Millions in India stripped of vote before critical state election, as government seeks to ‘purify’ electoral roll Experts say Muslims and other minorities have been disproportionately deleted from the electoral roll ahead of the West Bengal elections this week

Millions in India stripped of vote before critical state election, as government seeks to ‘purify’ electoral roll

@rahulpowale on Instagram.

Bespectacled Parsi man holding up a sign saying “Strait of Hormuz belongs to Bom. Parsi Pachayat.

“HEY DID YOU HEAR THE GREAT NEWS?”

(Yes, that sounds strange! But take two minutes to hear three good news stories from this week and why they matter, and let me know what you think.)

You know who doesn't have a 'rape academy'?
Bears, that's who

@farkhanda.bsky.social

@farkhanda.bsky.social

Too political to fund - Alliance magazine What happens when philanthropy confuses neutrality for safety? In Kashmir, where I grew up, safety was a lesson we learned early. My childhood memories were shaped by curfews, school days interrupted ...

Can solidarity fill the void when philanthropy retreats?

Can we hope for a law banning torture and for ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture that we signed almost 3 decades ago?

Image of Yoda with text “It’s Day 101 of 2026” and “OOYL”

“We’re speaking on a frequency that no one can hear.”

We didn't deserve this day.

Copenhagen has taken bicycle commuting to a whole new level Cycling has been a part of that good life in Copenhagen for decades. In recent years, it has enjoyed yet another unfathomable surge in popularity — taken to the next level thanks to constantly improvi...

“Copenhagen reported that 62% of its residents are now commuting to work or school by bike — an increase from 52% in 2015 & 36% in 2012, when the City Council launched a 14-year-plan to improve the quality, safety & comfort of cycling.”

#Copenhagen chose. They keep choosing even better every year.

The obscure UN committee in New York that can freeze out NGOs - Geneva Solutions An obscure body in New York holds outsized power over which NGOs can enter the United Nations. Campaigners say states hostile to scrutiny have turned it into a tool to keep critics out.

📰: ISHR's Maithili Pai and @loucharb.bsky.social spoke to @genevasolutions.bsky.social ahead of the election.

'In the current context of shrinking civic space, when something gets lost, it’s very hard to get back.'

🗳️Today is voting day for the UN Committee on NGOs.
The stakes are clear: will civil society be able to access and engage with the UN or face continued obstruction? #OpenTheDoors2NGOs

We regret that only one regional group presents a competitive slate.

Today is the 65th birthday of our dear friend & colleague Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, co-founder of @gulfcentre4hr.bsky.social & Bahrain Centre for Human Rights who's spent 15 years in prison for his activism. We call on #Bahrain authorities to #FreeAlKhawaja #Not15Years @maryamalkhawaja.bsky.social

Is there a compound German word for sadly waiting while your country commits war criimes?

“My father & grandfather lived here"

"The govt refuses to follow the Constitution"

“No place for Muslims here”

Ahmer Khan & Tom Vaillant’s multimedia story on how thousands of Muslim homes in #Assam have been razed, families devastated, lives upended

article-14.com/post/cleared...

Pink and white petalled queen’s crape myrtle flower on a mottled pavement.

Queen’s crape myrtle. ताम्हण in Marathi, जारुल in Hindi. State flower of Maharashtra.

The flag of Turkey blowing in the wind under a grey sky.

I am following the case of WHRD Günseli Kaya in #Türkiye. She is charged with 'insulting the President' under Article 299 of the Turkish Criminal Code, following participation in a peaceful protest in March 2025. All charges against her must be dropped immediately.

Portrait of Iranian woman human rights defender Narges Mohammadi. She has curly black hair, a warm smile, and is wearing a red top. The background is softly lit with a mix of white and reddish tones.

I’m receiving very concerning news about the well-being of Iranian WHRD Narges Mohammadi in detention and the denial of access to medical care. She must receive independent medical attention immediately.

For any writers who use the English language, the Barbellion Prize is open for entries. There is no fee for entry. Please share with others who might be interested.

barbellionprize.org

The women behind philanthropy and why their impact went unseen Women have shaped philanthropy for centuries, but much of that giving was never recorded.

“What these women share is not just wealth. It is a theory of change, one that centers communities, trusts local knowledge, and measures success by durable impact. <> The difference now is scale. The question is whether the systems designed to receive this wealth are ready for it.” #philanthropy

How to weaponise disinformation into law. @kunalpurohit.bsky.social on how the bogey of “love jihad” has been turned into a bludgeon against minorities, in a 13th state in India — Maharashtra.

Full moon over illuminated Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in New Delhi.

Dilli dallying.

A new South China Morning Post reporting shows that glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya are melting twice as fast as they did before 2000, threatening water, food and energy security for more than 2 billion people.

IE100: The list of most powerful Indians in 2026 For the 12th year, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah take the top two slots in The Indian Express list, with nine of the top 10 the same as in 2025.

6 women on Indian Express list of the most powerful Indians in 2026. A sad reflection of our reality.

Banyan tree silhouetted against the sunset.

The Indian banyan - sacred, healing, tenacious, welcoming. Many reasons for its choice as our national tree.

Mobilising resources is getting harder.
More noise. More pressure. Less clarity.
I don’t know any better place to find the knowledge, tools, and community a fundraiser needs than #IFC2026

Sign up by March 31 to save £400 on your ticket.
bit.ly/4t4YbCL
#fundraising #SocialImpact

Does Everything in the Social Sector Need to Scale? (SSIR) In a world that no longer behaves like a scalable system, success must be something other than growth.

Is anyone in philanthropy listening?