WHO assembly opens under shadow of Ebola, hantavirus and funding cuts

©WHO/Hedinn Halldorsson Health officials in PPE oversee the response to the hantavirus outbreak onboard the cruise ship MV Hondius moored off Tenerife in the Canary Islands.This article is published in association with United Nations. From Ebola outbreaks in Central Africa to the complex evacuation of passengers aboard a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) opened its annual assembly on Monday as countries grapple with disease outbreaks, deep funding cuts and growing geopolitical tension. Health ministers and diplomats are […]

Ebola outbreak follows hunger and displacement crisis in DR Congo

© UNICEF/Thomas Nybo This image from 2020 shows a mother from her son separated by plastic sheeting at an Ebola treatment centre in Beni, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.This article is published in association with United Nations. A day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo an international emergency, top global disease transmission experts stressed that the chances of another global pandemic similar to the 2019 coronavirus emergency are increasing all the time. “The […]

LGBTIQ+ face mounting violence and discrimination, warns UN rights chief

UNDP/RNP The UN Legal Identity project in Honduras has a special focus on Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQI+, minority population and persons with disabilities.This article is published in association with United Nations. Violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people are widespread, including at school, where 45 per cent of LGBT youth report being bullied. That’s the worrying message from UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, who says that more than one in three countries still criminalize consensual same-sex conduct and […]

Extreme heat, floods and drought threaten lives across Latin America and Caribbean

© UNICEF/Claudio Pelaez Hurricane Melissa struck Cuba in late October 2025, causing massive devastation across the island nation (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. Record-breaking temperatures, deadly floods, worsening drought and intensifying hurricanes are placing millions of people across Latin America and the Caribbean at growing risk of hunger, displacement and water shortages, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).  Launching the regional State of the Climate report […]

UN underscores protection of nuclear sites following drone strike on Emirati plant

© Unsplash/Karthik B K The skyline of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.This article is published in association with United Nations. The head of the UN atomic watchdog on Monday underscored the need to safeguard nuclear security in wartime, a day after a drone strike near a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was informed that the UAE has restored off-site power to Unit 3 […]

World News in Brief: More attacks in Ukraine, violence against children in Haiti, refugee IDs in Africa

© UNFPA Ukraine In March 2026, a maternity hospital in Odesa, Ukraine was attacked by Russian forces.This article is published in association with United Nations. Civilians, including humanitarians, continue to face great danger across war-torn Ukraine amid ongoing hostilities, according to the UN humanitarian relief coordination office there, OCHA. Over the past three days, frontline attacks killed at least 11 civilians and injured nearly 200 others, including five children, as reported by […]

The Role of Medical Students in Supporting Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Malak Osama Yagoub is a medical student at Al-Batnah University, Sudan, and a member of MedSIN SudanThis article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Malak Osama Yagoub, a medical student at Al-Batnah University, Sudan, and a member of MedSIN Sudan. 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 […]

Bridging the Autism Diagnosis Gap in Africa: A Call for Early Screening and Inclusive Care

Lumndizeque Mc Prince Ngomjon is a second-year medical student at the University of Buea, CameroonThis article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Lumndizeque Mc Prince Ngomjon, a second-year medical student at the University of Buea, Cameroon. 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 […]

From floods to wildfires, new ideas are helping Europe adapt to climate extremes

This article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine.This article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine. Many people expect a raging wildfire to leave a blackened, lifeless landscape in its wake. But after a blaze swept through Las Hurdes in Extremadura, Spain, in 2009, the scene was quite different. In the midst of the scorched earth […]

Every last drop: the race to secure Africa’s water future

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine. In Ranerou, north-east Senegal, locals and environmental experts are working side by side to improve livelihoods and farming conditions, and protect the region’s biodiversity. They are planting and managing trees to improve soil quality and excavating and reinforcing a local […]

Commission report shows Schengen area continues to be resilient and ready for future challenges

Commission report shows Schengen area continues to be resilient and ready for future challengesThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission published its fifth State of the Schengen report, reviewing developments in the Schengen area over the past year and setting priorities for the year ahead. The Schengen area continues to demonstrate resilience, underpinned by collective efforts at both EU and national level. […]

