Trade : US leads the world in use of compulsory licenses, says KEI    (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The United States "is leading the world in the use of compulsory licenses," and is hypocritical in voicing indignance when developing countries issue compulsory licenses for essential drugs, a leading international civil society organisation, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI), has said in testimony before the United States International Trade Commission (USITC).

WIPO : Gurry nominated for second term as D-G    (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The Coordination Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) on Thursday nominated Mr Francis Gurry of Australia, the current incumbent, for a second term as Director-General of the organisation.

Finance : New economic crisis engulfing developing countries    (PRIV)
(IPS, Geneva)
Several developing countries are now being engulfed in new economic crises as their currency and stock markets are experiencing sharp falls, and the end is not yet in sight.

United Nations : Women still walk two steps behind in Arab world    (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
In much of the Arab world, women's participation in the labour force is the lowest in the world, according to the United Nations, while women in politics are a rare breed both in the Middle East and North Africa.

United States : Plans to speed poultry slaughtering, cut inspections    (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
The US government is in the final stages of weighing approval for an overhaul of regulations governing the country's poultry industry that would see processing speeds increase substantially even while responsibility for oversight would be largely given over to plant employees.