This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. Renewable energy projects developed by independent power producers in South Africa received a € 400 million (ZAR 7.9 billion) boost with today’s announcement of a joint initiative between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and FirstRand Bank Ltd. A € 200 million (ZAR 3.9 billion) loan from the EIB will […]South Africa: EIB and FirstRand Bank boost renewable energy investments with € 400 million/ZAR 7.9 billion initiative
September 13, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. Renewable energy projects developed by independent power producers in South Africa received a € 400 million (ZAR 7.9 billion) boost with today’s announcement of a joint initiative between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and FirstRand Bank Ltd. A € 200 million (ZAR 3.9 billion) loan from the EIB will […]EBRD helps Ukraine’s banks to unlock €690 million of new lending
September 12, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing new guarantees to Ukraine’s banking sector and unlocking €690 million of new financing to critical industries in wartime Ukraine. The Bank is extending unfunded portfolio risk-sharing facilities to PrivatBank, Ukrgasbank, KredoBank and Bank Lviv, under which the […]Remarks by Executive Vice-President Vestager following the Court of Justice rulings on the Apple tax State aid and Google Shopping antitrust cases
September 11, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. “Check against delivery” Today is a big win for European citizens and for tax justice. The Court of Justice confirms the decision from 2016 by the European Commission: Ireland granted Apple unlawful aid which Ireland now has to recover. And this judgement is final. […]EU and Armenia Launch Visa Liberalisation Dialogue
September 10, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, in Yerevan, the European Commission and the Republic of Armenia announced the start of a visa liberalisation dialogue. This process aims to support Armenia in achieving a visa-free regime for short-stays with the EU, provided that the relevant conditions for well-managed mobility and […]World News in Brief: Aid trucks on Ukraine frontline, Africa schools close due to insecurity, Georgia rights defenders
September 9, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. UN humanitarians continue to reach beleaguered communities stranded on the frontline in Ukraine. An inter-agency convoy delivered three trucks of aid to a community in the Kherson region on Wednesday – the ninth this year that has managed to get through. There are still nearly 2,000 people […]EIB advocates for more investment and green financing at Poland’s leading economic conference
September 9, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. European Investment Bank delegation led by Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska participated in the Economic Forum, Poland’s leading economic conference that took place in the south-western town of Karpacz on Sept.3-5. For the second year running, the EIB contributed to a respected economic report authored by Poland’s top […]Ukraine: Top official underscores need to protect civilians amid ‘massive’ attacks
September 6, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The United Nations upheld the need to protect civilians in Ukraine as Russian attacks continue across the country, with at least seven people killed in Lviv on Wednesday, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen intensifying attacks affecting civilians and […]Catastrophic hunger doubles in 2024; Gaza and Sudan worst hit
September 6, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The number of people experiencing catastrophic hunger has surged more than twofold in 2024, due largely to the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Sudan, according to new figures released by the UN on Thursday. The updated Global Report on Food Crises reveals that nearly two million people are now […]Gaza: UN humanitarians ahead of polio vaccination target
September 4, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that 161,030 children under 10 have been vaccinated in central Gaza during the first two days of the UN-led mass vaccination campaign, surpassing the initial target of 156,000. The figure amounts to around a quarter of the total population […]UN reports ‘lethal tactics’ by Israeli forces in West Bank
September 4, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Israeli forces continue to employ “lethal war-like tactics” in the West Bank, including airstrikes, with people being killed, injured and displaced, the UN Spokesperson said on Tuesday. Stéphane Dujarric informed journalists at the regular press briefing in New York that operations have resumed in […]World News in Brief: Ukraine alert over new attacks, more Nicaragua NGO closures, disinformation in DRC
August 22, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN’s top humanitarian official in Ukraine on Tuesday condemned “yet another attack” carried out by Russian forces in the eastern Donetsk region. UN Resident Coordinator Matthias Schmale said that the attack damaged a transit centre in Pokrovsk town “where people already fleeing for safety had sought […]UN migration agency issues $18.5 million appeal to prepare for mpox ‘surge’
August 22, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The spread of mpox across the Horn, eastern and southern Africa has increased the risk of infection for migrants who need “crucial” healthcare and other support ahead of an “anticipated surge” in cases, the UN migration agency (IOM) said on Wednesday, in an appeal for $18.5 million to […]UN and partners report acute malnutrition surge in Government-controlled areas of Yemen
August 19, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Acute malnutrition is escalating among children in Government-controlled areas in Yemen, UN agencies and partners said in a report published on Sunday. The sharp increase is being driven by diseases, including cholera and malaria, high food insecurity, and limited access to safe drinking water and other essential […]Security Council: Political affairs chief underlines ‘desperate need’ for Gaza ceasefire
August 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. As civilian suffering intensifies in war-ravaged Gaza, senior UN officials on Tuesday called once more for an immediate ceasefire and conditions which would allow full humanitarian access, following Saturday’s deadly Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter. More than 100 people were reportedly killed in the attack on the […]EBRD lends €70 million to Ukraine postal operator
August 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is lending €70 million to Nova Post, a leading private postal and courier operator in Ukraine, to finance its investment programme for 2024. “The loan will support the company’s long-term growth strategy, which envisages a transformation of its […]UN chief expresses deep concern over Israel strikes on Yemen, and risk of regional escalation
July 22, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has responded to Israel’s airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, which reportedly killed at least six people and injured more than 80, by calling for all parties involved in the conflict to “exercise utmost restraint”. In statement, Mr. Guterres noted that […]China, a fully fledged modern socialist country by 2050?
