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An intensive five-year forestry programme in Kosovo, focused on sustainable and multipurpose forest management, improving rural livelihoods, and addressing climate change, has concluded. Funded by the European Union and Sweden and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development and… [Read More]

Across Southeast Asia, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to circulate among domestic and wild bird populations, posing serious risks to animal and public health, food security, conservation, and livelihoods. The virus’s geographic expansion and adaptation threaten poultry farms, wildlife, and the economic stability of millions who rely on agriculture, highlighting the need for coordinated… [Read More]

Ethiopia’s fourth-round national polio vaccination campaign using the type two novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV2) reached over 26 million children across all regions. In 22 zones spanning seven regions—including Amhara, Oromia, Somali, Southern Ethiopia, Harari, Dire Dawa, and Afar—the campaign co-administered nOPV2 with bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) to strengthen population immunity and accelerate the… [Read More]

The Ministry of Health Zanzibar, with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Improvement Zanzibar (HIPZ), has completed a baseline analysis of 2024 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data from the national sentinel surveillance network covering Unguja and Pemba. This analysis is guiding practical improvements to strengthen routine surveillance and reporting, providing evidence to… [Read More]

The United Nations has established a new support office in Haiti following a resolution in September to assist the Gang Suppression Force and the UN political mission in the country (BINUH). Stephen McOwan has been appointed interim director, joining 37 staff members already operating in Port-au-Prince. A second office was also set up in Santo… [Read More]

The UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Ramiz Alakbarov, has warned that risks of renewed violence remain high as the situation in the occupied West Bank continues to deteriorate. Addressing ambassadors, he described the current moment as one of both “profound opportunity and considerable risk,” noting cautious diplomatic progress in Gaza… [Read More]

The Government of Canada has announced funding for six community-based dementia projects aimed at providing tailored support for people living with dementia, including those with young-onset dementia, Indigenous populations, and individuals living in rural, remote, and ethnocultural communities. These projects are funded under the Dementia Community Investment (DCI), which was launched in 2018 with ongoing… [Read More]

The federal government, the Halifax Regional Municipality, and Halifax Water are jointly investing $6.4 million to enhance stormwater management in the Upper Bissett Run watershed in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. The project aims to reduce the risk of road closures, as well as basement and backyard flooding for homes in the area, while also improving… [Read More]

Irish World Heritage sites and Tentative List sites are set to benefit from an additional €350,000 in capital investment funding aimed at their safeguarding. The funding, provided through the continued piloting of the World Heritage Strategic Investment Fund, is available via relevant local authorities to support the conservation, maintenance, protection, and promotion of archaeological and… [Read More]

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of daily life, from navigation and messaging to food delivery and transport organization. For Guatemala, the focus is not on whether AI will influence society, but on ensuring its impact is positive, inclusive, and accessible to all. AI represents a historic opportunity to modernize public services, build… [Read More]

Croatia has signed an agreement with the World Bank to strengthen the country’s disaster preparedness and overall resilience. The Disaster Preparedness and Resilience Development Policy Loan, combined with a Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat DDO), will allow the government to quickly mobilize resources to manage the fiscal and social impacts of disasters, facilitating faster emergency… [Read More]

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a new contribution of GBP 1.1 million (US$1.4 million) from the UK government to support its life-saving food assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. This follows an earlier allocation of GBP 8.7 million (US$11.6 million) in 2025 for WFP’s response to the Rohingya crisis. British officials… [Read More]

The African Development Bank Group has approved the reallocation of $98 million in savings from the completed Transport Sector Support Program to finance the Bulamata–Uvinza Road Upgrading Project in western Tanzania. The project, with a total cost of $129 million, includes upgrading the Bulamata–Msombwe road to bitumen standard, constructing a 250-metre bridge over the Malagarasi… [Read More]

The Kremlin appears to be closely observing Iran’s recent protests to draw lessons on maintaining regime stability under economic and social pressure. One key takeaway is the prioritization of price stability over economic growth, as Iran’s soaring inflation—peaking at 46% and currently at 33%—triggered widespread unrest, despite moderate economic growth. Russia, with much lower inflation… [Read More]

EQT Foundation has opened applications for its Science Grants program, offering €25,000 to €100,000 to support high-risk, high-impact deeptech research aimed at reducing dependence on critical minerals in climate technologies. The grants target scientists at accredited nonprofit institutions worldwide who are developing innovative solutions that can replace or significantly reduce the use of scarce raw… [Read More]

The Greek government is moving to toughen penalties for migrant smuggling, with a new bill submitted to parliament proposing life imprisonment for those found guilty of trafficking migrants. The legislation also targets migrants who commit offenses, allowing for direct expulsion, and criminalizes assistance provided by migrants with legal status. Aid workers and NGO staff who… [Read More]

Partners of the European Union–funded Agri-food Business Development Programme convened in Baghdad at a high-level event organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to review progress in strengthening Iraq’s agri-food value chains and to advance dialogue on mobilizing private sector investment. The event brought together representatives from Iraqi ministries, the European… [Read More]

Understanding histories of violence is essential for making sense of contemporary societies, as legacies of genocide, war, colonialism, enslavement, and other forms of mass violence continue to shape inequalities, social divisions, political tensions, and cultural attitudes. When these histories are oversimplified or excluded from education, learners miss critical opportunities to reflect on injustice, understand the… [Read More]

International development work is increasingly shaped by pressure on large Global North–based NGOs to localise their operations and decision-making. However, localisation is not simply a technical process of shifting responsibilities or adapting programmes to local contexts. It also exposes deeper organisational contradictions around power, identity, and coherence that can slow or distort change if left… [Read More]

ActionAid’s Scaling Up of Public Investments in Agriculture (SUPIA II) project supported improved access to essential agricultural services for 2,913 smallholder women farmers between July 2022 and December 2025, marking a significant step toward inclusive agricultural development in Nigeria. The project, implemented by ActionAid Nigeria in collaboration with ActionAid International, focused on strengthening political commitment… [Read More]

Industrialized, Western-style food systems are placing enormous pressure on the planet by driving greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, pollution, and unhealthy dietary patterns, while marginalizing small-scale farmers and concentrating power in multinational corporations. For decades, governments largely avoided intervening, framing food as a matter of free markets and individual choice. Recently, however, cities have emerged… [Read More]

Since 2015, UN Women Ukraine has played a central role in advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda by placing women and girls at the heart of decision-making, humanitarian response, and recovery efforts amid prolonged conflict and Russia’s full-scale invasion. Despite operating under active war conditions, Ukraine has demonstrated strong political commitment to gender… [Read More]

Children’s health is increasingly understood to be shaped by social, environmental, and economic factors that extend well beyond clinical care. Many children’s hospitals are exploring partnerships with schools, housing providers, legal services, and food programs to address these broader drivers of health. While the opportunities for impact are significant, hospitals often face persistent challenges such… [Read More]