Why Young People Must Be at the Center of Pandemic Preparedness

Syed Talha Hussain Tirmzi MS-5 Amna Inayat Medical College Pakistan

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. By Syed Talha Hussain Tirmzi […]

EU and Council of Europe agree to set up an advance team for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine

This article is brought to you in association with EBRD.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Union and the Council of Europe have signed an agreement on the financing of an advance team to establish the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, within the framework of the Council of Europe. The aim of the joint […]

‘Cycle of attacks must end’: Lead UN official in Ukraine

© UNHCR/Yevheniia Kozun This cinema in Saltivka, Kharkiv, was hit during an earlier strike (file Jan 2026).

This article is published in association with United Nations. The senior UN official in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, has issued a condemnation of the massive overnight Russian drone and missile strike on several major Ukrainian cities, killing and injuring civilians, and knocking out energy infrastructure amid sub-zero temperatures. The attacks on some of Ukraine’s most important population […]

US withdrawal from WHO ‘risks global safety’, agency says in detailed rebuttal

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 World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a detailed statement regretting the United States decision to leave the UN agency, and declaring that it will leave both the US and the world less safe as a result. The statement, released on Saturday, also includes a rebuttal of […]

Keeping people warm amid hostilities and harsh winter weather in Ukraine

© UNOCHA/Ximena Borrazas Kateryna and her two children warm up at a heating point and use rhe available electricity to charge their devices.

This article is published in association with United Nations. As people in war-torn Ukraine face the coldest winter in more than a decade, authorities and humanitarians are working to help them stay warm, particularly the most vulnerable residents.  Russian forces continue to attack Ukraine’s energy grid, leaving families without electricity and heating as temperatures plummet to -20° Celsius.  Since 2022, the Government has established so-called “Invincibility Points” – located in tents or public […]

European Parliament stands behind air passenger rights 

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

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs want to maintain a traveller’s right to compensation for a three-hour delay while also pushing for simpler reimbursement procedures and free cabin luggage. On Wednesday, European Parliament adopted its position (632 votes to 15 and with nine abstentions) on a revision of EU […]

MEPs debate outcome of December EU summit and need for a stronger Europe 

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

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Wednesday, plenary took stock of the results of the December EU summit and discussed the need for a more sovereign and resilient EU with Presidents Costa and von der Leyen. European Council President António Costa stressed that defending international law and multilateralism is […]

MEPs approve “enhanced cooperation” for €90 billion EU support loan to Ukraine 

MEPs approve “enhanced cooperation” for €90 bi

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Wednesday, Parliament gave its green light to a decision by the Council to apply the enhanced cooperation procedure to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion support loan. The EU support loan was agreed at the European Council summit in Brussels on 18 December […]

European Parliament condemns Iran’s brutal repression of protesters 

European Parliament condemns Iran’s brutal repression of protesters 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs express their outrage at the repression and mass murders being perpetrated by the Iranian regime against protesters in Iran. Parliament unconditionally demands that the Iranian authorities, under the rule of Ali Khamenei, immediately end violence against peaceful […]

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

Cecilia Petio is a medical student at Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna

This 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 […]

Parliament rejects motion of censure against European Commission 

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

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. In a vote on Thursday, MEPs rejected a motion of censure against the European Commission. The motion, tabled by the Patriots for Europe group, was rejected by 165 votes in favour and 390 against, with 10 abstentions. The vote was preceded by a plenary […]

EU-Mercosur: MEPs demand a legal opinion on its conformity with the EU treaties 

EU-Mercosur: MEPs demand a legal opinion on its conformity with the EU treaties

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The European Parliament decided today to request the European Court of Justice to assess whether the EU-Mercosur agreement is in conformity with the EU treaties. With 334 votes in favour, 324 against and 11 abstentions, the European Parliament adopted a resolution asking for a […]

At the edge of war: the Central African Republic’s uneasy border with Sudan

At the edge of war: the Central African Republic's uneasy border with Sudan

The land flattens on the approach to Birao, a cut-off town ringed by savannah in the far north of the Central African Republic, where roads dissolve into dust and motorcycles vastly outnumber cars. Less than two hours’ drive from the Sudanese border, this is the edge of a fractured country still piecing itself back together, […]

Prison breaks and renewed clashes raise alarm in northeast Syria

© UNOCHA/Ali Haj Suleiman People evacuate Aleppo, Syria, amid escalating hostilities there..

This article is published in association with United Nations. The United Nations continues to monitor developments in northeast Syria following clashes between government troops and the Kurdish-led SDF militia during which scores of detained ISIL militants reportedly escaped from prison.  Secretary-General António Guterres is following the continuing violence “with great concern,” Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Tuesday in New York.  The Secretary-General called for […]

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 […]

World enters era of ‘global water bankruptcy’

UN News/Alban Mendes de Leon MINUSCA troops survey Central African Republic’s open border with Sudan. Villagers move back and forth freely – by foot, on the back of a donkey, or with cattle. Armed men cross, too.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The world has moved beyond a water crisis and into a state of global water bankruptcy, says a new flagship report released on Tuesday by UN researchers. For decades, scientists, policymakers and the media warned of a “global water crisis,” implying temporary shock – followed by recovery.  […]

