Author: Solomon Alaka

Calls Grow for Immediate Release of Sonia Dahmani: Tunisia Human Rights Defender Turned Political Prisoner

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TUNIS, Oct. 23, 2025 — The imprisonment of Sonia Dahmani, a Tunisian lawyer, writer, and outspoken media commentator, has become a defining case in the country’s democratic backsliding. Convicted on multiple anti-state charges for her televised and radio commentary, Dahmani is serving a five-year sentence while facing two additional trials that could extend her imprisonment […]

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EU adopts new sanctions against Russia

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The European Commission welcomes the adoption by EU Member States of the 19th package of sanctions against Russia. The new package of sanctions substantially increases the pressure on the Russian war economy, targeting key sectors such as energy, finance, the military industrial base, special economic zones, as well as enablers and profiteers of its war […]

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Merck Breaks Ground on $3B Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Facility in Virginia

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ELKTON, Va., Oct. 23, 2025 — Pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. has begun construction on a 400,000-square-foot Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing at its long-standing Elkton site in Rockingham County. The project, valued at $3 billion, represents one of the company’s largest single-site investments in the United States. Expansion of a Historic Site Merck […]

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Heart Disease Returns as Top Global Killer Amid Rising Youth Mortality: Research

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SEATTLE, Oct. 23, 2025 — A new analysis from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), published in The Lancet, shows that ischemic heart disease has once again overtaken COVID-19 as the leading global cause of death. The findings highlight the enduring toll of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and […]

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Why Merchants Still Choose Cash in Sub-Saharan Africa

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This is the second blog in CGAP’s Digital Merchant Payments series. Read the first blog for context on the urgent need to accelerate digital merchant payments. Despite mobile money’s remarkable success in Sub-Saharan Africa—with approximately 856 million registered mobile money accounts processing over 912 billion USD annually —digital merchant payments (DMP) remain stubbornly limited. Cash […]

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France Backs Eurostar’s €2 Billion Double-Decker Train Fleet to Transform European Rail

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PARIS, Oct. 23, 2025 — In a landmark move for European transportation, Eurostar has announced a €2 billion investment in up to 50 new double-decker electric trains, supported by the French government and manufactured by Alstom. The fleet, named Eurostar Celestia, will be the first of its kind to operate through the Channel Tunnel, significantly […]

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Building Climate-Resilient Microfinance: Lessons from Pakistan | Blog

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Pakistan, once again, has been hit by devastating floods that have displaced thousands, disrupted livelihoods, and highlighted the country’s acute vulnerability to climate change, even as many are still recovering from the floods of 2022.   For financial service providers (FSPs) working with low-income communities, such crises underscore an urgent question: how can they build […]

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Ireland’s Presidential Race: Connolly vs Humphreys — Profiles and Prospects

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DUBLIN, Oct. 23, 2025 — As Ireland prepares to elect its next president on October 24, the race has crystallized into a contest between Catherine Connolly, an independent TD known for her progressive activism, and Heather Humphreys, a seasoned cabinet minister representing Fine Gael. The winner will succeed President Michael D. Higgins, whose term concludes […]

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India Launches $77B Hydropower Strategy to Strengthen Energy Security and Counter China’s Upstream Dam Project

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NEW DELHI, India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has announced a sweeping ₹6.4 trillion ($77 billion) transmission and hydropower development plan targeting the Brahmaputra River basin, a region rich in hydroelectric potential but geopolitically sensitive due to its proximity to China’s upstream dam projects. The initiative, detailed in a CEA report released earlier this month, outlines […]

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Embraer Hits Record $31.3 Billion Backlog Following Strong Global Demand

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SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, Oct. 21, 2025 — Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer has announced a record-breaking $31.3 billion order backlog at the close of the third quarter, describing the figure as an “unprecedented high.” The milestone represents a 38% increase compared to the same period in 2024 and underscores robust demand across its aviation portfolio. […]

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