Slovenia sees increase in EIB Group financing in 2025 with focus on transport upgrades, business growth and tech advances

LjubljanaThis article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group provided €366 million in new financing to Slovenia in 2025, focusing on road upgrades, business growth and technological innovation.   The 2025 total included €227 million from the EIB and €139 million from European Investment Fund (EIF), which focuses on […]

Deeper EU capital markets need stronger supervision and integration

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. In an opinion adopted at its March plenary session, the EESC calls for more ambitious reforms to integrate Europe’s capital markets and reinforce EU-level supervision, warning that persistent fragmentation is holding back investment, competitiveness and growth. Supporting the European Commission’s proposals […]

Commission partially greenlights Malta’s fourth payment request for €51,5 million under NextGenerationEU

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission partially greenlighted Malta’s fourth payment request for €51,5 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. This is an important step in the delivery of reforms and investments tied to this payment request, in the areas […]

EIB Global increases support for Azerbaijani MSMEs with additional financing for Bank Respublika

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank’s international partnerships and development arm, EIB Global, has signed a €2 million top-up to the outstanding €10 million loan to Bank Respublika, reinforcing the European Union’s commitment to expanding access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Azerbaijan. The additional […]

Middle East war: ‘Force of the law’ must prevail over the law of force, urges Guterres

Public Domain Smoke rises above Tehran, Iran.This article is published in association with United Nations. The US and Israel must end their bombing campaign before it spirals out of control, while Iran needs to stop attacking Gulf neighbours who have played no direct part in the war roiling the Middle East and beyond, the UN Secretary-General urged on Thursday. António Guterres was […]

World News in Brief: Rafah crossing reopens, gender inequality worsens global water crisis, rights defenders in Colombia

UN News The UN is supporting the medical evacuation of patients for treatment unavailable in Gaza.This article is published in association with United Nations. The Rafah crossing into Gaza reopened on Thursday for limited movement in both directions after a 20-day suspension, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners supported the medical evacuation of nine adult patients, most […]

Beyond the Enrollment: Redefining Health Equity in the 2026 Universal Health Care Agenda

Fokah Wembe Darrell Dupray is a 4th-year medical student at Université des Montagnes, Bangangté Cameroon and a student leader within the Cameroon Medical Students’ Association (CAMSA).This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Emaye Mary Adetutu, a medical student at the University of Ilorin and the Programs Coordinator for Healthy living and non-infectious diseases for Standing Committee for Public Health (SCOPH) under Nigerian Medical Students’ Association NiMSA. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), […]

Amid deepening crisis in Palestine, girls face rising risks and a mounting mental health emergency

© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour A girl looks over the destruction of Gaza City.This article is published in association with United Nations. More than two years of unrelenting violence, displacement and loss have pushed children and young people in Palestine into what one UN official describes as a “profound mental health emergency”, with girls facing heightened risks, including a resurgence in child marriage. Sima Alami, adolescent and youth programme […]

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 held 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. Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee On 26 January, Minister of […]

Middle East war shockwaves ripple through Asia-Pacific fuel and supply chains

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. The fallout from the war in the Middle East is rippling far beyond the Gulf, disrupting fuel supplies, shipping routes and supply chains across Asia and the Pacific, with some of the region’s most vulnerable economies already feeling the strain through rising prices, rationing and threats to […]

Preserving the Miracle: Why the Next Generation Must Lead the AMR Response in 2026

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 The European Sting by Ms. Emaye Mary Adetutu, a medical student at the University of Ilorin and the Programs Coordinator for Healthy living and non-infectious diseases for Standing Committee for Public Health (SCOPH) under Nigerian Medical Students’ Association NiMSA. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), […]

World News in Brief: Yemen appeal, Middle East war roils Somalia, needs grow in Colombia

© UNICEF/Alaa Noman - YPN A mother holds her child near their home in the Al Adani neighbourhood of Al Hawtah, Yemen.This article is published in association with United Nations. UN aid teams in Yemen on Wednesday warned that the situation in the war-torn nation remains dire in a call for $2 billion in aid to deliver lifesaving assistance for 12 million people. This number includes women and children and comes after more than a decade of […]

The Basij Is Falling Apart: this Is What the End of the Islamic Republic Looks Like

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by one of our passionate readers, Ms. Sara Rahmati, an international relations graduate currently based in Berlin with an interest in Public International Law. The opinions expressed within reflect only the writer’s views and not necessarily The European Sting’s position on the issue. For forty-seven years, Iranians have […]

Commission presents proposal for EU Inc. – unlocking the full potential of the Single Market for Europe’s entrepreneurs

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 presented its proposal for EU Inc., a new single set of corporate rules, building the cornerstone and starting point for the EU’s 28th regime. EU Inc. is an optional, digital-by-default European corporate framework. It will make it easier for businesses […]

Main messages from the Tripartite Social Summit

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 Commission. EU leaders and social partners met in Brussels for the Tripartite Social Summit, a twice-yearly forum for dialogue that brings together the leaders of the EU institutions and the European social partners. Today’s discussion focused on ‘Investment for a vibrant European economy and quality […]

Humanitarian needs in Gaza deepen as aid access remains constrained

© WFP/Jaber Badwan A woman carries food rations distributed by the World Food Programme in Almaghazi, Gaza.This article is published in association with United Nations. Humanitarian needs are continuing to grow again across Gaza, the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said on Wednesday, amid mounting pressures on aid delivery and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.  “Families face ongoing hardship” as access to essential aid remains limited and many continue […]

EIB Global provides $70 million cornerstone commitment to support PATRIZIA’s energy transition strategy across Asia

