Trade : South countries call for "policy space" in proposed WTO reforms (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
Trade envoys from several developing countries have called for ensuring "policy space" in the proposed "reforms" at the World Trade Organization, which is facing a grave systemic crisis, with the dispute settlement system about to become dysfunctional.

Finance : OTC derivatives rise to highest level since 2014, says BIS (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The notional amounts of over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives rose from $544 trillion at end-2018 to $640 trillion at end-June 2019, marking the highest level since 2014, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has reported.

Development : Investment to make Africa a world leader in renewables (PRIV)
(IPS, Johannesburg)
Africa, where close to half of its 1.2 billion people have access to electricity, is set to become a world leader in renewable energy.

Zimbabwe : Inflation makes it hard to keep track of cost of living (PRIV)
(IPS, Harare)
Stung by the country's spiralling inflation, Zimbabwe's government workers took to the streets this week for the first ever police-sanctioned march demanding improved wages.