This paper considers the history and nature of the ‘modern rule of releases’, concerning compromises to settle or preclude litigation. The rule holds that only matters the parties had contemplated as well as what they intended to release will in fact be released, even if the compromise has been made in the most general terms. Thus the rule is engaged when the releasor executes a general release but does not appreciate the existence of some of the claims the words used purport to release. This paper shows how the rule is a confusion of different conceptual bases and lines of authority and was created by accidentally muddling them together. It argues that, despite this, it successfully straddles both bases, functions well conceptually and serves a vital role.

We performed an Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) to evaluate the impact on non-humanbiota from liquid radioactive effluents discharged by the Belgian Nuclear Power Plants(NPPs) of Doel and Tihange. A deterministic risk assessment for aquatic and terrestrialecosystems was performed using the ERICA tool and applying the ERICA screening value of 10µGy.h-1. The ERA was performed for the radioactive discharge limits and forthe actual releases (maxima and averages over the last 10 years, 1999-2008). All ERICAreference organisms were considered and depending on the assessment situation, additionalreference organisms were included in the analysis. It can be concluded that the currentdischarge limits for the Belgian NPPs do not result in significant risks to the aquaticand terrestrial environment and that the actual discharges, which are a fraction of theliquid discharge limits, are unlikely to harm the environment.

Encarsia sp. is the main solitary endoparasitoid developing on the larvae of the cotton whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), in western Burkina Faso. The biological control potential of this parasitoid is currently under investigation. Studies of some population parameters and biological control assays have been undertaken in the laboratory and greenhouse. Encarsia sp. can develop on the four larval stages of B. tabaci obtained in our study conditions, 7 to 15 days after oviposition. The highest rates of parasitism were recorded on the third and fourth larval stages of B. tabaci. The duration of Encarsia development was shorter on the third and fourth than on the first and second instars. The emergence rate of the F1 generation was high (>80%) and seemed not to be related to the different host stages. The sex-ratio favoured females (6:1). Encarsia adults have a relatively short lifespan (<5 days) and males live twice as long as females. In experimental cages, parasitism levels fluctuated over time, and significantly increased with the number of parasitoids introduced. This study constitutes an important advance in assessing the potential of Encarsia sp. for biological control of B. tabaci in cotton crops in Burkina Faso.