Finance : The real price of proprietary trading (PRIV)
(Chakravarthi Raghavan, Geneva)
Proprietary trading, properly defined and contextualised, has had a great deal to do with the current financial crisis, and moves for financial and regulatory reforms, the so-called "Volcker Rule" endorsed by US President Barack Obama, need to be beefed up considerably and broadened to include investment banks, hedge funds and other corners of the financial world.

Development : Sporting "mega-events" impact on housing rights (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing has urged States to adopt a responsible attitude concerning the impact of the Olympic Games, the Football World Cup and similar international sporting "mega-events" on the right to adequate housing.

Health : Neo-liberalism not liberal enough for AIDS investments (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
Neo-liberal economic ideas have grown increasingly dominant over the last 30 years. During that same time, the spread of HIV/AIDS has reached an epidemic crescendo.

Uruguay : New President aims for leap in development (PRIV)
(IPS, Montevideo)
"I've been crying (tears of joy) since yesterday. It's amazing to see how an ordinary person made it so far," said 44-year-old Maria del Rosario Corbo, referring to Uruguay's new President Jose "Pepe" Mujica, who was sworn in on 1 March at the head of this South American country's second leftist administration.