57 h. ago More than 60 charities demand UK reverse ‘shameful’ aid cuts that will expose women and girls to abuse

Exclusive: Cuts to spending will leave at least a million women and children at increased risk of violence, charities say

Events

3 d. ago South Africa says its budget can't cover for the deep US cuts in foreign aid

South Africa's finance minister says the country doesn’t have the funds to cover the over $430 million shortfall caused by the Trump administration’s cuts in foreign aid

Politics

3 d. ago Voices: This is the beginning of the end of international aid. What will the new world look like?

Donald Trump's attack on aid has been a long time coming, argue Heba Aly and Nilima Gulrajani. Now is the time to create a response fit for the 21st century

Politics

4 d. ago UK suspends trade talks with Israel and attacks ‘repellent’ extremism

Foreign secretary, David Lammy, condemns blocking of aid trucks and calls by Israeli ministers to ‘purify Gaza’Middle East crisis – live updatesUK-Israeli relations have plunged to their worst state for decades after the British foreign secretary, David Lammy, suspended negotiations over a new free trade deal, saying Israel’s cabinet ministers’ calls to “purify Gaza” by expelling Palestinians were repellent, monstrous and extremist.He also said wider talks about a future bilateral strategic roadmap with Israel were being reviewed. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago The Guardian view on the calls to save Gaza: Palestinians need deeds, not words | Editorial

Israel faces growing international condemnation. But more is required to restore aid and bring a ceasefireThe UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher fears that thousands of babies are at imminent risk of death in Gaza unless aid reaches them. Benjamin Netanyahu fears that foreign politicians could see too many pictures of Palestinian children like these.Two months after all supplies were cut off, the Israeli government denies the obvious truth: that Gaza is on the brink of famine. But on Monday night the prime minister announced that “minimal” aid deliveries would restart, saying his country’s “greatest friends in the world” had told him that they could not “accept images of mass hunger”. His entirely cynical response saw a handful of trucks permitted to cross; reportedly, 100 a day will now be allowed – grotesquely inadequate given the vast scale of need. Reaching the most vulnerable will be perilous and difficult anyway amid Israel’s intensified offensive. Mr Netanyahu vowed that Isra...

Politics

4 d. ago UK suspends trade talks with Israel and attacks ‘repellant’ extremism

Foreign secretary, David Lammy, condemns blocking of aid trucks and calls by Israeli ministers to ‘purify Gaza’Middle East crisis – live updatesUK-Israeli relations have plunged to their worst state for decades after the British foreign secretary, David Lammy, suspended negotiations over a new free trade deal, saying Israel’s cabinet ministers’ calls to “purify Gaza” by expelling Palestinians were repellant, monstrous and extremist.He also said wider talks about a future bilateral strategic roadmap with Israel were also being reviewed. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Trump eyes foreign aid funds to remove migrants including Ukrainians who came to the U.S. from war zones: report

Hundreds of thousands of migrants, including those from Ukraine and Haiti, are reportedly being considered in the plans

Events

4 d. ago Britain halts trade talks with Israel and summons ambassador for Foreign Office dressing down amid growing fury over aid blockade on Gaza

David Lammy told MPs Tzipi Hotovely would be told by Middle East minister Hamish Falconer that 'the 11-week block on aid to Gaza has been cruel and indefensible'.

Politics

4 d. ago Israel's UK ambassador summoned to the Foreign Office amid growing fury over aid blockade on Gaza

David Lammy told MPs Tzipi Hotovely would be told by Middle East minister Hamish Falconer that 'the 11-week block on aid to Gaza has been cruel and indefensible'.

Politics

7 d. ago Iranian nationals charged in alleged UK spy ring plot to aid foreign intelligence

The three men have been remanded in custody

Politics

8 d. ago AP PHOTOS: Children die as USAID aid cuts snap a lifeline for the world's most malnourished

For years, the U.S. Agency for International Development had been the backbone of the humanitarian response in northeastern Nigeria, helping non-government organizations provide food, shelter and healthcare to millions of people. But this year, the Trump administration cut more than 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall assistance around the world.

Events

1 week ago Having risked my life in war zones for the BBC, I know this: cuts to the World Service will be disastrous | Martin Bell

In an age of disinformation, our broadcaster is trusted to find and tell the truth. Now more than ever we need itMartin Bell is a Unicef ambassador and a former BBC war reporterIn a short space of time, the British government has made two decisions that will negatively affect the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world. The first was the severe cut in foreign aid announced in March. The second was the similarly severe reduction in Foreign Office support for the BBC World Service. And these from a supposedly progressive government. It doesn’t seem progressive to me, but cheap and reactionary.I have double interest to declare. I am a long-term BBC loyalist who served the corporation for more than 30 years in the unquiet corners of the world, from Vietnam to Bosnia and from Belfast to Angola. My loyalty survived even such daft editorial decisions as to give an interview with Prince Harry precedence over real news. (That was little more than 10 days ago.) I have als...

Events

1 week ago Minister calls on Israel to end ‘indefensible’ blockade on Gaza humanitarian aid

Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer said Israel’s denial of aid to Palestinians is ‘indefensible’.

Politics

1 week ago Minister: UK exploring alternative Gaza aid routes but land crossings critical

Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer said the scale of aid required in Gaza highlighted the importance of opening land crossings.

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Conversation on future of aid long overdue’: UK looks to lead response to swingeing US cuts

Huge cuts by Trump administration to international aid budgets has left a vacuum and Britain is looking to lead efforts to find a path forwardThe huge US-led cuts to international aid programmes and to the UN budget has prompted the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, to propose a global conference as part of what he described as “a long overdue conversation about the future architecture of aid”.UK Foreign Office officials said the conference was likely to be in the early autumn, and reflected a UK view that since aid cuts were not reversible in the foreseeable future, a discussion about priorities was required. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump says nothing Carney says will stop tariffs after PM insists Canada ‘will never be for sale’ – live

Trump claims he wants ‘friendship’ between US and Canada as new PM visits White HouseA group of US senators wants Congress’ watchdog agency to investigate whether controls on humanitarian aid deliveries by Israel and other foreign governments violate US law, according to a letter seen by Reuters.The six senators – Chris Van Hollen, Dick Durbin, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Peter Welch – wrote to Gene Dodaro, the comptroller general, asking him to launch an investigation by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office into the US government’s implementation of laws regarding the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Carney says Canada ‘will never be for sale’ and Trump responds ‘never say never’ – live

Trump claims he wants ‘friendship’ between US and Canada as new PM visits White HouseTrump and Carney to meet in closely-watched encounterA group of US senators wants Congress’ watchdog agency to investigate whether controls on humanitarian aid deliveries by Israel and other foreign governments violate US law, according to a letter seen by Reuters.The six senators – Chris Van Hollen, Dick Durbin, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Peter Welch – wrote to Gene Dodaro, the comptroller general, asking him to launch an investigation by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office into the US government’s implementation of laws regarding the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago US designates Haitian gangs as a foreign terror organization as experts warn of impact on aid

The U.S. has officially designated a powerful gang coalition in Haiti as a foreign terrorist organization, raising concerns the move could deepen the country’s humanitarian crisis

Events

3 w. ago Lammy says defence spending ‘saves lives’ after criticism of aid cuts

The Foreign Secretary said spending on defence and aid has ‘always gone up and down across different eras’.

Politics