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NIC-Argentina (www.nic.ar) has implemented new rules governing the .ar country code top-level domain (cc-TLD) domain names. NIC has put into force Article 5 of the domain name regulation, which was put on hold at the time the rules were enacted in 2000. Article 5 sets out that domain name registrations shall be valid for one-year terms, counted from registration date, and may be renewed indefinitely. Renewal applications will be received in the last month that the registration is in force, and domain names that are not renewed shall be eliminated from the Registry automatically.

The Hangzhou Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC), the local body responsible for administrative enforcement of trade mark rules, appears to be following the practice of Beijing's local AIC by giving special protection to certain well-known brands.

For its impact on patent owners, Phillips v AWH Corporation is one of the most important cases of the past decade. Thankfully, says Irv Feit, the Federal Circuit found a compromise between the competing approaches to claim interpretation

The decision to trust an outside provider with internal business responsibility is not taken lightly, but for a business looking to cut costs and improve efficiency, outsourcing business responsibilities to a trusted provider is not only cost-effective, but it can also be the most viable option for many of its activities. Already commonplace in the globalized IT industry, this corporate trend has begun to make its way into trade mark departments, as managements increasingly recognize the financial and administrative benefits of outsourcing trade mark renewals to a third-party company.

The practice of advertising one's own products by knocking a competitor's products or services is becoming increasingly common among companies in Europe. But are the legislators keeping up with the pace? Jeremy Dickerson looks at how the law is changing to deal with the issues

Enquiries into alleged corruption in Hong Kong have cast light on the hidden role of IP investigators in the fight against counterfeiting. Emma Barraclough reports

Emma Barraclough, Hong Kong

Sam Mamudi, New York

Rights owners will be happy to hear that the Dubai Customs Authority has recently announced its plans to set up a dedicated Intellectual Property Unit (IPU) to help curb the import, export and transshipment of counterfeit goods and products through all ports, including the Jebel Ali Free Zone Port. This is the first unit of its kind in the region and promises a brighter future for international brand owners.

A number of recent cases confirm that disparities remain in how European and US courts tackle conflicts between competition and intellectual property laws. Companies need to be aware of the impact competition rules can have on the value of their IP, say Isabel Davies, Bruno Lebrun and Andreas Stargard of Howrey