Europe

Facilitating marriage for same-sex couples has been debated by Parliament, which approved 2 contradictory drafts: one envisages enactment of marriage for same-sex couples, the other enshrines protection of marriage as a union between a man and a woman

A new national spatial planning strategy, which explicitly paves the way not only for the expansion of the country's only nuclear power plant, but also for the construction of small modular reactors, has been approved in Parliament

As the country prepares for intensive negotiations as part of its path to EU membership, the lack of qualified experts to lead the talks is a crucial issue

Dutch King Willem-Alexander issued a historic royal apology for the Netherlands' involvement in slavery, saying he felt 'personally and intensely' affected, in a speech with thousands of descendants of slaves; many state they still want compensation

43% of Estonians would opt for an electric or hybrid car if possible, shows a survey commissioned by Moller Baltic Import; the percentage of those who prefer an all-electric or hybrid car is highest between the ages of 40 and 49

The 5km mini-marathon 'Run for Autism', which contributes to raising awareness in society about autism, took place, with many diplomats participating in the event

Applications to obtain Portuguese nationality increased by about 37% reaching 74.506 last year compared to 2021; it is the highest figure in four years, said Foreigners and Borders Service SEF

The Dubrovnik municipality has decided to ban luggage on wheels, with fines up to 265€, after residents complained for the disturbing noise of the trolleys on the pavement

30% of newly published books don't even sell a single copy, despite continuous growth in book production since 2016, reveals a Nomisma study; publishing houses have fallen from 5.491 in 2012 to 4.623 in 2021

Thames Water, largest private utility company responsible for public water supply and waste water treatment, born under Margaret Thatcher's will, is close to bankruptcy; the £10 billion necessary to save it would be weighting on taxpayers

The sale of sexual services, which unlike the purchase of such services is legal in Sweden, should to be taxed like any other service, the Swedish Tax Agency said in a statement

The country will vote against the European Commission's proposal to relax EU GMO rules by exempting plants produced with new genomic techniques, which reduce demand for risky pesticides, from the GMO directive