TRADE: U.S. Farm Subsidies Hurting Africa’s Development

In a renewed campaign, African trade ministers have urged the United States to remove agricultural subsidies that are hurting African farmers.

ECONOMY: Indo-ASEAN Free Trade Deal in Trouble

A proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the ten-nation Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has hit a major roadblock with India’s agriculture ministry objecting to the inclusion of key commodities like pepper, rubber, palm oil, coffee and tea in the ambitious tariff liberalisation programme.

CHINA: Grappling With the Dragon of Labour Unrest

As China is assailed by a surge of protectionist sentiments in the United States and the European Union - its largest trade partners, it is now also facing a multitude of accusations from Western trade union groups about unfair competition and workers' exploitation.

ECONOMY-INDIA: On Slippery Slope to Currency Convertibility

After decades of running a closed economy, India is now gingerly taking steps towards freeing the rupee from all official controls - a move analysts say is fraught with dangers such as capital flight, that other Asia Pacific countries are only too familiar with.

TRADE-US: Doubts Grow About Future of Global Talks

An influential U.S. lawmaker has declared the multilateral trade talks under the umbrella of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) a failure and urged the George W. Bush administration to fast-track country-to-country trade pacts.

EU-LATIN AMERICA: Doubts Arise Over May Summit

Civil society organisations are sceptical about the outcome of the conference of 58 heads of government and state from Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean next month in Vienna.

TRADE: Commodities Trade Can Cut Poverty

Agricultural and economic experts will seek to "prioritise and streamline" the commodity development agenda at a meeting in Rome this week.

VIETNAM: Communists at the Crossroads

With the policy-making, tenth National Party Congress looming up in mid-April, communist leaders are burying their differences to formulate a plan capable of lifting this country out of underdevelopment while ensuring that the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) retains full control.

EAST ASIA: Sino-Japanese Ties Hit New Low

If bilateral ties between China and Japan can be described as "cold politically and warm economically", then they have hit a new low. Differences over the wartime past and regional influence have now spilled over into business and economic issues, threatening to damage the fragile status quo between Tokyo and Beijing.

HEALTH: Brazil to Hand Out a Billion Free Condoms

As a key part of its vigorous campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS, the Brazilian government is planning to distribute over one billion condoms free of charge this year.

POLITICS: India’s Russia Card Ups Nuclear Stakes

Hot on the heels of its landmark 'nuclear cooperation' agreement with the United States, which allows New Delhi to keep its nuclear weapons, the Indian government has entered into a controversial deal with Russia for the supply of nuclear fuel for two civilian power reactors.

TRADE: Poorest Nations Hit Hardest by WTO Agenda, Study Finds

Developing nations are likely to end up being net losers under the current global trade agenda because they do not have the agricultural or industrial capability to compete with the United States, Japan, Europe or even China, the expected winners, a new study says.

DEVELOPMENT: Trade Rules a Stumbling Block to Realising the MDGs

Less than a decade remains for countries to reach the ambitious targets laid out in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - agreed on by global leaders at a summit in 2000.

UAE: Ports Row May Divert Arab Investments From US

Although the Dubai-based DP World has withdrawn its bid to manage key ports in the United States, questions linger as to what prompted Congress resistance to the deal- genuine security concerns, protectionism, Islamophobia or domestic politics.

CHINA: Rural Spending, Safety Valve for Hot Economy

Against the backdrop of rising trade tensions between China and the outside world, Beijing's new drive to boost rural spending and close the wealth gap between the booming cities and its neglected countryside is being promoted as a safety valve for trade tensions with developed and developing countries.

TRADE: Talks Getting Harder to Pull Out of the Fire

Development groups are holding on to a faith in progress on the world trade talks, but amidst growing apprehension that it may not come.

ECONOMY: Will China Overtake US as India’s Trade Partner?

Despite the substantial nuclear cooperation deal, sealed by visiting President George W. Bush, earlier this month, the United States may still lose out to rival China as India's largest trading partner.

TRADE: U.S. Firms Fear Blowback on Ports Debacle

U.S. lawmakers who killed a deal that would have transferred management of terminals in six U.S. ports to an Arab company say they will forge ahead with legislation targeting foreign ownership of critical U.S sectors.

TRADE: Brazil and India Dubious Ambassadors of the Poor

As the 'G6' trade talks begin in London, questions are growing louder how far India and Brazil can speak for the poorest countries.

TRADE: Time for the Collective ‘Strip-Tease’

Both developed and developing countries will lay bare their final negotiating positions at a crucial round of trade talks this weekend.

TRADE: Doha Deal Won’t Come Cheap, Activists Warn

Six leading economic powers will meet in London this weekend to try to jumpstart long-stalled global trade talks, amid opposing appeals from anti-poverty advocates who say a deal would worsen conditions in developing countries and business lobbies promoting the benefits of market access.