Ghulam Isaczai, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, briefed journalists in New York on Iraq’s transition from the long-running UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) to a partnership with national authorities focused on development. UNAMI, which was established in 2003 to support Iraq’s political transition after the fall of Saddam Hussein and the subsequent… [Read More]
Aleppo Violence in Syria Leaves Many Dead and Forces Thousands to Flee
Clashes resumed on Tuesday in Aleppo between the General Security Forces of the transition Government and the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), following a brief pause after the ceasefire announced in late December 2025. Fighting initially erupted near the Alleramoon roundabout on the city’s western outskirts and quickly spread to the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of… [Read More]
Government of Canada Announces 2026 Black History Month Theme
Each year, Black History Month in Canada honours the experiences, achievements, and lasting contributions of Black communities, while fostering a deeper understanding of their history and impact on Canadian society. In 2026, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, announced the theme: “30 Years of Black… [Read More]
Scotland Invests £140m in Local Growth Fund to Stimulate Jobs and Economy
The UK Government has launched a £140 million Local Growth Fund (LGF) aimed at driving economic prosperity across Scotland. Announced by Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander on 8 January, the programme will allocate funding across five regions over the next three years (2026/27 – 2028/29), with Glasgow City receiving £60.9 million, Edinburgh & South East £37.8… [Read More]
How Storytelling Through Film Is Helping Native Youth Heal and Reclaim Identity
Native American and Alaska Native youth continue to face severe and disproportionate challenges, including high rates of suicide, violence, addiction, and mental health struggles. Recent federal funding cuts have further strained already limited resources, deepening isolation in many Native communities at a time when cultural connection, self-expression, and community support are especially critical for youth… [Read More]
Hybrid Rooftop Solar Gains Momentum in Uttar Pradesh, India
Hybrid rooftop solar systems are gradually carving out a niche in Uttar Pradesh by offering a practical solution to frequent power outages while also reducing electricity costs. Residents like Shankuntala Mishra in Kanpur have demonstrated how these systems can significantly lower monthly power bills and still provide electricity during blackouts, unlike conventional grid-tied rooftop solar… [Read More]
West Virginia Water Crisis Shows No End in Sight as System Consolidations Drive Up Costs
Residents of Gary, a small city in McDowell County, have long raised alarms about severe water and sewer problems, with discolored water, sewage overflows, and repeated system failures affecting daily life. At a 2023 Public Service Commission hearing, residents described years of basement flooding, sewage flowing into nearby rivers, and tap water that often appeared… [Read More]
Two Grass-Roots Human Security Projects Receive Japanese Funding
On January 6, 2026, Japan extended grants totaling Taka 13.8 million (USD 115,723) to two Bangladeshi non-governmental organizations under its Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGHSP) programme, supporting education and child welfare initiatives. The grant contracts were signed by Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi and representatives of the recipient organizations at the Embassy of Japan… [Read More]
Apply Now: Mendip Hills Fund Community and Environmental Grants Open
The Mendip Hills Fund is now open for applications, offering grants of up to £2,000 to support local projects. Applications can be submitted between 2 January and 2 March, with all applications considered by the panel in March, regardless of submission date. The fund supports community and voluntary group projects that aim to help local… [Read More]
Submit Your Proposal: Adaptivity in Transitions Call Now Open
The KIC call “Adaptivity in Transitions” is now open for applications, offering a total budget of €7,000,000. The call aims to generate insights, perspectives for action, and the capacity to increase adaptivity in systems and actors involved in societal transitions. Mission-driven innovation for transitions takes place in a dynamic and complex environment. Adaptivity is essential… [Read More]
Submit Your Proposals: Take-Off Phase 2 Spring 2026 Introduces Exciting Changes
The 2026 spring round of Take-off Phase 2 Vroegefasetrajecten is now open for proposals. Take-off, funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and managed by NWO, supports innovative business activities based on scientific research. Researchers and early-stage entrepreneurs can apply for funding to launch a business and… [Read More]
How I Went From Brussels to Kabul and Landed at the UN
My journey into multilateralism began during my university years while traveling across Europe. Having studied law in Japan, a summer camping trip sparked a question that would shape my future: how could countries that had once fought wars now share a currency, a parliament, and a common future? Crossing borders by bus and observing languages… [Read More]
