Spain: EIB Group and BBVA mobilise €1.3 billion in financing to support sustainable housing construction and small and medium businesses

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group), comprising the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), has participated in two BBVA securitisation transactions, investing a total of €714 million. The investment will enable BBVA to mobilise approximately €1.3 billion to finance the liquidity and investment […]

New influenza variant is surging, but vaccination still our best bet: WHO

© UNICEF/Andriy Vashkiv.Waiting for vaccination against influenza at a health centre in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district. This article is published in association with United Nations. Amid an early start to the Northern Hemisphere influenza season a new variant of the virus is rapidly gaining ground – but vaccination remains the “most effective defence”, the UN health agency […]

Corruption costs lives and livelihoods: Why this week’s UN summit in Doha matters

This article is published in association with United Nations. Last year, one in five people who dealt with a public official were asked to pay a bribe, according to a UN report. The world is doing something about it.  Heads of State, civil society and private sector leaders will be discussing the most pressing issues surrounding corruption and […]

World News in Brief: Türk condemns ‘abhorrent’ attack in Sydney, UNHCR chief calls for solidarity with refugees, Ukraine latest

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN human rights chief said on Monday the antisemitic attack on the Jewish community in Sydney which left fifteen dead at the weekend, including a 10-year-old girl, was “a moment of deep sadness.” Volker Türk said the “heinous” shootings targeting a Hannukah celebration on Bondi Beach […]

‘Africa’s biggest challenge is a mindset challenge’: UN Special Adviser

UN Photo/Manuel Elías Cristina Duarte, Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, brief reporters on the 2024 Africa Dialogue Series (6-30 May).

This article is published in association with United Nations. Africa does not have a million problems, it only has one – a mindset problem, says UN Special Adviser on Africa Cristina Duarte. The 2025 Academic Conference on Africa at UN Headquarters earlier this month, brought together leading African scholars, ministers, and activists to examine why many on the […]

Critical medicines: new measures to strengthen security of supply 

Critical medicines: EU measures to boost competitiveness and tackle shortages 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Monday evening, Parliament’s public health committee adopted its proposals to enhance the availability of key medicines in the EU. The draft bill, adopted with 27 votes in favour, one against and eight abstentions, aims to ensure a high level of public health protection […]

