‘No precedent’ for seafarers caught in war zone in post-WW2 era

© IMO Crew members take a break on a ship. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. Some 20,000 seafarers remain stranded on ships in the Strait of Hormuz as the war in the Middle East continues, a situation which has been described as unprecedented in the post-Second World War era. The seafarers are working on some 2,000 ships including oil and gas tankers, […]

The image from Gaza that still haunts me: Palestine relief agency chief

UN Photo/Evan Schneider UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini briefs the press at UN Headquarters in New York. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. Asking the softly spoken, veteran humanitarian worker Philippe Lazzarini how he feels as he comes to the end of his second term as the head of the UN agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, is perhaps an unfair question.  “No doubt that I have mixed feelings today,” he says. […]

Forests are more than a resource: How Belarus protects its vital ecosystem

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Forests cover more than 40 per cent of Belarus. At the same time, the country recorded twice as many forest fires last year compared to the year before. Ahead of the International Day of Forests, observed on 21 March, deputy resident representative of the UN Development Programme […]

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 […]

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 […]

Commission presents new Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030 for a more equal, cohesive and successful Europe

Gender equalityThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission is presenting its new Gender Equality Strategy for 2026 to 2030. The Strategy embeds gender equality into every aspect of life, online and offline, from education and health to work and public life, and addresses modern threats such as cyberviolence […]

World News in Brief: UN humanitarian chief visits South Sudan, shelter fire risks in Gaza, West Bank violence

© UNICEF/Bullen Chol A grandmother takes care of her 17-month-old malnourished grandson in South Sudan.This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator arrived in South Sudan on Friday to visit one of the most under-reported humanitarian crises in the world, as clashes between government and opposition forces continue in Jonglei state.  Tom Fletcher will focus on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the world’s youngest country and escalating protection risks for both civilians and aid workers.  […]

Ukraine’s women at breaking point after four years of war as attacks on energy, healthcare continue – UN humanitarians

Ukraine’s women at breaking point after four years of war as attacks on energy, healthcare continue – UN humanitariansThis article is published in association with United Nations. Four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, millions in Ukraine struggle to keep the lights on and heat their homes, with the crisis taking a particular toll on women, humanitarians warned on Friday. Freshly back from a visit to the country UN Women’s Chief of Humanitarian Action Sofia […]

Commission supports the EU’s eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine

Commission supports the EU's eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus and UkraineThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has adopted a comprehensive strategy to step up support for the EU eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Strengthening the prosperity and resilience of these regions is not only an expression of EU solidarity in the wake of Russia’s invasion […]

DR Congo: UN vows orderly peacekeeping transition as South Africa withdraws troops

MONUSCO/Michael Ali South African female peacekeepers serving with MONUSCO conduct patrols in Beni, DR Congo. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. South Africa has moved to withdraw its peacekeepers deployed at the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) after nearly three decades of service.  In a statement issued on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said he informed UN Secretary-General António Guterres on […]

MEPs adopt proposals to tackle Europe’s housing crisis 

MEPs adopt proposals to tackle Europe’s housing crisis This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Monday, the Housing Committee adopted its final recommendations on the housing crisis in the EU, proposing solutions for decent, sustainable and affordable housing. In its final report, adopted with 23 votes in favour, 6 votes against, and 4 abstentions, Parliament’s Special Committee on […]

World News in Brief: UN condemns attack on civilians in Nigeria, updates from Gaza and West Bank, relief flights to resume in Yemen

WFP/Inger Marie Vennize Thousands have been displaced due to insecurity and conflict in east and north-east Nigeria. Pictured here, a town in Borno state.This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Secretary-General on Thursday strongly condemned a deadly terrorist attack in Kwara state in western Nigeria, where more than 100 people were reportedly killed. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, António Guterres conveyed his “heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the […]

The Commission decides to refer Spain and Malta to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose the Delegated Directive as regards the adjustments of the size criteria for micro, small, medium-sized and large undertakings or groups

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 decided to refer Spain and Malta to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose the Delegated Directive as regards the adjustments of the size criteria for micro, small, medium-sized and large undertakings or groups (Delegated […]

Commission annual report on Single Market and competitiveness calls for joint action in light of unprecedented challenges

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 adopted the 2026 Annual Single Market and Competitiveness Report, the sixth in an annual series, evaluating the functioning of the Single Market and assessing the conditions for businesses to innovate, grow, and compete while delivering sustainable prosperity for European citizens. […]

Commission approves €3.1 billion Spanish State aid support for cogenerated electricity

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, under EU State aid rules, a €3.1 billion Spanish scheme to support the production of electricity from new or substantially refurbished highly efficient combined heat and power (‘CHP’) plants. The measure will contribute to the implementation of Spain’s National […]

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 treatiesThis 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 […]

Ukraine: Families in ‘survival mode’ amid Russian strikes and deadly cold

© UNOCHA/Matteo Minasi A five-year-old girl waits with her mother to board a bus to Poland from Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine. "Children's lives are still consumed by thoughts of survival and not childhood," UNICEF warned.This article is published in association with United Nations. Families across Ukraine are in “constant survival mode” amid ongoing waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have left blocks without power for days at a time, while temperatures plunge to deadly lows, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday. “Families have actually reverted to […]

EIB Group provides EU-backed guarantees 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 new EU-backed guarantee agreements with PrivatBank and Ukreximbank to expand access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ukraine. The financing was made possible by […]

One Health, One Struggle: Confronting Antibiotic Resistance

Mariana Pioltine Murari is a third-year student at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Barretos Dr. Paulo Prata (FACISB)This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Valentina Orsi is a third-year 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 […]

