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Blended finance in India: Scaling up needs regulatory clarity and capital

Blended finance in India: Scaling up needs regulatory clarity and capital

The UN Financing for Development conference offers a pivotal platform to reimagine blended finance for the decade ahead
Kartikeya N Desai
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As the world's finance ministers, business leaders, fund managers, and foundations convene in Spain for the fourth UN Conference on Financing for Development (FFD), a harsh reality looms large: We are alarmingly off-track, to the tune of $4 trillion, to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Official development assistance (ODA) has been stagnant, and there have been body blows like the reduction by about 80 per cent of the American ODA budget, and the recent withdrawal by the Trump administration from the FFD4 process itself. In this environment, mobilising private capital at scale is essential to achieve the SDGs.
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Harvard Nears ‘Mindbogglingly' Historic US Deal, Trump Says
Harvard Nears ‘Mindbogglingly' Historic US Deal, Trump Says

Mint

timean hour ago

  • Mint

Harvard Nears ‘Mindbogglingly' Historic US Deal, Trump Says

President Donald Trump said his administration has been holding talks with Harvard University and may announce a deal over the next week, potentially ending a standoff that has jeopardized billions of dollars of the school's funding and ignited a rollicking legal fight. 'They have acted extremely appropriately during these negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right,' Trump said Friday on Truth Social. 'If a Settlement is made on the basis that is currently being discussed, it will be 'mindbogglingly' HISTORIC, and very good for our Country.' Trump's upbeat tone signaled a major potential shift in one of the defining controversies of his term so far as he accused US colleges of fostering antisemitism and slammed them for what he called their liberal bias. Harvard, the oldest and richest US university, has borne the biggest attacks, with Trump canceling more than $2.6 billion in research funding, threatening the school's tax-exempt status and seeking to prevent it from enrolling foreign students. Harvard has fired back, questioning the administration's interest in working together to confront antisemitism and accusing it of 'unconstitutional demands' that would devastate academic freedom. The university has sued the government for freezing federal funding and trying to ban foreign students at Harvard. The White House declined to comment beyond the president's post. Harvard didn't immediately respond to a request for comment, and it was unclear how far apart the two sides are in the talks. Trump has also gone after other schools, freezing federal money at other selective institutions including Northwestern University, Cornell University and Columbia University. Columbia had been negotiating with the administration to address the funding and in March agreed to a list of demands, including expanding campus police powers, tightening rules over protests and restricting masks used to conceal identities. While those moves angered some faculty and students, US officials signaled that Columbia was on track for the federal money to be unfrozen. But the deal fell apart after Columbia's former interim president, Katrina Armstrong, infuriated some of the school's critics following reports that she downplayed the changes in a zoom meeting with faculty. The White House has signaled optimism about a Harvard deal in recent weeks. Trump told reporters on June 5 that Harvard was 'starting to behave,' and Education Secretary Linda McMahon said at a Bloomberg News event last week that officials had been 'making progress in some of the discussions' with the school. McMahon added that consent decrees have been floated as one way to resolve the Trump administration's issues with universities. Consent decrees are binding legal agreements that could subject schools to a court-ordered monitor. Last month, Harvard Corp., the powerful body that oversees the university, selected a conservative lawyer, Kannon Shanmugam, to serve as a member amid the unprecedented attacks from the Trump administration. Harvard Corp. and its chair, former US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, have been under intense scrutiny since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas against Israel and the Jewish state's retaliatory response in Gaza. Harvard produced reports on antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias on campus in the wake of the attacks. In issuing the reports, Harvard President Alan Garber apologized 'for the moments when we failed to meet the high expectations we rightfully set for our community.' He has also acknowledged recently experiencing antisemitism at Harvard himself. Garber has said the Trump administration's demands represent an unacceptable government intrusion. Harvard has said in two separate lawsuits that the government's efforts are retaliatory and mark unlawful infringement on the university's autonomy. US District Judge Allison Burroughs on Friday ordered the government to allow Harvard to continue enrolling foreign students while their legal fight proceeds, after the administration revoked the university's right to do so in in May. She didn't discuss Trump's separate June 4 proclamation denying Harvard's foreign students and scholars entry to the US, though her previous block to that entry ban remains in effect until Monday. Burroughs will hear oral arguments in a separate case about Trump's funding cuts at Harvard on July 21. In that case, 24 other universities and more than 12,000 Harvard alumni are among the groups that have submitted legal filings in support of the school. In addition to scrapping federal research money and some contracts with Harvard, the Trump administration has said that the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based university won't be able to receive new funding. The president has also repeatedly called for the school to lose its tax-exempt status, which would have significant financial implications, even with the school's $53 billion endowment. The White House's actions have upended the lives of Harvard's students, faculty and staff. The funding freeze has hammered research on diseases including cancer and AIDS and led to layoffs on campus. Harvard announced last month that it would put an extra $250 million of its own money toward research to plug at least some of the gap. Some research has also been halted at Boston hospitals affiliated with and funded by the university. Harvard is a key cog in the broader Massachusetts economy, and its clash with the Trump administration has threatened the health-care, life sciences and technology industries that depend on the talent and startups that come out of the school. The university has about 6,800 students from other countries, amounting to 27% of the student body. Those students are an important financial resource for Harvard, with many paying full tuition. Even with the favorable court rulings so far, international enrollees at Harvard are still facing visa issues and face substantial uncertainty about whether and when they will make it back to campus. With assistance from Akayla Gardner. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Voice of America Layoffs: Trump Administration Cuts 1,400 Jobs. Here's why
Voice of America Layoffs: Trump Administration Cuts 1,400 Jobs. Here's why

