The Digital Campaigns Shaping Candidates’ Messages in Race for WHO Director-General 18/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The race to lead the World Health Organization (WHO) is intensifying. Early digital campaign data reveals an active contest to capture the pivotal African vote and outreach to established United States, European Union and corporate networks. While the full field of contenders is still taking shape ahead of the formal nomination deadline, digital engagement metrics […] Continue reading -> EU Proposes ‘Kids Act’ Banning Social Media Under 13 Over Mental Health Risks 16/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Social media will be banned for children under 13 across the European Union according to the newly proposed “EU Kids Act”, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today (16 September) in Brussels. The sweeping digital health initiative mandates strict parental oversight for young teenagers aged 13 to under 15 across all 27 […] Continue reading -> Jeremy Farrar Joins Global Health Non-Profit PATH Following Unexpected Departure From WHO 09/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Outgoing WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Jeremy Farrar will lead PATH’s regional division for Asia, the Middle East, and Europe starting in October, the organisation announced in a press release on Wednesday (9 September). Based in Geneva, he joins the executive leadership team to accelerate the delivery of health technologies across these regions. “Dr Farrar joins […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> French Youth Social Media Ban Collapses in Court as EU Readies Regulation 17/08/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France’s planned youth social media ban for minors under the age of 15 violates fundamental rights, the country’s Constitutional Council ruled on Friday. Critics had warned of a predictable legal defeat following a rushed legislative process. French President Emmanuel Macron announced a revision of the flagship legislation by spring 2027. The European Commission is also […] Continue reading -> France Passes Strict Youth Social Media Ban But New Law Lacks Strong Enforcement Mechanism 22/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France has adopted a strict youth social media ban for minors under 15, taking effect in September. But major enforcement hurdles remain, as lawmakers stripped the bill of direct platform sanctions to avoid clashing with European Union rules. The law also faces a constitutional review over the fundamental rights of children and parents. Minors under […] Continue reading -> As Extreme Heat Deaths Mount in Europe, WHO Urges Urban Redesign 11/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Following a severe May heatwave, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new global guidelines on Thursday in Berlin to accelerate climate adaptation and structurally overhaul health systems and urban spaces. Over the past four years, extreme heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives across Europe, positioning it as the deadliest climate-related hazard. As new climate […] Continue reading -> Africa and Europe Announce €100 Million in Joint Initiatives to Strengthen Health Systems 21/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The African Union and the European Commission have concluded three agreements worth €100 million aimed at strengthening Africa’s health systems. The first initiative supports the national public health institutes of 10 African countries to enhance disease surveillance, early warning systems, emergency response, research and laboratory services. The second, announced at the One Health Summit in […] Continue reading -> WHO Director General in Germany for Series of High Level Meetings – What’s At Stake? 14/04/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Editorial team As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits Germany, a high stakes week for Germany’s future role in the World Health Organization agency may be unfolding in Berlin. On Monday, Tedros began a two-day high-level visit to Germany at the invitation of the World Health Summit where he has served as a patron. The […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
EU Proposes ‘Kids Act’ Banning Social Media Under 13 Over Mental Health Risks 16/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Social media will be banned for children under 13 across the European Union according to the newly proposed “EU Kids Act”, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today (16 September) in Brussels. The sweeping digital health initiative mandates strict parental oversight for young teenagers aged 13 to under 15 across all 27 […] Continue reading -> Jeremy Farrar Joins Global Health Non-Profit PATH Following Unexpected Departure From WHO 09/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Outgoing WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Jeremy Farrar will lead PATH’s regional division for Asia, the Middle East, and Europe starting in October, the organisation announced in a press release on Wednesday (9 September). Based in Geneva, he joins the executive leadership team to accelerate the delivery of health technologies across these regions. “Dr Farrar joins […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> French Youth Social Media Ban Collapses in Court as EU Readies Regulation 17/08/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France’s planned youth social media ban for minors under the age of 15 violates fundamental rights, the country’s Constitutional Council ruled on Friday. Critics had warned of a predictable legal defeat following a rushed legislative process. French President Emmanuel Macron announced a revision of the flagship legislation by spring 2027. The European Commission is also […] Continue reading -> France Passes Strict Youth Social Media Ban But New Law Lacks Strong Enforcement Mechanism 22/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France has adopted a strict youth social media ban for minors under 15, taking effect in September. But major enforcement hurdles remain, as lawmakers stripped the bill of direct platform sanctions to avoid clashing with European Union rules. The law also faces a constitutional review over the fundamental rights of children and parents. Minors under […] Continue reading -> As Extreme Heat Deaths Mount in Europe, WHO Urges Urban Redesign 11/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Following a severe May heatwave, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new global guidelines on Thursday in Berlin to accelerate climate adaptation and structurally overhaul health systems and urban spaces. Over the past four years, extreme heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives across Europe, positioning it as the deadliest climate-related hazard. As new climate […] Continue reading -> Africa and Europe Announce €100 Million in Joint Initiatives to Strengthen Health Systems 21/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The African Union and the European Commission have concluded three agreements worth €100 million aimed at strengthening Africa’s health systems. The first initiative supports the national public health institutes of 10 African countries to enhance disease surveillance, early warning systems, emergency response, research and laboratory services. The second, announced at the One Health Summit in […] Continue reading -> WHO Director General in Germany for Series of High Level Meetings – What’s At Stake? 