This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission decided to refer Spain to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to fully comply with the collection, treatment and monitoring obligations set in the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (Council Directive 91/271/EEC). Untreated wastewater can put human health at […]Commission decides to refer Spain to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with the Urban Wastewater Directive
April 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission decided to refer Spain to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to fully comply with the collection, treatment and monitoring obligations set in the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (Council Directive 91/271/EEC). Untreated wastewater can put human health at […]WHO calls for stepped up action to eliminate viral hepatitis
April 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Countries are making measurable progress in combatting viral hepatitis, but the disease remains a major global health challenge, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a new report published on Tuesday. It highlights significant gains made in the fight against hepatitis B and C, which together account for 95 per cent of all hepatitis-related […]Iran crisis shows fossil fuels-based energy system ‘is inherently volatile and unstable’
April 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Senior UN climate leaders are getting behind countries mobilising this week for a transition away from fossil fuels at a groundbreaking event in Colombia. The last major UN climate conference (COP30 in Brazil) broke up without a breakthrough agreement on phasing out coal, oil and gas – […]Statement by the Commission and the High Representative ahead of the 40 years since the Chornobyl disaster
April 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Forty years ago, the disaster at the Chornobyl Power Plant marked one of the gravest nuclear disasters in human history. Its true toll, long obscured by Soviet secrecy, has only become clearer over time. To this day, its legacy remains a stark reminder that […]Review highlights Digital Markets Act remains fit for purpose and has positive impact
April 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission’s first review of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) found that in the first two years of its application, the DMA remains fit for purpose and has opened up new opportunities for businesses and developers, while giving users more control over their experiences and […]Commission opens in-depth investigation into proposed joint venture between UPM and Sappi
April 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed creation of a joint venture between UPM-Kymmene Corporation (‘UPM‘) and Sappi Limited (‘Sappi‘). The Commission is concerned that the transaction may reduce competition in certain markets for the […]Commission preliminarily finds Meta in breach of Digital Services Act for failing to prevent minors under 13 from using Instagram and Facebook
April 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has preliminarily found Meta’s Instagram and Facebook in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) for failing to diligently identify, assess and mitigate the risks of minors under 13 years old accessing their services. Despite Meta’s own terms and conditions setting the minimum age to access Instagram and Facebook safely at 13, the […]World News in Brief: Syria human rights update, Cuba post-hurricane support still vital, impunity and violence in Myanmar
April 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Three mass graves were recently uncovered in northeastern Syria, including one reportedly at the site of a former detention centre run by the Kurdish-backed Syrian Armed Forces (SDF). UN human rights investigators were informed of the discovery – made last month – during a five-day mission to Al-Hassakeh Governorate that concluded on Tuesday. The […]From Hormuz to Lebanon, crisis reverberates through trade routes, upending humanitarian networks
April 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
© WHO/Hanan Balkhy In Gaza displaced families are living in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters, surrounded by waste and debris, with limited access to safe water and sanitation services. This article is published in association with United Nations. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to send shockwaves through global food systems, the UN Food and Agriculture […]Commission and European Parliament sign agreement fostering closer partnership
April 28, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Today, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola signed the revised Framework Agreement between both institutions. This agreement enhances cooperation amongst the Commission and the European Parliament, strengthens representative democracy, improves dialogue and ensures greater transparency. It establishes an updated […]Darfur: Two decades on, a new generation of children faces ‘horrific violence’
April 28, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Twenty years after the conflict in Darfur first sparked global outrage, children in the region are once again trapped in a catastrophic cycle of violence, hunger, and displacement – but this time, the world is failing to take notice. In a new Child Alert report titled Darfur: […]As warheads proliferate, decades old nuclear weapons treaty must evolve, warns UN chief
April 28, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. With top diplomats gathered at UN Headquarters to review the 1970 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the UN Secretary-General warned that it must evolve to survive the age of AI and other new technologies. For the first time in decades, the number of nuclear […]Rethinking ‘Normal’: Advancing Global Health Through Autism Awareness and Inclusive Action
April 28, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Dr. Pratik Sarangi, a medical graduate from Vardhman Mahavir Medical College, New Delhi, India. 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 […]Commission seeks feedback on measures to ensure interoperability with Google’s Android under the Digital Markets Act
April 28, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission has sent its preliminary findings to Google as part of the specification proceedings it started on 27 January 2026 under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). These preliminary findings outline the draft measures Google should implement to ensure that third parties have effective […]World News in Brief: Sudan drone attacks condemned, South Sudan violence, airstrikes in Ukraine, South Africa Freedom Day
April 28, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The United Nations has condemned two recent drone attacks in Sudan, one of which left seven dead, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday during his regular media briefing in New York. An aid truck from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) that was carrying emergency shelter kits came under attack by […]South Pacific islanders strive to rescue their home from toxic legacy
