Trade: South countries strongly oppose joint proposal on WTO notifications (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
Many developing and poorest countries on Monday opposed a proposal circulated by the United States and five other countries for enhanced transparency and notification requirements in World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements, saying that it would impose "punitive measur es and sanctions" and burdensome requirements on members, trade envoys told SUNS.

Trade: Japan initiates dispute over Korean support to shipbuilding (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
Japan has initiated a dispute at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over alleged financial support provided by Korea to its shipbuilding industry.

United Nations: Using data to restore land (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
A new landmark initiative aims to make quality data and tools available to the international communit y in order to combat an "existential crisis" - land degradation.