Venezuela’s repressive State apparatus ‘intact’ despite leadership change

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Venezuela’s repressive State apparatus remains operational despite the seizure of former President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces on 3 January, according to independent UN human rights investigators. “The structures that have sustained persecution for years have not been dismantled, nor have State policies been announced to […]

Stakeholders Push Forth Recommendations Before the European Commission Adopts the EHDS Regulation

This article is brought to you in association with the European Economic and Social Committee.This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by one of our passionate readers, Mr Enrique De La Cruz, a student researcher in the public health The opinions expressed within reflect only the writer’s views and not necessarily The European Sting’s position on the issue. As the European Commission plans to adopt the European Health Data […]

Commission proposes €2 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to support 507 dismissed Liberty Steel workers in Belgium

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 to mobilise €2 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) to support 507 workers dismissed after the bankruptcy of Liberty Steel Belgium. Liberty Steel production lines in Belgium came to a halt in December 2021 […]

Commission approves €1.1 billion French State aid scheme to support cleantech manufacturing capacity, in line with Clean Industrial Deal objectives

The European Commission has approved a €1.1 billion French scheme to support strategic investments that add clean technology (cleantech) manufacturing capacity in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal. This measure will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero economy. The scheme was approved under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) adopted by the Commission on 25 June 2025. This is the eighth cleantech manufacturing capacity scheme approved since the CISAF was adopted, unlocking over €10 billion in support for investments in such capacity. The French measure France notified to the Commission, under the CISAF, a €1.1 billion scheme to support strategic investments that add manufacturing capacity of cleantech, contributing to the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal. The scheme incentivises investments in additional capacity production of net-zero technologies listed in Annex II of CISAF, like solar, offshore or onshore wind technologies, heat pumps or battery technologies. The scheme also covers costs related to the main specific components of these technologies and the related critical raw materials. Under the scheme, the aid will take the form of a tax credit. The measure will be open to the whole territory of France and aid may be granted until 31 December 2028. The Commission found that the French scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the CISAF. The Commission concluded that the French scheme is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to accelerate the transition towards a net-zero economy and facilitate the development of certain economic activities, which are of importance for the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal. This is in line with Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU and the conditions set out in the CISAF. On this basis, the Commission approved the aid measure under EU State aid rules. Background On 25 June 2025, the Commission adopted the CISAF to foster support measures in sectors which are key for the transition to a net-zero economy, in line with the Clean Industrial Deal. The CISAF allows the following types of aid, which can be granted by Member States until 31 December 2030 in order to accelerate the green transition: Measures accelerating the rollout of renewable energy and low-carbon fuels (sections 4.1 and 4.2). Member States can set up schemes for investments in all renewable energy sources as well as energy storage, with simplified tender procedures. Specific rules are also provided to accelerate the roll-out of low-carbon fuels. Measures allowing temporary electricity price relief for energy-intensive users to ensure the transition to low-cost clean electricity (section 4.5). Such measures will help to avoid industrial activities relocating to locations where environmental regulations are absent or less ambitious, before the decarbonisation of the EU's electricity system fully translates into lower electricity prices. Measures facilitating the decarbonisation of industrial processes (section 5). Member States can support investments in the decarbonisation of industrial activities to reduce dependency on imported fossil fuels. This can happen through electrification, energy efficiency and the switch to the use of renewable and electricity-based hydrogen which complies with certain conditions, with expanded possibilities to support the decarbonisation of industrial processes switching to hydrogen-derived fuels. Measures to ensure sufficient clean technology manufacturing capacity (section 6). Member States can grant investment support for investment projects concerning technologies covered by the Net Zero Industry Act (final products such as batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, heat-pumps, electrolysers, and carbon capture usage and storage, including main specific components). This also includes the production and recycling of related critical raw materials. Measures to de-risk private investments required for the roll-out of clean energy, industrial decarbonisation, clean tech manufacturing, certain energy infrastructure projects, and projects supporting the circular economy (section 8). More information on the CISAF can be found online. For more information The non-confidential version of today's decision will be made available under the case number SA.120765 in the State aid register on the Commission's competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. New publications of State aid decisions on the internet and in the Official Journal are listed in the Competition Weekly e-News. Quote(s) Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition This scheme of over €1 billion will ensure additional clean technology manufacturing capacity in France. The tax credits granted under this scheme will help companies making key investments in the coming years. At the same time, any potential competition distortions are kept to the minimum. Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive TransitionThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved a €1.1 billion French scheme to support strategic investments that add clean technology (cleantech) manufacturing capacity in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal. This measure will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero economy. The scheme […]