MEPs back new measures to strengthen Europe’s defence readiness 

Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Objective is to facilitate up to €800 billion in defence investment over four years EU-wide time limit for the issuing of permits for defence projects Easier procedures for intra-EU transfers and procurement Simplified eligibility procedures for the European Defence Fund and specific measures for testing projects and actions in Ukraine On Monday, MEPs from four committees approved new proposals to accelerate defence investment and improve the EU’s responsiveness in the face of security challenges. The set of legislative files, part of the so-called “Omnibus V” package of EU simplification measures, aims to speed up the approval of permits for defence projects and the export of defence equipment between EU countries, simplify security and defence procurement and EU cooperation on defence contracts, ensure that EU chemical regulations accommodate defence needs, and simplify the implementation of the European Defence Fund. These proposals also aim to facilitate up to €800 billion in defence investment over the next four years under the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, allowing member states and the industry to react more effectively in response to escalating security challenges. Acceleration of permit-granting for defence readiness projects Agreeing on the need to accelerate permit-granting procedures for defence projects, such as the construction of new industry plants or expansion of existing facilities, MEPs want an EU-wide default time limit for permit decisions to be set at 50 working days. They say, however, that member states must be able to grant extensions of up to 25 working days for large projects and by 50 working days if a project is of exceptional complexity, raises exceptional risks for health, safety or environment, or specific national security clearance is required. Such extensions will be communicated to the project promoter, accompanied by an explanation of their reasoning and an expected decision date. If national authorities do not follow up by the applicable deadlines, the principle of tacit approval should apply, MEPs argue. The report also calls on EU countries to establish single points of contact for defence project promoters, with the digital tracking of applications, annual reporting to the Commission on permit activity and SME support, and EU monitoring of tacit approvals to ensure transparency and consistent implementation. Intra-EU transfers of defence-related products and simplified procurement MEPs back the Commission's approach to simplify intra-EU transfers and procurement of defence-related products. To speed up intra-EU transfers of defence products, EU countries should introduce more exemptions to often complex transfer licensing schemes, in particular transfers concerning the same company, and use simpler licensing arrangements (so-called general transfer licenses) to support innovation and the emergence of disruptive technologies. MEPs also stress the importance of facilitating transfers of defence products needed to implement EU funded projects. Members support a proposal to use the simpler so-called negotiated procedure (direct talks with suppliers, often bypassing open tenders, for urgent needs) for certain common procurements and innovative products and services, e.g. replenishing depleted stocks more quickly. When it comes to this procedure, MEPs want the use of components originating outside EU, EEA EFTA countries, Ukraine and countries that are part of a security and defence partnership with the EU to be limited to 35% of the estimated cost of the final product They also favour changing the rules so that only larger contracts are subject to existing EU procurement rules, allowing countries to focus their resources on the most critical contracts, and of relaxing the rules so that a contracting authority from one EU member state can join the procurement process of another. Facilitating defence investments and conditions for defence industry In the text, MEPs agree with proposals to simplify the management and implementation of the European Defence Fund (EDF). The committees backed reducing reporting and documentation requirements to boost the participation of SMEs and mid-sized businesses in the fund. They also propose simplifying the list of actions which can be eligible for EU funding and clarify that projects and actions funded by the EDF can be tested in Ukraine. MEPs further clarify how EU’s environmental and chemicals legislation, such as REACH, can apply to defence activities, saying that EU countries already enjoy flexibility in the use of existing exemptions to achieve defence readiness objectives. The have also added provisions for projects where production lines are used for both defence and civilian purposes. Quotes Quotes from committee chairs and co-rapporteurs are available here. Votes results The text on the acceleration of permit-granting for defence readiness projects was approved by 62 votes in favour, 6 against with 11 abstentions. The text on intra-EU transfers of defence-related products and simplified procurement was approved by 59 votes in favour, 13 against with 7 abstentions. The text on facilitating defence investments and conditions for defence industry was approved by 137 votes in favour, 30 against with 21 abstentions. Next steps Parliament’s plenary will have to endorse the adopted positions during a forthcoming session before negotiations with the incoming Cypriot Presidency of the Council can start on the final shape of the legislations. Background The EU’s Defence Readiness Omnibus package of proposals was presented by the Commission in June 2025. It is designed to simplify regulations and remove administrative hurdles to boost the European defence industry. It aims to speed up defence investments, enhance cooperation, and strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB) by making rules for procurement, financing, cross-border collaboration and permitting more flexible and efficient. It includes proposals for two regulations and one directive, as well as drafts of delegated regulations.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Monday, MEPs from four committees approved new proposals to accelerate defence investment and improve the EU’s responsiveness in the face of security challenges. The set of legislative files, part of the so-called “Omnibus V” package of EU simplification measures, aims to speed up […]

EU adopts new measures against Russian shadow fleet ecosystem and Belarus

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 Commission welcomes today’s decision by EU Member States to adopt supplementary sanctions against key components of the Russian shadow fleet value chain, as well as against Belarus.    These new measures aim at further increasing pressure on Russia and Belarus to reinforce and support the EU’s commitment to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.  Supplementary sanctions on […]

ESKAPE Pathogens and the Global Crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance: Current Burden and Future Directions

Carolina Massarutto Cavarsan is a second-year medical student at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Barretos Dr. Paulo Prata (FACISB)

This article was exclusively written for European Sting by Ms. Carolina Massarutto Cavarsan, a second-year medical student at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Barretos Dr. Paulo Prata (FACISB). 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 […]

Aid deprioritised as commercial goods flow into Gaza, UN warns

© UNICEF/Eyad El Baba UNICEF distributes winter clothes kits to children across the Gaza Strip, as winter storms are adding to families’ hardship.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Humanitarian assistance in Gaza is being delayed because aid cargo is routinely deprioritised in favour of commercial goods, the UN’s aid coordination office (OCHA) warned on Monday, as winter storms continue to worsen already dire living conditions for displaced families. Despite sustained efforts by the UN and […]

