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=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%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 […]

Global energy and trade disruption pushing millions towards poverty

© UNICEF/Nyan Zay Htet Recent disruptions to energy supplies and global supply chains have reverberated across development and humanitarian sectors, including relief efforts in Myanmar, where millions remain in need of assistance.This article is published in association with United Nations. Disruptions to global energy supplies and trade corridors are driving up the cost of food, transport and essential goods worldwide, slowing economic growth and increasing pressure on vulnerable households and debt-strapped developing countries. The warnings came during a special meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council […]

Lebanon: UN peacekeeping force warns drone incidents near its positions are putting personnel at risk

© UNIFIL/Kandice Ardiel A peacekeeper monitors the Green Hill area in Naqoura, Lebanon.This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Wednesday that escalating drone activity and nearby explosions involving suspected Hezbollah drones and Israeli forces are endangering its personnel and threatening already fragile stability in southern Lebanon. The warning came amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah fighters, […]

Budget Credibility as an Anchor for Better Economic Outcomes for Africa

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with IMF. Policy priorities include more realistic forecasting, stronger expenditure controls, improved cash management, and institutional reforms to better align budgets with outcomes Budgets people can trust—because spending and revenues stay close to what was promised—are critical to delivering better economic outcomes. Yet across sub-Saharan Africa, it has become increasingly […]

Funding shortfalls force deep cuts to Syria food assistance: WFP

© UNOCHA/Sevim Turkmani Trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrive in Ain Al Arab, Syria, in February 2026.This article is published in association with United Nations. Millions of Syrians are at growing risk of hunger after severe funding shortages forced the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to halve emergency food assistance, cutting support for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people across the country. UN officials warn that the cuts come at a dangerous […]

Afghanistan crisis deepens as record returns, drought and aid cuts strain economy

© UNDP/S. Omer Sadaat Children look over a wall in Shade Bara village, in Herat province, Afghanistan.This article is published in association with United Nations. Afghanistan’s humanitarian and economic crisis is deepening despite modest economic growth, with nearly three in four people unable to meet basic needs, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said on Wednesday. Estimates indicate that around 28 million people in Afghanistan were living in poverty in 2025, with the […]

Recycled plastics for food use require stronger safeguards, warn UN food security experts

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.This article is published in association with United Nations. Recycled plastics could help reduce the world’s growing waste crisis, but only if food packaging is carefully regulated to prevent contamination, according to a new analysis from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The UN food security agency warns that recycled plastics and alternative packaging materials […]

One journey, one ticket, full rights: Commission simplifies Europe-wide travel booking and train travel

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 Commission has proposed new rules to make seamless travel across Europe a reality. The three proposals adopted today simplify planning and booking for regional, long-distance and cross-border travel, particularly for rail journeys involving multiple operators, and ensure better protection for rail passengers […]

Shaping Global Health Equity: Students Driving Awareness, Early Detection, and Inclusive Autism Care

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Georgia Maria Vardalachaki, a medical student from the Medical University of Crete, Greece. 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 the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Nayrouz Lagoune, born on June 27, 2002, a fifth-year medical student in Algeria. 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 […]

Autism Spectrum Disorders in Global Health: Awareness, Early Diagnosis, and Inclusive Care

Hijran Pirmammadova is a third-year medical student at Azerbaijan Medical UniversityThis article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Hijran Pirmammadova, a third-year medical student at Azerbaijan Medical University. 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 the […]

Romania: Pharmaceutical producer Antibiotice to benefit from EIB guidance on strengthening corporate governance and investment capacity

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) will advise Antibiotice SA, the largest pharmaceutical company with majority Romanian capital, on strengthening its corporate governance to support future growth. Under a new advisory services agreement, the EIB will work with Antibiotice to align its risk-management framework and business operations […]

Commission replies to the European Citizens Initiative to ban conversion practices

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission adopted a Communication responding  to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘Ban on conversion practices in the European Union’. This reply comes just four days ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), reiterating the Commission’s commitment to […]

Commission strengthens global health security with new Global Health Resilience Initiative

Cecilia Petio is a medical student at Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission adopted a Global Health Resilience Initiative.This strategy positions the EU as a reliable and frontline actor in global health by scaling up global prevention, preparedness and response to future health threats and addressing resilience gaps in health systems. It sets […]

World News in Brief: Mounting waste in Gaza, drone attacks in Sudan, aid truck struck in Ukraine

© WHO/Hanan Balkhy Displaced families are living in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters, surrounded by waste and debris, with limited access to safe water and sanitation services.This article is published in association with United Nations. Mounting waste and limited access to sanitation sites are deepening health risks for families across Gaza, as humanitarian workers warn that overcrowded dumping areas and worsening living conditions threaten vulnerable communities. Ramiz Alakbarov, UN’s top aid official in Occupied Palestinian Territory visited a dumping site in Gaza […]
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