Pope Francis improving in hospital, Vatican Says
Pope Francis is showing improvement, the Vatican said, as the pontiff began his eighth day in hospital. Francis was admitted after struggling with breathing and is being treated for pneumonia.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a plan to scale up its operations by 50% over the next decade, leveraging its existing capital base to enhance bank’s impact across Asia and the Pacific.
ADB’s Capital Utilization Plan (CUP) outlines a pathway for increasing ADB’s annual financing commitments from $24 billion in 2024 to exceed $36 billion by 2034. This expanded financing will bolster ADB’s developing member countries’ (DMCs) efforts to address critical development priorities in the region, - said in the Bank’s press-release.
“By utilizing our enhanced lending capacity, the CUP enables us to make strategic investments to address complex challenges while raising the quality and effectiveness of our operations across the region,” - said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa.
Over the next decade, ADB’s net income is expected to grow steadily. The Bank plans to strategically invest part of this income to assist DMCs in developing high-quality, bankable projects and mobilizing sustainable finance through capital markets. New initiatives include a borrowing facility with both financial and non-financial incentives to promote investments in resilience and sustainability, as well as more flexible instruments to enhance project preparation, according to the press-release.
These initiatives include increasing the share of climate finance to 50% of total commitments and reaching total private sector financing of $13 billion, from both ADB's own financing and direct mobilization, for the year 2030.
USAID has long promoted itself as a supporter of press freedom, but reports suggest its media funding may have influenced domestic narratives in Europe and post-Soviet states. With the Trump administration freezing its grants, the agency’s role in shaping global information is under scrutiny.
A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday, injuring 18 people. Officials are investigating whether strong winds and snow played a role in the incident.
A tragic crowd crush at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night left 18 dead and 10 injured as thousands of people, many heading to the Kumbh Mela festival, attempted to board delayed trains. The incident highlights the ongoing risks of overcrowding at public transportation hubs in India.
Russia has resumed wheat exports to Kazakhstan after lifting a ban that was in place until December 31, 2024.
The European Union will seek more gas from countries including the U.S. to replace Russian supplies, and expand renewable energy faster to cut its overall reliance on the fuel, the EU's energy commissioner has said.
BEIJING, Feb 20, 2025 – China is “doing its best” to push for talks with the European Union over tariffs imposed on Chinese-made electric vehicles, a commerce ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
Berlin, February 20, 2025 – Mercedes-Benz has launched a fresh cost-cutting initiative aimed at reviving sales and margins, as the German carmaker forecasts a significant drop in earnings in 2025.
Third EURASIA Expo International Exhibition will be held at Tehran Central Exhibition Complex from 21 to 24 February. Iran has an observer status in the Russian-lead Eurasian Economic Union since last December.
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