The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Compañía Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) have signed an €80 million loan agreement to finance CAF’s research, development, and innovation (RD&I) programme. The financing will support the company’s efforts to modernize the mobility sector and make it more sustainable by applying advanced technologies to trains and buses. CAF develops comprehensive… [Read More]
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Turkiye Faces Major Social Media and Messaging Platform Disruptions
Human rights and press freedom organizations have condemned Türkiye for throttling social media platforms and messaging apps during politically sensitive events, saying it restricts public access to vital information and impedes democratic participation. On September 7, major platforms including X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal were inaccessible in Istanbul for about 21… [Read More]
Ethiopian Health Professionals Set to Resume Strike Amid Ongoing Disputes
Health professionals in Ethiopia are set to resume striking on September 15 to demand better wages and living conditions, marking the second major strike in recent months. The nationwide walkout in May, organized by the Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement (EHPM), halted nonemergency health services and highlighted grievances including fair salaries, improved working conditions, health insurance,… [Read More]
USDA Announces $1 Billion Support for Livestock Producers Affected by Floods and Wildfires
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that eligible livestock producers affected by floods and wildfires in 2023 and 2024 can receive disaster recovery assistance through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW). The program, which aims to offset increased supplemental feed costs caused by qualifying disasters, is expected to provide… [Read More]
US Awards $500 Million Grant to Expand Green Iron Production and Reduce Emissions
The Australian government has released guidelines for the National Development Stream of the Green Iron Investment Fund, providing eligible businesses with an early opportunity to prepare their applications. The program offers $500 million in grant funding to support the growth of a domestic green iron industry, aiming to position Australia as a leader in sustainable… [Read More]
Trump Administration Halts Funding for Global HIV/AIDS Programs Amid Uncertain Impact
The United States has suspended some funding for its flagship HIV/AIDS relief program, PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), raising alarms among international organizations and members of Congress about the immediate impact on patients and global projects. PEPFAR, established in 2003, has been credited with saving over 26 million lives and providing antiretroviral therapy… [Read More]
Equal Pay: A Fundamental Right and Key to Gender Equality and Sustainable Development
On International Equal Pay Day, UN Women reaffirmed its commitment to supporting women workers globally in the effort to close the persistent gender pay gap and ensure equal pay for work of equal value. Despite three decades since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and reaffirmation in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, women… [Read More]
HKMU Wins Over HK$33 Million in RGC Research Funding, Leading Self-Financing Institutions
In the latest round of the Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector of the Research Grants Council (RGC), Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) secured over HK$33.42 million for 47 projects, representing more than 37.1% of the total allocation. For the third consecutive year, HKMU ranked first among all local self-financing institutions… [Read More]
Resolution Ventures Launches £9 Million WorkerTech Fund to Support Innovative Start-Ups
Resolution Ventures, the social investment arm of the Resolution Foundation, has launched a £9 million WorkerTech fund to back startups using technology to improve conditions for workers in sectors with low pay and insecure employment. The first close of the fund has already secured £6.75 million, with the goal of reaching £9 million. The fund… [Read More]
Ontario Secures $100 Million Investment to Strengthen Critical Mineral Supply Chain
Electra Battery Materials is set to establish North America’s first battery-grade cobalt refinery in Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, with a total investment of nearly $100 million. The Ontario government is supporting the project as part of its strategy to strengthen domestic supply chains, protect jobs, and support key sectors, including the automotive industry, amid U.S. tariffs… [Read More]
Canada Launches Greener Homes Program to Lower Energy Bills and Reduce Emissions
Canada has launched the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program (CGHAP), a new initiative aimed at helping low- to median-income households reduce energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions through no-cost home retrofits. Buildings are Canada’s third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, making energy-efficient heating, cooling, and power critical to tackling climate change. The program represents a… [Read More]
British Embassy Dublin Awarded Autism Accreditation for Inclusive Practices
