Ukraine: Civilians injured, miners killed, in separate Russian attacks

UN Ukraine A residential building in Ukraine shows signs of damage following overnight attacks.

This article is published in association with United Nations. A fresh wave of Russian strikes overnight across Ukraine injured several people and left thousands “without heat in the heart of winter,” the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country said on Tuesday.  Matthias Schmale was “appalled” by the attacks in Dnipro, Kharkiv and Kyiv, noting that many more people in several […]

Gaza: Limited Rafah crossing reopening sparks hope – but also ‘massive trepidation’

UN News An injured child waits in the courtyard of Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The reopening of the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday after more than a year is being met with both optimism and fear, a senior official with the UN agency that assists the Palestinian people, UNRWA, has said.  The sole border point with Egypt is a […]

South Sudan: ‘All the conditions for a human catastrophe are present’

WFP Children in Fangak county, Jonglei State eat a cooked meal of sorghum. WFP provides food rations to food insecure families containing sorghum, oil, salt, peas and maize (January 2022).

This article is published in association with United Nations. Military tensions in South Sudan are “rapidly expanding” between Government forces and opposition militia as fighting continues in restive Jonglei state. Briefing journalists based at UN Headquarters in New York on Friday, Anita Kiki Gbeho, Officer in Charge of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said […]

World News in Brief: Syria ceasefire welcomed, ‘Olympic truce’, Ukraine’s freezing children

© UNICEF/Oleksii Fili Children's toys are covered in snow outside a residential building in Kyiv during prolonged winter power and heating outages.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria has welcomed a ceasefire agreement between the Syrian Government and the mainly-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), urging all parties to seize the moment to protect civilians and prevent further violations in the country’s northeast.  “We welcome efforts to bring stability […]

Access to Healthcare: is it too much to ask?

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Frank Shao is a Tanzanian medical student. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Khalil Al Bilani is a 5th-year medical student at Saint George’s University of Beirut. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect […]

Potential turning point for Gaza as peace plan enters second phase: UN envoy

UN Photo/Manuel Elías Ramiz Alakbarov (on screen), Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The start of a second phase of a stabilisation plan for Gaza offers a potential turning point for the war-ravaged enclave, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday. Ramiz Alakbarov warned that risks of violence escalating again remain high, while the situation in the […]

Gaza ceasefire improves aid access, but children still face deadly conditions

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is making a difference to the lives of over a million children, and improving overall access to food – but more aid still needs to enter.  That’s the assessment of two senior officials from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), speaking on Monday to journalists in New York following a […]

A new blow for UNRWA as headquarters in East Jerusalem ‘set on fire’

© UNRWA Destruction at UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem after Israeli authorities sent in bulldozers on 20 January. This article is published in association with United Nations. The head of embattled UN relief agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, has condemned reports that its headquarters in East Jerusalem have been set alight deliberately. It comes after Israeli authorities […]

‘Cycle of attacks must end’: Lead UN official in Ukraine

© UNHCR/Yevheniia Kozun This cinema in Saltivka, Kharkiv, was hit during an earlier strike (file Jan 2026).

This article is published in association with United Nations. The senior UN official in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, has issued a condemnation of the massive overnight Russian drone and missile strike on several major Ukrainian cities, killing and injuring civilians, and knocking out energy infrastructure amid sub-zero temperatures. The attacks on some of Ukraine’s most important population […]

US withdrawal from WHO ‘risks global safety’, agency says in detailed rebuttal

WHO/P. Virot The flag of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) flies at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a detailed statement regretting the United States decision to leave the UN agency, and declaring that it will leave both the US and the world less safe as a result. The statement, released on Saturday, also includes a rebuttal of […]

Keeping people warm amid hostilities and harsh winter weather in Ukraine

© UNOCHA/Ximena Borrazas Kateryna and her two children warm up at a heating point and use rhe available electricity to charge their devices.

This article is published in association with United Nations. As people in war-torn Ukraine face the coldest winter in more than a decade, authorities and humanitarians are working to help them stay warm, particularly the most vulnerable residents.  Russian forces continue to attack Ukraine’s energy grid, leaving families without electricity and heating as temperatures plummet to -20° Celsius.  Since 2022, the Government has established so-called “Invincibility Points” – located in tents or public […]

Gaza: War crimes probe pledges to continue work for justice and accountability

UN News A UN emergency shelter set up amid the ruins of Gaza.