Commission approves €408 million Spanish State aid scheme to support decarbonisation of industry, in line with Clean Industrial Deal objectives

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 approved a €408 million Spanish scheme to support the decarbonisation of manufacturing industry, in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal. This measure will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero economy and is funded under the Recovery […]

Commission fines automotive starter battery manufacturers and association €72 million for participating in a cartel

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 fined three automotive starter battery manufacturers, Exide, FET (including its predecessor Elettra)and Rombat, as well as the trade association EUROBAT, a total of around €72 million for participating in a long-running cartel concerning automotive starter batteries, together with Clarios (formerly […]

Sudan: UN strongly condemns deadly drone attack on peacekeeping base in Kordofan

UN Photo/Stuart Price Abyei is a disputed area on the border of Sudan and South Sudan. (Test - Caption)

This article is published in association with United Nations. Drone attacks targeting the UN logistics base in Kadugli, Sudan, on Saturday killed six peacekeepers and injured eight others – all members of the Bangladeshi contingent serving in the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The oil-rich region is located between Sudan and South Sudan and […]

Spain: EIB and Grupo Oesía sign €30 million loan to boost European research, development and innovation in security and defence

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Grupo Oesía have signed a €30 million loan to finance the company’s research, development and innovation in advanced technology. Grupo Oesía is a Spanish tech multinational that specialises in advanced digital and industrial engineering projects for dual use (civilian and military), […]

EIB Group provides EU-backed guarantee to ProCredit Bank to expand finance for war-affected businesses in Ukraine

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) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) – together the EIB Group – have signed a new EU-backed guarantee that will enable ProCredit Bank Ukraine to mobilise more than €43 million in additional lending for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).  The guarantee […]

Dialogue is ‘not naïve – it’s necessary’ as global divisions deepen, UN Riyadh forum hears

This article is published in association with United Nations. The 11th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations opened in Riyadh on Sunday with a blunt message for a world riven by distrust: dialogue is not a luxury – it’s a survival strategy. The 11th Global Forum opened in Riyadh on Sunday with a blunt […]

Peace falters as fighting in eastern DR Congo raises fears of regional war

© UNICEF/Jospin Benekire Eastern DR Congo has seen repeated waves of violence and displacement. Pictured here, families sheltering at an IDP camp in Ituri province in September 2025.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Civilians across eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing collapsing health services and mass displacement as fighting spreads, undermining recent peace efforts and raising fears of a wider regional crisis. A new offensive by the Alliance Fleuve Congo/Mouvement du 23 mars (AFC/M23) has reignited large-scale […]

EU introduces customs duties on low-value e-commerce packages

EU introduces customs duties on low-value e-commerce packages

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission welcomes today’s decision by EU Member States to introduce a €3 customs duty per item on e-commerce parcels valued below €150, starting in July 2026. The new duty will help protect the competitiveness of European businesses by levelling the playing field between e-commerce and traditional retail.   Given the rapid increase in e-commerce goods being imported into the […]

Climate change is expanding the global threat of vector-borne diseases

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 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. The high-pitched buzz of a mosquito has long been associated with humid […]

Guterres condemns deadly attack on Hannukah celebration in Sydney

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the “heinous deadly attack” on Sunday against Jewish families gathered in Sydney, Australia, to celebrate Hanukkah. In a social media post, Mr. Guterres said he was “horrified” by the incident. “My heart is with the Jewish community worldwide on this […]

UN sounds alarm over rising demands on water resources as scarcity increases

UN sounds alarm over rising demands on water resources as scarcity increases

This article is published in association with United Nations. Pressure on freshwater resources is growing as demand increases in regions marked by scarcity, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report published on Friday.  It provides an update on renewable water availability, which refers to the amount of freshwater that is replenished each […]

