This article is published in association with United Nations. The high-level diplomatic push for climate action shifted southward on Tuesday as G20 leaders meeting in Rio sent a clear signal to negotiating teams at stalled UN climate talks in Baku on the need to rapidly and substantially ‘scale up climate finance from billions to trillions from […]COP29 gets boost from Rio as G20 leaders back scaling up climate finance from ‘billions to trillions’
November 20, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The high-level diplomatic push for climate action shifted southward on Tuesday as G20 leaders meeting in Rio sent a clear signal to negotiating teams at stalled UN climate talks in Baku on the need to rapidly and substantially ‘scale up climate finance from billions to trillions from […]‘Breaking point’ reached on climate, while ‘outdated’ global system needs urgent reform: Guterres
November 20, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. In a powerful appeal to the world’s largest economies during the G20 Summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday called for urgent climate action and reform of international institutions, warning that current systems are failing to meet global challenges. Speaking at the G20 Summit – a forum […]EU deforestation law: Parliament wants to give companies one more year to comply
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. EU deforestation obligations will be postponed one year so that companies can comply with the law that ensures products sold in the EU are not sourced from deforested land. In response to concerns raised by EU member states, non-EU countries, traders and operators that […]Booking must now comply with the Digital Markets Act
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. As of today, Booking Holdings Inc. (BHI), designated as gatekeeper on 13 May 2024, must ensure that its online intermediation service, Booking.com, complies with all relevant obligations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Concretely, this means hotels, car rental companies, and other providers of […]Belgium: De Watergroep agrees €350 million EIB loan for sustainability investments in Flemish water distribution network
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank will support De Watergroep in rehabilitating and expanding its network of water supply infrastructure. Watergroep signed a €200 million loan today, as a first part of a €350 million lending availability for the coming five years. The EIB loan will fund nearly […]Iran: Civic space shrinks as executions rise, warns independent rights expert
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Civic space in the Islamic Republic of Iran is shrinking, as human rights defenders and journalists continue to be targeted and charged for “vaguely defined national security offences”, Mai Sato, the independent UN expert on the human rights situation in the country has said. Speaking to UN […]The Clock is Ticking on Sub-Saharan Africa’s Urgent Job Creation Challenge
November 13, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Athene Laws, Faten Saliba, Can Sever, Luc Tucker As the rest of the world grapples with aging populations, Africa’s population is booming. By 2030, half of all new entrants into the global labor force will come from sub-Saharan Africa, requiring the creation of up to 15 million new […]Commission and national authorities call on Apple to stop geo-blocking practices on Apple Media Services
November 12, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, following a coordinated investigation at European level, the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network of national consumer authorities and the European Commission notified Apple of several potentially prohibited geo-blocking practices that the CPC Network has identified on certain Apple Media Services, namely App Store, […]How Property Taxes Can Help Low-Income Countries to Develop
November 12, 2024 by 1 Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. The world’s governments must raise an additional $3 trillion to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth goals this decade. The cost in emerging markets equals 4 percent of gross domestic product—and 16 percent for low-income countries. How can countries finance such staggering price tags? Large cities such as […]Ukraine’s nuclear security situation ‘highly challenging’, warns UN atomic watchdog
November 8, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine caused by the ongoing Russian invasion, the head of the UN atomic energy agency (IAEA) said that safety at the country’s largest nuclear power plant “remains a deep source of concern”. Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) – which is also […]Czech tech company Y Soft secures €30 Million EIB support for research advances
November 8, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is offering Y Soft Corporation, a multinational software and electronic hardware company based in the Czech Republic, financing of €30 million (757 million Czech korunas) to advance a range of office-management technologies including robotics and sensors. The EIB support takes the […]EBRD and EU launch SME Go Green programme in Serbia
November 7, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) are stepping up their support for green economy investments in Serbia. The EBRD, with the support of the EU, is launching a new credit line to local financial institutions for on-lending to small […]Lebanon conflict at ‘critical point’ with more than 3,000 confirmed dead
November 7, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The war in Lebanon has now killed more than 3,000 people in Lebanon amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah missile hits in Israel, UN humanitarians said on Wednesday. According to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, the updated death toll – which includes fatalities recorded since 8 […]Commission opens antitrust investigation into possible anticompetitive practices by Corning over cover glass for electronic devices
November 7, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has opened a formal investigation to assess whether Corning may have abused its dominant position on the worldwide market for a special type of glass that is mainly used to protect the screens of handheld electronic devices, such as mobile phones. […]Statement by President von der Leyen on the results of the US presidential election
November 7, 2024 by 1 Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. I warmly congratulate Donald J. Trump on his election as the 47th President of the United States of America. I look forward to working with President Trump again to advance a strong transatlantic agenda. The European Union and the United States are more than […]WHO identifies 17 pathogens as top priorities for new vaccine development
November 6, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. A new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) lists 17 bacteria, viruses and parasites that regularly cause disease as top priorities for new vaccine development. The study is the first global effort to systematically prioritize endemic pathogens based on their regional and global health impact. It […]Over 2 billion in cities will be exposed to 0.5ºC rise by 2040
