These projects mark the first components of a broader regional strategy to confront a rapidly escalating threat to human health and economic stability.

“Few regions feel the impacts of extreme heat as sharply as South Asia ,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. “We all know that every death primarily due to excess heat can be prevented and heat health action plans are saving lives.” 

Where the funding will go

The South Asia Climate Health Desk, established under the joint programme and implemented with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and the India Meteorological Department, will improve how weather and climate data are translated into public health action. 

This desk is expected to develop early warning systems, risk assessments and decision-support tools to help authorities respond before heatwaves peak.

A second initiative, the South Asia Scientific Research Consortium, backed by a Rockefeller Foundation grant to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, will deepen scientific understanding of how extreme heat affects different populations. 

Under this program, researchers aim to develop tailored heat-risk thresholds to strengthen preparedness plans and community-level adaptation.

Why heat is a major problem in South Asia

In India and Pakistan, pre-monsoon temperatures regularly exceed 50°C. Heat-related mortality across the region now surpasses 200,000 deaths annually. 

Beyond the health toll, extreme heat is eroding productivity. In 2024 alone, India lost an estimated 247 billion potential labor hours due to heat exposure, translating to roughly $194 billion in income losses, according to the Lancet Countdown.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the partnership will strengthen the “science-to-services pathway” and improve early warning support for health agencies.

These investments respond to calls by António Guterres for urgent global action on extreme heat, especially in South Asia, the world’s most populated region.

Zhang’s family turned to social media after struggling to meet rising medical costs, and the appeal was widely shared by university students, helping the story gain traction locally.

On December 10, stall holders on the street — including vendors selling buns, desserts and drinks — agreed to donate all revenue for the day to Zhang. 

To do so, they replaced their own mobile payment QR codes with his, ensuring payments were transferred directly to his bank account.

Some stalls offered discounts of up to 20% to encourage sales, while notices posted at counters explained the fundraising effort. Customers were told that all proceeds would go towards Zhang’s medical treatment.

The initiative drew long queues throughout the day, particularly from students. Several vendors reported higher-than-usual sales, with some customers paying more than the listed prices.

A steamed bun seller surnamed Gao said his stall raised more than 1,000 yuan in a single day. He described Zhang as a hardworking vendor who often spent long hours at his stall to support his family.

The campaign attracted attention on mainland social media , where users praised the collective action by the vendors and students. Some commenters said they planned to visit the street specifically to contribute.

Zhang’s wife, Gong, said the family received about 20,000 yuan in total from the one-day effort. “This is a huge help for us,” she was quoted as saying. “With everyone’s support, my husband has more confidence to continue treatment.”

Local officials later said community groups were helping the family explore additional financial assistance, as Zhang remains in the hospital.

“I am driven to use cycling to mobilize funds, support, and raise awareness to ignite and sustain community-led change through education and empowerment in underserved Ghanaian communities,” Adjei said. Calling Ghana a “sports-enthusiastic nation,” he hopes to “use the power of sports–cycling to champion education.”

His journey serves as a platform to increase awareness of the importance of education in transforming lives, whilst raising funds to support sustainable and localised education initiatives. He also hopes to inspire action and representation, encouraging others to pursue their dreams while giving back to society and creating a level playing field for inclusive participation, MyJoyOnline reports.

EduSpots, a registered NGO in Ghana and the United Kingdom trains more than 400 volunteers (catalysts) who run 50 community learning centres known as “spots.”

Adjei’s effort adds to a growing wave of Ghanaian endurance adventurers using overland travel to support charitable causes and promote national identity.

In 2023, a group of Ghanaian tourism enthusiasts, known as Wanderlust Ghana, drove overland from Accra to London to spotlight African adventure tourism and raise awareness around philanthropy and Pan-African connectivity.

While the US Government hasn’t directly funded HIV-specific programs in Uzbekistan, critical initiatives in civic space, human rights, education, and advocacy have relied heavily on US support. According to UNAIDS , with these programmes now closed, organisations working on HIV-related legal reforms, anti-discrimination, and rights-based healthcare access face greater challenges in pushing for policy change. UN agencies are seeking new funding sources to sustain key initiatives, engaging with embassies, the EU, and the Uzbek government to fill the gap left by US funding.

Uzbekistan ranks among the top military powers in Central Asia

According to Global Firepower’s 2025 ranking, Uzbekistan ranks 58th with a Power Index score of 1.1121 (lower scores indicate stronger military power). The country fields 192 aircraft, including 58 combat jets, 13 attack aircraft, 101 helicopters, and 34 attack helicopters. Uzbekistan holds the second-strongest military in Central Asia, following Kazakhstan (57th). Turkmenistan ranked 77th, Kyrgyzstan 105th, and Tajikistan 108th.

715,000 people to get access to drinking water for the first time this year

This year, Uzbekistan plans to build 1,619 km of water pipelines, 521 km of sewer networks, and renovate 162 infrastructure facilities, providing clean drinking water to 715,000 people and sewage access to 135,000 households. Additionally, 157,000 consumers will receive modern water meters. At a meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, emphasis was placed on boosting private partnerships and local firms’ participation in international tenders, Gazeta reports. The president also approved simplified procedures with international financial institutions and called for fast-tracking $850 million worth of projects by year-end.

Uzbekistan and Qatar strengthen economic and parliamentary ties

On March 19, 2025, Senate Chair Tanzila Narbaeva met with Qatar’s Ambassador Hasan Hamza Asad Muhammad Hashim to discuss strengthening Uzbek-Qatari ties. The meeting focused on expanding cooperation in political, trade, economic, and investment sectors while emphasizing the importance of inter-parliamentary relations as a key pillar of bilateral partnership, as reported by The Pinnacle Gazette .

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan discuss expanding air travel

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are exploring new air travel routes to boost tourism and business ties, according to the Kyrgyz Trade Representation in Uzbekistan. The initiative was discussed during a meeting between Aero Nomad Airlines and Uzbek tour operators. TTW reports that CEO Timur Aralbaev presented the airline’s capabilities, with both sides expressing strong interest in expanding flight options to meet growing demand and enhance regional connectivity.

What they said

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite said, “The fund is part of broader efforts to strengthen ties between Nigeria and its diaspora and promote national development. The fund will be managed by Fund Managers who satisfy the criteria set out in the Expression Of Interest (EOI). The Fund manager will propose Fund structures that will focus on various sectors and stages of investments. Subject to the preferences indicated by fund managers, the fund will contain multiple investment platforms designed to offer investors different mechanisms for participating in Nigeria’s economic transformation.” “This fund is a way of encouraging remittances, attracting investments and facilitating philanthropic endeavours aimed at supporting various sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and entrepreneurship in Nigeria,” she is quoted by Vanguard NG.