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The Planning Inspectorate is inviting applications from chartered professionals in the built environment and related fields to join as local plan inspectors, with submissions open until 22 February 2026. This recruitment drive is one of the largest in recent years and comes at a pivotal moment for planning in England, as local plans play a… [Read More]

The Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary TD, has announced that an additional grant of €1,000 will be made available to all Community Employment (CE) sponsor organisations to support materials costs. This funding aims to assist organisations in covering essential expenses required for the effective operation of CE projects. Community Employment is a programme designed… [Read More]

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has announced over €1.6 million in funding to support the global promotion of Irish arts through Culture Ireland’s Regular Grants Programme. This funding represents the highest single grant round in the organisation’s history and demonstrates the Government’s commitment to enabling Irish artists and cultural organisations to… [Read More]

Agriculture plays a central role in Belarus, shaping food security, nutrition, and rural livelihoods. The country’s agrifood products are deeply tied to cultural traditions, preserving genetic diversity while incorporating modern technologies to enhance quality and value. As Belarus becomes increasingly integrated into the global economy, there is a growing need to improve rural development and… [Read More]

Oil markets are experiencing a sustained bullish trend as traders increasingly bet on rising prices amid mounting geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The global Brent benchmark has exhibited a call skew—a premium for bullish call options—for 14 consecutive sessions, while U.S. crude has followed for 13 days, marking the longest streaks since late 2024…. [Read More]

In 2025, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested nearly US$2 billion (€1.72 billion) across 120 projects in Central Asia and Mongolia, marking one of the Bank’s strongest operational results in the region in over a decade. Uzbekistan remained the largest recipient of EBRD funding for the sixth consecutive year, receiving over US$1… [Read More]

Community-led air quality monitoring enables communities most affected by pollution to transform lived experience into credible evidence that can drive policy change. Across projects in Ghana, Bulgaria, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Nigeria, residents facing persistent exposure to smoke and toxic air lacked proof within official systems, despite clear health impacts. By generating their own data,… [Read More]

The situation of sub-Saharan African migrants in Morocco is closely tied to ongoing human rights concerns and the state’s efforts to improve social and economic conditions for both citizens and migrants. Integrating migrants safely into public life through migration-sensitive policies remains a central challenge for both government and non-state actors, requiring alignment between national legal… [Read More]

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has awarded a two-year emergency grant of $1.375 million to the END Fund to support visceral leishmaniasis (VL) programs coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in nine eastern African countries. The funding will address a critical gap, enabling WHO to procure essential diagnostic tests and… [Read More]

Glasgow City Region has launched a new £20 million funding Open Call to expand Health and Life Sciences laboratory space, addressing a current shortfall that is limiting the growth of the sector. The funding is aimed at developers, site owners, and consortiums planning to deliver new or expanded specialist laboratory facilities, including wet, dry, incubator,… [Read More]

Last week marked one year since Donald Trump began his second term as President of the United States, bringing with it immediate and sweeping changes to the global aid landscape. Within days of taking office, he issued Executive Orders freezing all US foreign assistance, a move that disrupted international development efforts and affected millions of… [Read More]

The US government has frozen funding to Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, until it commits to phasing out the preservative thimerosal from all vaccines it distributes. The demand stems from claims by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his allies that thimerosal, which contains mercury, is linked to autism—a link… [Read More]

The European Commission has announced €153 million in emergency humanitarian aid to support Ukraine and refugee-hosting Moldova amid severe winter conditions and ongoing Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. An initial €145 million will be directed to Ukraine to provide protection assistance, shelter, food, cash aid, psychosocial support, and access to water and healthcare. A further… [Read More]

BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Network, and Creative Wales have launched a new development fund aimed at supporting the creation of a Factual Entertainment series, announced at last year’s Wales Media Summit. Production companies with a significant presence in Wales were invited to pitch original and bold ideas that showcase Welsh creativity while appealing to audiences… [Read More]

Dogger Bank Wind Farm has opened applications for its 2026 round of Operator Fund community grants, inviting projects from South Tyneside, Redcar and Cleveland, and the East Riding of Yorkshire. Each year, £80,000 is allocated to the fund, with individual grants of up to £1,000 available to support grassroots initiatives that enhance the quality of… [Read More]

The Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (ACSAM), organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, is a key event inviting media participation to highlight advancements in sustainable farming practices across the continent. The conference opens on Tuesday, 3 February,… [Read More]

India has reported two confirmed cases of the Nipah virus in West Bengal in January 2026, marking the country’s seventh documented outbreak and the third in the state since 2001 and 2007. The infected individuals, a male and a female nurse at the same private hospital, are receiving treatment, with the male patient recovering and… [Read More]

Nigeria is experiencing a deepening humanitarian crisis as violence spreads far beyond its historically conflict-affected regions. While the northeast has long suffered from the Boko Haram insurgency, insecurity now affects much of the country, displacing millions and leaving communities without access to basic services. Mohamed Malik Fall, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator, emphasized that… [Read More]

Renewed fighting between opposition militia and army forces in South Sudan’s Jonglei State has led to numerous deaths and injuries, displacing approximately 180,000 people. The army launched a major offensive against opposition forces, ordering civilian evacuations and instructing aid agencies to leave areas affected by military operations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over… [Read More]

Ireland has approved a €25 million contribution to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund (UESF) to help restore and protect the country’s critical energy infrastructure amid severe winter conditions. This support comes as repeated Russian attacks have caused prolonged electricity, heating, and water outages, leaving many civilians struggling to meet basic needs during temperatures falling below… [Read More]

Over three million people have returned to their areas of origin in Sudan, despite widespread destruction of homes, basic services, and critical infrastructure. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is calling for sustained funding to meet the rising needs of returnees and to support solutions that can help break the cycle of displacement. IOM Director… [Read More]

A regional policy forum organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Bangkok on 29–30 January 2026 highlighted the urgent need to transform demographic shifts in Asia and the Pacific into opportunities for decent work. Funded by the European Union, the “Demographic Shifts and the Future of Work” forum brought together government representatives, employers’ and… [Read More]

The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with its International Training Centre, has launched the Diploma in Evidence-Based Public Policy for Decent Work and Social Justice to meet the growing global demand for data-driven policymaking in the rapidly evolving world of work. The programme was introduced during a virtual open house on 23 January 2026,… [Read More]