Economic Times

time2 hours ago

  • Economic Times

Voice of America Layoffs: Trump Administration Cuts 1,400 Jobs. Here's why

The Trump administration has confirmed layoffs at Voice of America, ending 1,400 positions. Employees from the Persian-language service were also affected. Officials say the move reduces waste, but critics warn of weakening US influence abroad. The terminations are part of a broader plan to reduce government roles in global communication. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Termination Notices Sent Across VOA Contract Workers Previously Warned in May Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Impact on USAGM Workforce Criticism From Former Employees and Lawmakers FAQs The Trump administration has moved forward with a plan to reduce the workforce at Voice of America. Hundreds of employees received termination notices on Friday. The decision is part of a larger policy to downsize federal agencies and shift US priorities in global Friday, the Trump administration officially notified hundreds of Voice of America employees about their job terminations. This included staff from the network's Persian-language service. Some had recently returned from administrative leave following tensions between Israel and layoffs were expected after notices sent in early May to contract employees. The administration had announced plans to reduce staffing levels at multiple government agencies. These latest steps confirm those to officials, the decision aims to reduce what they call unnecessary spending. Kari Lake, a senior adviser, said the move supports President Trump's goal of reducing the size of the federal workforce. She said it also prioritizes taxpayer US Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA, is set to lose about 1,400 employees. This equals an 85 percent cut. The affected employees will remain on payroll until Labor Day. Some are being dismissed without severance, which may go against agency have expressed concern about the impact of these job cuts. They argue that VOA helps counter foreign propaganda. In a statement, employees involved in a lawsuit against the administration urged Congress to continue supporting the agency. They warned that adversaries could fill the gap left by layoffs are part of a federal downsizing plan aimed at reducing spending and refocusing America's global media efforts under the US Agency for Global say the layoffs may reduce America's ability to counter global propaganda from countries like China, Russia, and Iran, weakening its presence in international media.

CM says ONGC to permanently cap leaking well in Sivasagar, US team in Assam
CM says ONGC to permanently cap leaking well in Sivasagar, US team in Assam

Time of India

time3 hours ago

  • Time of India

CM says ONGC to permanently cap leaking well in Sivasagar, US team in Assam

1 2 3 4 5 6 Dibrugarh: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced that the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will permanently cap its leaking crude oil well in Sivasagar district after two emergency efforts failed to contain the gas blowout. "Plan A and B failed to control the escalating gas leak crisis at ONGC's Rudrasagar Field in Sivasagar. Today morning ONGC chairman informed me that the company will activate Plan C, which is permanent capping of the well for controlling the gas leak," Sarma said. "Capping of the well will begin tomorrow and will be carried out in consultation with the US experts. It is expected to be completed within the next four or five days," Sarma said. A three-member team from Cudd Well Control, USA, arrived in Sivasagar on Friday afternoon to assist with the crisis. The involvement of the US specialists marks a significant escalation in containment efforts, as nearly 350 families remain displaced in relief camps due to the prolonged emergency. Multiple containment attempts, including several "junk shot" operations by ONGC's crisis management team, have failed to stop the hazardous gas discharge. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The US team, known for its expertise in well control and blowouts, began site assessments immediately upon arrival. "The international experts were given a detailed briefing on the situation and past efforts. They've conducted a firsthand assessment of the site and will begin their specialised intervention on Saturday morning," said a senior ONGC official. Following high-level consultations with ONGC leadership, the American team proceeded to the site for a detailed situational analysis to determine the advanced techniques required to cap the well safely. Meanwhile, ONGC engineers have been preparing for the capping effort by clearing non-essential equipment and developing an alternate access route to facilitate safer movement around the volatile zone. The ongoing crisis has raised concerns over environmental fallout and the wellbeing of displaced residents. The Sivasagar district administration continues to coordinate with ONGC to support for the 350 affected families staying in relief camps. "We are providing all necessary assistance to the families and remain in close coordination with ONGC's emergency team. Our top priority is public safety and supporting the well-control operations," said Sivasagar deputy commissioner Ayush Garg. The Rudrasagar oil field is a key production asset for ONGC in Assam, but operations have been halted while containment efforts continue.

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