Trade : US and other developed countries block WTO's annual budget (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Washington DC)
The United States and other major developed countries appear to have blocked, for the time being, the WTO's annual budget of CHF 197, 204,000 for 2021 due to several concerns over the use of trust funds, and the allocation of funds for the dispute settlement system, including the Appellate Body (AB) as and when it is restored, said people familiar with the development.

Finance : G20 Ministers fail to meaningfully address debt distress of South (PRIV)
(Bhumika Muchhala, New York)
The Group of 20 (G20) has announced a six-month extension of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative in their communique released on 14 October.

United Nations : Survives a world turned upside down (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
As the United Nations plans to commemorate its annual UN Day, come October 24, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is presiding over a world body which has remained locked down since last March because of the spreading coronavirus pandemic.

Mali : Women play critical role in preventing and resolving conflicts (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
The coronavirus pandemic has affected the safety and sense of community for many women in Mali given the travel restrictions and lockdowns in place, Bassirou Gaye, an assistant researcher for a 2019 report on the role of Mali women in peacekeeping, told IPS.

UN : Indigenous peoples, local communities - best hope for planetary emergency (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
Indigenous peoples and local communities offer the best hope for solutions to our planetary emergency. These solutions are grounded in traditional, time- tested practices and knowledge.