Trade : Brazil's proposal could deny AB of its impartial role (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
In an attempt to appease the unilateral de mands of the United States at the World Trade Organization's Appellate Body (AB), Brazil has called for truncating the highest adjudicating body for global t rade disputes, and thereby deny the AB's independent and impartial role, trade e nvoys told the SUNS.

Trade : Abandon talks for e-com rules at WTO, say over 300 CSOs (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
A number of civil society organisations (CSO s) on Monday (1 April) expressed their profound and urgent opposition to the proposed negotiations on e-commerce at the World Trade Organisation, which if concluded, could result in the full liberalization of the entire digital ec onomy, and thus represent a back-door attempt to achieve a "WTO 2.0".

South America : Criticized by many, new PROSUR is born as a "Forum" (PRIV)
(Roberto Bissio, Montevideo)
More than one week after its officia l launch in Santiago de Chile, the legal nature of PROSUR, the Forum for the Progress of South America, is still unclear.

Brazil : Militarised government attempts to resume mega-projects (PRIV)
(IPS, Rio de Janeiro)
Two military-inspired initiativ es are leading Brazil's new government, which includes a number of generals, down the path of mega-projects, which have had disastrous results in the last four d ecades.