More than 800 delegates from over 80 countries gathered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, for Sharks International 2026, the world’s largest conference dedicated to shark, ray, and chimaera science and conservation. Hosted by Blue Resources Trust with support from the Save Our Seas Foundation, the event marked the first time the global conference was held in… [Read More]

Colón, Panama — May 27, 2026 — A group of 23 young people from Colón Province have completed a ten‑week training program dedicated to safeguarding the underwater cultural heritage of the Panamanian Caribbean. The initiative, titled Youth for the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, was organized by UNESCO in partnership with Panama’s Ministry of Culture and supported… [Read More]

  A growing body of research is highlighting the hidden impact of menstrual stigma on girls’ education, mental well-being, and school participation across developing countries. New findings from Madagascar show that targeted school-based interventions can significantly improve academic performance and reduce stress among adolescent girls. The study, led through collaboration with J-PAL Africa and humanitarian… [Read More]

Geneva — May 28, 2026 — The Earth’s climate is changing faster than at any point in human history, but leading scientists say there are reasons for both urgency and hope. In a conversation hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), climate researcher Katharine Hayhoe and UNEP Chief Scientist Andrea Hinwood discussed the realities of the… [Read More]

Dublin — May 27, 2026 — Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary have unveiled Ireland’s new Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2026–2030, setting out a five‑year plan to reduce poverty and strengthen social inclusion nationwide. The launch took place at the Social Inclusion Forum in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, attended by over 250 participants in… [Read More]

Dublin — May 28, 2026 — Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD has announced the allocation of €5.2 million under Round 4 of the Healthy Ireland Fund (HIF) for 2026. Each of Ireland’s 31 local authorities will receive €75,000 to support outcome‑based initiatives aimed at improving health and wellbeing… [Read More]

Dublin — May 28, 2026 — Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan TD has announced capital grants worth €228,065 to eight arts and culture organisations across Ireland. The funding, provided under Stream E of the Cultural Capital Scheme, will support the upgrading and development of facilities, strengthening the country’s cultural infrastructure. Stream E, launched in… [Read More]

Dublin — May 29, 2026 — Bord Bia has officially opened submissions for the National Organic Awards 2026, inviting Ireland’s organic food and drink producers to showcase their achievements. The biennial awards, held in association with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, will take place on September 24, 2026 at the Bord Bia Global Hub… [Read More]

Bishkek — May 27, 2026 — Experts from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan gathered in Bishkek for a three‑day technical workshop organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to advance the development of food systems‑based dietary guidelines. The initiative is part of FAO’s multi‑country project on addressing malnutrition through agrifood systems transformation. The… [Read More]

Dushanbe — May 28, 2026 — A new generation of ideas and partnerships took centre stage at the GENERATION YSInvest event, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) alongside the Thirty‑fifth Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Europe. The multi‑day gathering highlighted how youth engagement, scientific innovation, and investment can converge… [Read More]

New Delhi — May 28, 2026 — The Government of India has unveiled the National e‑Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NESDA) 2025 portal, a new platform designed to evaluate the quality and reach of digital public services across states, union territories, and central ministries. Developed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), the initiative aims… [Read More]

Geneva — May 28, 2026 — The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged warring parties in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to agree to an immediate ceasefire to allow health workers to respond to a deadly outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that stopping transmission “depends entirely… [Read More]

Geneva — May 28, 2026 — Disinformation has become one of the most pressing threats to both public health and democratic resilience, according to experts speaking at the World Health Assembly. From COVID‑19 to the recent hantavirus outbreak, false narratives have spread rapidly, eroding trust in science, institutions, and health authorities. During the Assembly, Céline Jurgensen, France’s… [Read More]

More than $3 billion in international funding has been pledged to support 63 low-carbon projects in the Congo Basin, one of the world’s most important carbon sinks, during the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group African Development Bank Group in Brazzaville. The commitments were announced at a high-level roundtable supporting the Congo… [Read More]

Berlin — May 28, 2026 — Russian authorities have escalated their campaign against LGBT rights by banning nine organizations that provide support, advocacy, and information to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Courts across seven regions declared groups such as Coming Out, LGBT Resource Centre, Parni Plus, Moscow Community Center for LGBT+ Initiatives, Irida, Russian LGBT Network,… [Read More]

The African Development Bank Group African Development Bank Group and the World Economic Forum World Economic Forum have launched a new Humanitarian and Resilience Investing (HRI) Roadmap aimed at unlocking private investment in Africa’s most fragile and underserved economies. Announced during the 2026 Annual Meetings in Brazzaville, the initiative is designed to channel commercial and… [Read More]

African development finance leaders meeting at the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group African Development Bank Group in Brazzaville have pledged stronger coordination to accelerate “Mission 300,” a major initiative aimed at connecting 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. The initiative, developed jointly by the African Development Bank and the World… [Read More]

New York — May 28, 2026 — Ten years after the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2286, which was meant to safeguard healthcare in armed conflict, a new report shows that hospitals and medical workers remain under attack at alarming levels. The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC), which includes Human Rights Watch, documented more… [Read More]

At the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group African Development Bank Group in Brazzaville, development finance leaders, policymakers, and business executives called for a stronger shift toward private sector-led growth as the main driver of Africa’s structural transformation. The discussions took place during the African Private Sector Forum, where participants emphasized that… [Read More]

African heads of state and development leaders gathered at the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group African Development Bank Group in Brazzaville to call for stronger investment in energy, infrastructure, industrialisation and climate finance across the continent. The discussions formed part of a high-level presidential dialogue focused on mobilising capital for Africa’s… [Read More]

Chișinău — May 28, 2026 — Moldova is taking significant steps to reshape the conditions that define women’s lives, with new initiatives that support childcare, family‑friendly workplaces, and opportunities in education and employment. For many women, unpaid care remains a barrier to joining the workforce. In 2024, only 40 percent of women were employed compared to nearly… [Read More]

The African Development Bank Group African Development Bank Group and the United Nations Population Fund United Nations Population Fund have renewed their long-standing partnership through a new memorandum of understanding aimed at scaling up investments in maternal health, human capital development, and demographic resilience across Africa. The agreement was signed during the 2026 Annual Meetings… [Read More]

At the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group African Development Bank Group in Brazzaville, African leaders expressed strong support for a new strategic direction aimed at accelerating economic transformation across the continent. The gathering brought together heads of state, policymakers, and financial leaders under the theme of mobilising Africa’s development finance in… [Read More]