From June 18th to June 28th it’s Dublin’s Pride Week 2020. Due to COVID-19 it will be digital this year, also the big Pride Parade on June 28th.

Réiltín Ní Theimhneáin has recently won the award as ” “Student Representative of the year 2019”. She graduated this year from NUI Galway. With STAND News she talked about the tasks of a student representative and what she was able to achieve with her engagement for her class.

The leaders of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party have agreed on a deal for government titled “Our Shared Future”. The next Taioseach will be Micheál Martin. This position will be rotated to Leo Varadkar in 2022. The influence of the Green Party in the deal is very apparent.

Tara Ní Raghallaigh just recently won the award for “Outstanding Mental Activist of the Year”. With STAND News she talked about her activism for mental health also in terms of her job as the Welfare Officer of IT Sligo Students’ Union. COVID-19 brings new challenges for her activism but she also noticed a different kind of awareness for mental health issues.

The Black Lives Matter protest are also happening in Ireland after the black man George Floyd died after a white police officer held him down with a knee to his neck. MASI organised the protests and is also protesting to end direct provision in Ireland.

Clare Austick talks about the NUIG University of Sanctuary, which supports migrants and refugees to make the most out of their college experience. She also talks about the challenges that come with the coronavirus.

STAND News Explains takes a look into the situation in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry in a direct provision centre where the coronavirus has spread massively. Locals and refugees in the centre are very concerned.

Betty Nyagoha is the director of the “Gatoto Integrated Development Programme” in Nairobi, Kenya and talked to STAND News about the school itself and the challenges occuring through COVID-19.

Despite the Dáil passing a motion declaring a biodiversity emergency last May, little has happened since. Now, activists are calling for the implementation of an Irish garda unit dedicated to fighting wildlife crime.

Sarah Benson of Women’s Aid discusses the particular vulnerabilities many people are currently facing in Covid-19 lockdown in relation to domestic violence and what supports are available.

On the Greek island of Lesbos is the Moria refugee camp, constructed for 3,100 people but now with a population of more than 20,000 men, women and children.

Before lockdown, we met with one of the few people with first-hand experience of the camp, photojournalist Fellipe Lopes.