European Union

Council adopts new rules to improve the quality, availability and traceability of forest reproductive material (FRM) supporting EU seeds sector innovation and competitiveness.

Weekly schedule of President António Costa, 20-26 April 2026.

A la Une de la presse ce jeudi 23 avril, pas de discussions sur le climat lors du G7, organisé ce jeudi et vendredi à Paris, pour garder les Américains à bord. Une enquête des médias allemands sur la façon dont les autorités traquent les djihadistes dans leur pays, notamment grâce à des documents transmis par le FBI. Et pour terminer, les récentes prouesses de l'intelligence artificielle.

In today's edition: Bioenergy, CAP, food stockpiling

In today's edition: Data omnibus, industrial AI rules cut, digital & space ECF budgets

In today's edition: Tobacco 'endgame', SPC, Biotech

In today's edition: Ukraine, NATO, Germany, UK

The Pope gives a frank and passionate speech, the likes of which have characterised his tour of Africa.

Lauréat du prix Goncourt pour « Houris », roman sur la décennie noire, Kamel Daoud a été condamné à trois ans de prison par un tribunal d’Oran. L’écrivain, qui a pu rester en Algérie jusqu’en 2023, est désormais considéré comme un ennemi par les autorités.

MEP will face intense pressure to push the startup reform project through by the end of the year

Sous pression de Bruxelles, la Serbie pourrait voir jusqu'à 1,5 milliard d'euros d'aides européennes suspendus. En cause : le recul de l'État de droit et des réformes jugées insuffisantes, sur fond de tensions croissantes avec l'Union.

- Articles / Une - Diaporama, Courrier des Balkans, Serbie, Questions européennes, Une - Diaporama - En premier

Sous pression de Bruxelles, la Serbie pourrait voir jusqu'à 1,5 milliard d'euros d'aides européennes suspendus. En cause : le recul de l'État de droit et des réformes jugées insuffisantes, sur fond de tensions croissantes avec l'Union.

- Articles / Une - Diaporama, Courrier des Balkans, Serbie, Questions européennes, Une - Diaporama - En premier

Mfor.hu: Gyengült a forint csütörtök (4. 23.) reggelre a nemzetközi devizapiacon. Az euró jegyzése reggel hat órakor 365,71 forinton állt az előző délután hat órai 364,81 forint után. A dollár jegyzése 312,64 forintra ment fel 311,44 forintról, a svájci franké pedig 397,95 forinton állt 397,57 forint után.

By Sania Farooqui
BENGALURU, India, Apr 23 2026 (IPS)

The period after Armenia’s 2018 “Velvet Revolution” maintains a fragile status which presents both substantial democratic and feminist achievements and rising internal and external international pressures.

Gulnara Shahinian, Founder & Director, Democracy Today

The democratic system of Armenia faces its most significant challenges because of the escalating regional conflict which includes the ongoing Iran war. The 2018 uprising that brought Nikol Pashinyan to power unleashed unprecedented civic participation. Civil society organizations obtained access to policymaking processes because of reforms that decreased bureaucratic obstacles and enhanced transparency. The transformation relied on women as its main driving force. Gulnara Shahinian, Founder and Director of Democracy Today spoke to IPS Inter Press News explaining that “Women were the ones who were standing there and it was critically important for them to explain that democracy without women is not a democracy.” The moment established two important changes which created both political transformation and new control over governance processes. Women who had mobilized in the streets began entering institutions, bringing with them lived experience and grassroots perspectives.

The Women, Peace, and Security agenda in Armenia shows progress through its needs of bigger changes. According to Shahinian, the current National Action Plan of the country demonstrates its participatory approach because civil society members helped create it. Shahinian considers this moment to be the most important time, she said “this is the first time that NGOs have taken part in implementation work. The government accepted the action plan as it was without changes. People who create this method of ownership work together to establish their rights beyond permanent presence to full active involvement. NGOs have shifted from their previous role as side organizations to become key partners in developing public policy,” Shahinian said.

The national action plan, according to Shahinian, established its first dedicated section to address diaspora participation. “They are part of our independent statehood. The knowledge and experience of these people will help to build our future developments. The expanded participation model enables Armenia to handle its domestic and international issues more effectively.”

Women who previously faced restrictions now participate in law enforcement and diplomacy and governance roles. Shahinian explains this as a fundamental transformation, “we passed through not only quantitative changes, but qualitative changes, the quality of roles for women has been changed.” The most pronounced transformation in security concepts shows itself through the changing security definitions which Armenia has adopted. The 2020 conflict with Azerbaijan compelled the country to confront its national identity crisis which particularly affected displaced women who lost their loved ones. Shahinian explains that women began to understand the connection between human security and democracy development for their cities. This brought about new ways for society to approach decision making processes. “Security now extends beyond its previous definition which focused on military aspects to include human rights and protection and fundamental service delivery rights,” Shahinian states.

The increasing number of women who work in defense demonstrates the new trend that exists in society. Shahinian says that women join the military because they choose to do so instead of needing to fulfill any requirements: “Women go to the army because they speak about equality, and equality means responsibility.” She explains that their organization works to create a more compassionate military system which protects people through non-violent methods instead of using weapons.

Armenia’s democratic and feminist development path remains unpredictable, and both its internal factors and external forces will shape its progress. The ongoing Iranian war has created multiple dangers which include trade disruptions inflation and the possibility of people fleeing the country. Armenia stays mostly out of the conflict yet its location exposes the country to potential spillover effects.

