#foreign-aid

#foreign-aid

Ukraine's air defense shot down six of the most sophisticated conventional weapons in Russia's arsenal, hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, according to Ukrainian and American officials, during a barrage of missiles and drones aimed at Kyiv, the capital, on Tuesday.Russia's Defense Ministry said at least one Kinzhal had hit an American-made Patriot system, the most advanced U.S. ground-based air-defense system, which Washington had delivered to Ukraine after its urgent requests to help defend against an onslaught of Russian missile and drone attacks.

KYIV, Ukraine  The Ukrainian government has struggled to raise money on bond markets during the war and is paying investors more than it is collecting, according to a Central Bank statement that points to the country's deepening dependence on foreign aid.About a fifth of Ukraine's territory is occupied by Russian forces.

International pressure is growing on Rwanda as France is the latest party to openly accuse the country of supporting armed rebels in neighboring eastern Congo  with possible repercussions for foreign aid that Kigali has long enjoyed.For months, the renewed attacks by the M23 rebels have angered Congo's government and led to talk of war in eastern Congo, a volatile region rich in minerals critical to much of the world's technology.

Qatar is sending 10,000 mobile homes that were used as accommodation during the 2022 World Cup to areas hit by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.More than one million people have been left homeless in Turkey and the number could be much higher in Syria, aid organisations have warned.Rescue operations are beginning to wind down in the two countries.

The UK government has launched a new strategy to advance gender equality around the world on the same day that MPs announced plans to investigate the impact of UK aid cuts on women and girls.The global strategy, launched by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on International Women's Day on Wednesday, will, it says, put more focus on gender equality in its work, while also supporting sexual and reproductive health programmes and funding grassroots women's rights groups.

Climate change is the topic leading the nation's papers at the start of the working week as Cop27 gets underway in Egypt.The Guardian carries an exclusive that says the world's biggest polluters  which include the UK and the US  are failing to pay their fair share of climate funding for developing countries, according to new analysis.

Clad in his trademark fatigues, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hit all the notes one would expect in his address to a joint session of Congress.Ukraine is on the front lines of a global battle against authoritarianism.Failure to beat back Vladimir Putin now will leave the US and its allies to face an even more menacing future.

On Wednesday, December 7 at 19:30 GMT: As Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters its tenth month and winter sets in, Ukrainians are bracing themselves for a long season without heat and water.For months, Russia has been targeting Ukraine's power plants and pipelines through repeated aerial bombardments.

The UK has not given enough in foreign aid, the UN relief chief said as he appealed for more funding to help the world's most vulnerable.Martin Griffiths said we would like to have seen more in overseas aid spending from Britain, stressing that money counts.Rishi Sunak was criticised for slashing the foreign aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% of national income when he was chancellor in the wake of the hit to the economy from the Covid pandemic.

A further 800m is being slashed from the UK's overseas aid spending  days after Jeremy Hunt pledged to remain a world leader in tackling global poverty.The 30 per cent cut in direct aid to needy countries  for the next two years  follows those projects being hit by the steepest budget reductions last year, a senior MP warned.

By Riazat Butt | Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan  The Taliban are banning women from using gyms in Afghanistan, an official in Kabul said Thursday, the religious group's latest edict cracking down on women's rights and freedoms since they took power more than a year ago.The Taliban overran the country last year, seizing power in August 2021.