International donors pledged nearly €6 billion for Syria during a one-day conference in Brussels to encourage a peaceful political transition for the conflict-ravaged country. [AP]
The Food and Agriculture Organization warned unprecedented H5N1 avian flu spread is decimating global bird populations and threatening food security and supply in countries. [UN News]
The suspension of USAID funding is straining vital health, demining, and education programs across Southeast Asia, giving China an opportunity to expand its influence. [Nikkei Asia]