Housing crisis takes centre stage at World Urban Forum in Baku

© UN-Habitat/Kirsten Milhahn The Korali informal settlement in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka.This article is published in association with United Nations. Now is the time to place housing at the heart of sustainable development. That was the message delivered on Monday by UN Secretary General António Guterres to participants at a global forum on urban sustainability under way this week in Baku. His video address set the tone […]

Commission proposes €144 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund to help Spain, Romania, and Cyprus recover from climate disasters

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has proposed the mobilisation of €144 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to aid Spain, Romania and Cyprus in their recovery from devastating climate-related disasters in 2025. This financial support underscores the EU’s commitment to standing by its Member States in times of crisis, […]

European Innovation Council selects EQT to lead €5 Billion Scaleup Europe Fund

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund Board has chosen EQT as the preferred investment adviser and fund manager for the Scaleup Europe Fund, following a rigorous and highly competitive selection process to lead the EU’s €5 billion initiative designed to empower the continent’s most […]

Commission greenlights Lithuania’s sixth payment request for €178 million under NextGenerationEU

European Commission issues €11 billion in its 2nd syndicated transaction of 2026This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission published its fifth State of the Schengen report, reviewing developments in the Schengen area over the past year and setting priorities for the year ahead. The Schengen area continues to demonstrate resilience, underpinned by collective efforts at both EU and national level. […]

Nuclear terror threat ‘has never been so high’

UN Photo/Milton Grant Sculpture depicting St. George slaying the dragon. The dragon is created from fragments of Soviet SS-20 andUnited States Pershing nuclear missiles.This article is published in association with United Nations. The widespread availability of new technology, such as militarised drones and artificial intelligence, means that the current threat of nuclear terrorism is higher than it has ever been. The humanitarian, environmental, and economic consequences of a radiological or nuclear terrorist attack would be global, undermining international peace […]

As war displaces millions in DR Congo, new schools offer children hope beyond violence

©UNICEF /Carmel Ndomba Mbikayi Shadrac Anyazaka in his classroom in Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.This article is published in association with United Nations. Ten-year-old Shadrac Anyazaka does not hesitate when asked about his future. “After finishing my studies, I would like to become President of the Republic one day,” he tells visitors to his school in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). For another student, Jérémie, dreams are shaped […]

Turning silence into stories: Cambodian activist amplifies LGBTQI+ youth voices

©Unsplash /Paul Szewczyk The skyline of Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia.This article is published in association with United Nations. Cambodian activist Panha Theng, a 2025 UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals, says visibility and safe spaces remain critical for LGBTQI+ youth across Southeast Asia amid continuing stigma and discrimination. Growing up in Cambodia, Panha rarely saw LGBTQI+ people reflected in the world around her […]

Sudan hunger crisis deepens as UN warns millions face acute food shortages

© UNICEF/Antony Spalton Children and their families stand near temporary shelters at an IDP camp in central Darfur, Sudan. (file photo)This article is published in association with United Nations. Nearly 20 million people across Sudan are facing acute hunger and more than 800,000 children risk severe malnutrition this year, UN agencies warned on Friday, as civil war, mass displacement and collapsing food and health systems deepen one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and push parts […]

WHO sounds alarm over nicotine pouches targeting young people

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Brightly coloured nicotine pouches promoted through social media influencers, music festivals and youth-oriented advertising are driving a rapid rise in nicotine use among young people worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday. In a new report, the UN health agency described the “deceptive tactics” manufacturers […]

Scientists race to understand the health risks of microplastics

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by one of our passionate readers, Ms. Maryam Latif with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Pakistan. The opinions expressed within reflect only the writer’s views and not necessarily The European Sting’s position on the issue.This article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine. Visitors to Utrecht’s Wilhelmina Park in the summer of 2023 may have come across an unusual sight: volunteers on stationary exercise bikes, cycling for science. The bikes were set up in different parts of the park – in its centre, […]

AI joins the quest to find new treatments for rare diseases

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine. Belgian AI company Kantify was doing business as usual until a cancer diagnosis forced the team to rethink their direction. “We built algorithms for sectors like marketing or transport,” said Ségolène Martin, Kantify’s co-founder and CEO. “Those were complex projects that had […]

