Development news roundup: World Bank's maternal health strategy, new UK disaster response facility, and more

Today, we reported:

• The World Bank: A ‘global leader’ in maternal health?

• UK disaster response facility melds private sector, NGO expertise

• Why development of Africa’s agriculture markets matters

• Donald Payne succumbs to colon cancer

• 2 African countries secure World Bank support

• The challenges in measuring aid to agriculture

Other must-reads:

• Ban calls for greater women’s participation in business

• Challenges in implementing laws on women’s rights in Pakistan

• 5 priorities in putting nutrition to food systems

• Developing countries to earn emission reduction credits in new climate scheme

• UK and partners to hold family planning summit in London in July

• Alexander Downer to Bob Carr: ‘Focus on Asia-Pacific’

• Pakistanis protest shutdown of French NGO

• Sudan tells US to quit ‘famine propaganda’

• Kevin Rafferty says Zoellick’s successor should be a ‘big beast’

• Blogger asks: What are the odds of meeting the remaining 6 MDGs?

• IYF CEO lauds Hillary Clinton’s speech on empowering today’s youth

• Pew Global Attitudes Project scrutinizes America’s ‘aid effect’

• At the World Bank blog: The role of mobile phones in women empowerment

• PSI VP wonders, will there be Facebook if Mark Zuckerberg Were Born A Girl In Rwanda?

• The US will be sending food aid to North Korea. IHT Rendezvous asks: Made in China?

• World Bank to support Palestinian territories’ development with $40M in grant

• World Bank $100M loan to benefit poor farmers in Pernambuco, Brazil

• Piauí Green Growth and Inclusion Project in Brazil to receive $350M World Bank loan

• World Bank approves $150M additional financing for Pakistan safety net project

• World Bank initiative to improve broadband connectivity in MENA

• WFP, HIAS agreement to benefit refugees in Ecuador

• UN Women executive director highlights gender inequities in public, private sectors

• Japan donates $13.6M to Afghanistan

• AfDB reports on slow, mixed progress in Africa on access to safe, clean water

• MSF back in DRC town of Shamwana

• Congolese capital faces humanitarian emergency amid conflict

• US donates $2.5M to new IOM fund

• Chadian migrants await aid after fleeing conflict in Nigeria

• New Australia aid supports rural development, food security initiative in Africa

• Koran burning hampers aid work in Afghanistan

• Japan to provide $12M for development projects in Sri Lanka

• Published: New ‘roadmaps’ to track progress in malaria control in 17 countries

• CGIAR Consortium now an international organization

• ICRC calls for more action to help women with missing loved ones

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