July 19, 2024 by Leave a Comment
On the third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China which took place on July 18 the main result that drew the world’s attention was that China aims to become a fully modernized socialist country and economy by the middle of this century. Ambitious? Reviewing the significant miracles that […]Commission endorses positive preliminary assessment of the Netherlands’ first payment request for €1.3 billion under the Recovery and Resilience Facility
July 16, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission has endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of the Netherlands’ first payment request for €1.3 billion under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. Following its assessment of the payment request submitted on 24 May 2024, the Commission has preliminarily concluded that […]Gaza is a ‘maelstrom of human misery’
July 3, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. With their homes shattered and lives upended by war, civilians in Gaza are clinging to their dignity under the most inhumane conditions, Sigrid Kaag, the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator, said on Tuesday. Public services have collapsed and over 1.9 million have now been displaced, she […]New WHO guidelines to help millions quit tobacco
July 3, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday released the first-ever guidelines for those seeking to quit tobacco use, recommending a range of initiatives, treatments and digital interventions. These recommendations are expected to benefit over 750 million adults who want to quit all forms of tobacco including […]World News in Brief: UN responds to Bangladesh floods, sports and human rights, polio vaccination in Angola
July 2, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN emergency food relief agency is providing vital assistance to communities affected by the severe flooding in northeast Bangladesh, the agency said on Monday. About 1.4 million people are estimated to have been left in dire straits, as heavy rains lashed Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, as […]Greener food, fuel and chemical production in Europe boosted by EIB, European Commission and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst support for groundbreaking energy- storage project
June 27, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. More climate-friendly production of foods, clean fuels and chemicals in Europe is receiving a boost from the EU-Catalyst partnership, a joint initiative by the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Commission and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst. Energy equipment manufacturer Rondo Energy is receiving €75 million through grants […]Record levels of displacement amid global conflict and natural disasters
June 24, 2024 by 1 Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. There are twice as many internally displaced people today as there were ten years ago – the largest numbers ever recorded, said Special Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement Robert Piper, on Friday. Mr. Piper said that the current global figure of 76 million represented those who have […]One Chinese Family Across Two Sides of the Taiwan Strait
June 17, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article was written for The Sting by guest writer Wen Ying, a Beijing-based commentator observer of international affairs. The opinions expressed belong to the writer. Two weeks after the People’s Republic of China declared its founding, 13-year-old Gao Binghan found himself on a ship leaving China’s mainland and heading across the sea. Gao was […]The energy transition could shift the global power centre. This expert explains why
June 4, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Liam Coleman, Senior Writer, Forum Agenda The clean energy transition “is going to be one of the greatest economic opportunities since the Industrial Revolution”, according to global energy policy expert Jason Bordoff. In 2022, investments in renewables reached […]How we can deliver a better tomorrow through generative biology
May 29, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Robert Speight, Director, CSIRO Advanced Engineering Biology Future Science Platform, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Brynne Stanton, Lead, Bioeconomy, World Economic Forum Genetic biotechnologies have revolutionized society and have been delivering groundbreaking innovations for over 40 […]How Japan is harnessing blue carbon as a pathway to net zero
May 24, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Naoko Tochibayashi, Communications Lead, Japan, World Economic Forum In April, over 100 volunteers gathered in the bay area of Yokohama, the second-largest city in Japan after Tokyo, to plant eelgrass on the seabed, following Japan’s aim to achieve carbon neutrality by […]The Commission decides to refer GREECE to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to correctly transpose EU rules on proportionality of professional regulations
May 24, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission decided to refer Greece to the Court of Justice of the European Union for its failure to ensure the correct transposition of the Proportionality Test Directive (Directive (EU) 2018/958) into national legislation. This Directive governs the proportionality assessment of new […]What can employers do to combat STEM talent shortages?
May 23, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Timo Lehne, Chief Executive Officer, SThree PLC A global shortage of workers with science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM) skills raises important questions: And most importantly for hiring employers: how will individual companies meet their STEM talent needs? […]Carbon removals: MEPs adopt a new EU certification scheme
April 11, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The law will set up an EU certification framework for carbon removals to boost their uptake and help achieve EU climate neutrality by 2050. Parliament on Wednesday adopted the provisional political agreement with EU countries on a new voluntary certification framework for carbon removals, […]Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine meets in Kyiv, confirms unwavering support to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction
April 10, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Steering Committee Members and Participants of the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine met for the first time in Kyiv, showcasing unwavering support for Ukraine and to continue efforts to help Ukraine meet its immediate and long-term financing needs. This ninth meeting, brought together […]Space is booming. Here’s how to embrace the $1.8 trillion opportunity
April 9, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Nikolai Khlystov, Lead, Space Technology, C4IR Physical Technologies, World Economic Forum, Gayle Markovitz, Acting Head, Written and Audio Content, World Economic Forum Space is approaching a new frontier. The space economy is expected to be worth $1.8 trillion […]Unlocking hydrogen innovation: Paving the way for a sustainable future
April 3, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Ben Queisser, Head of Technology & Innovation, ENOWA Low-carbon hydrogen is more than a mere technological advancement; it signifies a profound paradigm shift in how we perceive and utilize energy. Once overshadowed by traditional fuels, low-carbon hydrogen is […]
