Trade : WTO members fail to reach consensus on targeted deliverables (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
Amidst an alleged demonstration of "irrat ional exuberance" and attempts at steamrolling decisions, members of the World Tr ade Organization on 23 July ended the first half of this year on a rather sombr e note of failure, with little or no consensus on any of the targeted issues, includi ng on disciplines on fisheries subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfis hing (OCOF) that is mainly responsible for the global depletion of fish stocks, said people familiar with the discussions.

UN : Conflicts, droughts, high food prices driving food insecurity - FAO (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
Conflicts are generating severe levels of a cute food insecurity, especially in countries like Yemen, where nearly 4.6 milli on people in government-controlled areas were estimated to be facing high leve ls of acute food insecurity, as well as Palestine (Gaza Strip) and Sudan, where populations are also facing the risk of famine, according to the UN Food an d Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Sudan : Nearly 26 million going hungry amid rising food prices, says UN (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on 23 July said that it continues to be extreme ly alarmed by the worsening food security situation in Sudan.