Trade: US escalates trade war against China, imposing 145% tariffs (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The White House on 10 April stated that the composite tariff to be imposed on Chinese exporters would be 145%, and not 125% as originally announced, in a dramatic escalation of the trade war targeted primarily against China more than any other country in the global trading system, according to analysts and media reports.

Trade: US brushes aside sharp concerns over its reciprocal tariffs at WTO (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The United States on 10 April justified its imposition of reciprocal tariffs at the World Trade Organization on grounds of extraordinary national and economic security considerations, in a statement that seemingly showed an utter disregard for the WTO rules and the sharp concerns expressed by some 20 members, said people familiar with the development.

WHO: New proposal guts certainty of vaccine, drug commitments for pandemics (PRIV)
(TWN, Geneva)
At an informal session held at midnight on 9 April, Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes of Brazil presented an alternative proposal on manufacturers' benefit-sharing commitments under the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system.

South Sudan: Hunger reaches critical tipping point amid conflict, aid cuts (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
Vulnerable families in the northeast of South Sudan are at a critical tipping point as conflict escalates and hunger nears record levels, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.