South Sudan: Funding gaps threaten nearly 2 million displaced people

© IOM/Muse Mohammed An IOM staff member talks to a family in South Sudan. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. Funding shortfalls are putting the lives of more than 1.9 million displaced people in South Sudan at risk amid rising humanitarian needs, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday.  The warning comes as the world’s youngest nation remains among the top displacement crises, with nearly 10 million people in need of humanitarian assistance including returnees fleeing the war in neighbouring Sudan.  IOM requires just over $131 million for […]

Time for EU legislation to define rape based on absence of consent, say MEPs 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The Commission should, MEPs say, propose EU legislation establishing a common definition of rape based on the concept of freely given, informed and revocable consent. The report, endorsed on Wednesday by the Committees on Civil Liberties and Women’s Rights with 75 votes for, 27 […]

Nexperia: Is the EU Abandoning Semiconductor Sovereignty? 

Nexperia: Is the EU Abandoning Semiconductor Sovereignty? This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by one of our passionate readers, Mr Sean Brown, a law graduate and a former economic development adviser who worked in Brussels for several years. The opinions expressed within reflect only the writer’s views and not necessarily The European Sting’s position on the issue. The Dutch government’s decision […]

European Commission statement on the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of the United States

Statement by the European Commission on the U.S. decision to impose travel restrictions on certain EU individualsThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission requests full clarity on the steps the United States intends to take following the recent Supreme Court ruling on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).  The current situation is not conducive to delivering “fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial” transatlantic trade and investment, […]

Commission adopts proposals for the signing, provisional application and conclusion of EU-UK Agreement in respect of Gibraltar

Commission adopts proposals for the signing, provisional application and conclusion of EU-UK Agreement in respect of GibraltarThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has adopted its proposals for the signature and provisional application, as well as for the conclusion of an agreement in respect of Gibraltar between the European Union and the United Kingdom.  The EU-UK deal in respect of Gibraltar will complete the […]

Ukraine: UN aid convoy reaches frontlines in Dnipro

© UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov Workers secure plywood boards over the shattered windows of a residential building damaged by a missile strike in eastern Ukraine. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. A UN humanitarian convoy reached frontline communities in Ukraine’s Dnipro region on Wednesday, delivering critical medical and hygiene supplies as fighting continues to take a heavy toll on civilians and infrastructure across the country. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters that access to the town had been […]

How AI, gaming and virtual worlds are reshaping Holocaust remembrance

AI ‘moving at the speed of light’ warns Guterres, unveiling recommendations for UN expert panelThis article is published in association with United Nations. While new digital technologies are transforming how the Holocaust is remembered and taught, experts warn that sustainability, ethics and collaboration are now as important as creativity to keep a global memory alive of Nazi Germany’s genocide that killed six million Jewish people and millions of others during […]

Welcome to the ‘agrihood’ – the neighbourhood of the future?

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.This article is published in association with United Nations. Towns and cities are home to more than half of the world’s population and responsible for around 70 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions driving the climate crisis, which is why urban planners in Brazil are leading a design revolution that could point the way to […]

Global health systems ‘at risk’ as funding cuts bite, warns WHO

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 UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday that cuts to international aid and persistent funding gaps are undermining the global health system. This is occurring as the risk from pandemics, drug-resistant infections and fragile health services are on the rise, said the WHO Director-General. Addressing […]

The Commission decides to refer Spain and Malta to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose the Delegated Directive as regards the adjustments of the size criteria for micro, small, medium-sized and large undertakings or groups

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 decided to refer Spain and Malta to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose the Delegated Directive as regards the adjustments of the size criteria for micro, small, medium-sized and large undertakings or groups (Delegated […]

Commission annual report on Single Market and competitiveness calls for joint action in light of unprecedented challenges

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 adopted the 2026 Annual Single Market and Competitiveness Report, the sixth in an annual series, evaluating the functioning of the Single Market and assessing the conditions for businesses to innovate, grow, and compete while delivering sustainable prosperity for European citizens. […]

