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 […]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 […]Will COP29 deliver the trillions needed to tackle the man-made climate crisis?
November 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The latest round of UN climate negotiations, COP29, opened this past Monday in Baku, Azerbaijan, following a year that broke multiple extreme heat records and saw widespread climate-driven chaos – from wildfires to destructive floods and hurricanes – hit nearly every corner of the world. A major […]COP29: Digital tech and AI can boost climate action, but curbing the sector’s emissions is key
November 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Leaders in technology and the environment at COP29 in Baku endorsed on Saturday a declaration pledging to use digital technologies to accelerate climate action while reducing the carbon and pollution footprints of tech manufacturing and tackling the growing problem of e-waste. On the first-ever ‘Digitalisation Day’ for […]G7 Leaders´ Statement on Enduring support for Ukraine
November 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. We, the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine for as long as it takes. We stand in solidarity contributing to its fight for sovereignty, freedom, independence, territorial integrity and its reconstruction. We recognize, too, the impact of […]European Commission and South Africa launch the Scaling up Renewables in Africa campaign
November 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today in Rio de Janeiro, on the eve of the G20 Summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the global campaign ‘Scaling up Renewables in Africa’ during Global Citizen NOW. COP28 had set the ambitious target […]EU annual budget 2025: pursuing our political priorities and addressing crises
November 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The Commission welcomes today’s agreement between the European Parliament and the European Council on the annual EU budget 2025. This budget will allow the EU to deliver on its political commitments, starting with the changes agreed in the mid-term revision of the Multiannual Financial […]Crisis Care: Ensuring Safety for Medical Professionals in Armed Conflicts
November 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Anika Tabassum Totini, a dedicated fourth-year medical student from Bangladesh. 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 […]EU deforestation law: Parliament wants to give companies one more year to comply
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. EU deforestation obligations will be postponed one year so that companies can comply with the law that ensures products sold in the EU are not sourced from deforested land. In response to concerns raised by EU member states, non-EU countries, traders and operators that […]Parliament calls for an EU crackdown on Russia’s ’shadow fleet’
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs demand more targeted EU sanctions against Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’, which provides a key financial lifeline for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Russia uses old tankers, often uninsured and with unclear ownership, to export its crude oil and petroleum products abroad, despite EU, G7 […]COP29: MEPs want all countries to contribute financially to climate action
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Parliament adopted its demands for the UN Climate Change Conference COP29, which aims to define a new collective goal for financing climate action. The resolution, prepared by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, and approved on Thursday with 429 votes in favour, 183 […]Coffee, tea and cocoa costs see global food import bill soaring past $2 trillion
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The global food import bill is projected to exceed $2 trillion in 2024 – fuelled by the rising cost of everyone’s favourite hot drinks – according to the latest Food Outlook released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Thursday. The biannual report, which focuses on […]November infringements package: key decisions
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Overview by policy area In its regular package of infringement decisions, the European Commission pursues legal action against Member States for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law. These decisions, covering various sectors and EU policy areas, aim to ensure the proper […]EU boosts defence readiness with first ever financial support for common defence procurement
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission has approved funding for five cross-border projects to support more coordinated and efficient defence procurement among EU Member States. Implemented under the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement instrument (EDIRPA), each of the 5 selected projects will receive €60 million, representing […]COP29: ‘Now is the time to fast-track, not backtrack’ on the path to net-zero
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Meeting on Thursday with non-governmental entities in Baku for the COP29 climate talks, UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the crucial role that cities, regions, businesses and financial institutions must play in driving the worldwide effort towards reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century. “We need a massive global effort […]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 […]Gaza: Israeli war tactics condemned as aid still blocked from reaching north
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Intense Israeli military operations have continued in Gaza as UN humanitarians reported that multiple attempts to deliver lifesaving aid to besieged areas in the north of the enclave had been either “denied or impeded”. An update from the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said that in the […]Commission fines Meta €797.72 million over abusive practices benefitting Facebook Marketplace
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has fined Meta €797.72 million for breaching EU antitrust rules by tying its online classified ads service Facebook Marketplace to its personal social network Facebook and by imposing unfair trading conditions on other online classified ads service providers. The infringement Meta […]Booking must now comply with the Digital Markets Act