The British Embassy in Dublin has officially been awarded its AsIAm Autism Accreditation, becoming the first autism-friendly embassy in Ireland and the first within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) network worldwide. This milestone reflects the Embassy’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion for both visitors and staff. The accreditation is the result of more… [Read More]
UK and Brazil Partner to Lead Global Efforts on Fertiliser Sustainability
The United Kingdom and Brazil have signed a new partnership aimed at addressing the environmental impact of fertilisers while unlocking their economic potential. The agreement, formalised through a memorandum of understanding, focuses on making fertiliser production and use more sustainable and efficient. Priority areas include protecting biodiversity, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening resilient supply… [Read More]
UK Announces £1.1 Billion Investment to Create Jobs and Boost Growth in Coastal Towns
The UK government and private industry have announced a joint investment of more than £1.1 billion to boost growth, jobs and skills in coastal towns and cities, with a strong focus on maritime innovation and clean energy. The funding, revealed at London International Shipping Week (LISW), includes £448 million in government support and £700 million… [Read More]
UN Report: Human Rights in DPR Korea Remain Dire After a Decade
The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) interviewed 314 witnesses who fled the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), along with consulting organizations and experts, to assess the country’s human rights situation since 2014. The findings reveal that conditions have not improved and, in many cases, have worsened, bringing further suffering to the population. James Heenan,… [Read More]
Nepal Appoints First Woman Prime Minister as UN Voices Solidarity During Crisis
Ms. Karki has been appointed as Nepal’s first woman Prime Minister by President Ram Chandra Poudel, who administered the oath of office in a ceremony attended by youth representatives, senior officials, and foreign diplomats. She has been given the responsibility of organizing fresh elections within six months. Before this, she served as the first and… [Read More]
Namibia Rolls Out HPV Vaccination to Eliminate Cervical Cancer
In Namibia, 10-year-old Andra Chigova from Windhoek is proudly encouraging other girls to get vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the leading cause of cervical cancer. She recently received her HPV shot as part of the country’s national vaccination campaign launched by the Ministry of Health and Social Services in August 2025, with support from… [Read More]
Ebola Vaccination Campaign Begins in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Vaccination of frontline health workers and contacts of confirmed Ebola cases has begun in Bulape health zone, Kasai Province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following the declaration of a new outbreak. An initial batch of 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, drawn from a stockpile of 2,000 doses prepositioned in Kinshasa, has… [Read More]
Nigeria Hosts National Policy Dialogue on Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health
Nigeria is taking significant steps to prioritize adolescent health, well-being, and development through multisectoral collaboration, in line with the National Health Sector Strategic Blueprint and the National Policy on Health and Development of Adolescents and Young People. This commitment was reinforced at the National Policy Dialogue on the Future of Adolescent and Youth Sexual and… [Read More]
Haiti Advances Landscape Management to Boost Food Security
Agriculture is central to rural livelihoods in Haiti, providing income for most families and employing two-thirds of the rural population. Yet the sector continues to face serious challenges that deepen rural poverty, which affects up to 75 percent of low-income households who often lack access to essential services. Years of underinvestment in rural infrastructure, public… [Read More]
Jordan’s Green Industrial Shift: A Key Step in Protecting the Ozone Layer
Jordan’s foam, refrigeration, and air conditioning industries once relied heavily on chemicals that contributed to greenhouse gas emissions and damaged the ozone layer. In line with its commitment under the Montreal Protocol, the country pledged to eliminate these harmful substances by 2030. With support from a World Bank-funded initiative, Jordan reduced its consumption of ozone-depleting… [Read More]
UNDP Emphasizes Private Finance in Driving Sevilla Platform for Action at UN Digital Divide Panel
At a high-level panel on “Private Sector Partnerships: Bridging the Digital Divide for Inclusive Rural Growth” held at United Nations Headquarters, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) highlighted the critical role of private finance in advancing the Sevilla Platform for Action, the roadmap adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4). The… [Read More]
UNDP and Korea Provide $447,000 in Emergency Equipment to Kharkiv Oblast Responders
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Korea, has delivered equipment worth US$447,000 (over UAH 18 million) to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) in Kharkiv Oblast. This support comes in response to heightened risks caused by ongoing shelling and extensive landmine contamination, which… [Read More]
