Poverty alleviation

School meal

Free school meals to be extended to half a million more of England’s poorest children

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Since 2018, children in England have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year, meaning hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty have been unable to access them. Now, from the start of the 2026 school year, every child whose household is on universal credit will be entitled to free school meals. The major policy expansion is expected to offer free meals to an additional 500,000 children across, lift 100,000 children out of poverty, and put an extra £500 in parents’ pockets.

Homeless person laying down

Finland has lowered their homelessness rates by 75% since 2008

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Finland estimates that 3,806 citizens are currently experiencing homelessness (about 0.06% of the population). In comparison, over 771,480 Americans were counted as unhoused in January 2025 (about 0.2% of the population). The feat is even more remarkable when noting that Finland’s method of counting homelessness is much more inclusive than other leading countries. In Finland, homelessness statistics include individuals temporarily living with friends and relatives, living in an institution, staying in hostels, congregate shelters, and “rough sleeping” outside on the streets.

Powerlines

Kenya has more than doubled access to electricity since 2013

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Kenya is progressing toward universal electricity access by 2030, bolstered by strong policy implementation and clean energy technologies, according to the International Energy Agency. Kenya has seen an increase in access, from 37% in 2013 to 79% in 2023, supporting poverty reduction, education, healthcare, and economic development. The Last Mile Connectivity Project has been instrumental in connecting nine million rural inhabitants to the grid. By the end of this year, the project aims to connect an additional 280,000 households nationwide.

Lit light bulb

In the last 30 years, almost everybody in Bangladesh gained access to basic electricity

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In 1991, fewer than 15% of people in Bangladesh had access to electricity. Thirty years later, access was almost universal. Over 100 million Bangladeshis have gained access to electricity during this time. This enables them to light their homes, use household appliances, or stay connected through phones and the internet. The U.N. has set a target to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030. Currently, about 9 in 10 people worldwide have basic access to electricity.

Indonesian children smiling

Indonesia launches free meals program to feed millions of children and pregnant women

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The Free Nutritious Meal program delivers on a campaign promise by President Prabowo Subianto, who was elected last year to lead the nation of more than 282 million people and Southeast Asia’s largest economy. It aims to fight the stunting of growth that afflicts 21.5% of Indonesian children younger than 5 and help raise income for the nation’s farmers. The government’s target is to reach an initial 19.5 million schoolchildren and pregnant women in 2025 with a budget of $4.3 billion USD, and more than 80 million people at a cost of $28 billion USD by 2029.

Australian money

Australia to slash $10 billion off student debt amid cost of living pressures

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said that his government plans to cut student loans for around three million Australians by 20%, wiping off around $10 billion USD in debts. The move builds on May’s budget, which attacked cost of living pressures in Australia and gave debt relief for students, as well as more investment to make medicines cheaper, and a boost to a rent assistance program. The changes would mean the average graduate with a loan of A$27,600 would have A$5,520 wiped, the government said, adding that they would take effect from June 1, 2025.

Doctor with Red Ribbon for December World Aids Day

Biden administration adds injectable PrEP requirement for insurance providers

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The Biden-Harris administration has announced a new requirement for insurance providers to cover injectable PrEP in their policies without a co-payment for consumers. The new rule, built on previous guidance for the Affordable Care Act, also applies to increased choice in contraception. The Biden-Harris administration announced Monday a new requirement for insurance providers to cover injectable PrEP in their policies without a co-payment for consumers. PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, was first approved by the FDA in 2012 to prevent people exposed to HIV from becoming infected with the virus. Truvada in pill form was the first prescriptive PrEP to hit the market, followed by Descovy. The injectable PrEP Apretude was approved in 2021.

Virus up close

‘Gamechanger’ HIV prevention drug to be made available cheaply in 120 countries

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Gilead Sciences says it has signed agreements with six manufacturers to make and sell generic lenacapavir in 120 “high-incidence, resource-limited” countries. Lenacapavir, given as a twice-yearly injection, has shown strong results for HIV prevention. It stopped infection in a trial involving girls and women in South Africa and Uganda, and offered almost complete protection in a second trial that mainly involved men across Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and the U.S.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disneyland

Disneyland unions agree to ‘historic’ 31% pay raise

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Master Services Council, which represents 14,000 Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney employees from four unions, announced its members had voted to accept a new contract that provides a 31% pay raise over the next three years.
The “biggest wage increases ever” for Disneyland resort employees will raise hourly pay more than $6 over three years from the current $19.90 to $24 in 2024 and $26 in 2026, according to the unions.

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