Trade : Australia wins major WTO ruling over tobacco plain packaging (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
In a landmark ruling that could have major implications for the enactment of tobacco control policies by other countri es, Australia has won a significant victory at the WTO, with a WTO panel reject ing complaints that the Australian tobacco plain packaging regulations violated the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade or trademark rights under the TRIP S Agreement.

Mideast : Procedures and long waits cut off support to 22 million Yemenis (PRIV)
(IPS, Rome)
As Yemen's people struggle to survive am id what has been described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, the stran glehold by both government coalition forces and rebels over the country's main port s of entry and distribution is cutting off a lifeline of support to 22 million p eople.

Brazil : Solar energy in social housing, a discarded solution (PRIV)
(IPS, Juazeiro)
"Our main challenge is to get the project back on track," agreed the administrators of two affordable housing complexes, where a small solar power plant was installed for social purpose s in Juazeiro, a city in northeast Brazil.