Naples Experienced and Shaken by Strongest Earthquake in 40 Years

Naples experienced its most powerful earthquake in four decades after a magnitude 4.6 tremor struck the southern Italian city, causing widespread disruption. The quake prompted residents to flee buildings and triggered major delays to local train and metro services. Reports also indicated isolated power outages across parts of the city. The main tremor was followed […]

Continue Reading

It’s time to finance our future and ‘change course’, Guterres tells world leaders in Sevilla

António Guterres issued his clarion call noting that sustainable development powered by international cooperation, is now facing “massive headwinds.” Addressing the opening session of the 4th Financing for Development Conference (FFD4) in baking hot Sevilla, Spain – basking in record high June temperatures – the Secretary-General noted multilateralism itself is also feeling the heat, while […]

Continue Reading

Blackstone Acquires $2B in Discounted CRE Loans from Atlantic Union

Blackstone has agreed to purchase $2 billion in commercial real estate (CRE) loans from Atlantic Union Bankshares at a discount of approximately 7%, paying around $0.93 per dollar of face value. Deal Overview The portfolio includes performing loans backed by multifamily and neighborhood retail properties. These loans were originally issued by Sandy Spring Bank, which […]

Continue Reading

Waterbury Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Federal Prison

Leader of Maple Avenue Narcotics Network Oversaw Violent Distribution of Crack and Fentanyl HARTFORD, Conn. — Daniel Diaz-Rivera, also known as “Danny,” “Lupin,” “Lupito,” and “L,” was sentenced today to 210 months (17.5 years) in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for leading a significant drug trafficking organization in Waterbury. The sentence […]

Continue Reading

Guterres welcomes peace deal between DR Congo and Rwanda

The accord is “a significant step towards de-escalation, peace and stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region,” he said in a statement that evening. A breakthrough amid crisis Since the 1990s, eastern DRC has been plagued by dozens of armed groups who have terrorized the population. The Government […]

Continue Reading

China Rolls Over $3.4 Billion in Loans to Pakistan, Boosting Reserves to IMF Target

In a major financial lifeline, China has rolled over $3.4 billion in commercial loans to Pakistan, helping the country meet a key foreign reserves target set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a senior finance ministry source confirmed Sunday. The support includes the rollover of $2.1 billion that has remained with Pakistan’s central bank for […]

Continue Reading

Myanmar human rights crisis deepens as aid collapses, attacks intensify

In a stark briefing to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described a country gripped by war, repression and deepening suffering. Since the military coup in February 2021, nearly 6,800 civilians have been killed and over 22,000 remain arbitrarily detained, he said. Humanitarian needs have soared, with […]

Continue Reading

DR Congo: New initiative to eliminate HIV in children ‘a beacon of hope’

“Our country can no longer tolerate children being born and growing up with HIV, when tools exist to prevent, detect and effectively treat this infection,” President Félix Tshisekedi declared at a recent government conference in the south-eastern Lualaba province, as he launched the five-year initiative. Backed by an initial commitment of $18 million in national […]

Continue Reading

Global Financing for Development Summit Opens in Sevilla with Call for Bold Action and Renewed Solidarity

Sevilla, 29 June 2025 – The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) is set to begin in Sevilla, Spain, marking a pivotal moment for global efforts to mobilize financing, reform financial systems, and accelerate progress on sustainable development. Describing the summit as a “critical opportunity” to prove that multilateralism can deliver real-world solutions, […]

Continue Reading

Ireland: Minister Niall Collins Visits Groundbreaking Youth Rehabilitation Initiative in Athy, Co Kildare

Minister of State at the Department of Justice with special responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice Niall Collins visited The Alternative Project, a youth intervention project in Athy on the morning of 25th of June, 2025, highlighting the government’s continued focus on youth rehabilitation and community-based crime prevention. During the visit, Minister […]

Continue Reading