November 6, 2024 by 1 Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. More than two billion people currently living in cities could be exposed to an additional temperature increase of at least 0.5 degrees Celsius by 2040, a new UN report published on Tuesday finds. “Almost no urban resident will be unaffected, with billions of people subjected to hotter […]Intolerable conditions in northern Gaza ‘beyond imagination’
November 6, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory appealed on Tuesday for an end to the war and suffering in Gaza during his first visit to the area since Israel launched its latest military operation in the north a month ago. Muhannad Hadi spoke to UN […]DPR Korea’s latest missile launch a ‘grave threat’ to regional stability
November 5, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The launch of “yet another” intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) poses a “grave threat” to regional stability, a senior UN political affairs official warned on Monday, as the Security Council discussed the rising tensions in the region and beyond. The […]EBRD invests in Estonian e-commerce search innovator Miros
November 5, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), through its venture capital arm EBRD Venture Capital, is supporting the growth of Miros as part of a €6 million pre-series A extension round. The round was led by EBRD Venture Capital and Tera Ventures alongside existing investors […]First EBRD portfolio risk sharing facility to support Moldovan bank
November 5, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is extending an unfunded portfolio risk-sharing facility to Moldova’s OTP Bank to unlock €30 million of new finance for Moldova’s business sector, with a focus on agriculture and trade. This is the first such facility signed in Moldova, building on EBRD […]EBRD and EU support Voltalia’s first project in Uzbekistan
November 4, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is helping Uzbekistan to further decrease its reliance on carbon-intensive thermal-power generation and will facilitate the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy by providing funds to construct a solar plant in the Khorezm region of the country. The […]Ongoing hostilities and evacuation orders impact thousands in Lebanon
November 4, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. People in Lebanon continue to be killed, injured and displaced by airstrikes, hostilities and displacement orders, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said on Thursday. Israel issued new displacement orders that day for several villages and Rashiedeh Palestinian refugee camp, located in the south of the country. […]COP16: Landmark biodiversity agreements adopted
November 4, 2024 by 2 Comments
This article is published in association with United Nations. The world’s largest biodiversity summit, known as COP16, concluded this weekend in Colombia, with several landmark decisions, including first ever agreements on nature’s genetic data and on recognising people of Africa descent and Indigenous Peoples as key stewards in conservation efforts. “This is an unprecedented occasion in […]New report highlights opportunities for digital assets to empower businesses in displaced communities
November 1, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. Digital Assets, including bitcoin and stablecoins, can foster financial inclusion for businesses in displaced communities, according to a new report by Block, Inc. and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The report, published today, addresses the critical issue of financial exclusion among displaced populations […]Joint read-out of the meeting between President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
October 31, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today President von der Leyen and Secretary General Rutte met for the first time since he took office at the helm of NATO. Their discussion focused on the importance of a close and strategic partnership between the Union and the Alliance. Both agreed that […]General Assembly renews long-standing call for end to US embargo against Cuba
October 31, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN General Assembly on Wednesday once again urged the United States to end its economic, commercial, and financial embargo on Cuba, renewing a demand it has made annually since 1992. The resolution, titled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United […]France: Hijab ban during sports, ‘discriminatory and must be reversed’ say experts
October 29, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Independent human rights experts on Monday called on France to reverse bans that prevent Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab from participating in sports, citing concerns that these restrictions are discriminatory and violate international human rights obligations. The UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts criticised the decision […]As Inflation Recedes, Global Economy Needs Policy Triple Pivot
October 28, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Growth is projected to hold steady, but amid weakening prospects and rising threats, the world needs a shift in policy gears Let’s start with the good news: it looks like the global battle against inflation has largely been won, even if price pressures persist in some countries. After […]BRICS Summit: Guterres underscores bloc’s role in boosting global cooperation
October 25, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The BRICS intergovernmental organization can play a greater role in strengthening multilateralism for global development and security, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday, in remarks to the group’s summit hosted by Russia in the city of Kazan. He urged the bloc to help forge a more […]‘Lebanon risks falling off a humanitarian cliff’: UN relief coordinator
October 25, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon on Thursday urged the international community to push harder for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah warning that the country is on the brink of a humanitarian collapse. Speaking at the International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty held […]World News in Brief: Sudan food crisis update, justice in Thailand, UN can solve global problems
October 25, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Sudan’s humanitarian crisis continues to deepen, with ongoing fighting between rival militaries displacing millions. The World Food Programme (WFP) has increased its humanitarian response in Sudan’s conflict-ravaged areas, particularly in Darfur, where the risk of widespread famine looms. Since the reopening of the Adre border in August, […]Commission approves Swedish tax exemption schemes for non-food biogas and bio-propane
October 24, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has concluded that two Swedish tax exemption schemes for non-food-based biogas and bio-propane used for heating or as motor fuel are in line with EU State aid rules. In June 2020, the Commission had approved the schemes under EU State aid […]
