WTO: Talks on IP royalties blocked amid $98 billion paid by South for IP use (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The United States, the European Union, and Japan, among others, reportedly blocked a request from Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, and India to convene a formal or informal meeting at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to discuss trade data relating to intellectual property (IP) payments made by developing countries.

Seed Treaty: North does not want South to know who uses their seeds (PRIV)
(Nithin Ramakrishnan, Lima)
Developed countries have opposed a legally established right of African countries to be kept informed about who is undertaking research and development on their seeds.

UN: South faces rising costs as global food import bill hits record high (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
The global food import bill (FIB) is estimated to reach USD 2.22 trillion in 2025, up nearly 8 percent from 2024, marking a new record high and the second consecutive annual increase following a brief decline in 2023, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).