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Chinese Textiles Put Pressure
· EU under pressure from Chinese textile
surge.
The European Union is under pressure to accelerate
its probe into a surge in Chinese textile imports.
The pressure comes from France, who is calling for
fast action to protect European jobs. Imports from
China have increased since a global quota system was
scrapped on January 1, and now France wants an investigation
into the sharp rises in imports of t-shirts, pullovers,
men’s trousers, blouses, stockings and socks,
women’s overcoats and brassieres.
The EU executive stated it would study France’s request
but warned that over-hasty action risks going against World
Trade Organisation rules and could trigger a challenge by
China.
"There is a risk that any measure we took which was
not founded on sufficient facts and on a sufficient legal
basis could be challenged at the WTO," Commission spokeswoman
Claude Veron-Reville told a news briefing in Brussels.
The textiles sector is a big employer in France, Spain, Italy,
Portugal and Greece.
China made 17 percent of the world's textiles and clothing
in 2003, but the WTO expects that market share to rise to
above 50 percent within the coming three years.
The Genographic Project
· A project spanning five continents aims
to map the history of human migration via DNA.
Some of the world's top population geneticists
and leading experts in the fields of ancient DNA,
linguistics and archaeology will participate in
The Genographic Project, a five-year study which
involves collecting DNA samples from over 100,000
people worldwide to piece together a picture of
how the Earth was colonised.
Evidence from genetics and archaeology places the origin
of modern humans (Homo sapiens) in Africa roughly 200,000
years ago. By studying the male Y chromosome and the female
mitochondrial DNA, scientists are seeking to create a picture
of which populations moved where in the world - and when.
A total of 10 DNA collection centres located around
the world will focus on obtaining samples from indigenous
peoples, whose genetic DNA has remained relatively unchanged
for generations.
IBM will use its analytical techniques to interpret
the information in the biobank and find patterns in the genetic
data.
In order to collect data, kits will be sold to the public
(genetic data is collected from the result of a cheek swab)
with net proceeds for these kits going back into research
and into a “legacy project” to support indigenous
peoples. The Genographic Project's directors emphasise that
the information in the database will be made accessible to
scientists studying human migrations. Directors for the project
are clear to state that they are not going to be patenting
anything, and that all information gathered will be public
domain.
The $40m privately funded initiative is a collaboration between
National Geographic, IBM and the Waitt Family Foundation charity.
Recycling PC's
· A UK company finds a useful home for recycled
PC’s in Kenyan schools.
Kenya’s Aquinas Secondary School for Boys is
one of 120 schools benefiting from a pioneering IT
education project. The project is run by Computers
For Schools Kenya (CFSK), a Nairobi-based charity
helping to produce a new generation of computer-savvy
young Kenyans.
This month, Aquinas became one of five pilot schools
that have gone online thanks to a wireless internet
connection.
A skilled and computer literate workforce is now
widely recognised as being a key factor in Africa's
ability to boost its productivity and attract investment.
"Information communication technology has
been identified by the UN as a driving force for
development," Tom Musili, executive director
of CFSK told The Guardian.
CFSK aims to place almost 15,000 PCs in nearly
600 schools by 2009. To do this, it must find supporters
within Kenya and overseas to fund the program
An important partners is UK-based Computer Aid
International (CAI), which supplies CFSK with most
of its computers. Since 1998, CAI has placed 45,000
computers in the developing world.
"End-of-life PCs are worthless to most companies
but invaluable to schoolchildren," Tony Roberts,
director of CAI, told The Guardian.
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