This article is published in association with United Nations. As President Trump launched the international Board of Peace plan for Gaza on Thursday, top independent rights experts tasked by the UN Human Rights Council with investigating grave abuses linked to the Hamas-Israel war pledged to continue their work seeking justice and accountability for all. “The Board […]

Cold kills another infant in Gaza as West Bank displacement intensifies

© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour Children wait for a hot meal at a kitchen in Khan Younis, Gaza, supported by the World Food Programme.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Another child in the Gaza Strip has died from hypothermia as winter weather continues to whip the enclave, the UN said on Wednesday, citing information from the health authorities.  The baby girl – just three months old – was found frozen to death on Tuesday morning at her home in […]

Critical medicines: EU measures to boost competitiveness and tackle shortages 

Critical medicines: EU measures to boost competitiveness and tackle shortages 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Tuesday, Parliament adopted proposals to enhance the availability and supply of essential medicines in the EU. The report, adopted with 503 votes in favour, 57 against and 108 abstentions, aims to ensure a high level of public health protection for EU citizens by […]

Europe Was Warned: Why the Next Pandemic Could Be  Worse 

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by one of our passionate readers, Dr Taimoor Ahmed Shumail , MD | Dr Ahmed Bilal , MD , Vice  President Global Health and Diplomacy Wing – Pakistan International Medical Students  Association. The opinions expressed within reflect only the writer’s views and not necessarily The European Sting’s position […]

Gaza humanitarian crisis ‘far from being over,’ UN aid coordination office warns

UN News Many Palestinian families are living in poorly equipped shelters that are highly vulnerable to flooding, leaving people inevitably exposed to harsh, stormy weather..

This article is published in association with United Nations. Three months into the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the UN and partners have delivered tonnes of assistance items and carried out critical repairs, but this is only a temporary “Band-Aid” solution, a veteran aid worker has warned. “The humanitarian situation and crisis in Gaza is far […]

Will AI kickstart a new age of nuclear power?

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The rapidly expanding use of artificial intelligence worldwide is putting electrical grids under huge pressure and many believe that, to meet that need without contributing to the climate crisis, a full-scale expansion of nuclear energy is essential. The global demand for electricity is growing at a vertiginous […]

Iran: UN urges ‘maximum restraint’ to avert more death, wider escalation

UN Photo/Loey Felipe Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in Iran.

This article is published in association with United Nations. As nationwide protests in Iran appear to ease after nearly three weeks of unrest and bloodshed, a senior UN official called on Thursday for action to prevent further escalation.  Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee briefed an emergency meeting of the Security Council in New York called by the […]

East Jerusalem: Forced shutdown of UN clinic signals escalating disregard for international law

UNRWA UNRWA Headquarters in East Jerusalem

This article is published in association with United Nations. The temporary closure of a UN-run health centre in East Jerusalem is the latest phase in “a pattern of deliberate disregard” for international law, the head of the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said on Wednesday.  Israeli forces stormed the UNRWA-operated health centre on Monday and ordered it […]

Iran: ‘The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop,’ UN rights chief says

Unsplash

This article is published in association with United Nations.  As anti-government demonstrations continue across Iran, the UN human rights chief said on Tuesday that he was horrified at the mounting violence directed by security forces against protestors, with reports of hundreds killed and thousands arrested.  Volker Türk urged the authorities to immediately halt all forms of violence and repression against peaceful […]

Ukraine: Deadly Russian strikes push civilians deeper into winter crisis

© UNHCR/Yevheniia Kozun The bombing of residential buildings in Saltivka, Kharkiv, has left many Ukrainians without power.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Ukraine has entered the new year under intensifying and deadly Russian attacks which have crippled energy systems and left millions without heating, electricity or water amid freezing temperatures, senior UN officials told the Security Council on Monday. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told ambassadors the start […]

UN chief ‘shocked’ by reports of excessive force against protesters in Iran

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe UN Secretary-General António Guterres. (file photo)

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Secretary-General is shocked by reports of violence and excessive use of force by Iranian authorities against protesters across the country, urging restraint and the immediate restoration of communications as unrest enters its third week. “All Iranians must be able to express their grievances peacefully and […]

