Development news roundup: John Kerry on USAID contractors, a USAID official's alleged interference in a contracting investigation, and more

Today, we reported:

• John Kerry’s interest in USAID contractors

• The charity industry’s ‘hidden side’

Other must-reads:

• Aid organizations step up efforts to help families affected by Typhoon Bopha

• World Bank outlines project consultations in Burma

• Israeli-Palestinian peace process entering critical period, UN envoy tells Security Council

• IFC, Azerbaijan sign pact to support clean energy projects in emerging markets

• Thailand wins ADB grant for water management, rail improvements

• AU and COMESA elders wrap up mission to Kenya

• EU deploys team to observe Kenya’s March polls

• Canada providing emergency help to Kenyans affected by flooding

• Australia gives $2 million to help feed refugees in Horn of Africa

• Tanzania: Underprivileged girls get education boost From UK

• IFC pledges more funding for Senegal’s SMEs, climate reforms

• World Bank supports climate change resiliency, improved health and nutrition in Mozambique

• Tunisia secures World Bank funds

• Call for unity: AU executive council session opens

• IOM aids flood victims in Zimbabwe

• Despite flow of aid money, Darfur still suffers

• As talks advance in Darfur, UN peacekeeping official urges sustained focus on peace process

• ‘Aid in warehouses, not distributed’: North Darfur displaced

• Sudan: North Darfur aid ‘depending on shipping logistics’

• Sudan: Donors prompt response curbs spread of outbreak

• Jordan’s Zaatari camp swells with new refugees from Syria - Save the Children

• Food aid to Syrians dispatched

• US Fund for UNICEF issues urgent appeal for Syrian children

• Libya wants peacekeepers in Mali

• ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff to meet Jan. 26 on Mali

• After two weeks of fighting, MSF continues to work in northern Mali

• Fourth Africa Regional Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction on Feb 13-15 to focus on resilience

• ECOWAS and USAID trade and food security conference to be held in Accra

• Fund the Global Fund! - Lucy Chesire, TV-HIV advocate from Kenya

• Arianna Huffington from Davos: ‘Worldwide resilience key to our future’

• What tools USAID has to prevent mass atrocities

• USAID chief Rajiv Shah encourages Americans to volunteer

• The real stakes of the war rocking West Africa

• Gender, violence and the post-2015 framework

• AfDB President Kaberuka to world leaders: Let’s boost economic growth

• Germany makes 1M euro contribution to Global Fund

• DSM and WFP strengthen partnership to combat global malnutrition

• Impact of EU’s diplomatic corps questioned

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