Opposition Leader Sentenced to Two Decades in Chad Chad’s main opposition leader, Succès Masra, has been handed a 20-year prison sentence by a criminal court in Ndjamena. Human Rights Watch condemned the verdict, labeling the charges as politically motivated and a severe blow to democratic freedoms in the country. Masra, a former prime minister and… [Read More]
India’s Extreme Poverty Plummets to 5.3% as World Bank Revises Global Benchmarks
The World Bank has released a report indicating a significant decline in extreme poverty in India, with the rate dropping to 5.3% between 2011-12 and 2022-23. This reduction, which saw the number of people in extreme poverty fall from 344.47 million to 75.24 million, occurred even as the World Bank revised its global poverty threshold… [Read More]
State Department’s Human Rights Report Scaled Back, Critics Say
The State Department has released its annual human rights report, but critics argue the document has been significantly scaled back, omitting details on abuses in politically allied countries while intensifying criticism of nations that have clashed with the current administration. The report, delayed for months, has been described as "streamlined" by officials, but human rights… [Read More]
UNDP and UNDRR Join EU to Strengthen Caribbean Climate and Crisis Resilience
The European Union, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) have launched a four-year initiative under the European Union‑Caribbean‑Resilient Programme (EU‑CA-RES), supported by a €4 million EU grant. The programme aims to strengthen early warning systems and build recovery capacities across Caribbean nations, helping governments, communities,… [Read More]
MDA Invests $560K+ to Strengthen Meat Processing Workforce and Education
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded over $560,000 in grants to enhance workforce development and hands-on training in meat processing across the state. This funding is distributed through two programs: the Meat Processing Train and Retain Grant program and the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Meat Education and Training (MEAT) Grant program,… [Read More]
Kauffman Foundation Launches New Funding to Empower Creative Entrepreneurs
Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) has received a $250,000 Capacity Building grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to expand and strengthen its Artist INC and Artist Leadership Fellows programs. This two-year investment aims to bolster artist-led entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic resilience across Kansas City and M-AAA’s six-state region, which includes Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma,… [Read More]
Met Éireann Awards €2.8 Million to Advance Climate and Flood Forecasting Research
Met Éireann has announced €2.8 million in funding for six new university research projects aimed at advancing climate services and developing improved flood forecasting models. These awards, made through the Met Éireann Research Call 2024, target innovative initiatives addressing climate change, extreme weather events, and environmental sustainability. The research forms part of Met Éireann’s Weather… [Read More]
Shivalik Small Finance Bank Secures INR 100 Crore Equity Funding Led by SMBC Asia Rising Fund, Japan
Shivalik Small Finance Bank, India’s first bank to transition from an urban cooperative bank, has successfully raised INR 100 crore in equity capital. The funding round was led by SMBC Asia Rising Fund, the corporate venture capital arm of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), with participation from existing investors including Accel, Quona Capital, Lightspeed, and… [Read More]
$23 Million Granted to Improve Learning Environments in Under-Resourced Schools
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced $23 million in funding for four under-resourced school districts across New York State to improve learning environments under the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. Administered through the Clean Green Schools Program by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the initiative aims… [Read More]
How Nuclear Technology is Revolutionizing the Fight Against Seafood Fraud
Deceptive practices in the seafood industry, from mislabeled fish to hidden additives, are threatening livelihoods, food safety, and consumer trust. An international initiative backed by the United Nations is now leveraging advanced nuclear science to ensure seafood is safe, authentic, and traceable, protecting both consumers and the fishing industry. Seafood consumption per capita has doubled… [Read More]
Italy Launches £432M Export Finance Fund to Strengthen Trade with India
The Italian government has launched a new initiative, “Misura India,” aimed at boosting Italian exports to India through subsidized export finance and other trade finance instruments. Administered by the Italian export finance agency SIMEST, the program is part of a broader strategy to strengthen trade with the Global South, particularly as demand in traditional Western… [Read More]
Guinea Launches Malaria Vaccine in Routine Immunization Program to Protect Children
Under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, Guinea has officially introduced the malaria vaccine into its Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), with support from Gavi, WHO, UNICEF, and PATH. This historic step aims to curb the country’s high malaria burden, which remains the leading cause of child morbidity and mortality. In… [Read More]