Reconnecting body and brain: Europe’s breakthrough in reversing paralysis

Aysu Gurbanlı is an 18-year-old Azerbaijani medical student, born in Istanbul and currently based in Baku.This article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine. Europe’s breakthrough in reversing paralysis Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains one of the most devastating neurological conditions, severing communication between the brain and the body and leaving millions worldwide with permanent paralysis. Despite decades of research, restoring movement after spinal […]

From Bali to Brussels: remote work is reshaping Europe’s regions

This article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine.This article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine. Mandy Fransz was working a nine‑to‑five office job in Dublin for a big American tech firm when she made a life‑changing switch. In 2018, the Dutch tech worker quit her office job to try remote work in search of a […]

Are parents sharing too much online? The hidden risks for children

This article was originally published in Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazineThis article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine. The internet is now woven into everyday family life, shaping how children learn, play and connect with others from an early age. But alongside these opportunities, new risks are emerging, sometimes from an unexpected source: parents themselves. Every day, parents […]

World News in Brief: UN relief vehicle struck in Ukraine, emergency airdrops in South Sudan, backlash against LGBTIQ+ rights

© UNDSS/Oleksii Obuhov A UN vehicle severely damaged by two drone strikes while delivering supplies to civilians living in Ostriv, one of Kherson’s hardest hit areas.This article is published in association with United Nations. The Secretary-General is alarmed that a clearly marked United Nations vehicle was struck twice in Kherson city in Ukraine on 14 May, his spokesperson said in a statement. Tweet URL https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=UN_News_Centre&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2055040228528636344&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.un.org%2Fen%2Fstory%2F2026%2F05%2F1167525&sessionId=7c5b79ec7a55c8721fa382b72a6ad299dd591146&siteScreenName=UN_News_Centre&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px The vehicle was part of an inter-agency humanitarian mission led by OCHA, the UN humanitarian affairs […]

World Urban Forum opens in Baku as housing crisis and climate shocks intensify

© UN-Habitat Baku, Azerbaijan, will host the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) from 17–22 May 2026, organized by UN-Habitat and the Government of Azerbaijan.This article is published in association with United Nations. Soaring housing costs, climate shocks and conflicts are leaving millions without adequate shelter – but what can be done? As the 13th UN World Urban Forum opens on Sunday in Baku, Azerbaijan, participants will grapple with solutions to a deepening global housing crisis. The conference, organized by […]

European Investment Fund and LABORAL Kutxa mobilise 150 million euros to support micro enterprises and social entrepreneurs in Spain

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Fund (EIF), part of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group), and LABORAL Kutxa have signed a new guarantee agreement that will allow the credit cooperative of MONDRAGON to allocate up to 150 million euros to microloans and social loans. The agreement is […]

Italy: EIB and FiberCop: €1 billion agreement to accelerate ultrafast broadband development

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a financing package of up to €1 billion for FiberCop, the company that manages the most advanced and extensive digital infrastructure in Italy, to expand and modernise the national ultrafast broadband network. An initial tranche of €500 million was […]

Afghan mothers and children face worsening hunger crisis, WFP warns

This article is published in association with United Nations. Afghanistan’s deepening malnutrition crisis is pushing mothers and children to the brink, the UN World Food Programme has warned, as mass returns from neighbouring countries and severe funding shortfalls overwhelm already strained humanitarian operations. “WFP has been sounding alarm bells for months,” Carl Skau, WFP Deputy Executive […]

Blackouts and shortages disrupt healthcare across Cuba

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Hospitals across Cuba are suspending surgeries, struggling to keep lifesaving equipment running and facing severe medicine shortages as blackouts and fuel shortages push the country’s healthcare system deeper into crisis, senior UN officials warned on Friday. Shortages of electricity, fuel, medicine and medical supplies are severely disrupting […]

Ebola outbreak in Central Africa declared a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’

UNICEF/Vincent Tremeau A health worker checks a child for Ebola during an earlier outbreak in DR Congo (file, 2019)This article is published in association with United Nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, citing rising cases, cross-border spread and significant uncertainties about the scale of the epidemic. The decision, announced by WHO […]

European Union takes decisive steps to ensure accountability for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission, on behalf of the European Union, joined the Enlarged Partial Agreement of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, the document setting out the institutional, financial, and administrative modalities of the Special Tribunal. Following today’s decision, participating […]
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