SINGAPORE - The World Trade Organization yesterday slashed its 2012 global trade outlook, citing the eurozone debt crisis and weak growth in the US and China as key factors behind the downgrade.

Global trade is now expected to grow 2.5 percent in 2012 compared with a previous forecast of 3.7 percent, the WTO said in a statement released in Singapore.

It also cut its global trade growth outlook for next year to 4.5 percent from 5.6 percent.

AIDFI turns 20

The Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. is celebrating its 20th founding anniversary today on the theme “20 Years of AIDFI: From Pioneering to Mainstreaming Technologies and Creating Opportunities for the Poor”, its press release said.

The foundation was established by a group of people who worked with sugar workers on farm lots and in the land reform program in 1991, to focus on support services that were not completely taken care of by the government. Despite the lack of funding and other problems encountered by a newly organized nongovernment organization in Negros, AIDFI started working in far-flung communities, with focus on appropriate technologies and organic agriculture, the press release also said.

NVC joining trade fair

The Negrense Volunteers for Change Foundation Inc. is joining the 27th Negros Trade Fair at the at the Rockwell Tent in Makati City, Sept. 26 to 30.

NVC is selling items crafted by its volunteers to support its Start Right, Live Bright Nutrition Program for infants and toddlers, an Association of Negros Producers press release said.

NVC Foundation's booth will feature napkin rings that are part of a varied assortment of table linen collections, bags of varied shapes and sizes, mosaic-topped photo frames and folding tables,gilded religious mosaic frames, andupscale-design jewelry, the press release said.

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