The Ministry of University and Research in Italy has launched the PRIN Hybrid 2026 call for proposals, introducing €56.6 million in funding to support multidisciplinary research projects that combine humanities, social sciences, and new technologies. The initiative is part of the country’s Three-Year Research Plan and reflects a growing emphasis on integrating humanistic knowledge with… [Read More]
Latin America VC Reforms: Lessons on Startups, Trust, and Governance
Corporate law is increasingly shaping venture capital (VC) policy debates around the world, from recent reforms in the United States to proposals for a new corporate framework in the European Union. However, developments in Latin America have received far less attention, despite offering valuable insights. New research tracking corporate law changes across multiple jurisdictions highlights… [Read More]
ILO Project Boosts Jobs and Social Cohesion in Mali
An ILO Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) project aimed at improving livelihoods and strengthening social cohesion between internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities was completed in peri-urban Bamako in March 2026. Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the one-year initiative focused on creating decent work opportunities while improving local infrastructure through labour-intensive… [Read More]
Banda Aceh MSMEs Boosted by ILO Perfume City Programme
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Banda Aceh City Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Banda Aceh to strengthen the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) ecosystem and support the city’s Perfume City Programme. The initiative focuses on developing Banda Aceh’s signature commodity, patchouli, which has long been recognised as one of… [Read More]
The Meaning of Giving in Africa: Lessons from Akan Adɔyɛ
For decades, global ideas of philanthropy have largely been shaped by Western traditions, where giving is often associated with wealthy individuals donating money to support social causes. In this framework, generosity is measured financially and treated as a separate act from everyday life. However, the concept of adɔyɛ within the Akan people of Ghana offers… [Read More]
South Africa Spekboom Bond Priced by World Bank
The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) has priced a $120 million Spekboom Restoration Outcome Bond to support large-scale ecosystem restoration and job creation in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Maturing in 2040, the bond is the World Bank’s longest-dated outcome bond and offers investors full principal protection, with returns linked to both a… [Read More]
Global Strategies to Manage High-Cost Medicines Offer Lessons for US Policy
Rising costs of innovative medicines are creating major affordability and access challenges worldwide, particularly in the United States where drug prices remain significantly higher than in other high-income nations. While these therapies—especially in areas like oncology, rare diseases, and gene treatments—offer significant clinical benefits, they are placing increasing financial pressure on public programs, insurers, and… [Read More]
UN Mission Reports Massive Destruction and Humanitarian Crisis in South Lebanon
A UN aid mission led by UNICEF has reported widespread devastation and urgent humanitarian needs in southern Lebanon, particularly in the town of Tebnine. Upon reaching a major hospital in the area, UNICEF spokesperson Christophe Boulierac described scenes of near-total destruction, noting that streets surrounding the facility had been completely flattened compared to just two… [Read More]
Syria Gets $225M World Bank Funding for Water and Healthcare
The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved US$225 million in grant financing from the International Development Association to help Syria restore essential public services in its water and health sectors. The funding will support two new projects aimed at improving living conditions for around 4.5 million people across the country by strengthening access… [Read More]
UN Urges Mexico to End Impunity and Tackle Disappearances Crisis
UN human rights chief Volker Türk has called on Mexican authorities to step up efforts to end impunity, safeguard journalists and human rights defenders, and address the country’s ongoing crisis of disappearances. Speaking at the end of an official visit to Mexico, he warned that violence remains a major concern, particularly for women defenders and… [Read More]
Global Update: Gaza Civilian Risk, Duterte ICC Trial, Yemen UN Detentions
Continued strikes, shelling, and gunfire in residential areas of Gaza have raised serious concerns over civilian safety, according to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA. The warning follows reports that children were killed in northern Gaza after a civilian tent shelter was struck. The agency reiterated that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure… [Read More]
AfDB Grants $24.5M for Clean Energy in São Tomé and Príncipe
