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The Arts Council has announced more than €3 million in funding for arts organisations in County Limerick under its 2026 development programme, reinforcing continued investment in Ireland’s cultural sector. The funding forms part of a wider national allocation of €72.3 million awarded to 148 arts organisations, arts centres, local authorities, and creative initiatives across the… [Read More]

Between September and December 2025, UNFPA Moldova, with the support of the Government of the United Kingdom, piloted three innovative micro-qualification programs aimed at empowering women in vulnerable situations. Implemented in collaboration with AO Prodidactica, the initiative brought together 45 women—39 refugees from Ukraine and 6 from the local community—creating a supportive space for learning,… [Read More]

For over ten years, the United Nations in Ethiopia has been committed to ensuring that the children of its personnel not only navigate adolescence but thrive through it. Central to this mission is the UN CARES initiative, a dynamic program that goes beyond standard education to equip young people with essential life skills, preparing them… [Read More]

Palau is strengthening its capacities on climate mobility through a regional training program hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Palauan Government’s Office of Climate Change. The Pacific Climate Mobility Training, held from January 13 to 15, brought together over twenty national institutions to enhance knowledge and skills on climate… [Read More]

Early Warning Systems (EWS) are among the most effective tools for reducing disaster risk and saving lives, but their impact depends on whether communities can translate warnings into timely protective action. To maximize effectiveness, early warning systems must be inclusive, addressing the specific vulnerabilities and needs of marginalized populations, who often face the highest risks… [Read More]

During the 2023–2024 school year, from March to June 2024, UNICEF, in coordination with Lebanon’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), the Center for Education Research and Development (CERD), and with support from Teach for Lebanon (TFL), piloted a digital learning program in 14 public schools across the country. Funded by the European Union… [Read More]

Just days ahead of Uganda’s national elections on January 15, 2026, the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organizations ordered at least ten organizations to halt operations indefinitely. The suspended groups include human rights organizations, media outlets, and election monitoring bodies. The bureau cited “intelligence information” suggesting that the organizations were “engaged in activities that are prejudicial… [Read More]

As Bangladesh prepares for its first general elections since the Monsoon Revolution of August 2024, attacks on women, girls, and religious minorities are rising, exposing serious gaps in the interim government’s protection of fundamental rights. Between January and June 2025, police data indicates an increase in gender-based violence compared to the same period in 2024…. [Read More]

A new United Nations report has revealed that sexual violence during Sri Lanka’s civil war was widespread, systematic, and often carried out by state security forces, potentially amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, Human Rights Watch stated. Issued on 13 January 2025, the report underscores that both women and men were victims, with… [Read More]

Ahead of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, scheduled to open on 19 January, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard has issued a sharp warning that the “spirit of dialogue” — the official theme of this year’s Forum — has been largely absent from global affairs amid rising unilateralism and abuses of power…. [Read More]

Amnesty International has documented unprecedented mass killings of protesters across Iran amid an ongoing internet shutdown, highlighting a systematic and escalating pattern of lethal repression. Since 8 January 2026, security forces have used firearms, shotguns, and prohibited weapons against largely peaceful demonstrators, resulting in a rapidly rising death toll officially reaching 2,000. The internet blackout,… [Read More]

In Myanmar’s rural Sagaing region, civilians are paying the price as internet disruptions worsen the dangers of ongoing conflict. Last November, Bee Kyal, a local resistance fighter, sent a warning to villagers about a Russian-made Yak-130 fighter jet taking off from a military base. Using a walkie-talkie connected to village speakers—since internet access was unavailable—he… [Read More]

Amnesty International has called on Ugandan authorities to immediately lift internet and mobile phone restrictions imposed ahead of tomorrow’s general election. The Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) ordered an indefinite suspension of internet services, along with restrictions on mobile networks, citing the need to prevent misinformation, electoral fraud, and protect national security. Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s… [Read More]

The European Commission has presented a comprehensive financial support package to ensure continuous backing for Ukraine throughout 2026 and 2027, reinforcing the EU’s commitment to the country’s defence against Russia’s war of aggression. The package includes a new proposal for a €90 billion support loan to Ukraine, an amendment to the Ukraine Facility to implement… [Read More]

From over a thousand applications across roughly 100 countries, L’Oréal has chosen 13 pioneering organisations to join its sustainable innovation initiative, L’Accelerator, backed by €5 million over five years. These “agents of change” reflect L’Oréal’s commitment to circularity, low-carbon solutions, and bio-based ingredients in cosmetics. Among the selected companies, six focus on packaging and materials…. [Read More]

As Queensland grapples with ongoing flooding across the north, west, and central interior, the state has extended joint Commonwealth–state support through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) to 13 additional councils. Aurukun, Burdekin, Central Highlands, Diamantina, Isaac, Livingstone, Mackay, Mareeba, Mornington, Northern Peninsula, Pormpuraaw, Rockhampton, and Whitsunday can now access funding to cover the costs… [Read More]

The Nordic Council and the Nordic Youth Council have formalized a new co-operation agreement aimed at strengthening the influence of young people in Nordic political co-operation. Signed in Reykjavik in December 2025, the agreement comes shortly after the Nordic Youth Council became an independent legal organisation on 1 January 2025, with offices in Helsinki. “This… [Read More]

Regional New Zealand is set to welcome more international visitors in 2026 following a $3.69 million investment through the Government’s Regional Tourism Boost. The latest funding round supports five new campaigns designed to attract travelers during the quieter autumn and early winter months, encouraging exploration beyond traditional hotspots while promoting unique regional experiences and limited-time… [Read More]

The European Investment Bank (EIB), through its development arm EIB Global, has invested $37.5 million in Alta Semper Fund II to support the growth of pharmaceutical and healthcare companies across Africa, with a focus on North Africa and a portion in sub-Saharan Africa. The fund is expected to mobilize up to $150 million for investments,… [Read More]

The European Investment Bank (EIB), through its development arm EIB Global, has committed $80 million to the RMBV North Africa Fund III to accelerate private sector development and sustainable growth in Egypt, forming part of a broader regional strategy across North Africa. The signing took place in Cairo with the participation of Egypt’s Minister of… [Read More]

The EIB Group, comprising the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), has partnered with BNL BNP Paribas to mobilise €335 million in support of Italy’s real economy, targeting the investments and working capital needs of around 300 Italian companies. The announcement was made by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and BNL CEO… [Read More]

As Ukraine enters the fifth year of the full-scale invasion, health-care facilities in Chernihiv, Kherson, Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Sumy continue to operate under extreme pressure. To help meet the urgent medical needs, the WHO Country Office in Ukraine, with financial support from the European Union (EU) Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, recently delivered critical… [Read More]

Despite ongoing conflict, humanitarian crises, and funding pressures, WHO’s polio programme in the Eastern Mediterranean Region made significant strides in 2025, advancing multiple fronts toward eradication. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, efforts to interrupt wild poliovirus transmission intensified, guided by Technical Advisory Groups and strengthened national and regional oversight. Both countries focused on critical transmission zones,… [Read More]