Bank of America has announced $12 million in zero-interest loans to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to support homeowner recovery and small business assistance in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. The funds will be managed through three key CDFIs actively involved in the region’s disaster recovery efforts. Self-Help Ventures Fund (SHVF) will receive $8… [Read More]
Labor
New Deals Announced to Make HIV Prevention Medicines Accessible, UNAIDS Says
UNAIDS has welcomed the announcement of two new agreements that dramatically reduce the cost of lenacapavir, a revolutionary long-acting HIV prevention medicine, from USD 28,000 to just USD 40 per person per year. Lenacapavir, produced by Gilead, is administered via injections twice a year and has been shown to be between 96% and 100% effective… [Read More]
Ukraine’s Inclusive Recovery: How Communities Are Leading Barrier-Free Infrastructure Projects
Ukraine’s recovery goes beyond rebuilding structures and restoring infrastructure—it is about creating communities where everyone can move, participate, and live independently. Recognizing this, the Barrier-Free Routes School was launched in 2025 as a collaborative initiative by UNDP in Ukraine, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, and with support from the Government of Japan. The… [Read More]
Qatar Fund for Development and Saudi Fund Partner with UNDP to Support Syria’s Public Services
On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), announced a joint initiative to support the Syrian Arab Republic. The initiative provides US$89 million in funding through UNDP to ensure the continuity… [Read More]
India-EU Ideathon Launches to Tackle Marine Plastic Litter under TTC Working Group 2
The India-EU Ideathon on “Combating Marine Plastic Litter” was officially launched on 25th September 2025, jointly organised by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India and the Delegation of the European Union to India, under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy… [Read More]
EU Launches Digital Rights Initiative in Tashkent with Lawyer Training Programme
On 25 September, Tashkent hosted the presentation of the Uzbekistan Digital Rights Media Initiative (UDRMI) project, bringing together representatives from government bodies, international organizations, and the legal community. The event, officially opened by Christos Marazopoulos, Second Secretary and Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Uzbekistan, highlighted the project’s objectives and expected outcomes, emphasizing… [Read More]
UK Approves Direct Funding to Africa CDC After Successful Due Diligence Review
The timbuktoo MineTech Accelerator Programme has successfully concluded after an intensive five-week hybrid bootcamp and dynamic pitch sessions before an audience of investors and venture capitalists. From over 350 applications, ten startups were initially selected, with five emerging as winners of critical seed financing. These five startups will now enter a three-month incubation programme designed… [Read More]
UK Approves Direct Funding to Africa CDC After Successful Due Diligence Review
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has reached a historic milestone with the United Kingdom formally approving direct funding following nearly a year-long Due Diligence Assessment. This approval signals renewed confidence in Africa CDC’s strengthened fiduciary and governance systems and marks a new era of direct collaboration between the UK and… [Read More]
EU-Vietnam Trade Deal Criticized for Weak Human Rights Enforcement
European Union Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič’s visit to Vietnam this week comes amid growing concerns over the country’s violations of the 2020 EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and its unfulfilled commitments to human and labor rights. Human Rights Watch and other organizations had warned EU officials prior to the EVFTA’s ratification that Vietnam’s rights record… [Read More]
UK Government Launches £10 Million Fund to Boost Next-Generation Semiconductor Development
Tech Minister Kanishka Narayan has announced a £10 million investment to strengthen the UK semiconductor sector, aiming to move innovation from laboratories to the market. The initiative will benefit up to 40 British companies developing advanced computer chip technologies that power everyday items such as smartphones, cars, medical devices, and renewable energy systems. The funding… [Read More]
Mars UK Signs Armed Forces Covenant to Strengthen Support for Veterans and Military Families
Mars UK has formally signed the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC), reaffirming its commitment to supporting members of the UK’s armed forces community, both past and present. The signing ceremony was attended by Lt Col Tom Spencer-Smith, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, who acted as Defence’s co-signatory, alongside Mars UK representatives. Members of… [Read More]
Minister Jim O’Callaghan Launches 2025 Campaign to Curb Illegal Fireworks Misuse
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan has launched a nationwide awareness campaign to highlight the serious risks associated with illegal fireworks and the strict penalties for their misuse. The campaign, launched at the Dublin Fire Brigade Training Centre in Marino, is a collaboration between An Garda Síochána, the Irish Society for Prevention… [Read More]