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. PATRIZIA, an investment manager in global real assets, and Mitsui & Co., Ltd (Mitsui), one of the largest trading and investment companies in the world, have secured a $70 million cornerstone commitment from EIB Global, the development arm of the European Investment Bank, to advance the energy […]

Italy: EIB, Natixis CIB and Sunprime sign €507 million programme to deploy one of Italy’s largest solar and storage portfolios

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. Today the European Investment Bank (EIB), Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking (Natixis CIB) and Sunprime Holdings S.r.l., have signed in Milan a project‑finance operation worth up to €507 million to support Project Sophocles, a major investment programme combining rooftop and ground‑mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) plants with […]

Czech and Slovak Mid-Caps to get €400 million financing boost under EIB accord with UniCredit subsidiary

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. Mid-Cap companies in Czechia and Slovakia will be eligible for as much as €400 million in favourable loans as a result of a guarantee from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to a local subsidiary of UniCredit SpA. The EIB is providing a €200 million guarantee to […]

Nearly 5 million children are still dying annually before their fifth birthday: Here’s why

© UNICEF/David Boman A woman holds a newborn baby inside the labour ward of a hospital in Sokoto state, Nigeria.This article is published in association with United Nations. An estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2024, including 2.3 million newborns, according to new United Nations estimates released on Tuesday – highlighting a worrying slowdown in global progress on child survival. Most of these deaths are preventable with proven, low-cost interventions and […]

Middle East war’s ‘spiral of conflict’ drives mounting civilian toll

© World Vision Smoke rises in Beit Mery, close to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, following an airstrike.This article is published in association with United Nations. The widening war in the Middle East and its growing impact on civilians came under scrutiny at the UN in Geneva on Monday, as independent experts briefing the Human Rights Council warned of escalating violence following the onset of Israeli and US strikes on Iran and counterstrikes […]

Croatia gets €536 million in EIB Group financing in 2025 with focus on small businesses, venture capital and cities

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group’s new financing in Croatia totalled €536 million last year on the back of support for technological advances by a range of Croation businesses. More than half of the 2025 amount was for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Mid-Caps and public entities […]

Italy: EIB provides €225 million to Iren to promote circular economy and energy efficiency

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 Iren Group have signed a new €225 million finance contract to support the company’s investment plan for 2025-2028. Signed today in Milan by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Iren Executive President Luca Dal Fabbro, the operation aims to back a range […]

EIB commits €40 million to Speedinvest to empower Africa’s next tech champions and deepen Europe-African innovation ties

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. African technology startups will receive a financing boost through a €40 million commitment from EIB Global, the development arm of the European Investment Bank (EIB), to the first Africa-focused investment vehicle from leading European venture capital firm Speedinvest. The investment strengthens EU–Africa ties, supports digital transformation, […]

From Evidence to Equity: Reclaiming Knowledge for Indigenous Health

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Günel Orucova is a 21-year-old public health student and an active member of AzerMDS SCOPH. 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 topic, nor The European Sting’s one.This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. María Beatriz Maruyama Ikeda, a Peruvian medical student born on September 13, 2004, in Lima, Peru. 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 […]

Middle East crisis: UN health agency releases emergency funds for Lebanon, Iraq, Syria

© IOM Mattresses are distributed to families in Lebanon by the UN migration agency, IOM.This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) is releasing another $2 million in emergency funds to support health systems in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as strikes against Iran by the US and Israeli continue amid counterstrikes across the Gulf and wider region by Tehran. The funds based on […]

Commission adopts new State aid rules to boost the use of more sustainable ways of transport

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 adopted today the State aid Land and Multimodal Transport Guidelines (LMT Guidelines) and the State aid Transport Block Exemption Regulation (TBER). These instruments support more sustainable transport modes for both passengers and freight and update the EU State aid framework for […]

Commission greenlights Germany’s third payment request for €4.6 billion under NextGenerationEU

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 positively assessed Germany’s third payment request for €4.6 billion in grants under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. This is an important step in the delivery of the reforms and investments tied to this payment request, in the areas […]

Middle East war: Women in Lebanon forced to give birth on roadside

© Mousawat A mother and child displaced by the conflict in Lebanon receiving care at a clinic.This article is published in association with United Nations. As the UN Secretary-General touched down in Beirut on Friday in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, UN agencies highlighted the dangers for civilians and particularly pregnant women and migrant workers, amid ongoing airstrikes and rocket fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel.  “There’s 11,600 pregnant women who […]

World News in Brief: Deadly drone attacks in Sudan, violence against women in the spotlight, more clashes in DR Congo

© UNICEF A UN convoy delivers vital aid to cut-off communities in Sudan’s South Kordofan State.This article is published in association with United Nations. UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Thursday he was appalled by the devastating impact on civilians of increasing drone attacks in Sudan, amid reports that more than 200 civilians have been killed by drones since 4 March alone, in the Kordofan region and White Nile […]

Venezuela’s repressive State apparatus ‘intact’ despite leadership change

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Venezuela’s repressive State apparatus remains operational despite the seizure of former President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces on 3 January, according to independent UN human rights investigators. “The structures that have sustained persecution for years have not been dismantled, nor have State policies been announced to […]

Parliament’s economic, employment and social priorities for 2026 

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 Parliament. In two votes on Wednesday, MEPs called for smart defence spending, better implementation of EU economic governance rules, and measures to address poverty and social exclusion. Economic prioritiesThe resolution on economic priorities, adopted with 392 votes in favour, 219 against and 18 abstentions, notes […]

Package travel: Parliament greenlights new rules to protect holidaymakers  

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 Thursday MEPs gave the green light to revised rules on package travel, enhancing protection for holidaymakers by drawing lessons from the pandemic and high-profile bankruptcies. The updated directive, already provisionally agreed with the EU member states, clarifies which trips and services can be […]
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