World affairs Archives

Research Briefing

Progress towards nuclear disarmament?

Tuesday, 15 June, 2010

In April 2009 President Obama set out his vision for a world without nuclear weapons, and in doing so laid the groundwork for renewed international efforts to strengthen and advance the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Over the past year that momentum has translated into the agreement of a successor to the US-Russia START treaty, global commitments to secure highly vulnerable nuclear materials within four years and the establishment, at the May 2010 Review Conference, of an action plan in support of the three main pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This paper examines the prospects for achieving that vision of 'global zero'.
- Research Briefing
- Defence policy
Research Briefing

Emerging economies: Brazil, China, India & Russia (BRICs)

Friday, 11 June, 2010

This is a archived Commons Library briefing on Emerging economies: Brazil, China, India & Russia (BRICs) from 2010.
Research Briefing

Sudan: Peace or war, unity or secession?

Wednesday, 02 June, 2010

This paper considers the current political situation in Sudan, including the impact of the April 2010 elections in which Omar al-Bashir was re-elected as national President. The prospects for Sudan over the coming year are examined, with particular reference to the two referendums to be held in January 2011, required under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and the recent resurgence of the conflict in Darfur.
- Research Briefing
- Africa
Research Briefing

Fixed term parliaments- early dissolution arrangements

Wednesday, 02 June, 2010

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.
Research Briefing

Sudan, 2003-09

Tuesday, 01 June, 2010

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.
Research Briefing

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Wednesday, 26 May, 2010

The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) replaced both the War Pensions Scheme and 'attributable' benefits payable under the old Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) for service personnel experiencing ill health, injury or death arising from service-related incidents on or after 6 April 2005. This note outlines the scheme and changes made to it since its introduction.
Research Briefing

Iraq: Multinational Forces after the Drawdown

Wednesday, 12 May, 2010
Research Briefing

Aid effectiveness

Wednesday, 05 May, 2010

This is an archived Commons Library briefing on aid effectiveness from 2009.
- Research Briefing
- International development
Research Briefing

The World Bank Presidency

Wednesday, 05 May, 2010

This is an archived Commons Library briefing on The World Bank Presidency from 2007.
- Research Briefing
- International development
Research Briefing

International Development White Paper 2006

Wednesday, 05 May, 2010

This is an archived Commons Library briefing on the International Development White Paper from 2006.
- Research Briefing
- International development
Research Briefing

Global Economic Crisis & developing countries

Friday, 30 April, 2010

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.
Research Briefing

UK Public Opinion on the European Union

Thursday, 08 April, 2010

This Note provides links to a selection of opinion polls showing UK views on different aspects of our membership of the European Union.
Research Briefing

Prospects for the 2010 NPT Review Conference

Thursday, 08 April, 2010

The eighth Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference is due to take place between 3 and 28 May 2010. This note examines the main principles of the NPT as the cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime and the key issues regarding its continued effectiveness and credibility that are expected to be discussed at the conference. It also sets out the position of the British Government on these issues.
- Research Briefing
- Defence policy
Research Briefing

Universal jurisdiction

Thursday, 25 March, 2010

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.
Research Briefing

EU Legislation

Wednesday, 24 March, 2010

This Note considers the different types of EU legislative instruments and their implementation requirements. It also gives figures for EU laws adopted since 1980 and repealed since 1997, as well as an estimate of the proportion of UK secondary legislation made under the ECA to implement EU obligations.

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