This article is published in association with United Nations. A UN independent human rights expert on Tuesday called for an end to Russia’s severe crackdown on the legal profession, condemning the prison sentences handed down to three lawyers last week who defended the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on the situation of […]UN rights expert calls for end to Russia’s crackdown on lawyers
January 22, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. A UN independent human rights expert on Tuesday called for an end to Russia’s severe crackdown on the legal profession, condemning the prison sentences handed down to three lawyers last week who defended the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on the situation of […]Ceasefire in Gaza brings hope, but West Bank faces escalating violence
January 22, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The crisis in Gaza continues to remain acute, with UN humanitarians reporting critical shortages of water, food and efforts to deliver vital aid to the war-torn region. Meanwhile, escalating violence in the West Bank has further deepened concerns over civilian safety and access to assistance. The ceasefire […]EBRD provides €5 million financing package to Union Bank in Albania
January 20, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting small businesses in Albania in partnership with Union Bank, the European Union (EU) and other donors. The Bank is lending €5 million to enhance the digitalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and improve access to […]As One Cycle Ends, Another Begins Amid Growing Divergence
January 20, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas We project global growth will remain steady at 3.3 percent this year and next, broadly aligned with potential growth that has substantially weakened since before the pandemic. Inflation is declining, to 4.2 percent this year and 3.5 percent next year, in a return to central bank […]UN Commission notes renewed sense of optimism in Syria during first-ever visit
January 13, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. A team from the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria concluded a first visit to the country on Thursday, taking crucial steps to promote dialogue and engagement with the new caretaker government. Commissioner Hanny Megally led the team, which met with officials, including in the Ministries of […]Syria has real opportunity to ‘move from the darkness to the light’
January 13, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Syrians have high expectations for their country, and a strong desire for people from across the social spectrum to come together and forge a new constitution, which must begin with an inclusive “national dialogue”. That’s according to Najat Rochdi, the UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, who […]EBRD marks record year with €16.6 billion invested in 2024
January 10, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) delivered a record €16.6 billion in investments across its economies in 2024, a 26 per cent increase over the previous year. Total mobilisation – the overall amount of investment the Bank unlocked from all sources in 2024 – […]Has New Public Financial Management had its Day?
January 7, 2025 by 1 Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Julie Cooper, Tim Youngberry New Public Financial Management (NPFM) emerged in the 1980s as a transformative approach to public sector governance, aimed at enhancing efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness. Rooted in principles drawn from private sector management, NPFM promotes results-oriented practices such as performance-based budgeting, measurable outcomes, and decentralized […]EBRD and EU provide €3 million loan to NLB Banka AD Podgorica as part of SME Go Green programme
December 16, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in partnership with the European Union (EU),is providing a loan of up to €3 million to NLB Banka AD Podgorica to contribute to the development of Montenegro’s SME sector – mainly for financing small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”) . […]Seven consortia selected to establish AI factories which will boost AI innovation in the EU
December 11, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC) has selected seven proposals to establish and operate the first AI Factories across Europe. This is a major milestone for Europe in building a thriving ecosystem to train advanced AI models and develop AI solutions. The […]EBRD loan to AKLease supports green financing
December 5, 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 a €50 million loan to Türkiye’s AKLease, a longstanding partner in the country, for on-lending to sub-borrowers implementing green investments such as energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate resilience measures. With this loan, AKLease (a fully […]Commission takes action to ensure complete and timely transposition of EU directives
November 29, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission is adopting a package of infringement decisions due to the absence of communication by Member States of measures taken to transpose EU directives into national law. The Commission is sending a letter of formal notice to those Member States who have failed […]Protecting healthcare workers in the frontlines of war: how to ensure their safety
November 29, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Katerina Patrikou, a medical student at 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 […]EBRD backs sustainability-linked bond issued by Romania’s mobility firm Autonom
November 25, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is investing €9 million in a €30 million sustainability-linked bond issued by Autonom, a Romanian car leasing and rental company. This strengthens Autonom’s commitment to continue the sustainability pathway set in 2021 when the company issued its landmark first sustainability-linked […]COP29: Circular economy investments deliver social, economic and environmental benefits
November 21, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) presented their first joint report on the circular economy: “The circular economy in motion”. The report presents 20 detailed case studies from around the world and a variety of areas ranging […]Haiti: Over 20,000 flee as gang violence spurs mass displacement
November 19, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Over 20,000 people have fled their homes across Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince in just four days amid escalating gang violence, with more than 17,000 seeking shelter in 15 displacement sites as critical supply chains collapse. Haiti has faced instability since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The current […]Finland: Hospital in Helsinki gets €100 million EIB loan
