South Asian nations are making the least progress in the Asia-Pacific region on meeting the Millennium Development Goals they pledged to achieve by 2015, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Almost half a billion children are at risk of permanent physical and mental growth damage over the next 15 years due to malnutrition, Save the Children warn in their latest report entitled “A Life Free from Hunger: Tackling Child Malnutrition”.

Addressing the European Parliament on 15 February, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti warned against the split in the European Union caused by eurozone problems. He said it was wrong to divide the EU into ‘peripheral’ and ‘central’ member states.

The adoption of revised international standards by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is a welcome step in protecting the integrity of the financial markets against money laundering and terrorist financing, believes Michel Barnier. Such measures will pave the way for stronger combative actions to take place at EU level.

EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs has expressed support for easing sanctions against Burma/Myanmar, noting the importance of sending a message of political support to the reform efforts being undertaken by the country.

Around two-thirds of EU citizens do not trust the manner in which their personal data is handled. This is not good news for the economy affirmed Martin Selmayr, Head of Cabinet to Viviane Reding, addressing this debate on the recent European Commission data protection proposals.

Negotiations on an EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) could be concluded by the autumn, according to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. EU and Indian leaders have made “substantial progress” on the negotiation at the 12th EU-India Summit held in New Delhi February 10.

The overarching goal for this year's G20 Summit is to set the course for “strong, sustainable and balanced economic growth.” Roberto Marino, Special Representative for Mexico’s G20 Presidency, argues for the promotion of sustainable development and of the green economy, stressing that modern-day challenges require global coordinated solutions. In this climate, the private sector is increasingly called upon to play a more important role, and emerging economies have to be encoura...

By Shada Islam. Expect no headline-grabbing breakthroughs at the China-EU summit in Beijing on February 14. China is unlikely to drop its strong opposition to the EU's Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), there will be no spectacular China-funded rescue package to ease the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis and Beijing will remain outside the international consensus on sanctions against Syria and Iran.

By Shada Islam. Negotiations on a first-ever EU-India free trade agreement are injecting much-needed excitement into Europe’s relationship with India. Despite earlier hopes, the trade deal will not be signed at the 12th EU-India summit in Delhi on February 10th.