Geneva
Conventions' struggle for respect - 12 August
The Geneva Conventions are 60 years old on Wednesday, but the
anniversary comes amid concern that respect for the rules of war is
small. The three existing Geneva Conventions, which relate to the
immunity of medical personnel on the battlefield and the treatment
of prisoners of war, were extensively revised in 1949. The fourth
Geneva Convention, which stipulates that warring parties have an
obligation to protect civilians, was added. - BBC
News website
Cyberlaw
Hacker
case 'cannot be blocked' - 2 August
Home Secretary Alan Johnson has said he would be breaking the law if
he blocked hacker Gary McKinnon's extradition. The US wants to try
the 43-year-old for what it calls the biggest military computer hack
ever in 2001/02. He maintains he was seeking UFO evidence. - BBC
News website
UK
assurances on hacker's welfare - 2 August
The government has promised to help ensure the welfare of a computer
hacker with a form of autism who faces extradition to the US to
stand trial. Gary McKinnon, 43, who has Asperger's Syndrome, is
accused of the biggest ever military computer hack in 2001/02. - BBC
News website
Minister
lends support to hacker - 3 August
Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has suggested that British computer
hacker Gary McKinnon should face trial in the UK rather than be
extradited to the US. He told the Daily Mail the offence was
committed "on British soil" and should be "assessed
in a British context". - BBC
News website
Health
Bloggers
debate British healthcare - 12 August
As the US healthcare debate hots up during Congress's summer recess,
anti-reform campaigners have been directing criticisms across the
Atlantic at the UK healthcare system. The most recent row erupted
after an editorial at the Investors Business Daily (IBD)
launched an attack on the British National Health Service (NHS), as
a warning against what could happen if the US adopted such a model.
"The controlling of medical costs in countries such as Britain
through rationing, and the health consequences thereof are
legendary," the article said. "The stories of people dying
on a waiting list or being denied altogether read like a horror
movie script". - BBC News
website
Trade
and Industry
US
wins trade case against China - 13 August
The US has won a ruling at the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
against China's restrictions on the import of American DVDs and
other media products. The WTO ruled that China's current policy of
only allowing the goods to be imported by state-run organisations
broke global trade agreements. However, the WTO upheld China's
limits on the distribution of US films, and made no ruling on
Chinese censorship. - BBC News
website