South Sudan: UN acts ahead of drought to protect thousands

© WFP/Gabriela Vivacqua Women in South Sudan go in search of water.This article is published in association with United Nations. As drought risk intensifies in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state, a new UN-backed plan aims to protect thousands of people before the worst impacts take hold.  The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Government of South Sudan on Friday activated the country’s first-ever drought anticipatory plan targeting more than 65,000 people […]

Commission refers Ireland, Spain, France and the Netherlands to the Court of Justice for failing to transpose the rules on cybersecurity

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 Ireland, Spain, France and the Netherlands to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to notify measures transposing the NIS2 Directive on securing network and information systems (Directive (EU) 2022/2555) into national law. The […]

Europe’s innovation performance strengthens amidst global competition

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Europe’s innovation performance continues to improve, with the EU’s overall score rising by 11.6 percentage points since 2019, according to the 2026 European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS), just released by the European Commission. This result marks nearly a decade of steady growth, highlighting the resilience […]

Sudan’s people subject to ‘relentless’ drone strikes in El Obeid

© UNFPA/Sufian Abdulmouty El-Obeid Maternity Hospital in North Kordofan State has come under increasing pressure as tens of thousands of people, many in dire need of healthcare, flee the violence engulfing neighbouring South Kordofan State.This article is published in association with United Nations. The war in Sudan threatens to spiral further as the strategically-important town of El Obeid continues to face “relentless” drone attacks by advancing paramilitary militias, the UN’s human rights chief, Volker Türk, said on Friday. Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, he called for urgent […]

Ebola in DR Congo: One month on, scaled up response remains insufficient

© WHO/Josua Mulala Raymond WHO AFRO Regional Emergency Director (a.i) and Incident Manager, Dr Marie Roseline Bélizaire.This article is published in association with United Nations. One month after the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, case numbers continue to rise.  The DRC now has more than 780 confirmed cases and 180 deaths, while Uganda has recorded 19 confirmed cases, including two deaths. On […]

Commission decides to refer Ireland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive regarding peat cutting projects  

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 Ireland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (Directive 2011/92/EU as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU). Under the Directive, Member States are required to carry out an […]

Bridging the Autism Diagnosis Gap in Africa: A Call for Early Screening and Inclusive Care

Lumndizeque Mc Prince Ngomjon is a second-year medical student at the University of Buea, CameroonThis article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Lumndizeque Mc Prince Ngomjon, a second-year medical student at the University of Buea, Cameroon. 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 […]

WHO sounds alarm over nicotine pouches targeting young people

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Brightly coloured nicotine pouches promoted through social media influencers, music festivals and youth-oriented advertising are driving a rapid rise in nicotine use among young people worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday. In a new report, the UN health agency described the “deceptive tactics” manufacturers […]

Commission evaluation shows slow progress in fishing sustainability and ongoing challenges for EU fishers

Commission activates emergency funding to shield fisheries and aquaculture from Middle East crisisThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission today published its evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) Regulation, covering the decade from 2014 to 2024. The evaluation draws a mixed picture: while the report acknowledges some progress in reducing overfishing and strengthening fisheries management, it also shows that […]

Parliament sounds the alarm over the state of fundamental rights in the EU 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. In a vote on Wednesday, MEPs took stock of the fundamental rights situation in the EU in 2024 and 2025. The values enshrined in Article 2 of the EU treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights must be upheld in all EU policies and […]

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 […]

MEPs support postponement of certain rules on artificial intelligence 

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs agree on proposals to simplify artificial intelligence rules and propose bans on AI “nudifier” systems and clear application dates for high-risk system requirements. On Wednesday, the Internal Market and Civil Liberties committees adopted their joint position on a simplification (“omnibus”) proposal amending the […]

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 […]

Palestine: UN rights chief highlights suffering, atrocity crimes ‘that remain unpunished

© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour A woman holds a child as a storm approaches Khan Younis in Gaza.This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN rights chief Volker Türk on Thursday highlighted the “human-made disaster” across the Occupied Palestinian Territory stemming from Israel’s disregard for human rights norms and serious violations also committed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Citing a new report from his office (OHCHR) covering the […]

Ukraine: $588 million recovery cost over the next 10 years

Ukraine: $588 million recovery cost over the next 10 yearswith United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine will cost almost $588 million over the next decade, or nearly three times the estimated GDP in 2025, as housing, energy and other critical sectors continue to come under fire from Russian forces.  The finding comes in the updated joint Rapid Damage and […]

Applications for New European Bauhaus Prizes and Boost 2026 are open

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 is opening applications for several awards celebrating innovation and creativity inspired by the New European Bauhaus (NEB):  The sixth edition of the New European Bauhaus Prizes and the second edition of the NEB Boost for Small Municipalities invite trailblazers from across Europe and beyond […]

How AI, gaming and virtual worlds are reshaping Holocaust remembrance

AI ‘moving at the speed of light’ warns Guterres, unveiling recommendations for UN expert panelThis article is published in association with United Nations. While new digital technologies are transforming how the Holocaust is remembered and taught, experts warn that sustainability, ethics and collaboration are now as important as creativity to keep a global memory alive of Nazi Germany’s genocide that killed six million Jewish people and millions of others during […]

EU-US trade legislation: MEPs to resume work on Turnberry proposals 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Bernd Lange, chair of Parliament’s International Trade Committee and standing rapporteur for the US, has issued the following statement regarding the EU-US trade deal. Following a Wednesday afternoon meeting of the committee’s shadow rapporteurs (i.e. political group representatives responsible for work on the legislation […]

UN chief warns of ‘grave moment’ as final US-Russia nuclear arms treaty expires

UN chief warns of ‘grave moment’ as final US-Russia nuclear arms treaty expiresUN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the expiration of the New START treaty represents a “grave moment” for international peace and security, as binding limits on US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons fall away amid heightened global tensions. In a statement issued as the treaty expired at midnight GMT Thursday, he said the world […]

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.  […]

Game-changing international marine protection treaty comes into force

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Almost two decades in the making, an international agreement to protect marine life in international waters and the seabed is due to come into force on Saturday, marking a major step forward in efforts to ensure the health of ocean ecosystems for decades to come. Officially known […]

Commission approves first wave of defence funding for eight Member States under SAFE

MEPs back new measures to strengthen Europe’s defence readiness This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has endorsed the national defence plans of eight Member States, marking a milestone in Europe’s push to strengthen its security. The Commission submitted a proposal to the Council to approve financial assistance for Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal and Romania. President of the European Commission, […]

Gaza: A ceasefire that still kills children is not enough, says UNICEF

© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour Children receiving a hot meal at a UN World Food Programme-supported kitchen in Khan Younis, Gaza.This article is published in association with United Nations. Airstrikes, drone attacks and hypothermia continue in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with more than 100 youngsters killed since early October, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday. “That’s roughly a girl or a boy killed here every day during a ceasefire,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told […]

The Human Face of Resistance: When Antibiotics Fail, Communities Speak

Sadia Khalid is a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technology. She is driven by a commitment to advance public health and scientific understanding. With research interests spanning molecular medicine, infectious diseases, bacteriology, hepatology, and gastroenterology, she aims to contribute meaningful, evidence-based insights that support health, safety, and community awareness.This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Sadia Khalid, a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technologye. 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 […]

Commission amends ETS State aid Guidelines to tackle carbon leakage for more energy-intensive industries

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 today adopted an amendment to the Guidelines on certain State aid measures in the context of the system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading post-2021 (‘ETS State aid Guidelines’). As announced in the European Chemicals Industry Action Plan, the amendment […]

Overnight strikes leave death, destruction and power outages in Ukraine

© UNOCHA A UN worker in Ukraine inspects a building damaged in the ongoing war with Russia. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. A new wave of overnight strikes and front-line hostilities in Ukraine have caused further civilian casualties and damage to critical energy infrastructure, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday. Several civilians were killed and nearly 30 injured, including children, according to […]

Gaza: Access to food improves but living conditions remain dire

Deep concerns for Palestinians amid intense Israeli raids in occupied West BankThis article is published in association with United Nations. A pregnant woman in Gaza thought she might lose her child because of malnourishment. Ten days ago, she gave birth and is now in recovery thanks to World Food Programme (WFP) facilities that are back up and running again, the agency’s representative for Palestine said on Thursday. […]

Commission approves €408 million Spanish State aid scheme to support decarbonisation of industry, in line with Clean Industrial Deal objectives

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 a €408 million Spanish scheme to support the decarbonisation of manufacturing industry, in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal. This measure will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero economy and is funded under the Recovery […]

Commission simplifies transparency rules for sustainable financial products

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has today proposed a set of amendments to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), the EU’s transparency framework for financial products integrating environmental or social aims. The changes are designed to address current shortcomings, making the rules simpler, more efficient, and […]

European Solidarity Corps to benefit from an increased budget of €175.3 million in 2026

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 launched the European Solidarity Corps 2026 call, marking a double anniversary year: 30 years of EU volunteering, which started in 1996 with a pilot of the European Voluntary Service, and 10 years of the European Solidarity Corps. With an increased […]

UN and African Union vow closer action for peace and development

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Secretary-General called on Wednesday for action to prioritize Africa, urging the world not to turn its back on the continent.  António Guterres was speaking at UN Headquarters in New York following the ninth conference between the global body and the African Union (AU). The high-level […]

Commission welcomes the judgment of the Court largely confirming the validity of the Directive on adequate minimum wages

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission welcomes today’s judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union largely confirming that the Directive on adequate minimum wages stands on firm legal ground.  Adequate minimum wages are essential for social fairness and a productive and inclusive economy. They help to protect workers’ purchasing power, reduce wage […]

Close to €1.6 billion of EU funds will help Spain recover from Valencia’s devastating floods 

This article was published in association with the Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine.This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has proposed to the European Parliament and the Council an aid of €945 million from the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to Spain to support the recovery from the destructive ‘DANA floods’ of October 2024 in Valencia. In addition, the Commission has approved […]
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