Getting the most out of PTAs and economic agreements – There is a question of both the quantity and the quality of human resources needed in economic ministries to meet the challenges of the PTA agenda. Multilateralism is in India’s interest. While there is a case for the PTAs, they should not undermine competency in using the WTO

Every day, around the world, people are working hard to make a difference in cardiovascular health. The most effective work is often not by big organizations or government agencies, but by local individuals working in community programs. The Louise Lown Heart Hero Award was created to recognize individuals and programs for their innovative, preventive approaches to promoting cardiovascular health in low-resource settings.

Comparative African Perspectives on China and other emerging powers in Africa is a research project initiated by FAHAMU, the network for social justice issues. China’s deepening engagement with Africa is receiving increased attention from the global media, public- and private sectors as well as academic research. This should however not overshadow the activities of other emerging powers in Africa, including India, Russia, Brazil and South Africa. This call therefore seeks to develop an African perspective by strengthening the civil society voice in the discourse surrounding the engagement between Africa and these emerging powers.

Building on last year’s successful launch of PLURAL+, a youth video festival on migration, diversity and social inclusion, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) again invite the worlds youth to submit dynamic and forward-thinking videos focusing on these issues.

Hayley Herman reviews a blog entitled 'China in Africa: The Real Story', by Professor Deborah Bräutigam, author of the highly acclaimed book, 'The Dragon’s Gift'. This blog deals with the myths and realities of Chinese aid and economic engagement in Africa.

Less than a year after the formal establishment of BRIC, South Africa has started to flex its muscle in its bid for inclusion in this group of global emerging powers, writes Hayley Herman.

Vicensia Shule reviews Issa G. Shivji's 'Where is Uhuru? Reflections on the Struggle for Democracy in Africa', a book in which the author 'eloquently expresses his thoughts on the evils of imperialism and neoliberalism'.

In this week's emerging powers news roundup, Africa-based Mi-Fone mobile devices makes entry into Indian market, China looks set to abandon Zimbabwe, India offers fellowships to African researchers, and Indian farmers to explore Africa for agriculture prospects

The rich have got a lot richer in China during the financial crisis. This has fueled strong resentment among ordinary Chinese, who feel official nepotism and corruption is making some people extremely rich. These are the outcome of recent studies by five different organizations, two of which are connected to the government. The resentment factor has been mapped by studies done by the People's Daily, the organ of the Communist Party of China and the State-run Zhejiang Academy of Social Sciences.

Critics are concerned that private military contractors are positioning themselves at the centre of an emerging "shock doctrine" for earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Next month, a prominent umbrella organisation for private military and logistic corporations, the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA), is co-organising a "Haiti summit" which aims to bring together "leading officials" for "private consultations with attending contractors and investors" in Miami, Florida.

With often preventable, non-communicable diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory illness accounting for 60 percent of all global deaths, experts from around the world gathered at a United Nations forum to draw up plans to reverse the trend.

In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the West moved quickly to crack down on the money laundering and secret banking systems that fund much of the terrorism in the world. But as evidence in both the U.S. and Europe suggests, illicit finances continue to circulate around the globe — and quite often the money has nothing to do with violence, but plain greed.

The handling of Tibetan and Uighur protests, as well as concerns over environmental damage, and curbs on information and opposition have dented China’s image, raising questions about its role as a global power and how this will affect Asia and the world.

Bharti has entered exclusive talks with Kuwait based Zain, in a deal that would give Bharti a presence in 15 other African countries.

With Ghana on the verge of an oil 'boom' in 2010, Mawuli Dake considers the steps and measures needed to ensure the country derives full and equitable benefit from the resource. While Ghana's mining industry has historically been characterised by a lack of transparency and the dominance of foreign multinational interests, Dake stresses that the burgeoning oil industry must not be allowed to go the same way.

In this week's roundup of emerging powers news, Tougher Chinese bank regulations weakens South african rand, Zambian miners reinstated at Chinese mine, Zain signs deal with India's Bharti, and Tanzania seeks to protect seed genetic heritage.

Reporters Without Borders condemns the Zimbabwean authorities' repeated harassment and intimidation of "The Zimbabwean", a privately-owned newspaper that is edited in Britain and printed in South Africa.

Even though the global economy appeared to start growing again during the closing months of 2009, labour markets showed little sign of improving. The number of unemployed persons is estimated at 212 million in 2009, representing an increase of almost 34 million over the number of unemployed in 2007, with the bulk of this increase occurred in 2009.

With hundreds of thousands of girls and women believed to be at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Europe, rights groups have mounted a campaign to get EU leaders to stop what they see as a barbaric and dangerous procedure. FGM – an umbrella term for procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons – has been condemned by governments, rights groups and health organisations across the world.

Education systems in many of the world's poorest countries are now experiencing the aftershock of the global economic downturn. The 2010 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, released on 19 January, argues that the crisis could create a lost generation of children whose life chances will have been irreparably damaged by a failure to protect their right to education.