 Trade :
Chair outlines plans for work on trade facilitation (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The WTO Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation is to carry out its work for the first half of this year through a "facilitator-led" process, to be undertaken in two stages.
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United States :
Dempsey told Israelis US won't join their war on Iran (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey told Israeli leaders January 20 that the United States would not participate in a war against Iran begun by Israel without prior agreement from Washington, according to accounts from well-placed senior military officers.
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United States :
Group urges "more credible" military threat against Iran (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
The administration of President Barack Obama should take steps to make threats of a possible US or Israeli attack against Iran more credible, according to the fourth in a series of studies released here Wednesday by a 13-man "bipartisan" task force dominated by Iran hawks.
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United States :
‘Kitchen nightmares' alleged at world's largest restaurant group (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
An organisation of restaurant workers is suing Darden Restaurants, the largest full-service restaurant group in the world, in US federal court, alleging widespread racial discrimination and illegal labour practices.
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Environment :
2011 - a year of weather extremes, with more to come (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
The global average temperature in 2011 was 14.52 degrees Celsius (58.14 degrees Fahrenheit). According to NASA scientists, this was the ninth warmest year in 132 years of record-keeping, despite the cooling influence of the La Nina atmospheric and oceanic circulation pattern and relatively low solar irradiances.
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Brazil :
Deploys "junior firefighters" to snuff out dengue (PRIV)
(IPS, Rio de Janeiro)
The government of the state of Rio de Janeiro is unveiling a battery of creative tactics to engage the population in the battle against dengue fever, which is threatening to reach unprecedented epidemic proportions as a new virus strain hits Brazil.
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