Deep concerns for Palestinians amid intense Israeli raids in occupied West Bank

Deep concerns for Palestinians amid intense Israeli raids in occupied West Bank

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has expressed alarm at reports of a so-called “settler road” being built in the occupied West Bank. Around 100 hectares of Palestinian land have been reportedly confiscated to make way for the new route. This would mark another step towards the […]

Risks mount for pregnant women in Ukraine

© UNFPA/Olha Lavryk A mother watches over her newborn in an incubator at the Kherson City Perinatal Centre in Ukraine. (file)

This article is published in association with United Nations. Pregnant women took shelter in a bunkerised maternity unit in the Ukrainian city of Kherson last week, after a hospital was struck just 1.5 km from the frontline. The incident comes amid alarming new data from the UN’s reproductive health agency (UNFPA), showing a sharp rise in the […]

EESC calls for an ambitious and pragmatic implementation of the EU’s strategic approach to the Black Sea region

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. The long-anticipated EU strategic approach to the Black Sea, which recognises the region as a critical hub for security, stability, and economic prosperity, arrives late and with limited ambition, underscores the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), while calling for it […]

Labour rights for journalists: safeguarding independence and truthful Information

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. At its December 2025 plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an own-initiative opinion calling for urgent action to strengthen labour rights for journalists and media professionals across Europe. The EESC’s message is clear: decent working conditions are […]

Deal on comprehensive reform of EU pharmaceutical legislation 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Early morning on Thursday, co-legislators reached a provisional agreement on revamping the EU’s pharmaceutical policy framework, to boost competitiveness, innovation and security of supply. Regulatory data and market protection to support innovation Parliament and Council negotiators agreed to a regulatory data protection period (during […]

Nuclear energy key to decarbonising Europe, says EESC

https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/news-media/news

This article is brought to you in association with the European Economic and Social Committee. The EESC has adopted an opinion pointing out that nuclear energy is an essential component of the clean energy mix which is needed to phase out fossil fuels. The Committee calls on the European Commission to include key regulatory and financial […]

2040 climate target: deal on a 90% emissions reduction in EU climate law 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Co-legislators agree on a 90% reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, compared with 1990 levels, to achieve a climate neutral EU by 2050. On Tuesday evening, negotiators from Parliament and Council reached a provisional political agreement on an amendment to the EU […]

Masika’s Story and Uganda’s Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance

This article was exclusively written for European Sting by Mr. Hermann TCHAKOUNTE, a Cameroonian, 5th year medical student at Université des Montagnes, passionate about global health, Surgery and medical education. 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 European Sting’s one.

This article was exclusively written for European Sting by Mr. Bwambale Isaac, a Ugandan medical student at Kampala International University. 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, […]

WHO expert group reaffirms no link between vaccines and autism

This article is published in association with United Nations.

This article is published in association with United Nations. A World Health Organization (WHO) expert committee has again confirmed that there is no causal link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), following a new review of global scientific evidence. Meeting on 27 November, the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety examined 31 major research studies […]

MEPs’ recommendations for a new EU framework for innovative companies 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. To boost investment and innovation, MEPs propose a separate corporate structure recognised across EU countries and based on fully harmonised rules. With 18 votes in favour, 4 against and 1 abstention, the Legal Affairs Committee approved series of recommendations for an upcoming Commission proposal […]

Circular economy: deal on new EU rules for the automotive sector 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Early on Friday morning, Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on new EU circularity rules to cover the entire vehicle lifecycle, from design to final end-of-life treatment. Improved vehicle design and use of recycled materials According to the agreed draft, all new vehicles […]

Gaza’s maternal and newborn health system ‘decimated’, UN warns

United Nations Medical equipment destroyed in an attack on a hospital in Gaza.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Gaza’s health system for mothers and newborns has been “decimated”, the UN said on Thursday, with Israeli attacks destroying almost all hospitals, cutting off medical supplies and driving sharp rises in maternal deaths, miscarriages and newborn fatalities amid mass displacement and hunger. According to the UN human […]

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