Ukraine: New strikes disrupt basic services for millions

Ukraine: New strikes disrupt basic services for millions

This article is published in association with United Nations. Several parts of Ukraine were hit by a new wave of Russian strikes between Wednesday and Thursday morning. The attacks over the last 24 hours left civilians reportedly killed and injured in the port city of Odesa, interrupting power and water supplies there, as well as in […]

Drones, fear and exhaustion: The daily reality of providing aid to Ukraine

©WFP/Sayed Asif Mahmud Oleg Kemin from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) stands in front of his vehicle in Kherson, Ukraine.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Almost four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aid teams continue to adapt to the lethal reality of working in a modern war zone.  For frontline workers like Oleg Kemin from the UN World Food Programme (WFP), this involves travelling deep into disputed territory along the […]

West Bank: UN report warns of ‘systematic asphyxiation’ of Palestinian rights

© UNICEF/Alaa Badarneh A boy carries possessions as his family leaves their home in Nur Shams refugee camp in the northern West Bank.

This article is published in association with United Nations. A sweeping UN human rights report released on Wednesday concludes that in the occupied West Bank, Israel is violating international law prohibiting racial segregation and apartheid, warning that the discriminatory practices have accelerated dramatically since late 2022 amid growing violence, repression and impunity. The report by the […]

UN agency rolls out three-year plan to safeguard Ukraine’s bread basket

© FAO/Viacheslav Ratynskyi Large swaths of farmland in Ukraine has been contaminated by landmines and other ordinance. (file photo)

This article is published in association with United Nations. Ukraine’s agricultural sector remains under intense pressure as the war continues to disrupt food production and endanger civilians, the UN food security agency warned on Tuesday, as it unveiled a new three-year plan to help farmers survive and protect their livelihoods. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization […]

The Global Resistome: How Livestock, Humans, and the Environment Fuel the Rise of Antibiotic Resistance

Patricia Fotso is a third-year medical student at the Faculty of Medicine of Douala

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Sadia Khalid, a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technologye. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on […]

Maduro seized, norms tested: Security Council divided as Venezuela crisis deepens

© UNICEF/Gustavo Vera A view of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Security Council met on Monday against a sharply altered diplomatic backdrop, following US strikes on the Venezuelan capital and seizure of President Nicolás Maduro. Why it matters: Council members are split over whether Washington’s move upholds accountability – or undermines a foundational principle of international […]

Strengthening One Health Approaches to Combat Antibiotic Resistance: Gaps, Challenges, and Opportunities

Mechoiteu Jijou Berny is a seventh‑year medical student at the Université des Montagnes in Bangangté, Cameroon

This article was exclusively written for European Sting by Ms. Mechoiteu Jijou Berny is a seventh‑year medical student at the Université des Montagnes in Bangangté, Cameroon. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily […]

US actions in Venezuela ‘constitute a dangerous precedent’: Guterres

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he is “deeply alarmed” over the standoff between the United States and Venezuela in recent months, which culminated on Saturday morning in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by US special forces. US President Donald Trump made the announcement on social media, and the US Attorney General said Mr. Maduro and his […]

Gaza aid lifelines under strain as winter worsens

This article is published in association with United Nations.

Humanitarian partners in the Gaza Strip are struggling to reach hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people as winter storms batter damaged homes and temporary shelters. Since the fragile October ceasefire began as phase one of the US-led peace plan, thousands of tents and hundreds of thousands of tarpaulins have been distributed.  Yet partners estimate that […]

New year dawns amid rubble and resolve in Gaza

UN News A young Palestinian girl wearing a Santa Claus outfit, stands in front of tents belonging to displaced families in northern Gaza City.

This article is published in association with United Nations. As 2026 begins, residents of the Gaza Strip are confronting life in displacement camps and among the ruins of destroyed neighbourhoods – facing deep uncertainty after months of war and devastation. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain uprooted, many living in makeshift tents pitched on bare ground […]

Ukraine: Attacks disrupt heating as temperatures plunge

© UNOCHA A building in Odesa, Ukraine, in flames following an attack on 31 December 2025.

© UNOCHA A building in Odesa, Ukraine, in flames following an attack on 31 December 2025. This article is published in association with United Nations. Recent attacks across Ukraine have killed civilians, damaged critical infrastructure and cut heating and power supplies for millions, UN humanitarians report, as temperatures drop below freezing. According to the Office for […]

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