ritu

The United Kingdom has announced a 56% reduction in bilateral aid to African countries to finance increased defense spending, cutting more than £6 billion from development programs. By 2028–2029, UK funding to Africa is expected to fall by nearly £900 million, translating into fewer schools, hospitals, and essential services for vulnerable populations. Experts warn that… [Read More]

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a €200 million loan to A2A, one of Italy’s leading multi-utility companies, to modernise and expand electricity distribution grids in the province of Milan. The project aligns with national and European decarbonisation targets and aims to reinforce grid resilience, increase capacity, and meet rising electricity demand driven by… [Read More]

The Boards of Directors of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group have endorsed the expansion of key financing instruments to strengthen Europe’s technological leadership and defence capabilities. The European Tech Champions Initiative (ETCI), managed by the European Investment Fund (EIF), will be scaled up to attract institutional investors alongside public resources from EU Member States…. [Read More]

Media freedom in Kosovo has declined since 2023, prompting calls for urgent government action, according to an international media freedom mission. A two-day visit to Pristina by a coalition of media freedom organisations under the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Safety of Journalists found that Kosovo’s previously stable media environment has deteriorated over the… [Read More]

The Foyle Foundation, as it prepares to close after 25 years of grant-making, has announced a final £2.2 million in funding for community foundations across the UK and Northern Ireland, including a £200,000 grant for Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF). CCF will use this funding to support people and projects under the greatest pressures, from families… [Read More]

Havering Together, a new borough-wide giving initiative, has secured a £250,000 grant from the City Bridge Foundation, London’s largest independent charity and owner of five Thames bridges. The programme aims to unlock funding, strengthen community collaboration, and support grassroots initiatives across Havering, an area historically underserved by external funding. Havering Council has strongly supported the… [Read More]

A variety of organisations across Burnley are set to benefit from Burnley Council’s Rural Assets and Grass Roots Sports grant schemes, funded through the UK Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund. The council invited eligible parish councils and non-profit sports clubs to apply for funding earlier this year, aiming to support projects that enhance community… [Read More]

Over the past three years, the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for low-income countries, has significantly improved access to essential services for millions of people. Through its financing, 122 million individuals gained social protection, 54 million accessed new or improved electricity services, 138 million benefited from broadband internet, and 225 million received… [Read More]

Reliable soil data is essential for informing agricultural policies and supporting productive and sustainable farming systems. Strengthening the analytical capacities of national laboratories is therefore a key institutional priority for sustainable natural resource management. In Tunisia, FAO, in partnership with the General Directorate of Land Planning and Agricultural Land Conservation (DGACTA), is conducting technical training… [Read More]

Since 2006, FAO’s partnerships with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have mobilized more than USD 1.18 billion across Latin America and the Caribbean to support environmental protection, sustainable land use, and climate resilience. Through the GEF, FAO has secured over USD 530 million benefiting 33 countries, while collaboration with… [Read More]

Grenada occupies a unique position in global agricultural trade as the only country currently authorized to export fresh non-irradiated soursop to the United States. This rare market access makes soursop a highly strategic export crop and highlights the importance of continuously strengthening the country’s sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems across the entire value chain. The… [Read More]

Declining glaciers, shrinking water sources, and increasingly unpredictable weather are placing growing pressure on rural livelihoods in Kyrgyzstan’s At-Bashy district, where many families depend heavily on agriculture and livestock. A recent field mission by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat found that communities are experiencing a… [Read More]

A recent transboundary analysis of the Ma and Neun-Ca shared river basins between Viet Nam and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has identified several major threats affecting the shared water systems and surrounding communities. Among the most pressing concerns are fish kills likely linked to agricultural pollution and flash flooding caused by increasingly… [Read More]

Livestock systems across Asia and the Pacific are facing growing pressure from multiple overlapping challenges, including climate change, environmental degradation, zoonotic diseases, and rising demand for animal-source foods. At the same time, millions of people across the region continue to experience food insecurity and cannot afford a healthy diet. In response, governments, scientists, and development… [Read More]

South Africa’s National Department of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office, officially launched the first Health Financing Progress Matrix (HFPM) report in Pretoria on 19 March 2026. The launch brought together key partners and stakeholders to present the report’s findings and begin discussions on practical ways to strengthen the country’s… [Read More]

The United Republic of Tanzania has taken an important step toward strengthening its emergency preparedness and response systems by conducting a week-long induction training for Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) in Zanzibar. The initiative marks the formal start of efforts to build a nationally coordinated, rapidly deployable medical response team capable of addressing public health emergencies… [Read More]

The Singapore government is facing growing calls from human rights organizations to immediately drop all criminal charges against government critic Jay Ish’haq Rajoo and repeal the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA). Rajoo has become the first person to face criminal prosecution under POFMA since the law came into force in October 2019,… [Read More]

Human Rights Watch used the 61st regular session of the UN Human Rights Council to warn of escalating dangers to civilians across the Middle East and to call for a coordinated, comprehensive, and impartial response to all violations linked to the widening regional conflict. The statement was delivered during an urgent debate held on 25… [Read More]

The Council of Europe and its member states have adopted a new declaration in Chișinău, Moldova, reaffirming their commitment to protecting and advancing social rights at a time of growing political uncertainty across Europe. Known as the Chișinău Declaration, the agreement comes against a backdrop of rising authoritarianism, expanding anti-rights political agendas, and increasing concern… [Read More]

Japan’s ruling coalition is moving to introduce a new law that would criminalize the desecration of the national flag, raising serious concerns about its potential impact on freedom of expression. On March 17, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), together with its coalition partner the Japan Innovation Party, announced plans… [Read More]

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a new resolution calling for action to address the enduring legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, with a strong emphasis on reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent. Spearheaded by Ghana on behalf of the 54-member African Group, the resolution was approved with 123… [Read More]

The UK government has announced that the Tay Cities Region in Scotland will receive up to £20 million to accelerate growth in its creative technology sector, with the investment aimed at boosting local innovation, creating jobs, and strengthening the regional economy. The funding will support the area’s growing reputation as a hub for creative and… [Read More]

The UK government has published a new Pandemic Preparedness Strategy aimed at significantly strengthening the country’s readiness for future pandemics, alongside its response to Module 2 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. The strategy signals a major overhaul of the UK’s pandemic planning framework and is backed by around £1 billion in health protection investment. It… [Read More]