Junk Food Advertising Ban Falls Short as Businesses Continue Targeting Kids
The UK has introduced a landmark junk food advertising ban aimed at protecting children’s health, representing a major step forward in curbing exposure to unhealthy food marketing. While the regulations are a milestone, critics warn that big food companies are finding ways to continue targeting young audiences, particularly through outdoor and brand advertising. Corporate lobbying… [Read More]
Tunisia Court Releases NGO Workers Accused of Assisting Migrants
A Tunisian court has released a group of humanitarian workers, including Sherifa Riahi, the former director of the French NGO Terre d’Asile, after handing them two-year suspended sentences for facilitating the “illegal entry and residence” of migrants. By the time of their final hearing, the NGO staff had already spent more than 20 months in… [Read More]
UNDP Introduces Climate-Responsive Livelihood and Forestry Initiative in Badakhshan
The United Nations Development Programme has launched the Climate-Responsive Livelihoods and Forestry Based on Community project in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, aiming to strengthen climate-resilient livelihoods and improve community resilience to climate change impacts. The initiative is designed to support vulnerable rural populations by combining livelihood development with sustainable forestry practices tailored to local environmental conditions…. [Read More]
Egypt Boosts Climate Finance with $750 Million Green Bond Backed by EIB and UNDP
Egypt has secured €688 million, or roughly $750 million, in green bond financing to advance its Climate Change Strategy 2050, marking one of the largest climate-related funding efforts by an African country in recent years. The financing was mobilized through the Global Green Bond Initiative with backing from the European Investment Bank and the United… [Read More]
Los Angeles Wildfires: One Year On, Majority of Survivors Still Displaced and Under Financial Pressure
One year after wildfires tore through communities in Los Angeles County, a new survey by the Department of Angels highlights the deep and ongoing challenges facing survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires. The findings show that recovery remains incomplete for most residents, with more than 70 percent still unable to return home. Nearly half… [Read More]
$1 Billion Raised for Palisades and Eaton Fire Relief as Recovery Needs Continue to Grow
Donors in Los Angeles and around the world mobilized nearly $1 billion in response to the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires, marking what the Milken Institute describes as the largest philanthropic effort ever for a U.S. natural disaster. The funds supported immediate relief and early rebuilding after the fires killed 31 people, destroyed more than… [Read More]
Michigan Businesses Can Access $260,000 to Support New Employee Transportation Initiatives
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) has opened applications for a $260,000 pilot funding opportunity aimed at helping manufacturers and their workforce or nonprofit partners develop transportation programs that improve employee access to work, retention and productivity. The initiative targets small and medium-sized manufacturers in Michigan, as well as workforce organizations partnering… [Read More]
Australia to Prioritise Climate Finance Support for Small Island States
Australia has taken a selective approach to international development and regional engagement, declining to commit funding to a new global financing facility for protecting tropical rainforests launched at COP30, despite broad international backing. At the same time, Australia has strengthened strategic cooperation with key partners, agreeing with the United States and Japan to develop infrastructure… [Read More]
InvestigateWest secures $450,000 grant from Inatai Foundation to strengthen investigative journalism
InvestigateWest has been awarded a $450,000 unrestricted, multi-year grant from the Inatai Foundation, marking one of the largest institutional grants in the nonprofit newsroom’s history. The funding represents a major investment in collaborative investigative journalism that serves communities across Washington state. The grant, provided through Inatai’s Narrative & News Fund, will support InvestigateWest’s investigative reporting… [Read More]
UK Overseas Aid Reductions: Consequences for Global Humanitarian Efforts
The House of Lords is scheduled to debate the humanitarian impacts of reductions in the UK’s official development assistance (ODA) on 13 January 2026. Lord Bates, a former minister at the Department for International Development, will ask the government to assess the effects of both actual and planned cuts in aid spending. Official development assistance… [Read More]
Human Rights Groups Condemn South Sudan’s Abusive ‘Anti-Gang’ Crackdown
Since late June 2025, South Sudan’s security forces have conducted wide-ranging arbitrary arrests in Juba under the pretext of cracking down on gangs and criminal activity. Boys, young men, and women have been detained without charge, often held for up to a week, and in many cases released only after their families paid bribes. Human… [Read More]
