Europe Belgium Around 80% of active substances labelled as highly toxic by the European Union continue to be used in Belgium, a new study by Nature&Progrès and PAN Europe reveals
Europe Greece Prime Minister Mitsotakis announced that the next national elections will be held on 21 May, but analysts are divided on whether a coalition government can be formed in the first round or a second round will be necessary
Europe Netherlands Over half of Dutch people between the ages of 16 and 25 are dealing with mental health problems; of those, many struggle with suicidal thoughts and loneliness, as shown by a survey by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Europe Austria Amnesty International listed among the country's human rights failures inadequate social benefits, racial profiling, inadequate protection of unaccompanied children, housing shortage, increased pressure on media freedom and failure to meet climate targets
Europe Slovenia The country, which has already signed a solidarity agreement with Italy, is soon expected to sign a solidarity agreement with Croatia on gas supply and to expand energy cooperation in other areas
Europe Latvia Central Finance and Procurement Agency issued a further invitation to municipalities to use Recovery Fund funding for the purchase of electric cars for school transport, with still EUR 3,7 million available for this purpose
Europe Iceland Considerable precipitation affected East Iceland, leading to a high risk of avalanches and to security forces evacuating houses; the situation has now improved and relief for the evacuated is expected soon
Europe Albania Unemployment, poverty, and disillusionment with the political elite is emptying small Albanian towns and villages of people, with the young mostly moving abroad; a trend growing in 2023 according to the first statistics issued
Europe Switzerland The Swiss are eating more and more foreign chocolate and, despite the increase in exports, the accounts of Swiss chocolate producers are suffering: in 2022, total consumption stood at 11 kilograms, down 2,7% year-on-year
Europe United Kingdom Public satisfaction with the NHS has plummeted to the lowest level ever recorded by the long-running British Social Attitudes survey, with only 29% saying they will be satisfied in 2022
Europe Vatican City Vatican repudiates the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' which underpinned colonialism; with origins in the 15th century, it was invoked as a legal and religious standing by Europeans who "discovered" new lands and violently seized it from people living there
Europe Ireland The Irish Refugee Council is going through 'one of the most difficult periods' in its 30-year history, as protection seekers face a 'worsening' situation, with 350 of them experiencing homelessness
Europe San Marino Andrea Sensoli, after losing the use of an arm, is now aiming for the e-sports world championship, scheduled to take place in Iasi, Romania, from 24 August to 4 September