Agriculture : Talks to continue on 8-9 May, no text before week of 12 May (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The Chair of the agriculture negotiations at the WTO announced on Wednesday that he is calling another round of meetings on 8-9 May, in response to members' requests for more time before he produces a revised draft modalities text, which he said will now not be circulated before the week of 12 May.

Finance : Asian countries warned about effects of global financial turmoil (PRIV)
(Martin Khor, Bangkok)
Asian developing countries should be able to counter the ill effects of a global economic slowdown by boosting their domestic spending but several of them face serious risks from "bubbles" in credit, investment and in the equity and property markets, that were significantly contributed by excessive inflows of foreign capital.

Finance : IMF reforms itself, a little (PRIV)
(IPS, Brussels)
The poor have been given a little more say in the IMF. It is still a small step, but the biggest such in the last 60 years.

Development : Food crisis may get worse before it gets better (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
The spreading food crisis - triggered primarily by rising prices, declining outputs and growing scarcities worldwide - is threatening to impact heavily on the most vulnerable in society: women and children.

India : Blames West for high food, energy prices (PRIV)
(IPS, New Delhi)
While moving firmly to curb inflationary trends, India's coalition government, which faces a general election next year, continues to blame a poorly managed international financial system for spiralling food and energy prices at home.

United States : Supreme Court gives Republicans a boost (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
In a decision with major implications for the November national elections, the US Supreme Court Monday upheld a controversial state law that Democrats and a number of national civil rights groups believe could undermine the right of tens of thousands of poor and minority voters to cast ballots.