A recent report by the Swiss NGO Public Eye, in collaboration with the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), revealed that Nestlé's baby food products sold in India, Africa, and Latin America contain substantially higher sugar content compared to those sold in European markets. The study found that while all 15 Cerelac products for six-month-old babies sold in the UK and Germany contained no added sugars, the same products in India had 2.7 grams of added sugar per serving.
Krishna Srinivasan, the Director of the IMF's Asia Department, emphasized on Thursday that India must invest significantly in the health and education sectors to harness its demographic dividend. He suggested that such investments would contribute to greater youth employment.
Addressing worries that India's wheat subsidies could potentially impact American farmers, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai remarked that the resolution of WTO disputes with India last year has benefitted rural communities in the US.
As part of a repatriation agreement aimed at assisting Beijing in recovering lost artefacts, the US has handed over 38 cultural relics to China. At a ceremony held at the Chinese consulate general in New York on Wednesday, officials received the relics, predominantly from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
Analysts have emphasised the need for greater involvement by China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in mediation efforts in Myanmar. Dr Brian Wong, a scholar at the University of Hong Kong’s Centre on Contemporary China and the World, told CNA that China must engage with stakeholders, including ASEAN, rather than pursuing a unilateral approach that may be perceived as imposing its influence on Myanmar’s internal affairs.
North Korean officials engaged in discussions with a visiting delegation from Belarus, pledging to enhance collaboration while simultaneously condemning the US for its attempts to escalate “unlawful” sanctions pressure. Belarus’ Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Shestakov and his North Korean counterpart Lim Chun Il deliberated on bilateral cooperation in economic and cultural sectors, as well as mutual support on the international stage during their talks held on Thursday.