Jamaica has launched the first Basic Emergency Care (BEC) Hybrid course in the Americas Region in Kingston from April 21 to 24, led by the Ministry of Health and Wellness with technical support from the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization. The initiative is funded by the United Nations Road Safety Fund… [Read More]
Kansas Launches E15 Fuel Incentive to Cut Prices and Boost Farmers
The Kansas legislature, along with Governor Laura Kelly, has enacted a new incentive aimed at encouraging fuel retailers to sell E15, a fuel blend containing 15% American-made ethanol. The move has been welcomed by the biofuels industry, as it is expected to expand access to lower-cost fuel that is compatible with about 96% of vehicles… [Read More]
$52M USDA Funding Boosts Public Access to Private Lands
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $52 million in funding to expand public access to private lands for hunting, fishing, and other wildlife-related recreation. The funding will be provided through the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), which is managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and supports cooperation between landowners… [Read More]
New Climate-Resilient Classroom Opens in Vanuatu
A new climate-resilient classroom built from container architecture has been opened in Vanuatu to help ensure children can continue learning even during disasters. The initiative comes amid increasing climate-related threats such as cyclones, earthquakes, rising sea levels, and flooding, which have repeatedly disrupted education and endangered children’s rights to safety, health, and learning in the… [Read More]
Morocco Growth and Jobs Driven by Structural Reforms
The World Bank Group, in partnership with the Government of Morocco, has released two new analytical reports highlighting that Morocco could generate 1.7 million additional jobs by 2035 and increase its real GDP by nearly 20 percent above current trends. However, achieving this potential will require a strong and coordinated programme of structural and policy… [Read More]
World Bank to Transform Cambodia Transport Sector
The World Bank Group has approved the first phase of the Cambodia Regional Connectivity Improvement (CRCI) Program with $150 million in financing as part of a broader $300 million initiative. The program aims to strengthen resilient transport infrastructure and logistics systems in Cambodia to improve trade, regional connectivity, and economic growth. The initiative focuses on… [Read More]
World Bank Funds $250M Kinshasa Waste Management Project
The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved $250 million in financing for the Kinshasa Urban Transformation and Jobs Program, also known as “Kin la Belle.” The initiative aims to improve solid waste management in Kinshasa while creating inclusive job opportunities, particularly for youth and women. It forms part of a broader World Bank… [Read More]
Energy Prices Set to Surge as Middle East War Escalates
The World Bank Group’s latest Commodity Markets Outlook projects a sharp rise in global energy prices due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Energy prices are expected to increase by 24% in 2026, reaching their highest level since the 2022 Russia–Ukraine war, while overall commodity prices are forecast to rise by 16% due… [Read More]
Madagascar Transport Infrastructure Gets World Bank Support
The World Bank Group has approved $200 million in financing for the Madagascar Multimodal Transport and Logistics Project to improve the country’s transport infrastructure and strengthen its resilience to climate shocks. The initiative focuses on enhancing connectivity, safety, and efficiency across key economic corridors that support trade, food supply chains, tourism, and exports, while addressing… [Read More]
Central and Eastern Europe to Benefit from New Three Seas Deal
A new partnership between the European Investment Fund (EIF) and national promotional institutions from Croatia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia has been announced to strengthen infrastructure investment across Central and Eastern Europe. The agreement was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Dubrovnik, with the aim of mobilising… [Read More]
EIB to Guide Ukraine on Roads, Rail and Energy Projects
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide advisory support to Ukraine to help develop and prepare key infrastructure projects under the Ukraine FIRST initiative. This programme, jointly developed with the European Commission and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), aims to turn large-scale infrastructure plans into fully prepared, finance-ready projects that can be… [Read More]
Back to Khartoum: The Cost of Leaving and Return Journey
The article follows Shihab Mohamedali, a Senior Programme Manager with Islamic Relief in Sudan, who was forced to flee Khartoum at the start of the ongoing conflict that has devastated the country. After three years of displacement, he is returning to the capital, reflecting on both the personal and collective losses experienced during the war… [Read More]