Commission registers European Citizens’ Initiative on phasing out EU imports from Russia and Belarus

Commission registers European Citizens' Initiative on phasing out EU imports from Russia and BelarusThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission has registered a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), entitled ‘Stop Funding Russia’s War: Phase Out Harmful and Useless Russian Imports into the EU’. The initiative invites the Commission “to propose firm, immediate measures to end the EU’s remaining import dependencies on […]

UN says Gaza crisis remains dire, children hardest hit

© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour Much of Gaza City is inhabitable.This article is published in association with United Nations. Despite a modest increase in humanitarian assistance, the situation in Gaza remains “dire”, with children among the hardest hit by shortages of shelter, basic services and education, the United Nations said on Tuesday. Briefing reporters in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described the situation as still “dire” […]

Commission opens proceedings to assist Google in complying with interoperability and online search data sharing obligations under the Digital Markets Act

Today, the European Commission has started two sets of specification proceedings to assist Google in complying with its obligations under the Digital Markets Act (‘DMA'). The specification proceedings formalise the Commission's regulatory dialogue with Google on certain areas of its compliance with two DMA obligations. The first set of proceedings concerns Google's obligation under Article 6(7) of the DMA to provide third-party developers with free and effective interoperability with hardware and software features controlled by Google's Android operating system. Today's proceedings focus on features used by Google's own Artificial Intelligence (‘AI') services, such as Gemini. The Commission intends to specify how Google should grant third-party AI service providers equally effective access to the same features as those available to Google's own services. The aim is to ensure that third-party providers have an equal opportunity to innovate and compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape on smart mobile devices. The second set of proceedings concerns Google's obligation under Article 6(11) of the DMA to grant third-party providers of online search engines access to anonymised ranking, query, click and view data held by Google Search on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (‘FRAND') terms. These proceedings focus on the scope of data, the anonymisation method, the conditions of access, and the eligibility of AI chatbot providers to access the data. Effective compliance and access to a useful dataset will allow third-party providers of online search engines to optimise their services and offer users genuine alternatives to Google Search. Next steps The Commission will conclude the proceedings within six months of their opening. Within the upcoming three months the Commission will communicate its preliminary findings to Google setting out the draft measures it intends to impose on Google to effectively comply with the DMA. Non-confidential summaries of preliminary findings and the envisaged measures will be published to enable third parties to provide comments. These proceedings, which by their nature do not take a position on compliance with the DMA, are without prejudice to the powers of the Commission to adopt a decision finding non-compliance with any of the obligations laid down in the DMA by a gatekeeper, including the possibility to impose fines or periodic penalty payments. Background The DMA aims to ensure contestable and fair markets in the digital sector. It regulates gatekeepers, which are large digital platforms that provide an important gateway between business users and consumers, whose position can grant them the power to create a bottleneck in the digital economy. On 6 September 2023, the European Commission designated Google Inc.'s Google Search, Google Play, Google Maps, YouTube, Google Android operating system, Google Chrome, Google Shopping and its online advertising services as core platform services. Google has had to fully comply with all applicable DMA obligations in respect of the designated services since 7 March 2024. The Commission has published an annual report on the implementation of the DMA and the progress made towards achieving its objectives.This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission has started two sets of specification proceedings to assist Google in complying with its obligations under the Digital Markets Act (‘DMA’). The specification proceedings formalise the Commission’s regulatory dialogue with Google on certain areas of its compliance with two DMA […]

Commission announces €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for 2026

Commission announces €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for 2026This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has announced its initial €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for 2026, at a time when 239 million people need assistance and major donors are cutting funding. Commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management, Hadja Lahbib, brings this commitment to Davos today, seeking to mobilise private […]

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 […]

The Next Pandemic Could Start in a  Factory, Not a Wet Market 

Dr Syed Faseeh Hassan, MD, Vice President of PIMSA Internal Affairs. Contact: faseehshah14@gmail.com | Dr Ahmed Bilal, MD, Vice President, PIMSA-GHWD. Contact ahmeddrsyed@gmail.com .This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Dr Syed Faseeh Hassan, MD, Vice President of PIMSA Internal Affairs and Dr Ahmed Bilal, MD, Vice President, PIMSA-GHWD– Pakistan International Medical Students  Association. The opinions expressed within reflect only the writers’ views and not necessarily The European Sting’s position on the issue. Dr Syed Faseeh Hassan, […]