November 15, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. As of today, Booking Holdings Inc. (BHI), designated as gatekeeper on 13 May 2024, must ensure that its online intermediation service, Booking.com, complies with all relevant obligations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Concretely, this means hotels, car rental companies, and other providers of […]Ensuring safety of Medical Workers in Armed Conflicts
November 15, 2024 by 1 Comment
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Sotiris Christoforou, a medical student at the University of Cyprus. 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 […]COP29 climate talks: Major emitters must right ‘colossal injustice’ on island nations, says UN chief
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. COP29 talks in Baku on Wednesday turned to small island nations facing an existential threat from our warming planet, as UN Secretary-General António Guterres insisted that they “deserve support to deal with a crisis [that they] have done next to nothing to create”. “You have every right […]UNRWA chief: Agency enduring ‘darkest moment’, as Israeli laws threaten operations
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, is living through the “darkest moment” of its 75 year history, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on Wednesday, pointing to a trifecta of legislative, operational and security challenges. Speaking at a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York, he detailed […]EBRD invests €15 million in Cogito Fund II
November 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 supporting the development of the venture capital market in central and eastern Europe (CEE) by investing €15 million in Cogito Fund II, managed by Cogito Capital Partners (Cogito), a leading venture capital firm in the region. Cogito is […]Belgium: De Watergroep agrees €350 million EIB loan for sustainability investments in Flemish water distribution network
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank will support De Watergroep in rehabilitating and expanding its network of water supply infrastructure. Watergroep signed a €200 million loan today, as a first part of a €350 million lending availability for the coming five years. The EIB loan will fund nearly […]Adolescents face mounting pressure at school, decline in family support
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Adolescents across Europe, Central Asia and Canada say they face rising school pressure and diminishing support from families and friends, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. The findings, based on data from nearly […]Germany: EIB and Haspa join forces to finance small businesses, mid-caps and small renewable energy projects
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide a multi-beneficiary intermediated loan (MBIL) of €100 million to Haspa, Germany’s largest savings bank based in Hamburg. Haspa will then provide financing to small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) and mid-caps with up to 3 000 employees in Germany. The financial […]Public execution in Afghanistan condemned as ‘clear human rights violation’
November 14, 2024 by 1 Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. A public execution carried out in a sports stadium in Afghanistan drew condemnation from senior UN officials on Wednesday, who demanded an immediate end to such practices by the ruling Taliban. The latest incident comes amid growing international concern over the use of capital punishment in the […]Parliament pays homage to the victims of the floods in Spain
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. President Metsola opened the 13-14 November plenary session in Brussels with a minute of silence for the victims of the flood tragedy in Spain. Following the devastating floods that swept through towns in Valencia and other regions in Spain two weeks ago and have […]Iran: Civic space shrinks as executions rise, warns independent rights expert
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Civic space in the Islamic Republic of Iran is shrinking, as human rights defenders and journalists continue to be targeted and charged for “vaguely defined national security offences”, Mai Sato, the independent UN expert on the human rights situation in the country has said. Speaking to UN […]Torino and Braga win European Capital of Innovation Awards
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission has revealed the winners of the 2024-25 European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital), celebrating a decade of recognising cities that lead the way in delivering innovative solutions for their citizens. This year’s top prizes, funded under the EU research and innovation […]COP29: Energy transition must not trigger a ‘stampede of greed’ that crushes the poor
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Climate talks at COP29 in Baku on Wednesday turned to the pressing issue of how to manage the demand for minerals essential to producing electric vehicles and solar panels without triggering a “stampede of greed” that exploits local communities and crushes the poor. “We are here to […]Commission proposes a single digital declaration portal to reduce administrative burden for posting workers
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission has proposed to establish a single digital declaration portal for companies providing services and temporarily sending workers to another Member State, known as ‘posted workers’. The EU Single Market counts 5 million posted workers. One of the main administrative barriers faced […]Middle East: Gaza food markets ‘in decay’ as starvation looms
November 14, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Reports of ongoing bombardments, likely starvation and despair continue to emerge from Gaza where many basic daily staples now “barely exist”, UN humanitarians warned on Wednesday. In an alert, the World Food Programme (WFP) described markets “in decay” across the enclave. “Fresh foods, eggs, and meat barely […]Medical professionals on the frontier: ensuring safety in armed conflicts
November 14, 2024 by 1 Comment
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Abdourraouf Yougouda is a final-year medical student with a passion for global health advocacy. 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 […]
