Trade : WTO affirms US "dolphin-safe" measures on tuna WTO-illegal    (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The Appellate Body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Wednesday largely upheld an earlier panel ruling that had found that "dolphin-safe" measures taken by the United States concerning the importation, marketing and sale of tuna and tuna products from Mexico were inconsistent with US obligations under the WTO.

Climate : North objects to agenda in UNFCCC talks    (PRIV)
(Meena Raman, Bonn)
The opening plenary of the 15th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) saw an intense resistance from especially developed countries, to allow the adoption of the provisional agenda prepared by the Chair, Mr. Aysar Tayeb of Saudi Arabia.

Climate : Doha must adopt Kyoto Protocol second commitment period    (PRIV)
(Fauwaz Abdul Aziz, Bonn)
The 17th Session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) opened on 15 May with developing countries demanding that developed nations embark on the necessary level of mitigation ambition and other meaningful actions so that the second commitment period for emissions reductions under the Protocol can be adopted in Doha, Qatar this December.

United Nations : "Small Five" challenge "Big Five" over veto powers    (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
The 193-member General Assembly is expected to vote on a resolution - described as "historic" - requesting the five permanent members (P5) of the Security Council to consider "refraining from using their vetoes on action aimed at preventing or ending genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity".

Palestine : EU feels force of Israeli demolitions    (PRIV)
(IPS, Brussels)
All 27 foreign ministers of the European Union have strongly spoken out against Israeli demolitions in Area C of the West Bank. Since the beginning of 2011, not less than 60 EU-funded projects have been demolished while 110 others are currently at risk. Several analysts claim the Israeli authorities are specifically targeting EU-funded projects.