All posts tagged: Initiative

Religion News Service wins global AI grant funded by Google News Initiative

Religion News Service wins global AI grant funded by Google News Initiative

Published by Sam Flores

RNS — Religion News Service (RNS) was selected for the second cohort of the JournalismAI Innovation Challenge, a competitive global program funded by the Google News Initiative and run by JournalismAI, an initiative of Polis, the journalism think tank at the London School of Economics and Political Science. RNS is the only North American outlet of the 12 publishers chosen to receive funding to use AI technologies to improve their audience intelligence and grow revenue. RNS will use the $50,000 grant to prototype an AI-supported system that will help RNS capture, analyze, and communicate the real-world impact of its journalism. Nonprofit newsrooms, such as RNS, are increasingly asked by funders to demonstrate their public value, yet the effects of reporting—how stories inform civic participation, shape policy conversations, or help readers navigate complex questions of belief—often surface informally and are lost before they can be analyzed or used. With the grant, RNS intends to build a Slack workflow that prompts staff to record examples of impact as they occur, while an AI model extracts, analyzes and …

Barrage of Emails From AI Politics Platform Defeats Clean Air Initiative

Barrage of Emails From AI Politics Platform Defeats Clean Air Initiative

Published by José Betancourt

Late in 2023, the corporate world was abuzz with the utopian promise of AI — especially about the tech’s effects on the environment. From today’s vantage point, some of the corporate claims floating around back then sound patently absurd: Google insisted that AI had the potential to “mitigate 5-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions,” while Microsoft enthused that the new tech would “accelerate the discovery and development of sustainability solutions.” Even academics played along. Jim Bellingham of Johns Hopkins’ Institute for Assured Autonomy claimed that “AI-powered robots” and satellites would form part of a system helping to “reduce the carbon that is released into the atmosphere.” So far, reality has demonstrated the exact opposite. Not only are electrical demands of data centers supercharging our carbon emissions, but the technology itself is now being used to actively resist climate regulations. According to new reporting by the Los Angeles Times, an eco-friendly initiative to phase out the use of gas-powered appliances in Southern California was defeated thanks to a campaign weaponizing a suite of AI software. …

Ukraine Got 4.4 Million Large-Calibre Rounds Under Czech Initiative, President Says

Ukraine Got 4.4 Million Large-Calibre Rounds Under Czech Initiative, President Says

Published by Sam Flores

PRAGUE, Feb 16 (Reuters) – Ukraine has ⁠received ⁠4.4 million rounds of ⁠large-calibre ammunition under a plan pulling together ​Czech arms traders and producers and funding from foreign donors, ‌President Petr Pavel told ‌a Czech news website in an interview. Pavel has ⁠been a ⁠strong backer of the scheme which includes Czech defence ​officials and defence firms sourcing 155mm and other large-calibre ammunition around the world, purchasing it and shipping to Ukraine with ​funds from Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and other donors.  The ⁠new ⁠Czech government of Prime ⁠Minister ​Andrej Babis’ populist ANO party, including the pro-Russian far-right SPD, had considered ​scrapping the ⁠initiative but agreed under pressure from Pavel and allies to continue the plan, although it said it would not give any national funding for the purchases.   “Since its ⁠launch the initiative has brought about 4.4 million pieces of large-calibre ⁠ammunition to Ukraine,” Pavel, a former senior NATO official, told the odkryto.cz website. “Without this ammunition reserve, Ukraine’s armed forces could not effectively lead defence.” Pavel said nearly 2 million rounds were delivered …

Fetzer Institute launches million cross-sector initiative to advance spiritually grounded transformation

Fetzer Institute launches $9 million cross-sector initiative to advance spiritually grounded transformation

Published by Sam Flores

30 organizations across Public Life, Spiritual Innovation, and Environment sectors join to foster a global movement rooted in love and sacredness. KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Fetzer Institute has announced a $9 million initiative to fund and connect 30 leading organizations across three sectors: Public Life, Spiritual Innovation, and the Environment, to catalyze a spiritually grounded movement for holistic transformation. Over a two-year period, the organizations will build relationships, share practices, and develop actionable strategies for fostering a more loving, connected, and sustainable world. Jonathan Lever, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Fetzer Institute said, “These collaborations bring together remarkable leaders who are reimagining their fields, grounded in a spiritual approach that fosters transformation and leads to shared flourishing.” Public Life  The Public Life Collaborative brings together leaders who believe that spiritual formation and moral imagination can help heal a polarized civic culture.    Participants include:  AND Campaign, Aspen Institute’s Religion and Society Program, Center for Christianity and Public Life, Hindus for Human Rights, Center for Public Justice, Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine …

NATO launches new Arctic defense initiative after Greenland crisis

NATO launches new Arctic defense initiative after Greenland crisis

Published by Sam Flores

Mark Rutte, NATO secretary-general, in Brussels, on February 11, 2026. TOM NICHOLSON/REUTERS After weeks of relentless attacks against Denmark, Greenland and the United States’ European allies, Donald Trump announced on January 21 “the framework of a future deal” over Greenland after a meeting with Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary-general, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. On Wednesday, February 11, the day before a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, Rutte, the former Dutch prime minister, announced the launch of “Arctic Sentry,” an enhanced surveillance operation in the region aimed at addressing the American president’s concerns. The new initiative would “leverage NATO’s strength to protect our territory and ensure the Arctic and the High North remain secure,” said General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s supreme allied commander, on Wednesday. “For the first time now, we will bring everything we do in the Arctic together under one command,” added Rutte. More specifically, all of the military exercises that various NATO countries had already planned in the area, as well as new surveillance resources deployed in the Arctic, …