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. More than 80 years after World War Two, the Solomon Islands remain one of the most heavily mine-contaminated places in the Pacific. Today, the UN is supporting the process of making the land safe to walk and build on again, but the risk to public health from […]For every generation, vaccines work and they have saved over 150 million lives: WHO
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Over the past 50 years, vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives, as ordinary people chose to protect themselves, their children and their communities from diseases like measles, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, and rotavirus. Over the past 50 years, vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives, as ordinary people chose […]Mali: Guterres calls for international solutions to curb spread of violent extremism in the Sahel
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. here are reports of continuing clashes in Mali on Sunday, a day after a series of coordinated attacks across the landlocked African nation against Government forces by extremists and northern separatist rebels. Gunfire and explosions were reported in the capital Bamako on Saturday and around a large […]World News in Brief: Airliner safety warning, drought in Somalia, solar boosts farming in Ethiopia
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The head of the UN’s civil aviation agency, ICAO, has called for immediate global action to protect commercial flights from escalating military threats, including missiles, drones, and GPS signal jamming. Addressing the 2026 World Overflight Risk Conference in Malta earlier this week, ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos […]Renewables rising, Part 1: How four countries are reshaping energy security
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The ongoing insecurity in the Middle East, where a large proportion of the world’s oil and gas is extracted, is forcing many countries to focus on how they can ensure access to cheap and reliable energy supplies primarily through the use of renewable power sources. Why it […]As Gaza misery continues, shortages in Iran begin to bite
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Desperate and dangerous conditions in Gaza continue to hamper recovery efforts for the wartorn enclave’s people, the UN health agency said on Friday, while demining experts warned that they’ve “barely scratched the surface” in assessing the level of contamination of unexploded ordnance. In Iran, meanwhile, concerns are […]EU to strengthen regional dimension of research and innovation
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions signed a new Joint Action Plan to enhance the role of cities and regions in research and innovation (R&I). Under the Joint Action Plan, the Commission and the Committee of the Regions will collaborate […]EP President Metsola to EU leaders: “Europe cannot face a new era with an old budget”
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. At the European Council, President Metsola addressed three main topics: the situation in the Middle East, the ‘One Europe One Market’ Roadmap and the Multiannual Financial Framework. Speaking to EU leaders, Parliament President Metsola focused on three topics: The situation in the Middle East […]EU and US launch strategic partnership on critical minerals
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the EU and US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a strategic partnership on critical minerals and agreed an EU-US Critical Minerals Action Plan. These initiatives reflect the EU’s commitment to deepen cooperation on critical raw materials. This is a key step […]European Institutions agree Roadmap to achieve “One Europe, one Market” by end of 2027
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. On the sidelines of the Informal meeting of Heads of State or Government in Cyprus, the President of the Republic of Cyprus as the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the Presidents of the European Parliament and the European Commission, […]Chokepoints and conflict: How the Hormuz crisis is exposing global shipping vulnerabilities
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The blockading of ships in the Strait of Hormuz as a result of the conflict between the United States and Iran has demonstrated how ships and seafarers have become “leverage in geopolitical disputes,” according to the head of the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO). Since conflict began […]WHO says billions saw health gains in 2025 despite funding cuts
April 24, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Despite significant funding cuts, the World Health Organization (WHO) was able to support significant national health gains for hundreds of millions of people in 2025, according to its annual Results Report released on Thursday. “The Results Report 2025 shows that with support from WHO and partners, countries […]Devastation at every turn greets UN aid mission to south Lebanon
April 24, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. A UNICEF relief mission reached a large hospital in the southern Lebanese town of Tebnine on Thursday, only to find massive destruction and staggering needs. “I came here two weeks ago and we’ve come back today again with a convoy… but what is different today is the […]European Commission and EIB Group announce new financing package of over €600 million to support Ukraine’s recovery
April 24, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group today announced a new financing package of more than €600 million to support urgent reconstruction projects in Ukraine. The Commission is extending the European Union guarantee to the EIB Group to enable over €450 million in […]EIB backs with €100 million Malta’s energy transition through second electricity interconnector with Italy
April 24, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is supporting Malta’s energy transition by enhancing the country’s electricity infrastructure, boosting security of supply, and facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources. To this end, EIB Vice-President Marek Mora and Malta’s Minister for Finance Clyde Caruana have announced today a €100 […]EU adopts 20th package of sanctions against Russia
April 24, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission welcomes the adoption by EU Member States of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. The EU’s commitment to a free and sovereign Ukraine is unwavering. This package puts further pressure on Russia to engage in negotiations and do so on terms acceptable […]Middle East war: After oil and gas, concerns grow over minerals crunch
April 24, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz caused by war in the Middle East has exposed a new threat: a looming shortage of strategic minerals that drive economies all over the world – and a race by countries to obtain them. Until war erupted on 28 […]28th Regime – Why are alarm bells ringing?
April 23, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Economic and Social Committee. On 21st of April, the EESC Workers’ Group brought together experts from the ETUC, S&D MEPs, the Spanish government and the European Commission to examine the current push for competitiveness, the Commission’s proposals on the 28th Regime, also known as EU Inc. proposal […]