The crisis coincides with the timing of Armenia’s scheduled political events. Armenia has made democratic advancements yet the country now experiences increasing difficulties within its own borders. Citizens face restrictions on their rights to protest as authorities use more legal methods against their opponents. Reports of journalist mistreatment and increased police activity during demonstrations.

Certain factors provide grounds for optimistic but careful expectations. A younger generation, Shahinian notes, is deeply committed to democratic values: “They are speaking the language of human rights, they know what freedom means. Women remain at the forefront of these efforts to maintain progress. Women actively participate in community organizing and national policymaking to redefine security and governance practices.”

Armenia’s experience shows a wider lesson because it demonstrates how democracy develops through different paths which cannot be predicted. The process of democracy requires public participation because different forces fight against it while dedicated individuals work to protect and reinvent democratic systems. The country faces a decisive political period which will determine its future based on its ability to build permanent strength through systems that include all people and through ongoing dedication to security based on human needs.

“The only way for Armenia to survive is democracy,” Shahinian emphasizes. “And that’s what we will be fighting for.”

Sania Farooqui is an independent journalist and host of The Peace Brief, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of women in peacebuilding and human rights.

IPS UN Bureau

 

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');  

  

Rekordszámú nevezője van az idei Komárom–Komárno nemzetközi utcai futóversenynek. 1500-an teljesítik majd az 5, illetve a 10 kilométeres távot. Köztük Szuri Mátyás is, aki gyermekkora óta látássérült. Másfél éve kezdett futni, azóta már túl van félmaratonokon, éjszakai futásokon, és hamarosan a kassai maratonon is elindul.

"Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not possible amid a blatant violation of the ceasefire"

Elsőfokú meteorológiai figyelmeztetést adott ki csütörtökön (4. 23.) déltől 18:00 óráig a Szlovák Hidrometeorológiai Intézet (SHMÚ) számos nyugati járásra (délen az Érsekújvári járásig) , északon pedig a Poprádi- és a Késmárki járásra az erős szél miatt (45 km/ó-s szél, 65-70 km/ó-s széllökések; északon 65-85 km/ó-s széllökések). A Tátra vidékén a szélviharok fenyegetései miatt (70-85 km/ó-s szél, 110-135 km/ó-s széllökések) egész nap elsőfokú riasztás van érvényben.

Also, in Thursday’s edition: ‘soft faces,’ Weber’s secret, Orbán’s farewell

Après le Kenya, le Tchad vient au secours des Haïtiens contre les gangs qui les terrorisent dans Port-au-Prince. Ndjamena va en effet déployer quelque 1 500 hommes en Haïti, dont 500 sont déjà sur place. Au total, la nouvelle Force de répression des gangs va compter 5 500 hommes venus de 18 pays. Pourquoi l'ONU et les États-Unis font-ils appel en priorité à des soldats tchadiens ? L'écrivain haïtien Jean-Marie Théodat est directeur du département de géographie à l'université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne et vient de publier Haïti mon amour ! chez Hémisphères Éditions Il est l’invité de Christophe Boisbouvier.

Credit: UNFPA Lebanon

By UN Population Fund
CAIRO, Egypt, Apr 23 2026 (IPS)

Six weeks into the 2026 Middle East military escalation, UNFPA Arab States Regional Office warns that its impact on 161 million women and girls living in conflict-affected areas across the region remain largely invisible in conflict analysis, humanitarian response, and funding priorities.

A new Call to Action, Regional Analysis of the Socio-Economic Impact of the 2026 Middle East Conflict on Women and Girls published by UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, highlights that current response mechanisms remain overwhelmingly gender-blind, treating gender-based violence (GBV) and maternal health as secondary concerns rather than life-saving priorities.

“The omission is not merely analytical – it is structural,” the report states. Without sex-disaggregated data and gender perspectives, the international community is conducting incomplete risk assessments, misaligning interventions, and missing critical opportunities for stabilization and peace.

The conflict is projected to cost regional economies $120–194 billion – equivalent to 3.7 to 6 percent of collective GDP. Four million additional people are estimated to be pushed into poverty and 3.64 million jobs may be lost. Women – overrepresented in informal employment – face disproportionate livelihood collapse while shouldering increased unpaid care work.

Supply chain shocks through the Strait of Hormuz threaten to delay lifesaving humanitarian supplies by up to six months. Across Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, and Yemen, more than 260 health facilities and 14 mobile medical units have already shut down. Food insecurity is intensifying, with documented patterns showing women and girls eat last and least.

The report also highlights a surge in GBV risks driven by hyper-displacement, while sanctions and financial “de-risking” are crippling the ability of women-led organizations to deliver essential services. These organizations—often the first responders in crises—are being cut off from the very funding streams meant to sustain them.

UNFPA is calling on national governments, UN agencies, donors, and civil society to:

● Integrate gender systematically into all conflict analysis and response frameworks.
● Protect and fund GBV and sexual and reproductive health services as core, lifesaving interventions.
● Finance and empower local women-led organizations, removing barriers to their access and participation.
● Ensure women’s leadership in recovery, peacebuilding, and decision-making processes.

“Making women and girls visible is not optional,” the report concludes. “It is fundamental to effective humanitarian action, sustainable recovery, and lasting peace.”

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency.

IPS UN Bureau

 

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');