Research Briefing
Emerging economies: Brazil, China, India & Russia (BRICs)
This is a archived Commons Library briefing on Emerging economies: Brazil, China, India & Russia (BRICs) from 2010.
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Research Briefing
Fixed term parliaments- early dissolution arrangements
This Note is intended to be a companion to Library Standard Note 831 Fixed Term Parliaments. It explains how fixed term parliaments operate in a number of other advanced democracies, both parliamentary and presidential.
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Research Briefing
Sudan, 2003-09
In order to make sense of Sudan's present and possible futures, it is vital to know something of its recent past. This is the purpose of this Standard Note, which provides a detailed account of events in Sudan, including their regional impact, between 2003 and 2009. It will not be updated.
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Research Briefing
Aid effectiveness
This is an archived Commons Library briefing on aid effectiveness from 2009.
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Research Briefing
The World Bank Presidency
This is an archived Commons Library briefing on The World Bank Presidency from 2007.
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Research Briefing
International Development White Paper 2006
This is an archived Commons Library briefing on the International Development White Paper from 2006.
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Research Briefing
Global Economic Crisis & developing countries
This note was last published on 26 August 2009 and will not be updated. In the early stages of the financial crisis there were hopes that it would be largely contained within developed economies, with developing economies having 'decoupled' from them. These early hopes proved unfounded, with developing countries struck by declining trade, a loss of investor confidence and withdrawal of investment, a fall in the value of vital remittances, and much reduced growth and contraction in some cases. There are also fears that aid flows may suffer in the aftermath of the crisis. This note summarises key reports and statistics, with links to further resources.
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Research Briefing
Universal jurisdiction
The UK has universal jurisdiction under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 (and other legislation) for a limited number of serious international crimes. It also has an obligation under international law to prosecute or extradite those suspected of war crimes or torture anywhere in the world. There are few such prosecutions in the UK but arrest warrants have been sought for private prosecutions. The Government is consulting on a change to the law on private prosecutions for universal jurisdiction offences, and the UN is conducting a review of the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction.
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Research Briefing
Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is a report on the Committee Stage of the Bill. It complements Research Paper 10/17, prepared for the Commons Second Reading of the Bill. The Bill seeks to limit the amount that can be recovered by any commercial creditor of those countries designated as having unsustainable external debts. It would restrict the activities of so-called 'vulture funds', which buy developing countries' sovereign debt at discounted prices, then seek to recover its value in full through the courts. It would limit successful claims to an internationally agreed level and apply equally to all commercial creditors. At Committee Stage, a new 'sunset clause' was added. The proposed legislation would now expire after one year unless renewed for a further year or made permanent by order.
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Research Briefing
The legal basis for the invasion of Afghanistan
The military campaign in Afghanistan was not specifically mandated by the UN, but was widely (although not universally) perceived to be a legitimate form of self-defence under the UN Charter. This note outlines the self-defence justification for military action.
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Research Briefing
Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill [Bill 17 of 2009-10]
The Bill seeks to limit the amount that can be recovered by any commercial creditor of those countries designated as having unsustainable external debts. The legislation would restrict the activities of so-called 'vulture funds', which buy developing countries' sovereign debt at discounted prices, then seek to recover its value in full through the courts. It would limit successful claims to an internationally agreed level and apply equally to all commercial creditors. It would cover the 40 countries in the IMF/World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Debts incurred after the Bill's entry into force would be excluded.
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Research Briefing
Where are Turkey’s new international relations taking it?
Turkey's path in the international arena is changing, with a growing focus on its regional and eastern neighbours. However, commentators have yet to predict whether this change is deepening Turkey's relationship with the West or moving it away.
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Research Briefing
Terrorist Asset Freezing (Temporary Provisions) Bill
On 27 January 2010 the Supreme Court announced that it had upheld the appeal in the case of HM Treasury v Ahmed and Others, which concerned the UK's implementation of United Nations obligations to freeze the assets of terrorists by way of two Orders in Council made under section 1 of the United Nations Act 1946. The Court quashed the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 and provisions in the Al-Qaida and Taliban (United Nations Measures) Order 2006. The Government announced its intention to introduce primary legislation to re-instate the asset-freezing regime.
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Research Briefing
Anti-Slavery Day Bill
This note provides an overview of the Anti-Slavery Day Bill, which would require the Secretary of State to designate a date for an annual "Anti-Slavery Day" to raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of modern-day slavery and human trafficking. The Bill is a Private Member's Bill introduced by Anthony Steen, founder of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking, who drew sixth place in the 2009-10 ballot for Private Members' Bills.
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Research Briefing
Sources of International Social Statistics
International sources of social statistics. By Kathryn Keith. SN/SG/3140.
Total results (page 80 of 84)