Container Port Performance Index 2020–2024: Key Trends and Insights
Container ports play a pivotal role in global supply chains, managing the flow of merchandise and semi-finished products. The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) tracks the time container ships spend in port, providing stakeholders with a key benchmark for operational efficiency and sustainable port development. Efficient port operations not only reduce logistics costs but also… [Read More]
Republic of Congo Economic Outlook 2025: Boosting Living Standards through Better Capital Management
The Congolese economy achieved modest real GDP growth of 2.6% in 2024, marking a slight increase in per capita income for the first time since 2016. Despite this progress, the World Bank’s latest Economic Update for the Republic of Congo notes that these gains have yet to translate into a meaningful reduction in poverty. The… [Read More]
AI and Circular Economies: Transforming the Coconut Sector for a Sustainable Future
The International Labour Organization (ILO), through its Inclusive, Competitive, and Responsible Digital Philippines (Digital-PINAS) programme, presented a transformative vision for the coconut industry at the World Coconut Congress 2025 in Manila. During a session on Environmental and Social Challenges in the Coconut Supply Chain, the ILO highlighted how artificial intelligence (AI) and circular economy principles… [Read More]
ADB Launches First Health Initiative to Strengthen Turkmenistan’s Healthcare System
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $75 million equivalent loan and a $2 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) to enhance the quantity and quality of nurses and midwives in Turkmenistan. The Improving Nursing Quality and Capacity Project marks ADB’s first health sector initiative… [Read More]
NDF Invests $10.5 Million to Expand Clean Energy Access in Africa’s Remote Regions
Acumen, in partnership with the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), has officially launched the fully operational Hardest-to-Reach Initiative (H2R), a pioneering effort to expand clean energy access in underserved communities across Sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative leverages blended finance to address energy poverty, focusing on regions where traditional capital has historically failed to reach. NDF is contributing… [Read More]
Global Fund Secures Over $1 Billion in Private Sector Pledges at UNGA Sidelines
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced private sector pledges totaling more than US$1 billion this past week, marking a significant milestone in its Eighth Replenishment. These contributions highlight the essential role of private sector partners in advancing global health innovation, equity, and resilience. The pledges, unveiled at the Global Fund’s Eighth… [Read More]
UNEP Young Champions of the Earth Prize Honors Three Inspiring Entrepreneurs
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with American cleantech CEO Chris Kemper, has announced the 2025 Young Champions of the Earth. Three environmental entrepreneurs from India, Kenya, and the United States have been recognized for their innovative contributions toward advancing a circular economy and addressing urgent environmental challenges. Their solutions tackle issues such as… [Read More]
San Salvador Champions Integration of Living Heritage in Urban Planning
Government officials from national and municipal institutions in El Salvador took part in a three-day training session aimed at strengthening the integration of intangible cultural heritage into urban development. Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Housing, Directorate of Territorial Planning, CORSATUR, the Planning Authority for the Historic Center of San Salvador,… [Read More]
Trump’s H1-B Visa Fee Hike Announcement Sparks Confusion Among Indian Applicants
The cost of applying for a new H-1B visa has now risen to $100,000, sparking widespread confusion and concern in India, where the visa is most heavily used by professionals in the U.S. technology sector. Reports of the fee hike led to panic among some passengers traveling from San Francisco to India, with videos showing… [Read More]
Apple Launches Ambitious Project to Protect and Restore California’s Redwood Forests
Apple has announced a major investment in the restoration and sustainable management of a working redwood forest in California, in partnership with The Conservation Fund. This initiative is part of Apple’s broader Restore Fund program, which now supports two dozen conservation and regenerative agriculture projects across six continents. The Restore Fund, launched in 2021 with… [Read More]
J-PAL South Asia and The/Nudge Institute Launch Graduation Approach to Reduce Poverty in Indian States
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) South Asia at IFMR and The/Nudge Institute have partnered to accelerate the nationwide scale-up of the Graduation Approach, a proven model that helps families lift themselves out of extreme poverty. This collaboration focuses on government partnerships, capacity building, resource mobilization, and fostering coordination among governments, NGOs, donors,… [Read More]
