Cyprus Presidency debriefs European Parliament committees on priorities 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Ministers are holding a series of meetings in parliamentary committees to present the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council. Cyprus holds the presidency of the Council until the end of June 2026. This text will be updated regularly as the hearings take […]

Ukraine: $588 million recovery cost over the next 10 years

Ukraine: $588 million recovery cost over the next 10 yearswith United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine will cost almost $588 million over the next decade, or nearly three times the estimated GDP in 2025, as housing, energy and other critical sectors continue to come under fire from Russian forces.  The finding comes in the updated joint Rapid Damage and […]

Applications for New European Bauhaus Prizes and Boost 2026 are open

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 is opening applications for several awards celebrating innovation and creativity inspired by the New European Bauhaus (NEB):  The sixth edition of the New European Bauhaus Prizes and the second edition of the NEB Boost for Small Municipalities invite trailblazers from across Europe and beyond […]

Fears of ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank: UN rights report

Fears of ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank: UN rights reportThis article is published in association with United Nations. Increased Israeli attacks and the forced transfer of Palestinians have sparked concern over ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said in a report issued on Thursday.  The report covers the period from 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025 and is […]

Guterres deplores Israel’s move to resume land registration in the West Bank

© UNOCHA Children stand on a home demolished in Beit Sira, a Palestinian village in the central West Bank. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned Israel’s decision to resume land registration procedures in a large part of the occupied West Bank, his Spokesman said on Monday.  The development follows an Israeli cabinet decision from May 2025 and applies to Area C of the West Bank, which […]

Apply AI Strategy: Building trustworthy AI can be Europe’s competitive advantage

Apply AI Strategy: Building trustworthy AI can be Europe's competitive advantageThis article is brought to you in association with the European Economic and Social Committee. EESC called for swift, concrete action to accelerate AI deployment across the EU, especially for SMEs and scale-ups. In a global AI race driven by speed and scale, Europe must position reliability and trustworthiness as its defining strengths. At its January […]

53 migrants die in latest shipwreck tragedy off Libya coast

© SOS Méditerranée/Flavio Gasperini More than 1,300 people were reported dead or missing after embarking on the Central Mediterranean sea route to Europe last year, according to UN migration agency (IOM) data. The photo shows migrants and refugees being rescued in the Mediterranean after drifting in an overcrowded wooden boat (file).This article is published in association with United Nations. Fifty-three migrants including two babies are dead or missing after a large rubber dinghy capsized off the coast of Libya, the UN migration agency said on Monday. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the boat overturned in the perishingly cold waters of the central Mediterranean […]

Nuclear disarmament at breaking point as mistrust grows – but hope remains

Nuclear disarmament at breaking point as mistrust grows – but hope remainsThis article is published in association with United Nations. The global system governing nuclear disarmament is facing its most serious crisis in decades, driven by growing mistrust among major powers and the steady erosion of arms control agreements, a senior disarmament expert has warned. Yet even as the architecture weakens, signs of progress – including nuclear-weapon-free […]

Ukraine war keeps nuclear safety on a knife-edge, UN watchdog warns

© State Specialized Enterprise IAEA inspectors help ensure safety at Ukrainian nuclear power plants. .This article is published in association with United Nations. Attacks on Ukraine’s power system highlight how the ongoing war threatens the safety of the country’s nuclear facilities, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned on Friday.  Russian forces have been carrying out strikes on critical infrastructure amid freezing winter temperatures as their full-scale invasion approaches the […]

EIB stands ready to frontload future revenues from emissions trading and provide financing to Member States to fast-track investments that cut energy bills for households and small businesses

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank (EIB) approved a €3 billion financing initiative to fast-track energy efficiency upgrades for low and middle-income households and small businesses across Europe in parallel to the deployment of the new Emissions Trading System for buildings and road […]

€1,6 billion in EIB Group financing backed Finland’s green transition and innovation in 2025

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. In 2025, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), which together form the EIB Group, provided financing to Finnish public sector bodies and companies across a range of sectors, from sustainable transport and social infrastructure to advanced technologies and small business finance. […]

EIB Group invested €822 million in the Western Balkan countries in 2025

EIB Group invested €822 million in the Western Balkan countries in 2025This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank Group continued to play a key role in advancing the Western Balkans’ market integration, connectivity and green transition. In 2025, the EIB Group committed €822 million to support sustainable connectivity and climate action, in line with the region’s EU accession efforts. Of this […]

