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The UK government has announced a £180 million investment to expand the National Timing Centre (NTC), enhancing the country’s resilience against disruptions to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). These systems provide critical timing signals for mobile networks, online banking, transport, emergency services, and other national infrastructure but are vulnerable to jamming, cyberattacks, and technical failures…. [Read More]

The Government of Japan has contributed nearly €200,000 to two trust funds of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW): the Trust Fund for Syria Missions and the Trust Fund for the Implementation of Article X in support of Ukraine. Part of this funding will support OPCW activities in Syria, including verifying the… [Read More]

A North Devon charity, Sunrise Diversity, has been awarded £499,980 over five years from the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) to continue providing English language lessons and community support. The funding will allow the charity to maintain its inclusive services and recruit four new team members, strengthening its outreach and support programmes. Ana Lodge, CEO… [Read More]

At the International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD+20), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean advanced a comprehensive agenda focused on equitable land and water access, agrarian justice, and sustainable, inclusive rural development. The event, held from 24 to 28 February… [Read More]

Ministers, senior officials, and private investors from across the European Union gathered in Chișinău on 5 March 2026 for the Agrifood Partnership Investment Forum, organized by the Republic of Moldova with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The high-level event brought together over 200 participants, including public- and private-sector… [Read More]

In February 2026, the FAO Food Price Index rose for the first time in five months, averaging 125.3 points, up 0.9 percent from January, though still 1.0 percent below its level a year earlier. The increase was driven by higher prices for wheat, most vegetable oils, and several meat types, which outweighed declines in cheese… [Read More]

A regional initiative to strengthen seed systems and food crisis preparedness in Burundi, Comoros, Somalia, and South Sudan has made significant progress in building resilience and improving local food security. The project, titled Strengthening Emergency Preparedness and Response to Food Crisis (SEPAREF), was implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)… [Read More]

African Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have taken a significant step toward transforming their agrifood systems and attracting new investments following a three-day solutions and investment forum held in São Tomé and Príncipe. The event brought together ministers, parliamentarians, investors, development partners, and representatives from the African SIDS Interregional Technical Network (ITN) to move beyond… [Read More]

From 3–5 March 2026, Bhutan held a landmark consultation workshop in Paro to finalize its National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS). The three-day meeting brought together senior officials from ministries, government departments, development partners, and civil society to strengthen the country’s preparedness, response, resilience, and risk management in line with the International Health Regulations… [Read More]

On International Women’s Day, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) called for accelerated efforts to reduce maternal mortality and ensure that all women in the Americas have access to essential health services, medicines, and technologies for safe motherhood. Despite progress over recent decades, thousands of women still die each year from preventable pregnancy and childbirth-related… [Read More]

Sudan officially declared the end of its cholera outbreak on 3 March 2026, following 48 consecutive days without any reported cases, exceeding the two full incubation periods required to confirm the outbreak’s conclusion. The last reported case occurred on 14 January 2026. The outbreak, first detected in Kassala State in late July 2024, spread to… [Read More]

Radio Begum offers a rare public space for women in Afghanistan, where restrictive laws make it difficult for women to move freely in the city. Station founder Hamida Aman explained that female journalists must navigate complex restrictions just to reach the studio, where they prepare and broadcast their programs. Despite these challenges, the station continues… [Read More]

Nearly 700,000 people, including around 200,000 children, have been displaced in Lebanon due to the recent escalation of conflict, adding to tens of thousands already uprooted from earlier crises, according to UNICEF. The displacement follows a weekend of intensifying military activity, including Israeli and U.S. strikes against Iranian targets, counter-strikes by Iranian forces in Israel,… [Read More]

Fresh military airstrikes in Myanmar’s central Magway region have worsened an already dire humanitarian situation, killing more than 25 people and injuring 20 others. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that ongoing conflict, repeated disasters, and economic decline continue to exacerbate the crisis. In 2025, aid reached 6.3 million people,… [Read More]

A United Nations independent expert has warned that new and evolving challenges are increasing the risks of child sexual abuse and exploitation worldwide. While progress has been made in strengthening international cooperation, adopting more victim-centred approaches, and involving the private sector, the scale and severity of abuse against children remain deeply concerning. According to the… [Read More]

The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is worsening as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East creates additional economic and political pressures on the country. According to Georgette Gagnon, Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, rising commodity prices and growing instability are placing further strain on Afghanistan’s already fragile economy. Trade routes through… [Read More]

The Government of Canada has announced new efforts to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services and resources across the country. The initiative aims to ensure that Canadians can access safe, accurate, and stigma-free care, particularly for people who often face barriers in the healthcare system. These barriers are commonly experienced by marginalized groups,… [Read More]

The Irish government has announced €129.5 million in funding for Housing Adaptation Grants aimed at supporting older people and people with disabilities to improve their homes and live independently. The announcement was made by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne, along with Minister of State for Older Persons Kieran O’Donnell and Minister… [Read More]

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless and Minister of State for Further Education, Apprenticeship, Construction and Climate Skills Marian Harkin have launched a new €2 million Transport Fund for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities. The initiative aims to improve access to further education and training by helping learners with intellectual… [Read More]

A new regional initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural trade in the Caribbean has been launched following an inception meeting organised by the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA). The initiative forms part of a Caribbean Development Bank-funded project designed to strengthen the framework for intra-regional trade in agricultural products and improve the regulatory… [Read More]

The 57th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission has endorsed the Global Disaster-Related Statistics Framework (G-DRSF), marking the first global agreement aimed at improving how disaster-related data is defined, collected and used within national statistical systems. The framework creates a shared statistical structure that brings together National Statistical Offices, disaster management agencies and other… [Read More]

A new initiative aimed at eliminating cervical cancer across the Pacific has received a funding boost of NZ$5.1 million (US$3 million). The programme is led by Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa – Centre for Pacific and Global Health at the University of Auckland in collaboration with regional partners. The funding, provided through the Matariki Fund… [Read More]

Escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have forced more than 700,000 people to flee their homes across Lebanon, creating a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has issued an emergency Watchlist alert, warning that the renewed conflict is already triggering widespread displacement and placing immense pressure on families, host communities and humanitarian… [Read More]