became known as Soviet Central Asia. The old Great Game was tied to control of India, and to gems and gold.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
A POLITICAL battle is brewing between the European Union (EU) insurance industry and the European Parliament over a safety net law defining the minimum cover that must be offered by insurers selling compulsory motoring policies, which are required by national laws.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) has this week (Mon22/10) launched the results of a programme of studies into the health problems caused by indoor pollutants. Releasing the reports at the opening of the 13th annual conference of the International Society of Exposure Analysis, at Stresa, Italy, the centre said its data revealed “insights into potential causes of acute indoor symptoms such as allergies, asthma, mucous irritation, headaches and tiredness.”…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
A MIDDLE East conference of the Office International des Épizooties, the world animal health organisation, has been staged to improve the region’s weak animal health controls. There was concern at the meeting, in Istanbul, Turkey, that Middle East countries do not have emergency plans to deal with outbreaks of transmissible animal diseases or detection systems for BSE.…

BY PHILIP FINE

INTERNATIONAL drinks companies that market flavoured malt beverages (FMB) have ceased overtly targeting underage American consumers, according to a recently released federal government report that praises the efforts of nine major producers for having improved the placement of their advertisements.…

KEITH NUTHALL
THE WEST African countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali have tabled an ambitious plan for the swift dismantling of developed country cotton subsidies; it will be examined at the World Trade Organisation’s ministerial summit in Cancun, Mexico, which opened today (Sept 10).…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
UNITED Nations cultural and scientific agency UNESCO has welcomed a pledge by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) not to exploit, explore or mine in official World Heritage sites. The council represents 15 of the world’s largest metals and mining companies, namely Alcoa, Anglo American, AngloGold, BHP Billiton, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Mitsubishi Materials, Newmont, Nippon Mining & Metals, Noranda, Pasminco, Placer Dome, Rio Tinto, Sumitomo Metal Mining, Umicore and WMC Resources.…

BY MONICA DOBIE
CANADA, the US and Mexico have asked Office International des Épizooties, the world animal health organisation, to establish more practical and scientific guidelines on preventing and controlling BSE. They want action by January, given recent advances in detection and deterrence and the trade hiatus following the discovery of one infected cow in Canada.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) has this week (Mon22/10) launched the results of a programme of studies into the health problems caused by indoor pollutants, with paints and coatings named as prime sources. Releasing the reports at the opening of the 13th annual conference of the International Society of Exposure Analysis, at Stresa, Italy, the centre said its data revealed “insights into potential causes of acute indoor symptoms such as allergies, asthma, mucous irritation, headaches and tiredness.”…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
POLITICAL pressure is being applied by the European Parliament for negotiators at the ongoing World Trade Organisation’s Doha development round to impede developing countries from privatising their water systems. In a resolution on water services in poor countries, MEP’s called for a “serious assessment” of the privatisation of water services in developing countries and for its results “to be taken into account” in negotiations for updating the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services.…