Greece gets record-high EIB Group financing of €3.5 billion in 2025 with focus on climate action, water networks, business growth and raw materials

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) Group’s new financing in Greece rose to a record €3.5 billion (including European resources) in 2025 on the back of stepped-up support for climate action, water networks and business growth in the country. The 59% year-on-year increase also expanded student housing […]

‘Deepfake abuse is abuse,’ UNICEF warns

‘Deepfake abuse is abuse,’ UNICEF warnsThis article is published in association with United Nations. New evidence reveals a proliferation of sexualised images of youngsters generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and a dearth of laws to stop it, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Wednesday. “The harm from deepfake abuse is real and urgent,” the UN agency said in a statement. “Children […]

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 […]

Violence roiling Nigeria extends beyond religious lines, amid a deepening humanitarian crisis

© UNICEF Niger/Islamane Abdou Aid is distributed to displaced families who fled violence in Nigeria and have settled in Niger.This article is published in association with United Nations. When the United States ordered airstrikes on Christmas Day against Islamist militants in northern Nigeria, officials in Washington said the action was aimed at protecting Christians facing threats of violence.  The strikes thrust Nigeria’s long-running sectarian bloodshed into the global spotlight – and revived claims that a […]

Connecting Europe Facility – EESC calls for strong increase in funding for energy and transport

This article is brought to you in association with the European Economic and Social Committee.This article is brought to you in association with the European Economic and Social Committee. According to an opinion adopted at the January plenary, the EU key funding instrument should be reinforced with EUR 20 billion to make the implementation of cross-border investments in energy and transport a reality. This is essential to urgently strengthen the […]

Myanmar crisis deepens five years after coup, as military ballot entrenches repression

Unsplash/Alexander Schimmeck A street in downtown Yangon, Myanmar. (file photo)This article is published in association with United Nations. Five years after Myanmar’s military seized power and jailed the country’s elected leaders, the United Nations says the country’s crisis has only deepened, marked by escalating violence, mass displacement and a military-controlled election that UN officials warn has further entrenched repression rather than restored civilian rule. The […]

€2 billion in EIB Group financing backed Sweden’s green transition and innovation in 2025

The City of Stockholm, Stockholm Exergi, the Port of Gothenburg, Sandvik, PulPac and ECAPS were among the actors in Sweden granted EU financing in 2025 through the EIB Group Total financing amounted to around SEK 21.8 billion (€2.06 billion), with 56% supporting the green transition Investments focused on climate action, sustainable transport, innovation and competitiveness across the Swedish economy In 2025, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), which together form the EIB Group, provided financing to Swedish municipalities and companies across a wide range of sectors, from large-scale climate infrastructure to innovative growth companies. The funding supported renewable energy, carbon capture, sustainable transport, industrial innovation and access to growth capital for startups and small and medium-sized enterprises. The total financing amounted to around SEK 21.8 billion (€2.06 billion) and the support helped mobilise total investments in Sweden of about €7.6 billion – equivalent to 1.3% of GDP or €711 per person. Among the year’s key projects was financing for Stockholm Exergi, supporting the development of a large-scale bioenergy carbon capture and storage plant connected to Stockholm’s district heating system. The EIB also supported a major expansion of the Stockholm metro system, increasing capacity and improving sustainable urban mobility, as well as investments in the Port of Gothenburg, Sweden’s largest port, to strengthen logistics capacity and reduce emissions from maritime transport. Support for Swedish industry and innovation included financing for companies such as engineering group Sandvik and health and hygiene company Essity, backing research and development activities, and venture debt loans to high-growth technology firms. This included ECAPS in Stockholm, a Swedish space and defence technology company developing advanced propulsion systems for satellites and spacecraft, and PulPac in Gothenburg, which is scaling dry moulded fibre technology as a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics. “The EIB Group’s strong engagement in Sweden reflects the country’s leadership in climate action and innovation,” said Karl Nehammer, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank. “By supporting projects ranging from carbon capture and sustainable transport to cutting-edge industrial and space technologies, we help strengthen Europe’s competitiveness while delivering tangible benefits for citizens.” The European Investment Fund, which focuses on equity investments and guarantees for smaller businesses, mobilised an estimated SEK 3.37 billion (€319 million) in investments for Swedish companies in 2025. This support expanded access to growth capital for startups and scaleups through investments in venture capital and growth equity funds, as well as guarantees for lending to small and medium-sized enterprises. Please note: The figures provided in this press release are approximate and subject to exchange rates. For more information: EIB Group activity in Sweden 2025. Background information The EIB Group The European Investment Bank (ElB) Group is the long-term financing institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion of new financing for over 870 high-impact projects in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world. All projects financed by the EIB Group are aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement. High-quality, up-to-date photos of the organisation’s headquarters for media use are available here.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. In 2025, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), which together form the EIB Group, provided financing to Swedish municipalities and companies across a wide range of sectors, from large-scale climate infrastructure to innovative growth companies. The funding supported renewable energy, carbon […]