Ontario Supports Access to Hearing Aids Without Prescription
The Ontario government has launched a 30-day consultation to explore the potential sale and use of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. The proposal aims to expand access to more convenient and affordable hearing support for Ontarians with mild hearing loss as part of the province’s Health Innovation Pathway, which focuses on accelerating the adoption of new… [Read More]
Ontario Protects Forest Sector Jobs with New Roadmap
The Ontario government has launched the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, a 10-year strategy aimed at strengthening the province’s forestry industry, protecting jobs, and supporting communities that rely on the sector. The plan responds to growing global trade pressures and U.S. tariffs by improving competitiveness, expanding market access, and reinforcing Ontario’s position as a… [Read More]
Ontario Invests $1.6B to Build and Expand Schools
The Ontario government has announced a $1.6 billion investment in 79 school construction projects across the province to expand and modernise educational infrastructure. The funding is aimed at supporting growing communities by creating more than 29,000 new student spaces and over 1,900 licensed child care spaces, ensuring students have access to updated learning environments that… [Read More]
MHRA Delivers Targets to Expand UK Life Sciences Leadership
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reported that it met or exceeded all statutory targets in 2025/26 to improve access to medicines and medical devices for UK patients, according to its latest Results and Forecast report published on 28 April. The agency continues to strengthen its role as a leading global regulator… [Read More]
UK and DepEd Strengthen EdTech Collaboration in Philippines
The British Embassy Manila and the UK Mission to ASEAN, together with the Philippines’ Department of Education (DepEd), are strengthening their collaboration to promote equitable and evidence-based use of education technology (EdTech) in the Philippines. Supported by the UK government through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and implemented via EdTech Hub, the partnership aims… [Read More]
SCORE Report Finds Bosnia and Herzegovina More Resilient Than Expected
New findings from the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index (SCORE) were presented in Sarajevo, providing an evidence-based assessment of how people in Bosnia and Herzegovina live together, the level of trust among communities and institutions, and opportunities to strengthen future cooperation. SCORE is a research tool that measures social cohesion, trust, belonging, civic participation, and… [Read More]
UNDP, Yokohama City Restore Playground for War-Hit Odesa Kindergarten
A crowdfunding campaign led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the City of Yokohama in Japan has successfully funded a new playground for Kindergarten No. 141 in Odesa. The initiative restored a safe outdoor play space for children after the facility was damaged in a 2023 missile strike that forced the… [Read More]
EU Helps Reopen Primary School in War-Torn Hostomel, Ukraine
Primary School No. 1 in Hostomel, Kyiv oblast, has reopened after a major EU-financed renovation supported through the European Investment Bank’s Ukraine Recovery Programme. The school was heavily damaged during Russia’s full-scale invasion, and the reconstruction marks an important step in restoring essential education infrastructure in a community that experienced some of the earliest and… [Read More]
Improving Health and Welfare of Safai Mitras in Urban Communities
Informal waste workers, often referred to as Safai Mitras, carry out essential work in collecting, sorting, and managing waste from streets, homes, and unregulated landfills, yet they do so under hazardous conditions. Their daily work exposes them to sharp materials, heavy loads, and harmful substances, while also placing them under significant mental and emotional stress… [Read More]
Apply for Up to $150,000 Grants Under GEF Small Grants Programme
The Small Grants Programme of the Global Environment Facility, implemented by UNDP Moldova, has launched a new call for project proposals aimed at supporting civil society organizations working on environmental and climate challenges. The initiative focuses on delivering practical, community-level impact in areas on both banks of the Nistru River and requires applicants to work… [Read More]
How Innovators Are Shaping the Future of Smart Housing
Around the world, housing is being reimagined through circular design, low-carbon materials, modular systems, and climate-resilient architecture. These approaches aim to create homes that are more efficient, longer lasting, and better suited to increasingly uncertain environmental and social conditions. In Moldova and Ukraine, this shift is unfolding under urgent pressure from war, rising costs, and… [Read More]