UN’s ‘responsibility to deliver’ will not waver, after US announces withdrawal from dozens of international organizations

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed regret over the decision by the United States to withdraw from a number of UN entities, while underscoring that the system will continue to deliver on all its mandates. “As we have consistently underscored, assessed contributions to the United Nations regular budget […]

Human Rights Council elects Indonesian candidate President for 2026

UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré A general view of a Human Rights Council meeting. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Human Rights Council – the world’s principal defender of vulnerable people worldwide – has elected an Indonesian diplomat to be President for 2026 in a first for the country. Under Council rules, presidents are appointed to serve for one year by the body’s 47 Member […]

Read-out from the extraordinary meeting of EU agriculture ministers on securing EU food security and sovereignty in an uncertain world

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, EU agricultural ministers met in an extraordinary meeting, on the invitation of the European Commission and Minister Maria Panayiotou for the Cypriot Presidency of the Council. The Commission was represented at this meeting by Commissioners Hansen, Šefčovič and Várhelyi. Recognising that agriculture is […]

Robust Security Guarantees for a Solid and Lasting Peace in Ukraine – Statement of the Coalition of the Willing

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 members of the Coalition of the Willing, Ukraine and the United States have convened today in Paris. We all stressed our commitment to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the United Nations Charter principles, and welcomed the progress achieved, […]

UN agency rolls out three-year plan to safeguard Ukraine’s bread basket

© FAO/Viacheslav Ratynskyi Large swaths of farmland in Ukraine has been contaminated by landmines and other ordinance. (file photo)This article is published in association with United Nations. Ukraine’s agricultural sector remains under intense pressure as the war continues to disrupt food production and endanger civilians, the UN food security agency warned on Tuesday, as it unveiled a new three-year plan to help farmers survive and protect their livelihoods. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization […]

Gaza aid lifelines under strain as winter worsens

This article is published in association with United Nations.Humanitarian partners in the Gaza Strip are struggling to reach hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people as winter storms batter damaged homes and temporary shelters. Since the fragile October ceasefire began as phase one of the US-led peace plan, thousands of tents and hundreds of thousands of tarpaulins have been distributed.  Yet partners estimate that […]

Montenegro: European Union to invest €175 million to upgrade Bar-Golubovci railway line

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. To strengthen regional connectivity and integration, the European Union is providing a €175.6 million financial package for the reconstruction of 39 km of the Bar–Golubovci railway line, a key section of Rail Route 4 on the extended TEN-T Core Network. This vital corridor connects Belgrade to […]

Sudan civil war: Health system ‘on the verge of collapse’

© WHO/Lindsay Mackenzie WHO is supporting Sudan’s health workers with essential drugs, trauma and surgical supplies, and fuel to maintain health services.This article is published in association with United Nations. The war in Sudan has been tearing the country apart for almost 1,000 days, putting the country’s health system under intolerable pressure. The World Health Organization (WHO) is reporting widespread disease outbreaks, severe shortages, malnutrition and rising deaths. The UN agency has revealed shocking figures related to […]

UN warns Sudan war entering deadlier phase as fighting spreads in Kordofan

© UNICEF/Ahmed Satti Children walk at a camp for displaced persons in Port Sudan, which is hosting families who fled violence across the country, including Darfur and Kordofan regions.This article is published in association with United Nations. The war in Sudan is entering a deadlier phase, the United Nations has warned, as intensified fighting in the Kordofan region, mounting civilian casualties from drone strikes and growing risks of regional spillover push the conflict toward the 1,000-day mark. Briefing the Security Council on Monday, senior […]

Commission welcomes agreement on the Retail investment Strategy

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 welcomes the political agreement reached yesterday between the European Parliament and EU Member States on the Retail Investment Strategy. The new measures will empower retail investors to make informed decisions that match their individual needs and preferences, while ensuring that they […]

Sudan war: World urged not to ignore ‘gruesome sexual violence’

© UNOCHA/Mohamed Elgoni Aid is provided to people who have fled El Fasher in Darfur, Sudan.This article is published in association with United Nations. Harrowing new details emerged on Thursday in a UN report detailing targeted sexual violence and summary executions in Sudan’s North Darfur region, attributed to paramilitary fighters who overran the city of El Fasher in late October. Issued by the UN human rights office, OHCHR, the report describes […]

Fifty days on, Jamaica struggles to rebuild after Hurricane Melissa’s unprecedented destruction

Fifty days on, Jamaica struggles to rebuild after Hurricane Melissa’s unprecedented destructionThis article is published in association with United Nations. Fifty days have passed since Hurricane Melissa ravaged Jamaica, leaving behind an unprecedented trail of destruction.  Current estimates place the total damage and loss between $8 billion and $15 billion – nearly a quarter of Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP), said Dennis Zulu, UN Resident Coordinator for […]

France: EIB lends €40 million to Technip Energies for R&D investments in decarbonisation technologies and circular economy solutions

France: EIB lends €40 million to Technip Energies for R&D investments in decarbonisation technologies and circular economy solutionsThis article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has provided €40 million in financing to Technip Energies, a French-based and Euronext-listed global technology and engineering company in the energy and chemical sectors. The loan will support Technip Energies’ research and development investments over the period up to 2028, with a […]

Ukraine civilians bear brunt of escalating attacks as winter closes in

© WFP/Sayed Asif Mahmud WFP is supporting the recovery of rural areas in the Mykolaiv region of Ukraine.This article is published in association with United Nations. Civilians across Ukraine endured a surge in deadly strikes over the weekend, with the UN warning of an “alarming pattern” of intensifying hostilities and mounting damage to essential services as temperatures continue to drop. Speaking in New York on Monday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists the […]
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