Trade : Major North countries bringing about state of exception at WTO (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
Major developed countries are attempting to bring about a state of exception at the World Trade Organization for suspending the fundamental flexibilities availed by developing countries such as special and differential treatment (S&DT), non-discrimination, and the consensus principle for decision-making (on this issue), the former South African trade minister Rob Davies cautioned on Thursday (7 November).

United Nations : Food commodity prices rise for first time in five months (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The international prices of a basket of key agricultural food commodities rose in October for the first time in five months, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has reported.

United Nations : UN agency for Palestinians in crisis as chief quits (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees was in "crisis mode" on Wednesday after director Pierre Krahenbuhl resigned amid a misconduct probe over whether he fast-tracked his girlfriend into a top paid job, analysts said.

Opinion : Can India's solar gift help a cash-strapped UN? (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
While the UN grapples with weighty global matters, can an Indian gift solve an unlikely matter of great concern to journalists and staffers - a partial shutdown of an escalator as part of the world body's austerity measures?

Opinion : Nairobi Summit is about future of humanity & human prosperity (PRIV)
(IPS, Nairobi)
As we count down the remaining days to the opening of the Nairobi Summit or the International Conference for Population and Development (ICPD), I am confounded by how much humanity has managed to simultaneously empower more women than at any other time in history, while at the same time failing to see that "women's issues" are actually "everyone's issues".