UN Assembly president defends multilateralism, UN Charter in Davos

UN Assembly president defends multilateralism, UN Charter in Davos

This article is published in association with United Nations. From Davos, the President of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday warned that the world has entered a “make‑or‑break” moment for multilateralism, saying the rules‑based order can survive only if states speak the truth and act when it’s hard. She called for a cross‑regional alliance to push […]

Commission opens in-depth investigation into arbitration award ordering Bulgaria to pay compensation to ACF

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether an arbitration award, in which Bulgaria is ordered to pay compensation to ACF Renewable Energy Limited for changes to a renewable electricity support measure, is in line with EU State aid rules. The Commission’s investigation […]

Commission announces €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for 2026

Commission announces €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for 2026

This 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 […]

EU supports digital connectivity with simpler and harmonised rules in Digital Networks Act

EU supports digital connectivity with simpler and harmonised rules in Digital Networks Act

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission proposed the Digital Networks Act (DNA) to modernise, simplify and harmonise EU rules on connectivity networks. The current rules must be updated to create the conditions for operators to invest into rolling out advanced fibre and mobile networks. High-capacity networks enable […]

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 […]

Inclusive Healthcare: Ensuring Dignity and Access for Patients with Disabilities

Aytac Mammadova is a third-year Public Health student at Azerbaijan Medical University

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Aytac Mammadova is a third-year Public Health student at Azerbaijan Medical University . 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 […]

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, […]

UNRWA headquarters bulldozed in East Jerusalem

© UNRWA A woman enters a health centre run by the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, which faces increasing pressure from the Israeli Government to operate in the occupied West Bank.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The reported demolition underway early Tuesday of the headquarters of UN agency UNRWA by Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem – apparently “under the watch of lawmakers and a member of the Government” – has prompted swift condemnation from the global body.  Responding to the dramatic development, […]

Mozambique floods heighten disease, malnutrition risks – UN agencies

© UNICEF/Guy Taylor Local people walk in a flooded street after extreme rainfall in Xai Xai, in Gaza province, Mozambique.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Catastrophic flooding across Mozambique is devastating lives and livelihoods, sharply increasing the risk of disease outbreaks and malnutrition, while also forcing dangerous wildlife – including crocodiles – into flooded urban areas, the UN warned on Tuesday. The head of aid coordination office, OCHA, in the country, Paola […]

Commission proposes to support over 250 dismissed workers in Belgium with €1.6 million

Commission proposes to support over 250 dismissed workers in Belgium with €1.6 million

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has proposed to mobilise €1.6 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) to help 267 workers dismissed after the bankruptcy and closure of Tupperware Belgium in February 2025. The support will help these workers learn new skills […]

Commission presents new Anti-Racism Strategy to continue building a true Union of Equality

Commission presents new Anti-Racism Strategy to continue building a true Union of Equality

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission adopted the new EU Anti-Racism Strategy, calling for a Europe free from racism where individuals can thrive, fully participate in society and contribute to its stability and prosperity. The strategy builds on the EU Anti-Racism action plan 2020-2025. Over the […]

Remarks by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on the Cybersecurity Package

Critical medicines: EU measures to boost competitiveness and tackle shortages 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. “Check against delivery” As Europe becomes increasingly digital, we need to make sure our security is guaranteed also in the cyber domain. We are in the middle of hybrid warfare. Every day, critical infrastructure in Europe is affected by cyber-attacks. These operations span espionage, […]

Commission strengthens EU cybersecurity resilience and capabilities

Critical medicines: EU measures to boost competitiveness and tackle shortages 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Europe faces daily cyber and hybrid attacks on essential services and democratic institutions, carried out by sophisticated state and criminal groups. The European Commission has today proposed a new cybersecurity package to further strengthen the EU’s cybersecurity resilience and capabilities in the face of […]

Critical medicines: EU measures to boost competitiveness and tackle shortages 

Critical medicines: EU measures to boost competitiveness and tackle shortages 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Tuesday, Parliament adopted proposals to enhance the availability and supply of essential medicines in the EU. The report, adopted with 503 votes in favour, 57 against and 108 abstentions, aims to ensure a high level of public health protection for EU citizens by […]

EBRD invests record €16.8 billion in 2025

This article is brought to you in association with EBRD.

This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested a record €16.8 billion across its regions in 2025 and signed its first projects in sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq. The Bank financed 640 projects over the course of the year, with 75 per cent of investments in […]

EBRD secures capital increase with strong shareholder backing

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

This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has secured almost 95 per cent of its €4 billion general capital increase. The capital increase was approved by the EBRD’s Board of Governors in 2023 and increased the Bank’s capital base to €34 billion. All the Bank’s […]

Sudan: Atrocities ‘repeated town by town’, ICC prosecutor tells UN Security Council

© UNICEF/Mohammed Jamal A young girl digs a hole to build a makeshift shelter for her family at a displacement camp in Tawila, where thousands fled after the fall of El Fasher to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

This article is published in association with United Nations. Atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region are spreading from town to town in an organized campaign of violence that includes mass executions, rape and ethnic targeting, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court told the UN Security Council on Monday. […]

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