Europe

Germany will provide state guarantees for wind energy production, part of a package that aims at strengthening the wind energy industry amid concerns from European governments and companies about the leading role of Chinese companies in this industry

The court of Rome did not validate the detention of first 12 migrants brought by an Italian ship from the Mediterranean Sea to the immigration centre built in Albania with a billion euros investment; the cost of military ship journey wasn't made public

Contraceptives will not be supplied free of charge for adult women; the Hague Court of Appeal had rejected the request and the Attorney General at the Supreme Court ruled that the decision can stand

Discussions about potential constitutional changes are ongoing; former foreign minister Bujar Osmani has stated the need for a vote on the issue, warning that a lack of action could lead to a renewed focus on issues of 'identity, language and history'

Biedronka, the largest supermarket chain, has been fined €116 million for forcing suppliers to discount their products after delivery; Competition and Consumer Protection said it is an "important signal for the market, especially for larger companies"

The first six months of 2024 saw a record number of Belgians shopping online, while online shops in Belgium recorded a 5% increase in turnover and transactions

Speeding remains the most common offence, with 302.949 violations recorded in Sofia this year, over 32.000 more than the previous year

Scientists from the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Royal Observatory of Belgium are collaborating on the Ommegang science project, aimed at detecting tiny black holes passing close to the Earth

A study on the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture has been launched by the Ministry of the Environment of Moldova, in cooperation with the Stockholm Environment Institute

The Lithuanian Cabinet approved the central government draft budget for 2025; budget revenues are expected to grow by 5,9%, to €17,98 billion, and expenditures are expected to increase by 11,7%, to €23,02 billion; budget deficit is projected at 3% of GDP

The fee to participate in breast cancer screening has been drastically reduced from ISK 6.098 (€40) to ISK 500 (around 3 euros) at the breast centre in Eiríksgata, hoping to encourage demographic groups that access screening less, such as foreign women

Semmelweis University's free symptom control app, Semmelweis HELP, has been expanded to cover adult diseases such as ophthalmology, obstetrics, gynaecology and general medicine, reports the university's official website

It will be a criminal offence to destroy or allow to be damaged the records of 250.000 survivors of historical institutional abuse, under legislation that was fast-tracked this week by Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman