Health millennium goals neglected in Asia-Pacific region: UN report

Hunger, child mortality and maternal mortality remain high in the Asia-Pacific region, making it difficult for the countries in the region to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, says a UN report released on Friday in New Delhi.

Retail FDI myths

Foreign direct investment or FDI in retail has been sold to the country as a panacea for many ills. It is supposed to create jobs on a large scale, fight inflation by providing food at reasonable rates to urban consumers and also ensure better prices for farmers and other suppliers. But given the experience elsewhere, the Cabinet’s decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail has raised the political temperature, divided economists and others like few other issues have.