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Russia aims to prevent speculative currency traders from bidding up the ruble exchange rate. Moscow plans to accomplish this by applying a tax on cross-border currency transactions. Brazil and Indonesia also support this idea, as they consider speculative money inflows a threat to their exporters. Brazil has already put into effect a tax on Brazilian stocks traded in US markets. Alexei Ulyukayev, Chairman of the Russian Central Bank, favors the new tax and he thinks enactment of the measure is likely.

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The oil-rich Niger Delta region has suffered from environmental degradation and social unrest as a result of transnational corporations' activities. Because of the importance of the oil industry, the Nigerian government has been unwilling to meet its obligation to respect and protect the local population's rights. In the absence of recourse in local courts, Nigerians have resorted to the Alien Tort Claim Act, which provides a framework for foreign nationals to institute law suits in the US. This, however, should not eclipse the need to establish an international legal regime addressing the nature of corporations as actors in the human rights field.

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Colombian farmers have sued BP, one of the world's biggest oil companies. BP built a 450-mile (720km) pipeline through the country, which has caused severe harm to the soil and groundwater system. Environmental damages threaten the livelihood of many farmers, who now are claiming legal compensation. BP has not agreed to a settlement and the firm is fighting the case in UK courts, where the farmers are at a big disadvantage.

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Lax laws in the US allow arms traffickers, drug smugglers and money launderers to use US companies to hide their illicit activities from investigators. Government officials cite the case of the "merchant of death" Viktor Bout, a Russian businessman accused of selling weapons to countries torn by civil war in Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. Bout used shell companies around the world to carry his business, including a dozen US corporations.

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For many years, the Kimberley Process (KP) has covered 99 percent of the global trade in rough diamonds, but this is no longer the case, says the spokesman for the KP International Civil Society Coalition. Although the KP has made progress in cleaning up the trade in rough diamonds since its creation 10 years ago, today between 4% and 5% of the global diamond trade is either circumventing or defrauding KP channels. The KP possesses the tools necessary to address these challenges, but often lacks the political will and capacity to use them. The recent KP plenary meeting provided an occasion to assess the ways in which the process should be reformed.

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"Branding" and "marketing" are concepts not often associated with the ideals and aims of humanitarian work. However, due to the large number of humanitarian organizations, these NGOs compete intensely for media attention and donor funds. The organizations must maintain public trust and credibility, "protect their brand" from media scandals, and distinguish themselves from their competitors in the media marketplace.

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As the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor continues this week, Liberians remain divided in their opinions of the ICC's accusations. Whilst some will be content with any guilty verdict, others are discontent with the ICC's sole focus on Sierra Leone (they claim this ignores the suffering caused by Taylor during the 10 year war in Liberia). Further, some Liberians still remain unconvinced of Taylor's guilt and claim the court's accusations are merely an example international bias against African leaders.

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Uppsala University has published a scathing assessment of the International Energy Agency's annual world Energy Outlook, just a few days after two insiders revealed that the agency was downplaying the potential for future oil scarcity. The study warns of the IEA's increased politicization, describing the report as a "political document" developed for consumer countries with a vested interest in low prices. In order to meet the agency's predictions, oil would have to be extracted at a pace never seen before.

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UN sanctions have been unsuccessful in persuading the Iranian Government to halt uranium enrichment plans. Yet, for civilians in post election Iran, the situation is changing. Many Iranians are demanding civil rights and protesting against fundamentalist policies. This article urges the UN to pay attention to internal changes so that policies support civilians and prospective sanctions only target core governmental structures, not the nation as a whole.

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The Treaty of Lisbon states that the EU's development cooperation policy will primarily focus on the reduction and the eradication of poverty. But NGO leader Mirjam Van Reisen says that the EU has been systematically violating the policy. Action Aid also criticizes EU aid policies. But many believe that the Treaty of Lisbon will increase the EU's role in fighting poverty by helping smallholder farmers have access to European markets.