Commission decides to refer Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union over failure to close and rehabilitate landfills 

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 Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with its obligations on the landfill of waste under the Treaty of Accession for Romania and the Landfill Directive (Directive 1999/31/EC as amended by Directive (EU) 2018/850). […]

Commission presents a five-year strategy on migration

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 Commission is presenting the first European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy.Itsets out the EU’s political objectives on asylum and migration and will serve as a compass with concrete priorities for the next five years. The EU has opened a new chapter on […]

Breaking Barriers: Why Inclusive Healthcare for Disabled Patients Can No Longer Wait

Aytac Mammadova is a third-year Public Health student at Azerbaijan Medical UniversityThis 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 […]

Medical Supply Chains Failed During COVID: Have We Fixed Them?

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Syed Talha Hussain Tirmzi MS-5 Amna Inayat Medical College Pakistan 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.This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by 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. In the spring of 2020, hospitals across Europe confronted a reality few policymakers had imagined possible. […]

EU invests €650 million in cross-border energy infrastructure

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 will allocate nearly €650 million in grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) to help finance 14 cross-border energy infrastructure projects. These projects will play a vital role in strengthening the EU’s energy security, increasing the integration of renewable energy and, […]

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 […]

EIB invests €50 million in Amber Dragon, the first-ever infrastructure equity fund for Ukraine’s recovery

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. On the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €50 million commitment to Amber Dragon Ukraine Infrastructure Fund I (ADUIF), the first-ever specialised infrastructure equity fund investing in Ukraine. The fund is designed to help mobilise private […]

Commission approves second wave of SAFE defence funding for eight Member States

Europeans perceive growing threat to their security and trust EU to do more in this field, according to latest EurobarometerThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Following, the approval of the first wave of defence funding, the European Commission has cleared a second group of national defence plans under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative, marking another major step in making the Union safer. The Commission submitted a proposal to the […]

EU deploys emergency generators as Russian strikes left one million Ukrainians without power in -20°C

Ukraine’s women at breaking point after four years of war as attacks on energy, healthcare continue – UN humanitariansThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Over one million Ukrainians are without electricity, water and heating in freezing temperatures following relentless Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. The European Commission is today deploying 447 emergency generators worth €3.7 million from EU strategic reserves to restore power to hospitals, shelters and critical […]

Inclusive Healthcare in Europe: A Call to Action from Medical Students

Cecilia Petio is a medical student at Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaThis article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Cecilia Petio, a medical student at Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna. 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 […]

Cold and dark: UN rights chief condemns Russian strikes on Ukraine’s power grid

© UNDP Ukraine/Oleksandr Ratush Workers repair damaged power infrastructure in Ukraine. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have cut heat, electricity and water to hundreds of thousands of civilians in freezing winter conditions, prompting the UN human rights chief to denounce the strikes as “cruel” and a clear violation of international law. Volker Türk said he was outraged by renewed […]

Commission approves €200 million German State aid for Canadian-produced renewable hydrogen and its derivatives for EU market

Commission approves €200 million German State aid for Canadian-produced renewable hydrogen and its derivatives for EU marketThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €200 million German scheme to support the production in Canada of renewable hydrogen and its derivatives, known as renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs). These RFNBOs will be imported to Germany and sold […]

In Haiti’s storm-hit south, food vouchers restore choice and dignity for families

© WFP/Sylvain Barral Families in southeastern Haiti receives food assistance through a voucher system at a local store.This article is published in association with United Nations. Standing outside a colourfully painted building in southeastern Haiti, at the entrance to a bustling shop called Gods Will Depot where bags of food are stacked to the ceiling, Ketia surveys the large pile of groceries she has selected for her family: a big sack of flour, […]
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