European Commission launches €605m Africa Initiative IV

European Commission launches €605m Africa Initiative IV

Published by skeptic

The European Commission has officially launched Africa Initiative IV, marking a major new phase in EU–Africa cooperation on research and innovation under the Horizon Europe work programme for 2026–2027. With a total budget of approximately €605.45m, the initiative signals a strong political and financial commitment to advancing shared scientific priorities and fostering long-term partnerships between European and African research communities. A new chapter in EU–Africa collaboration Africa Initiative IV builds on the momentum created by the first three Africa Initiatives, which have already reshaped how African organisations engage with Horizon Europe. The latest phase will fund around 30 competitive calls for proposals, all focused on joint EU–Africa research and innovation activities. These calls are designed to encourage collaboration from project conception to delivery, ensuring mutual benefits and shared ownership of results. Crucially, Africa Initiative IV supports the implementation of the AU–EU Innovation Agenda. This alignment ensures that funded projects align with jointly agreed short-, medium-, and long-term actions, reinforcing policy coherence across both continents while addressing real-world challenges. Four strategic priority areas Under Africa Initiative …

Andrew’s beloved initiative to be shut down | Royal | News

Andrew’s beloved initiative to be shut down | Royal | News

Published by Sam Flores

One of the initiatives closest to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s heart is to be dissolved in just days. Pitch@Palace was a competition similar to Drangon’s Den, whereby entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to potential investors. It was previously thought to be a source of income for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor after King Charles cut off his financial support.  However, documents to dissolve the company were filed with Companies House on Tuesday and signed by its only director, Arthur Lancaster. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor is listed as a person with significant control under his former title, Prince Andrew, while Mr Lancaster is thought to hold the shares on the former prince’s behalf. The company suspended operations in 2019 and the UK side of it ceased in 2021, but international Pitch@Palace Global remained open. Dutch company Startup Bootcamp expressed interest in buying the business, but the deal ended up unravelling earlier this year. Most of the cash it had left has been withdrawn in recent years, with the latest set of accounts showing just £10,965 at the end of March, down from £220,990 the year before. …

Proposed Oregon Initiative Would Outlaw Animal Agriculture and Hunting

Proposed Oregon Initiative Would Outlaw Animal Agriculture and Hunting

Published by Jenni Sidey

This article, Proposed Oregon Initiative Would Outlaw Animal Agriculture and Hunting, is republished from National Review’s The Corner with the permission of the author. Animal rights activists pretend to be about animal welfare, but in reality, they want to outlaw all instrumental uses of animals. We can see this illustrated in Oregon, where animal rights activists are attempting to qualify Initiative Petition 28 for the November ballot. Proponents claim it is about ending cruelty. But the actual purpose is to effectively outlaw animal agriculture and hunting in the state. First, if passed, the law would create a legal equality between animals and people. From the Yes on IP28 website: We believe everyone should be equally protected under the law, and that all animals deserve equal consideration, regardless of whether or not we consider them our companions. All animals deserve a life free from cruelty. Note what would be included in the concept of “cruelty” under the proposed law. From the “About IP28” link: For those hearing about IP28 for the first time, this ballot initiative would remove many of the current exemptions from …

Key US allies keep their distance as Trump launches ‘Board of Peace’ initiative for Gaza

Key US allies keep their distance as Trump launches ‘Board of Peace’ initiative for Gaza

Published by Sam Flores

US President Donald Trump on Thursday inaugurated his Board of Peace to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas, insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of the body that could eventually rival the United Nations – despite many US allies opting not to participate.  In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to seize Greenland, then by a dramatic retreat from that push. “This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he said, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.” The event featured Ali Shaath, the head of a future “technocratic” government in Gaza, announcing that the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week. That’s after Israel said in early December it would open the crossing, which runs between Gaza and Egypt, but has …

Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, Max Hollein’s Met Tips, and More

Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, Max Hollein’s Met Tips, and More

Published by José Betancourt

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in On Balance, the ARTnews newsletter about the art market and beyond. Sign up here to receive it every Wednesday. Happy Wednesday! Here’s a round-up of who’s moving and shaking in the art trade this week. Frankenthaler Climate Initiative Opens Sixth Grant Cycle: Applications for the nation’s largest private program to support clean energy in the visual arts opens Thursday, with more than $17.5 million awarded to date to institutions pursuing energy efficiency and sustainability. Related Articles P·P·O·W Now Represents Phoebe Helander: The representation follows the gallery’s first solo presentation of her work, “Paintings from the Orange Room,” which closed in December. The gallery will show new paintings by Helander at Post-Fair in Santa Monica this February. Séverin Guelpa Joins Switzerland’s Fabienne Levy Gallery: The Swiss artist, whose practice spans installation, video, and sculpture, is the founder and curator of the collective project Matza. The gallery will present new pieces by Guelpa at Art Genève later this month. Catinca Tabacaru Takes on Andrei Nițu: The Romanian painter, whose work explores what the artist has described …