UNCTAD XII : Delegates in last spurt to conclude UNCTAD XII text (PRIV)
(Martin Khor, Accra)
With one day to go before the close of UNCTAD XII, diplomats are racing against the clock to close the gaps on several contentious issues in the text to be adopted, and that have taken up much of the time of negotiations in the past several months.

Finance : The unfolding turmoil and some policy responses (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The unfolding financial turmoil in the mature economies is best seen as a natural result of a prolonged period of generalised and aggressive risk-taking - which happened to have the sub-prime market at its epicentre - and the policy response to strengthen the financial system on a more structural basis should be firmly anchored to the more enduring factors that drive financial instability.

United Nations : Climate a "life-and-death" issue for native peoples (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
Leaders of the world's 370 million indigenous peoples are calling for the United Nations to include their voices in its future talks on climate change.

United States : Primary win keeps Clinton alive (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
The six weeks since the last actual vote was cast in the battle for the Democratic nomination have been filled with speculation, but Tuesday's primary in Pennsylvania finally settled something: this election is far from over.

United States : Outspoken war critic poised for Green Party run (PRIV)
(IPS, Atlanta)
With media attention focussed almost exclusively on the dramatic contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, millions of US voters probably have no inkling that there is a ballot option beyond the Democratic and Republican Parties.

United States : Petraeus promotion frees Cheney to threaten Iran (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
The nomination of Gen. David Petraeus to be the new head of the Central Command not only ensures that he will be available to defend the George W. Bush administration's policies toward Iran and Iraq at least through the end of Bush's term and possibly even beyond.