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Human Rights Watch has urged the Indian government to withdraw proposed 2026 amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, warning that they would significantly expand executive control over online content and weaken privacy and free expression. The draft rules are currently open for public consultation and are seen as… [Read More]

The ongoing war in Gaza Strip has taken a devastating toll on women and girls, with more than 38,000 নিহত since October 2023, according to UN Women. The conflict, which began after the Hamas-led attacks in Israel, has resulted in unprecedented levels of casualties among women and girls compared to previous conflicts in the enclave…. [Read More]

Six weeks after conflict erupted in the Middle East, its economic impact is being felt far beyond the region, with Caribbean nations facing rising food prices and deepening vulnerability. According to analysis supported by the World Food Programme (WFP), the crisis—particularly disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz—has triggered one of the most significant global… [Read More]

Amid escalating conflict across parts of the Middle East, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has moved to safeguard cultural landmarks at risk of destruction. Since the war began on 28 February, several sites of major historical and cultural importance in Israel, Iran, and Lebanon have reportedly come under attack, raising global… [Read More]

French authorities have refused to grant an entry visa to Shawan Jabarin, the director of Al-Haq, a prominent Palestinian human rights organisation based in the occupied West Bank. He was scheduled to travel to France to participate in a session of the European Parliament’s Human Rights Committee in Strasbourg alongside other Palestinian civil society representatives…. [Read More]

More than half of the population in Haiti continues to struggle with severe food insecurity, with 5.8 million people—around 52 percent—facing crisis levels or worse. Among them, over 1.8 million are experiencing emergency conditions, meaning they are exhausting their last resources and cannot meet even basic food needs. The update, released by the World Food… [Read More]

Authorities in Myanmar have released former president Win Myint along with around 4,000 prisoners as part of an amnesty marking the traditional New Year festival. Win Myint had been detained since the Myanmar military coup 2021, when the military overthrew the elected government, triggering widespread protests and ongoing armed resistance. However, key political figures, including… [Read More]

Amnesty International has strongly criticized the dissolution of 118 NGOs and associations in Burkina Faso, warning that the move represents a serious attack on freedom of association and civic space in the country. The organization argues that shutting down civil society groups contradicts Burkina Faso’s own constitutional guarantees as well as its international human rights… [Read More]

As conflict continues to devastate Sudan, a growing number of women and girls are living in constant fear, facing heightened risks of violence both during displacement and within camps. According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), nearly three-quarters of women report feeling unsafe across multiple environments, highlighting the severe protection crisis unfolding in the country…. [Read More]

Falling fertility rates and ageing populations are often framed as looming economic crises, but a senior United Nations economist argues that such fears may be overstated. Around the world, many people say they want two or more children, yet a growing number are having only one or none. According to the latest State of World… [Read More]

Amnesty International has raised concerns over an escalating crackdown by Madagascar’s military authorities on Gen Z activists and civil society members following the October 2025 coup. According to the organisation, authorities are using broadly defined charges such as criminal conspiracy, threats to national security, and destabilisation of the state to silence individuals who express dissent… [Read More]

The Ontario government is investing $11.5 million to upgrade four dams across the province as part of its efforts to strengthen critical water infrastructure and improve community safety. These upgrades are designed to ensure the long-term reliability of dam operations, protect communities from flooding risks, and support local economies, particularly in northern and rural regions…. [Read More]

The Ontario government has launched a new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub in Brampton as part of a province-wide expansion of mental health and addictions services. This initiative is included in a broader investment of more than $560 million to establish 29 HART Hubs across Ontario, aimed at improving access to recovery-focused care… [Read More]

The UK government has introduced new private sector-led tools designed to make sovereign debt crises in developing countries faster to resolve, reducing economic damage and improving global financial stability. These proposals are part of the London Coalition on Sustainable Sovereign Debt and align with the UK’s broader “securonomics” approach, which aims to strengthen resilience in… [Read More]

The British Embassy Kyiv has launched a call for proposals under the UK Integrated Security Fund (ISF) to support national-level policy, coordination, and implementation on veterans’ affairs in Ukraine. The programme will run from 1 July 2026 to 31 March 2027 and will provide up to £1,500,000 to strengthen the Ministry of Veterans Affairs (MoVA)… [Read More]

The Queen Elizabeth Trust has been established as a new UK-wide independent charity to honour the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth and her lifelong dedication to public service. His Majesty The King will serve as Royal Patron of the Trust, which aims to carry forward the late Queen’s values by strengthening community life and… [Read More]

The Fisher Community Resilience Enhancement Project was designed to be highly relevant and technically sound, aligning with the priorities of FAO, the Government of South Sudan, and donor partners while addressing urgent local needs in fragile fishing communities. It focused on strengthening livelihoods, improving food security, and enhancing resilience in conflict-affected areas through community-driven fisheries… [Read More]

Many upper-middle-income economies are now approaching a critical stage in their development journey, where achieving high-income status requires more than continued investment and technology adoption. At this stage, growth must increasingly be driven by innovation, allowing firms to generate higher productivity, create better-paying jobs, and sustain inclusive economic progress for a more educated workforce. This… [Read More]

In September 2025, the World Bank and the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) entered into a formal partnership through a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening collaboration on river basin and transboundary water management. This agreement builds on years of knowledge exchange, including analytical work on Australia’s experience in managing water for economic, environmental, and cultural… [Read More]

Policy makers require up-to-date poverty data to make informed decisions on budgets, program targeting, and evaluation of economic outcomes. However, in many countries, the latest household surveys containing consumption data are outdated, while newer surveys often lack this critical component. As a result, poverty measurement becomes indirect, and key policy choices are made without reliable… [Read More]

Migrants and refugees in crisis-prone regions such as the Thai-Myanmar border often remain excluded from formal health systems, leaving major gaps in health security and universal health coverage that became especially visible during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, collaborative initiatives like the ANISE network have emerged to strengthen preparedness and improve health outcomes for displaced… [Read More]

The World Economic Forum’s Industry Strategy Meeting in Munich took place in March amid an acute global energy shock, triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the largest emergency oil stock release in the International Energy Agency’s history, with Brent crude surpassing $120 a barrel. Against this backdrop, energy and finance leaders… [Read More]

The concept of Futures Literacy and Foresight (FLF) highlights how people’s imagination of the future strongly shapes present-day decisions, often without conscious awareness. The authors argue that in a time of uncertainty, complexity, and rapid change, there is a growing need to develop the ability to question, unlearn, and reframe assumptions about the future. This… [Read More]