Archive
International News Services archives articles supplied to clients one year or more after initial publication. These articles are protected by a password and not made available to readers without permission from clients. They are used as a background resource by agency journalists. Upon client requests, International News Services will remove such articles from the archive or not upload them in the first place. They are included to demonstrate the breadth of topics undertaken by the agency and also to help promote clients’ coverage.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HIT BY QATERGATE CORRUPTION SCANDAL
The European Parliament is reeling from the so-called ‘Qatargate’ cash-for-influence corruption and money laundering scandal that broke December 9 when Belgian police found over EUR1.5 million (USD1.6 million) cash in raids on locations across Brussels. In a December 15 resolution (1) on the suspicions of corruption by Qatar, passed by 541 votes in favour, two against, and three abstentions, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) agreed to suspend all work related to Qatar, notably on visa liberalisation and an aviation agreement, as well as to deny access to the Parliament for Qatari representatives.…
BREXIT CONTINUES TO HARM BRITISH TEXTILE INDUSTRY SAY EXPERTS
The UK and European Union (EU) textile and clothing sectors are still working out how to deal with the complex challenges brought by Brexit, with experts saying the industry has been suffering as a result. Work thus far has focused on dealing with the trading difficulties created rather than exploiting any theoretical opportunities created by increased UK regulatory autonomy since full Brexit came into being on December 31, 2020.…
BREXIT WORSENS UK CLOTHING SECTOR IMPACT OF ONGOING RECESSION
With the Bank of England predicting Britain will be mired in recession until 2024 H2, the country’s clothing industry has been left considering how much worse this UK slump will be because of Brexit. The central bank has been focusing on more recent challenges – saying that “high energy prices and materially tighter financial conditions” (through interest rate increases fighting inflation) “will weigh on spending”.…
EFRAG LISTENS TO COMPLAINTS OVER EUROPEAN SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS DRAFTS – PARES BACK DATA DEMANDS
The European Commission is now assessing a first set of detailed proposed European Union (EU) mandatory sustainability reporting standards, delivered – on time – by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) Sustainability Reporting Board (SRB). (1)
Due diligence assessments and potential amendments will now be undertaken by the EU executive, before its formal adoption of these standards, planned for next June (2023).…
EUROPE’S TEXTILE COMPANIES CUT WATER USE TO LOWER ENERGY COSTS AND PREPARED FOR FUTURE WATER SCARCITY
European textile companies are working to ensure that future water scarcity problems will not affect their operations, notably by cutting water consumption and installing high quality waste treatment facilities, European Union (EU) experts have told World Textile Information Network (WTiN).
According to EU statistical agency Eurostat’s regional yearbook 2022 (1), EU water scarcity – chiefly seen in southern Europe, with Portugal’s textile industry particularly affected – is primarily driven by climate change and excessive water consumption.…
CANADA AND USA MAY BE NORTH AMERICAN PARTNERS, BUT TRIMS AND MODELS CAN VARY BY MARKET
Canada and the USA may have one of the world’s most integrated auto sectors, with 2021 passenger vehicle imports into Canada from the USA worth USD27.8 billion and exports to the USA worth USD26.5 billion, yet trims and models can differ in either market.…
TECHNICAL ROUND UP – ISSB SAYS SUSTAINABILITY REPORTERS MUST COLLECT DATA ON DIRECT AND INDIRECT EMISSIONS
The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) has approved key technical decisions about the operation of its first two proposed sustainability-related disclosure standards, on general and climate-related disclosures – insisting that all direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions are declared. That means that ‘scope 1’ direct emissions from a company; ‘scope 2’ indirect emissions from electricity purchased and used; and scope 3 indirect emissions from across a company’s the value chain will be measured and declared under ISSB-authorised statements.…
SOMALIA AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MAKE TANGIBLE PROGRESS IN FIGHTING MARITIME PIRACY
The United Nations has let its authorisation for foreign actors to fight maritime piracy in Somalia’s territorial waters lapse, because its government and backers have become more effective in fighting this criminality. Ramadhan Rajab reports.
The UN Security Council’s decision to let Somalia take care of its own piracy problem does not mean shipping companies can rest easy about attacks off Somalia, but it does indicate its government is taking control of the problem.…
EU MINISTERS AGREE MEMBER STATES MUST DO THEIR PART IN FIGHTING FARM FRAUD
The European Union (EU) Council of Ministers has told its member states that it expects their governments to actively combat fraud in spending under the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). That this is an ongoing problem was highlighted in a report for the EU’s financial watchdog the Court of Auditors issued in July (1).…
MINING MAJOR GLENCORE TO PAY GBP280 MILLION IN UK FINES OVER AFRICAN OIL BRIBERY
International and Switzerland-based mining major Glencore has settled UK bribery cases brought by Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO), accepting a GBP280.9 million (USD314.5 million) penalty ordered by Southwark Crown Court, London.
This followed an SFO investigation revealing that Glencore Energy UK had paid USD29 million in bribes to gain preferential access to oil in Africa between 2011 and 2015.…