Yemen: Children are dying and it’s going to get worse, warns aid veteran

© IOM Yemen An emergency shelter for displaced families in a remote desert site in Marib, Yemen, set up the the UN migration agency, IOM.This article is published in association with United Nations. In Yemen, renewed political instability and economic woes linked to the war threaten to complicate the already difficult task of helping vulnerable people suffering from deepening hunger, illness and displacement, the UN’s top aid official there said on Monday.  “The simple narrative is, children are dying and […]

World News in Brief: Gaza education update, the General Assembly at 80, Venezuela’s humanitarian needs

© UNOCHA Children play under the supervision of a counselor in Jabalya, North Gaza.This article is published in association with United Nations. More children in war-ravaged Gaza are now back in the classroom, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) said on Friday.  Ten additional temporary learning sites in Gaza Governorate have been renovated so far this month, and more than 440 spaces are operational overall, serving roughly 270,000 pupils supported by more than 6,300 teachers.   The […]

Gaza: A ceasefire that still kills children is not enough, says UNICEF

© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour Children receiving a hot meal at a UN World Food Programme-supported kitchen in Khan Younis, Gaza.This article is published in association with United Nations. Airstrikes, drone attacks and hypothermia continue in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with more than 100 youngsters killed since early October, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday. “That’s roughly a girl or a boy killed here every day during a ceasefire,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told […]

Global employment stable but decent jobs in short supply

© UNICEF/Fouad Choufany A young unemployed man receives job training in Lebanon.This article is published in association with United Nations. Global unemployment remains stable, but progress toward decent work has stalled, according to a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO), which warns that young people continue to struggle in a job market which risks being further undermined by AI and trade policy uncertainty. According to […]

‘Beyond GDP’ economists push for clearer metrics on wellbeing, sustainability

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Top finance experts are meeting at UN Geneva this week to push for a radical shake up in the way economic growth is gauged, in response to concerns that GDP measurements provide little insight about progress on key sustainability targets that are vital to our survival. Backed […]

UN’s ‘responsibility to deliver’ will not waver, after US announces withdrawal from dozens of international organizations

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed regret over the decision by the United States to withdraw from a number of UN entities, while underscoring that the system will continue to deliver on all its mandates. “As we have consistently underscored, assessed contributions to the United Nations regular budget […]

Syria: Aleppo fighting leaves civilians dead, displaces thousands

© UNICEF/Baker Kasem Children at a settlement for internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Idlib and Aleppo governorates in Syria. (file photo)This article is published in association with United Nations. At least five civilians have been killed and some 30,000 people displaced following renewed fighting in Aleppo, Syria, prompting calls from the UN for immediate de-escalation and a return to political talks. Clashes resumed on Tuesday between General Security Forces of the transition Government and the mainly […]

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 […]

The Human Face of Resistance: When Antibiotics Fail, Communities Speak

Sadia Khalid is a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technology. She is driven by a commitment to advance public health and scientific understanding. With research interests spanning molecular medicine, infectious diseases, bacteriology, hepatology, and gastroenterology, she aims to contribute meaningful, evidence-based insights that support health, safety, and community awareness.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 […]

EBRD supports private sector in Ukraine with loan to OTP Leasing

Commission supports the EU's eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus and UkraineThis article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is extending a local currency senior loan of up to €20 million to Ukraine’s OTP Leasing to support businesses affected by Russia’s invasion of the country. The financing will help to strengthen the competitiveness, resilience and inclusiveness of […]

One Health, One Fight: Tackling Antibiotic Resistance Across Humans, Animals, and the Environment

Sadia Khalid is a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technology. She is driven by a commitment to advance public health and scientific understanding. With research interests spanning molecular medicine, infectious diseases, bacteriology, hepatology, and gastroenterology, she aims to contribute meaningful, evidence-based insights that support health, safety, and community awareness.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 […]

Robust Security Guarantees for a Solid and Lasting Peace in Ukraine – Statement of the Coalition of the Willing

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 members of the Coalition of the Willing, Ukraine and the United States have convened today in Paris. We all stressed our commitment to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the United Nations Charter principles, and welcomed the progress achieved, […]
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