Trade : Trump attacks DSTs, seeks permanent e-com moratorium (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The Trump administration has now turned its attention to digital services taxes (DSTs) under its proposed reciprocal tariff plan, as well as securing a permanent moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, according to a memo issued by the White House on 21 February.

CBD : Cali Fund operationalized; "not a charity", says COP President (PRIV)
(TWN, Rome)
The Secretariats of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), UNDP and UNEP have come together to launch the "Cali Fund for the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits from the Use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources".

Health : In significant move, Thailand rejects patent on vital Hepatitis C drug (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
In what is being hailed as a major victory for civil society organizations (CSOs) campaigning for expanded access to lifesaving medicines, Thailand's Department of Intellectual Property has rejected a patent application on a drug combination essential for the treatment of chronic Hepatitis C, following a pre-grant opposition.