14/04/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Editorial team As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits Germany, a high stakes week for Germany’s future role in the World Health Organization agency may be unfolding in Berlin. On Monday, Tedros began a two-day high-level visit to Germany at the invitation of the World Health Summit where he has served as a patron. The […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Jeremy Farrar Joins Global Health Non-Profit PATH Following Unexpected Departure From WHO 09/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Outgoing WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Jeremy Farrar will lead PATH’s regional division for Asia, the Middle East, and Europe starting in October, the organisation announced in a press release on Wednesday (9 September). Based in Geneva, he joins the executive leadership team to accelerate the delivery of health technologies across these regions. “Dr Farrar joins […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> French Youth Social Media Ban Collapses in Court as EU Readies Regulation 17/08/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France’s planned youth social media ban for minors under the age of 15 violates fundamental rights, the country’s Constitutional Council ruled on Friday. Critics had warned of a predictable legal defeat following a rushed legislative process. French President Emmanuel Macron announced a revision of the flagship legislation by spring 2027. The European Commission is also […] Continue reading -> France Passes Strict Youth Social Media Ban But New Law Lacks Strong Enforcement Mechanism 22/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France has adopted a strict youth social media ban for minors under 15, taking effect in September. But major enforcement hurdles remain, as lawmakers stripped the bill of direct platform sanctions to avoid clashing with European Union rules. The law also faces a constitutional review over the fundamental rights of children and parents. Minors under […] Continue reading -> As Extreme Heat Deaths Mount in Europe, WHO Urges Urban Redesign 11/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Following a severe May heatwave, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new global guidelines on Thursday in Berlin to accelerate climate adaptation and structurally overhaul health systems and urban spaces. Over the past four years, extreme heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives across Europe, positioning it as the deadliest climate-related hazard. As new climate […] Continue reading -> Africa and Europe Announce €100 Million in Joint Initiatives to Strengthen Health Systems 21/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The African Union and the European Commission have concluded three agreements worth €100 million aimed at strengthening Africa’s health systems. The first initiative supports the national public health institutes of 10 African countries to enhance disease surveillance, early warning systems, emergency response, research and laboratory services. The second, announced at the One Health Summit in […] Continue reading -> WHO Director General in Germany for Series of High Level Meetings – What’s At Stake? 14/04/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Editorial team As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits Germany, a high stakes week for Germany’s future role in the World Health Organization agency may be unfolding in Berlin. On Monday, Tedros began a two-day high-level visit to Germany at the invitation of the World Health Summit where he has served as a patron. The […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> French Youth Social Media Ban Collapses in Court as EU Readies Regulation 17/08/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France’s planned youth social media ban for minors under the age of 15 violates fundamental rights, the country’s Constitutional Council ruled on Friday. Critics had warned of a predictable legal defeat following a rushed legislative process. French President Emmanuel Macron announced a revision of the flagship legislation by spring 2027. The European Commission is also […] Continue reading -> France Passes Strict Youth Social Media Ban But New Law Lacks Strong Enforcement Mechanism 22/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France has adopted a strict youth social media ban for minors under 15, taking effect in September. But major enforcement hurdles remain, as lawmakers stripped the bill of direct platform sanctions to avoid clashing with European Union rules. The law also faces a constitutional review over the fundamental rights of children and parents. Minors under […] Continue reading -> As Extreme Heat Deaths Mount in Europe, WHO Urges Urban Redesign 11/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Following a severe May heatwave, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new global guidelines on Thursday in Berlin to accelerate climate adaptation and structurally overhaul health systems and urban spaces. Over the past four years, extreme heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives across Europe, positioning it as the deadliest climate-related hazard. As new climate […] Continue reading -> Africa and Europe Announce €100 Million in Joint Initiatives to Strengthen Health Systems 21/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The African Union and the European Commission have concluded three agreements worth €100 million aimed at strengthening Africa’s health systems. The first initiative supports the national public health institutes of 10 African countries to enhance disease surveillance, early warning systems, emergency response, research and laboratory services. The second, announced at the One Health Summit in […] Continue reading -> WHO Director General in Germany for Series of High Level Meetings – What’s At Stake? 14/04/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Editorial team As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits Germany, a high stakes week for Germany’s future role in the World Health Organization agency may be unfolding in Berlin. On Monday, Tedros began a two-day high-level visit to Germany at the invitation of the World Health Summit where he has served as a patron. The […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
