Search Results for: United Nations

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE EUROPEAN Bank for Reconstruction and Development is planning to lend Russia’s United Bakers company US$30 million to finance moves to make packaged biscuits, by boosting finances, buying modern biscuit manufacturing equipment, and acquiring an (unnamed) cereal factory.…

BY DEIRDRE MASON, in London

THE POLITICAL institutions of the European Union (EU) are debating how to join an international system that would protect EU manufacturers’ design rights across a wide range of non-European countries in one simple operation. In an initiative that could help auto manufacturers secure the creative aspects of their vehicle design from plagiarism, the European Commission wants to link the EU’s existing Community Design system, (which protects manufacturers’ designs within the 25 EU member states), to a global design registration system run by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), a UN agency.…

BY PAUL COCHRANE, in Beirut

THE NUMBER of Syrians studying in the US has dropped a steep 32% over the past five years, with sometimes-criticised universities in Syria the direct beneficiaries, even attracting foreign students from around the Middle East.

The move comes as Arab students are increasingly shunning top ranked US universities because of anger about its government’s foreign policy, and as Syria’s ossified university system opens up to the private sector.…

BY MONICA DOBIE

THE LATEST available figures, released yesterday (15-2) by Statistics Canada, have indicated that Canada’s trade surplus in beer with the United States has expanded significantly in recent years. In 2003, Canada’s trade surplus in beer with the United States stood at CDN$265 million (US$228 million), CDN$43 million higher than in 1999.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

BY KEITH NUTHALL

UNEP – RISK MANAGEMENT

A BOOK detailing practical ways in which governments can reduce the costs of dealing with major challenges such bird flu, terrorism and climate change has been released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).…

BY ALAN OSBORN

INTRODUCTORY PAR

THERE are two common characteristics of the six European countries – Luxembourg, Greek Cyprus, Malta, Andorra, Liechtenstein and Iceland – which possess only a single university covering a range of disciplines. They are small in terms of population and the financial relationship between the university and the government is much closer than in other countries.…

BY MATTHEW BRACE, in Sydney

IT might sound like science fiction but many of the most exciting and useful advances emerging from the super-science of nanotechnology are real. Nanotechnology is a relatively new approach that deals with understanding and applying the properties of matter at the nano-scale, where a small molecule measures one nano-metre (one billionth of metre) in length, or about 1/80,000 of the diameter of a human hair.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

A BRITISH QC who has become the first woman president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will start presiding its cases from Monday (Feb 27). Rosalyn Higgins, 68, will direct a case brought by Bosnia & Herzegovina alleging that Serbia & Montenegro (as the successor of Yugoslavia) is responsible for genocide and so must pay reparations.…

BY MATTHEW BRACE, in Sydney

RECENT positive advances in the paint and coatings industry symbolise general satisfaction with Malaysia’s business outlook. It might not have the cheapest labour in Asia but the workforce is skilled, productive and highly competitive. Access to infrastructure (especially ports) for exports is also reported to be good.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE EUROPEAN Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has drawn up plans to lend Russia’s United Bakers company US$30 million to finance working capital, restructure debt, buy modern biscuit manufacturing equipment, and acquire rival businesses, notably an (unnamed) cereal factory.…