The African Development Fund has approved a $24.5 million grant for São Tomé and Príncipe as part of a broader $30 million investment aimed at transforming the country’s energy sector. The funding will support the Energy Transition, Efficiency, and Expansion Project (ETREEP), which seeks to reduce reliance on expensive imported diesel and accelerate the shift… [Read More]
Zimbabwe Gets $25M AfDB Support for Drought Resilience
The African Development Bank Group has approved a $25 million grant for Zimbabwe to support rural communities severely affected by climate change. The funding will be used to strengthen food security, revitalise smallholder agriculture, improve grazing systems, and develop water resources, while also encouraging private sector participation in climate-resilient agriculture. The initiative, funded through the… [Read More]
Global Measles Surge Driven by Conflict and Vaccine Misinformation
Measles cases have risen by more than 25% in conflict-affected countries, driven by weakened health systems, attacks on healthcare infrastructure, reduced international aid, and growing vaccine misinformation. According to analysis of WHO data by Save the Children, these fragile settings continue to experience disproportionate disease outbreaks as immunisation programmes struggle to function effectively amid instability…. [Read More]
Kuwait Charity Expands Global Aid with Water Projects in India and Chad
Namaa Charity, affiliated with the Social Reform Society in Kuwait, has announced a major humanitarian initiative to improve access to clean water in India and Chad, benefiting more than 13,000 people in total. The projects focus on drilling semi-artesian wells in India and artesian wells in Chad, alongside urgent relief assistance for Sudanese refugees. In… [Read More]
New BNPB–IOM Initiative Strengthens Climate Displacement Risk Data System
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and a wide network of national and international partners, is advancing a government-led initiative in Indonesia to strengthen climate mobility data through the development of the Risk Index for Climate Displacement (RICD). The partnership also includes the Ministry of Environment… [Read More]
New Arab States Partnership to Boost Green Finance for SMEs
UNDP has signed a Joint Statement of Intent with the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), both part of the Islamic Development Bank Group, to establish a new blended finance structure aimed at accelerating private investment in climate-smart… [Read More]
Europe Boosts Earth Observation Capacity with ESA–EDA Joint Study (2026)
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Defence Agency (EDA) have signed a new Implementing Arrangement to jointly assess Europe’s Earth observation capabilities and develop a long-term roadmap to strengthen security and defence readiness. The agreement, signed in Brussels on 22 April, establishes a structured collaboration to identify technological gaps, evaluate future operational needs,… [Read More]
ICOS Welcomes €10M EU Funding for Bioeconomy Demonstration Projects
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, and the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien TD, have announced €10 million in funding for two new bioeconomy demonstration projects under the EU Just Transition Fund Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative. The programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the… [Read More]
Asia-Pacific Food Forum opens in Brunei Darussalam with FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has launched the first Asia-Pacific Food Forum (APFF) in Brunei Darussalam to accelerate the transformation of agriculture and food systems across the region. The forum brings together ministers, experts, businesses, farmers, and youth to explore ways to boost investment, strengthen innovation, and expand opportunities in the… [Read More]
WHO declares Bahamas has eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission
The World Health Organization (WHO) has congratulated The Bahamas for achieving a major public health milestone by becoming the latest Caribbean nation certified as having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The announcement marks a significant step forward in the country’s long-term efforts to protect maternal and child health and reflects sustained political commitment and strong… [Read More]
Zambia launches national NCD STEPS survey for health data
Zambia has officially launched the WHO STEPwise Approach to NCD Risk Factor Surveillance (STEPS) survey, a nationwide study aimed at generating reliable data to strengthen the country’s response to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The launch, led by the Minister of Health Dr Alex Katakwe, marks a key step in improving evidence-based health planning and prevention strategies… [Read More]
How simulation training is improving maternal health in Niger
In Niamey, Niger, a new generation of health professionals is being trained through Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) simulation, helping them master life-saving skills before working with real patients. At the Faculty of Health Sciences of Abdou Moumouni University, residents like Dr Amina Garba Amadou are using neonatal mannequins to repeatedly practice critical procedures,… [Read More]