French Youth Social Media Ban Collapses in Court as EU Readies Regulation 17/08/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France’s planned youth social media ban for minors under the age of 15 violates fundamental rights, the country’s Constitutional Council ruled on Friday. Critics had warned of a predictable legal defeat following a rushed legislative process. French President Emmanuel Macron announced a revision of the flagship legislation by spring 2027. The European Commission is also […] Continue reading -> France Passes Strict Youth Social Media Ban But New Law Lacks Strong Enforcement Mechanism 22/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France has adopted a strict youth social media ban for minors under 15, taking effect in September. But major enforcement hurdles remain, as lawmakers stripped the bill of direct platform sanctions to avoid clashing with European Union rules. The law also faces a constitutional review over the fundamental rights of children and parents. Minors under […] Continue reading -> As Extreme Heat Deaths Mount in Europe, WHO Urges Urban Redesign 11/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Following a severe May heatwave, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new global guidelines on Thursday in Berlin to accelerate climate adaptation and structurally overhaul health systems and urban spaces. Over the past four years, extreme heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives across Europe, positioning it as the deadliest climate-related hazard. As new climate […] Continue reading -> Africa and Europe Announce €100 Million in Joint Initiatives to Strengthen Health Systems 21/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The African Union and the European Commission have concluded three agreements worth €100 million aimed at strengthening Africa’s health systems. The first initiative supports the national public health institutes of 10 African countries to enhance disease surveillance, early warning systems, emergency response, research and laboratory services. The second, announced at the One Health Summit in […] Continue reading -> WHO Director General in Germany for Series of High Level Meetings – What’s At Stake? 14/04/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Editorial team As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits Germany, a high stakes week for Germany’s future role in the World Health Organization agency may be unfolding in Berlin. On Monday, Tedros began a two-day high-level visit to Germany at the invitation of the World Health Summit where he has served as a patron. The […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
France Passes Strict Youth Social Media Ban But New Law Lacks Strong Enforcement Mechanism 22/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen France has adopted a strict youth social media ban for minors under 15, taking effect in September. But major enforcement hurdles remain, as lawmakers stripped the bill of direct platform sanctions to avoid clashing with European Union rules. The law also faces a constitutional review over the fundamental rights of children and parents. Minors under […] Continue reading -> As Extreme Heat Deaths Mount in Europe, WHO Urges Urban Redesign 11/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Following a severe May heatwave, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new global guidelines on Thursday in Berlin to accelerate climate adaptation and structurally overhaul health systems and urban spaces. Over the past four years, extreme heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives across Europe, positioning it as the deadliest climate-related hazard. As new climate […] Continue reading -> Africa and Europe Announce €100 Million in Joint Initiatives to Strengthen Health Systems 21/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The African Union and the European Commission have concluded three agreements worth €100 million aimed at strengthening Africa’s health systems. The first initiative supports the national public health institutes of 10 African countries to enhance disease surveillance, early warning systems, emergency response, research and laboratory services. The second, announced at the One Health Summit in […] Continue reading -> WHO Director General in Germany for Series of High Level Meetings – What’s At Stake? 14/04/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Editorial team As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits Germany, a high stakes week for Germany’s future role in the World Health Organization agency may be unfolding in Berlin. On Monday, Tedros began a two-day high-level visit to Germany at the invitation of the World Health Summit where he has served as a patron. The […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
As Extreme Heat Deaths Mount in Europe, WHO Urges Urban Redesign 11/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Following a severe May heatwave, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new global guidelines on Thursday in Berlin to accelerate climate adaptation and structurally overhaul health systems and urban spaces. Over the past four years, extreme heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives across Europe, positioning it as the deadliest climate-related hazard. As new climate […] Continue reading -> Africa and Europe Announce €100 Million in Joint Initiatives to Strengthen Health Systems 21/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The African Union and the European Commission have concluded three agreements worth €100 million aimed at strengthening Africa’s health systems. The first initiative supports the national public health institutes of 10 African countries to enhance disease surveillance, early warning systems, emergency response, research and laboratory services. The second, announced at the One Health Summit in […] Continue reading -> WHO Director General in Germany for Series of High Level Meetings – What’s At Stake? 14/04/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Editorial team As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits Germany, a high stakes week for Germany’s future role in the World Health Organization agency may be unfolding in Berlin. On Monday, Tedros began a two-day high-level visit to Germany at the invitation of the World Health Summit where he has served as a patron. The […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Africa and Europe Announce €100 Million in Joint Initiatives to Strengthen Health Systems 21/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The African Union and the European Commission have concluded three agreements worth €100 million aimed at strengthening Africa’s health systems. The first initiative supports the national public health institutes of 10 African countries to enhance disease surveillance, early warning systems, emergency response, research and laboratory services. The second, announced at the One Health Summit in […] Continue reading -> WHO Director General in Germany for Series of High Level Meetings – What’s At Stake? 14/04/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Editorial team As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits Germany, a high stakes week for Germany’s future role in the World Health Organization agency may be unfolding in Berlin. On Monday, Tedros began a two-day high-level visit to Germany at the invitation of the World Health Summit where he has served as a patron. The […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
WHO Director General in Germany for Series of High Level Meetings – What’s At Stake? 14/04/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Editorial team As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits Germany, a high stakes week for Germany’s future role in the World Health Organization agency may be unfolding in Berlin. On Monday, Tedros began a two-day high-level visit to Germany at the invitation of the World Health Summit where he has served as a patron. The […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts