3 h. ago Former Scottish Labour first minister Jack McConnell blasts Keir Starmer over foreign aid cuts

Jack McConnell urged the Prime Minister to rethink slashing the international development budget cut from 0.5 per cent of gross national income to 0.3 per cent to increase defence spending.

Politics

9 h. ago From international development to entrepreneurship: Karen Robinson's inspiring career shift with Three Robins

Karen Robinson’s journey from a high-profile career in international development to becoming the founder of Three Robins is a remarkable story of reinvention, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Politics

14 h. ago USAID workers will be given 15 minutes to clear their workspaces as the agency gets dismantled

Thousands of U.S. Agency for International Development workers who have been fired or placed on leave as part of the Trump administration’s dismantling of the agency are being given a brief window Thursday and Friday to clear out their workspaces

Politics

14 h. ago Readers' letters: UK Government plumbs new depths with international aid betrayal

A reader suggests cutting international development aid to boost defence spending is a betrayao of the world’s most marginalised people

Politics

19 h. ago Trump administration cutting 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts, documents show

The Trump administration says it is eliminating more than 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance around the world

Politics

28 h. ago Voices: Making the world’s most defenceless people pay for UK defence is reprehensible

When countries are reneging on their promises where Britain stands on international development is a critical test of the prime minister’s leadership, writes Christian Aid boss Patrick Watt

Politics

32 h. ago Starmer’s cuts are a huge mistake – foreign aid is an investment, not an expense | Halima Begum

At the height of the cold war, the west advanced its soft power through aid and development spending. If we cut that now, who will fill the vacuum?Halima Begum is the chief executive of Oxfam GBThe savagely deep cuts that Keir Starmer has announced to the international aid budget make a mockery of the pledge his party made to the British people in its manifesto. Then, it promised to restore development spending at the level of 0.7% of gross national income “as soon as fiscal circumstances allow”. On Tuesday the prime minister stood in front of parliament and announced that he will cut it from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP. In the same manifesto, Labour made a commitment to “rebuild Britain’s reputation on international development with a new approach based on genuine respect and partnership with the global south”. This week, the government turned its back on it.Of course, I understand the argument that defence spending has to be increased, but cutting our aid budget still further when governm...

Politics

62 h. ago ‘No rules’: Gaza’s doctors say they were tortured, beaten and humiliated in Israeli detention

Healthcare workers are protected under international law yet hundreds were detained during the war. Now, some of Gaza’s most senior doctors have spoken of the violence and abuse they say they facedMore than 160 Gazan medics held in Israeli prisons amid reports of tortureDr Issam Abu Ajwa was in the middle of performing emergency surgery on a patient with a severe abdominal injury at al-Ahli Arab hospital in central Gaza when the soldiers came for him.“I asked them what they were doing coming into the operating theatre,” he says. “One of the soldiers pointed at me and said: ‘Are you Dr Issam Abu Ajwa?’ I said: ‘Yes, that’s me.’ And then the beating began.” Continue reading...

Politics

63 h. ago Will Laura Whitmore ever return to TV? Love Island star has turned her back on her glittering telly career with an audience of millions to tread the boards in local theatres

Laura has had a monumental career shift over the past five years, ditching her glittering TV career to play to theatre audiences of just 300.

Events

3 d. ago MAFS UK groom Luke Debono's surprising career shift after reality TV including pizza perfume

The Prison Education Manager and his bride Amy Kenyon were dubbed the 'Barbie and Ken' of MAFS UK

Politics

3 d. ago USAID bloodbath as Trump fires two thousand workers and puts thousands more on leave

The Trump administration continued its bloodbath gutting of the U.S. Agency for International Development, cutting 2,000 workers and placing all but a fraction of other staffers on leave.

Events

3 d. ago Trump administration is firing 2,000 USAID workers and putting thousands of others on leave

The Trump administration says it's eliminating 2,000 posts at the U.S. Agency for International Development and placing all but a fraction of others worldwide on leave

Politics

6 d. ago Trump administration stalling medical evacuation for USAID staffers, spouses in peril, suits charge

Court orders have had only limited effect in the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development

Politics

7 d. ago How will Trump and Musk’s freeze on USAid affect millions around the world?

Immediately after his inauguration, the US president and the head of Doge froze funding for all foreign assistance, creating chaos for staff and for humanitarian projects, charities, governments and people around the worldWithin hours of taking office on 20 January, the US president, Donald Trump, announced an immediate 90-day freeze on all US foreign assistance, including over $40bn (£32bn) for international projects coming from USAid, the US Agency for International Development.In that time, there would be a review conducted to ensure the agency was backing work that aligned with the administration’s “America First” agenda. Waivers were later announced for “lifesaving humanitarian assistance” but it was quickly apparent the guidelines were confusing and contradictory. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Trump’s dismantling of USAid raises risk of mpox global emergency, experts warn

As administration cuts off resources from African countries to contain outbreak, workers say ‘everybody’s lost’As the Trump administration dismantles the US Agency for International Development (USAid) and retreats from funding global public health efforts, mpox – formerly known as monkeypox – is at greater risk of becoming a wider global emergency, according to aid workers and global health experts.“It’s a real mistake not to be doing everything we can to control this while we’re still able to,” said Stephen Morse, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University focusing on risk assessment of infectious diseases. “Taking huge steps backwards is only going to make everything worse.” Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Zelenskyy to meet US envoy after fallout with Trump as European leaders rush to contain crisis – live

Ukrainian president says he will meet US envoy Keith Kellogg on Thursday; UK and French leaders plan Washington visit in effort to influence US-Russia talksTrump calls Zelenskyy a dictator amid fears of irreconcilable riftLavrov also speaks about Russia’s alliances with Belarus, North Korea, China and Iran, and countries in Africa.He says the “comprehensive partnership with China” was “at an unprecedented level and exceeding any prior alliances of a classic type,” with both leaders attending important anniversaries in each other’s countries.I will tell you something that is a key issue for us at this stage of international development, and that is our move towards a multipolar world. It is a historic process, and it is to do with the subjective trend of new power centres appearing on the world map.Our partners in the Global South and in the east are unique civilisations and religions and are members of various integration associations, but all of them are united by a desire towards ...

Politics

7 d. ago Trump criticized for ‘dangerous’ comments calling Zelenskyy a ‘dictator’ as European leaders rush to contain crisis – live

German leader condemns US president attack as ‘wrong’ while UK and French leaders plan Washington visit in effort to influence US talks with RussiaLavrov also speaks about Russia’s alliances with Belarus, North Korea, China and Iran, and countries in Africa.He says the “comprehensive partnership with China” was “at an unprecedented level and exceeding any prior alliances of a classic type,” with both leaders attending important anniversaries in each other’s countries.I will tell you something that is a key issue for us at this stage of international development, and that is our move towards a multipolar world. It is a historic process, and it is to do with the subjective trend of new power centres appearing on the world map.Our partners in the Global South and in the east are unique civilisations and religions and are members of various integration associations, but all of them are united by a desire towards development, progressive development without external pressure At the same ...

Politics

8 d. ago Trump calls Zelenskyy a ‘dictator’ who should ‘move fast’ or lose country as row with Ukraine leader worsens – Europe live

US president attacks Ukraine leader after Zelenskyy says Trump is living in a Russian ‘disinformation bubble’Lavrov also speaks about Russia’s alliances with Belarus, North Korea, China and Iran, and countries in Africa.He says the “comprehensive partnership with China” was “at an unprecedented level and exceeding any prior alliances of a classic type,” with both leaders attending important anniversaries in each other’s countries.I will tell you something that is a key issue for us at this stage of international development, and that is our move towards a multipolar world. It is a historic process, and it is to do with the subjective trend of new power centres appearing on the world map.Our partners in the Global South and in the east are unique civilisations and religions and are members of various integration associations, but all of them are united by a desire towards development, progressive development without external pressure At the same time, we must state that the collectiv...

Politics

8 d. ago Putin says Trump told him Ukraine will be included in peace talks and claims Russia is ready to negotiate – Europe live

Russian president says he is happy to meet US president after Zelenskyy says Trump is living in a ‘disinformation bubble’Lavrov also speaks about Russia’s alliances with Belarus, North Korea, China and Iran, and countries in Africa.He says the “comprehensive partnership with China” was “at an unprecedented level and exceeding any prior alliances of a classic type,” with both leaders attending important anniversaries in each other’s countries.I will tell you something that is a key issue for us at this stage of international development, and that is our move towards a multipolar world. It is a historic process, and it is to do with the subjective trend of new power centres appearing on the world map.Our partners in the Global South and in the east are unique civilisations and religions and are members of various integration associations, but all of them are united by a desire towards development, progressive development without external pressure At the same time, we must state that t...

Politics

8 d. ago Zelenskyy says Trump living in disinformation bubble after blaming Ukraine for Russian invasion – Europe live

Ukraine’s president says US counterpart repeating Russian disinformation over the war, and adds any attempt to replace him ‘will not work’Lavrov also speaks about Russia’s alliances with Belarus, North Korea, China and Iran, and countries in Africa.He says the “comprehensive partnership with China” was “at an unprecedented level and exceeding any prior alliances of a classic type,” with both leaders attending important anniversaries in each other’s countries.I will tell you something that is a key issue for us at this stage of international development, and that is our move towards a multipolar world. It is a historic process, and it is to do with the subjective trend of new power centres appearing on the world map.Our partners in the Global South and in the east are unique civilisations and religions and are members of various integration associations, but all of them are united by a desire towards development, progressive development without external pressure At the same time, we ...

Politics