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The Peace Forest Initiative (PFI) Pilot Project has been officially launched in the Kyrgyz Republic with an inception workshop held in Bishkek on 30 January 2026. The initiative aims to strengthen climate resilience and social cohesion through nature-based solutions, addressing the interconnected challenges of land degradation, climate change, and community vulnerability. Implemented under the UNCCD… [Read More]

The Citi Foundation has announced a $35 million Community Finance Initiative for 2026 aimed at strengthening household financial resilience across the United States. Through this initiative, 70 nonprofit organisations will each receive grants of $500,000 to support low-income communities facing mounting affordability pressures related to housing, food, childcare, and other essential costs. The programme recognises… [Read More]

World Cancer Research Fund welcomes many elements of the newly launched US Dietary Guidelines for 2025–2030, particularly those that promote healthier eating patterns and aim to reduce the burden of diet-related disease. The guidelines’ strong focus on whole foods, increased intake of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, and limits on highly processed foods and added sugars… [Read More]

Despite geopolitics dominating many headlines from the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos 2026, discussions among business leaders, investors, and non-profit organisations reflected a more grounded and solutions-oriented mindset. Conversations focused on innovation, collaboration, and long-term resilience, signalling a maturing approach to addressing complex global challenges, particularly for the impact investing and development community…. [Read More]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Health Organization, and the World Organisation for Animal Health have renewed their Quadripartite Memorandum of Understanding on One Health, extending their cooperation through 2030. The renewed agreement reaffirms the four organizations’ shared commitment to advancing the One Health approach,… [Read More]

The UK government has announced a £3 million investment to advance diet and health innovation through a new collaborative research and development programme co-funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The initiative is designed to strengthen the UK’s global leadership in food innovation by… [Read More]

The United Kingdom and Japan have announced a major expansion of their science and technology collaboration, focusing on quantum technologies and next-generation digital connectivity. The new partnership aims to strengthen secure communications, improve network resilience, and ensure seamless digital access, while reinforcing both countries’ leadership in emerging technologies. The announcements were highlighted during the UK… [Read More]

A new study warns that continued cuts to international development aid could result in an estimated 22.6 million additional deaths by 2030 across 93 low- and middle-income countries, including 5.4 million children under the age of five. The research highlights the severe human cost of declining global aid at a time when many countries remain… [Read More]

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested a record €654 million in the Baltic states in 2025, surpassing its previous annual high of €540 million achieved in 2024. This milestone reflected the Bank’s expanding role in supporting economic resilience, sustainable growth, and energy security across the region, with particularly strong delivery in Latvia… [Read More]

For years, residents of Chak 13/1L village in Pakistan’s Okara district lived with the constant challenges posed by an untreated wastewater pond that received sewage from more than a hundred households. The stagnant water produced persistent foul odors, attracted mosquitoes, caused frequent illnesses—especially among children—and often overflowed during the monsoon season, sometimes entering nearby homes…. [Read More]

Devon Energy Corporation and Coterra Energy Inc. have announced a landmark all-stock merger valued at approximately $58 billion in combined enterprise value, marking one of the largest consolidations in the U.S. shale industry. Revealed on February 2, 2026, the deal is designed to create a premier independent shale operator with greater scale, diversified assets, and… [Read More]

The Government of Armenia, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Environment Programme, has launched a joint programme titled “Unlocking Sustainable Finance for Nutrition-Sensitive, Climate-Smart Food Systems Transformation in Armenia.” The initiative was officially introduced in Yerevan on 29 January 2026… [Read More]

Tánaiste Simon Harris is meeting with European Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration Piotr Serafin and European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen in Dublin as Ireland prepares to assume the EU Presidency later this year. The discussions focus on the European Union’s next long-term budget and the future of the Common Agricultural… [Read More]

The United Kingdom and Japan have announced a wide-ranging package of science and technology collaborations that significantly strengthens ties between the two countries and reinforces their roles as leading global innovation hubs. The initiatives, confirmed during the UK Prime Minister’s recent visit to Japan and detailed on 3 February, span life sciences, quantum technologies, and… [Read More]

Scotland has been selected as the latest UK AI Growth Zone, a key part of the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, bringing more than 3,400 high-value jobs and significant investment to Lanarkshire over the coming years. Delivered by home-grown data centre company DataVita, in partnership with AI cloud firm CoreWeave, the initiative will focus on building… [Read More]

In 2016, blockchain, also known as distributed ledger technology, was gaining global attention as a tool to improve how information is recorded and shared. Industries such as diamonds were already using blockchain to create secure digital passports for tracking ownership and documentation. While its potential benefits for government were less clear, departments recognized the need… [Read More]

The UK government has announced a new support package that will cover the travel costs of children and young people with cancer, providing up to £10 million a year. This initiative addresses a key recommendation of the Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce and is part of the broader National Cancer Plan aimed at transforming… [Read More]

Sellafield Ltd, in collaboration with the Robotics & AI Collaboration (RAICo), has successfully trialled a patent-pending contamination swabbing tool mounted on a quadruped robot in a radioactive area. The trial showcased how robotics can support routine health physics tasks efficiently while reducing the need for personnel to enter potentially hazardous environments. Swabbing is a critical… [Read More]

The Student Loans Company (SLC) has opened applications for its Autumn 2026 Graduate Programme, aiming to develop the next generation of technology, data, and business professionals. The organisation, which employs over 3,000 people across four sites in Glasgow, Hillington, Darlington, and Llandudno Junction, is offering graduates the chance to join a two-year rotational programme designed… [Read More]

More than 11.48 million people filed their Self Assessment tax returns for the 2024 to 2025 tax year by the 31 January deadline, with 97.25% of returns submitted online. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reported that 475,722 taxpayers filed on the final day, including 27,456 in the last hour. The busiest submission hour was 17:00… [Read More]

The New Zealand Government, through the Māori Development Fund, is investing in early-stage work for a proposed water storage reservoir near Kaitaia to strengthen regional resilience and support food production, according to Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The project is led by Te Make Farms Ltd, owned by Ngāi Takoto, and aims to improve year-round… [Read More]

New Zealand and Germany reaffirmed their close and enduring partnership, rooted in shared democratic values, respect for international law, and a commitment to addressing global challenges collaboratively. Both nations celebrated the strength of their bilateral relationship and expressed their intention to further deepen cooperation across strategic, economic, security, and people-to-people domains. The two countries emphasized… [Read More]

Every year, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science celebrates curiosity, creativity, and the courage to explore. It recognises the role women and girls play in shaping discoveries, driving innovations, and imagining a better future through science. The day highlights the importance of equal access to scientific education and opportunities, encouraging more girls… [Read More]