November 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €100 million for the development in Finland of the Laakso hospital complex in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The loan to the Laakso Joint Hospital project marks the initial installment of up to €480 million in EIB financing that has […]Commission paves the way for release of the second regular payment to Ukraine of close to €4.1 billion under the Ukraine Facility
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission has given a positive assessment for the second regular payment of close to €4.1 billion under the EU’s Ukraine Facility, to support Ukraine’s macro-financial stability and the functioning of its public administration. Once adopted by the Council, this decision will bring […]Poland: EIB extends over €200 million to ORLEN Group to advance energy transition
November 13, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and ORLEN Group, Poland’s largest energy company, signed a PLN 900 million loan agreement for projects supporting energy transition. The funds will be used to invest in strengthening and expanding the power grid of Energa, a distribution system operator majority owned by ORLEN. […]Expanding Clean Cooking in East Africa to strengthen communities, cut pollution and save lives: US $15 million financing from European Investment Bank for Kenya-based BURN
October 24, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. Today BURN, the world’s leading clean cooking appliance manufacturer, distributor, and carbon project developer, and the European Investment Bank signed an agreement to invest $15 million from the EIB to fund the distribution of BURN’s ECOA Electric Induction cooker to households across the East African region. […]Commission fines České dráhy and Österreichische Bundesbahnen €48.7 million over collusion to exclude common competitor
October 24, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has fined České dráhy (‘ČD‘) and Österreichische Bundesbahnen (‘ÖBB‘), the Czech and Austrian rail incumbents, a total of €48.7 million for breaching EU antitrust rules. ČD and ÖBB colluded to prevent a new entrant, RegioJet, from accessing used wagons, thus restricting […]We owe it to future generations to shape a safer tomorrow, UN chief says on International Day
October 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Secretary-General has stressed the vital role of education in protecting children and empowering them to build a disaster-resilient future. In a message marking Sunday’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, António Guterres highlighted the severe impact of disasters on children. “When disasters strike, they unleash […]Parliament says Georgia’s democracy is at risk
October 10, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. In a resolution adopted on Wednesday, MEPs say current democratic backsliding in Georgia effectively puts the country’s integration with the EU on hold. Despite Georgia being granted EU candidate status in December 2023, Parliament’s resolution highlights how the ruling Georgian Dream party has pushed […]First HERA Invest agreement signed to support research and development in cross-border health threats
October 7, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission, through its Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and the European Investment Bank, have signed an agreement worth €20 million with the French biopharmaceutical company Fabentech. This will support the company’s development and deployment of its broad-spectrum therapeutics to combat […]Where do I go now, ask Gazans uprooted by new Israeli evacuation orders
July 23, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Gazans uprooted by the Israeli military’s latest evacuation orders have fled their shelters and homes “running for their lives”, with barely any belongings and little idea where they will end up, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday. In Khan Younis, the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) reported […]Emerging Markets Show Resilience Despite Global Monetary Tightening
July 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Unlike past episodes, emerging market capital flows have remained largely resilient in the face of global monetary tightening, even as global capital flows have fallen Cian Allen, Rudolfs Bems July 12, 2024 Interest rates in the United States are at 20-year highs and the dollar has appreciated sharply against […]European Commission issues €9 billion in its 7th syndicated transaction of 2024
July 10, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has today raised €9 billion of EU-Bonds in its 7th syndicated transaction for 2024. The dual-tranche transaction concerned a new €5 billion bond due on 5 October 2029, and a €4 billion tap of the EU-Bond maturing on 5 October 2054. […]Earth’s hottest June on record
July 9, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Last month was the hottest June since records began and the thirteenth month in a row to set a temperature record, according to new data released on Monday from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. “These latest figures from the Copernicus Climate Change Service unfortunately highlight that we will be exceeding […]How a pair of reading glasses could increase your income
May 8, 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: Emma Charlton, Senior Writer, Forum Agenda Reading glasses can change lives – and many of us have already experienced their power. Whether it’s being able to read, watch TV or drive a car, we can all think of […]3 social economy innovators that are driving change in Brazil
April 5, 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: Eliane Trindade, Senior Editor, Folha Social+, Folha de São Paulo In April 2023 the UN adopted its first resolution acknowledging the pivotal role of the social economy in advancing sustainable development. It recognizes the role of social entrepreneurship in alleviating poverty and creating […]A green transition is urgently needed. Here’s how we can fuel it
March 22, 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: Chavalit Frederick Tsao, Chairman, IMC Pan Asia Alliance The urgent need to address climate change and accelerate a green transition is imperative for our shared future, as indicated by the World Economic Forum’s New Nature Economy report, which stated approximately […]How capital market finance can boost European businesses
March 13, 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: Kalin Anev Janse, Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Management Board, European Stability Mechanism (ESM), Rolf Strauch, Chief Economist, Member of the Management Board, European Stability Mechanism As economic resilience and growth become crucial, the European Union (EU) recognizes […]New EU rules to defend critical voices from judicial intimidation
February 28, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs confirmed on Tuesday their determination to protect journalists, activists and academics and their organisations against abusive lawsuits aimed at silencing them. The European Parliament approved with 546 votes in favour, 47 against and 31 abstentions a new law, agreed with the Council on […]