Katherine Town Council Wins $1.6M Funding for New Regional Sports & Community Precinct
Katherine Town Council has secured $1,607,918 through the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program to design a multi-purpose regional sports, recreation, and community precinct linking the Katherine Aquatic Centre with surrounding sporting facilities. The Council will lead the project in partnership with the Northern Territory Government, Katherine-based NGOs, Indigenous organisations, and local sporting and community groups… [Read More]
How Mid-Day Meal Schemes Improve Education and Nutrition in India
The Mid Day Meal (MDM) Scheme is a government initiative in India that provides free, cooked meals to school children, aiming to deliver one nutritious meal a day to help them stay healthy and focused on their studies. Launched in 1995, the programme was designed to address both hunger and school dropout rates, encouraging parents… [Read More]
South Sudan Begins Second Phase of R21 Malaria Vaccine Rollout to Protect Children
Malaria remains endemic across all regions of South Sudan, posing a significant health challenge with an estimated 5.5 million cases and over 4,000 deaths annually. Limited access to treatment, insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), and vaccines has contributed to rising malaria prevalence, particularly among children aged 6–59 months, whose infection rates increased from 32% in 2017… [Read More]
Ethiopia Launches UN-Led Initiative to Prevent Child Wasting in Young Children
The Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the World Food Programme (WFP), officially launched the Joint UN Initiative for the Prevention of Wasting (JUNIPr) to accelerate national efforts against child wasting, a severe form of malnutrition affecting over 11% of Ethiopian children under five. The… [Read More]
South Sudan Unveils One Health Strategic Plan and 2nd National Health Security Action Plan (2025–2030)
In 2025, South Sudan officially launched and signed off on the One Health Strategic Plan and the 2nd National Action Plan for Health Security (2025–2030), aimed at strengthening preparedness and response to public health emergencies of international concern. These complementary plans build on evidence from the 2024 Joint External Evaluation and integrate human, animal, and… [Read More]
WHO Trains 49,000 Health Workers for Pakistan’s First HPV Vaccination Campaign Targeting 13 Million Girls
Pakistan, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), is preparing to launch its first-ever human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign from 15 to 27 September, marking a historic milestone in the fight against cervical cancer. The initiative will target 13 million girls aged 9 to 14 years in Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad Capital Territory, and Pakistan-administered… [Read More]
Iraq Launches National Strategy 2025–2030 for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health
In 2025, Iraq introduced the 2025–2030 National Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, a major milestone in its health sector reform. Developed under the technical leadership of WHO in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, and UNFPA, the strategy prioritizes the needs of the population in shaping health policies and services. It is… [Read More]
Ugandan Plant Breeders Drive Crop Innovation with New Grant-Based Model
Uganda faces an urgent need to accelerate agricultural innovation to boost productivity and support agro-industrial exports. With a rapidly growing population and lagging agricultural output, the country faces mounting challenges to food security, nutrition, and income, compounded by climate change. Strengthening the breeding of resilient and market-adapted crop varieties is seen as a key solution,… [Read More]
Breeding Networks Driving Better Crop Varieties in East Africa
Collaboration networks are essential to advancing agricultural research, especially in crop breeding, where partnerships between researchers, private companies, and public institutions generate innovation. At the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), this collaborative approach is strengthened through partnerships with CGIAR and national institutes across East Africa. By pooling resources, expertise, and market knowledge, these… [Read More]
UK Launches £9.5M Fund to Boost Community-Led Digital Inclusion
Millions in the UK remain excluded from the benefits of the digital world due to barriers such as a lack of skills, confidence, or access to affordable devices like laptops, tablets, or mobile phones. These limitations hinder people’s ability to find work, access healthcare and education, and secure the best value for daily essentials. To… [Read More]
B.C. Invests in Tŝilhqot’in-Led Healing and Wellness Initiative
The Province of British Columbia is investing $8.3 million to launch a new Tŝilhqot’in-led healing and wellness model aimed at supporting First Nations people living with substance-use challenges. Developed in partnership between the Tŝilhqot’in National Government and Red Road Recovery, the Red Road River Tŝilhqox project will provide culturally grounded treatment and recovery services that… [Read More]
