Europe

Nearly 55.000 residence permits were issued to non-EU citizens last year, according to Eurostat data; compared to neighbouring EU countries, the number of Ukrainian, Chinese and South Korean citizens granted residence permits is particularly high

The city council of Utrecht has introduced a new school enrolment system to end segregation in primary schools by preventing the enrolment of newborn children, as dozens of schools usually still have informal waiting lists exploited by the more privileged

It is now illegal for the boss to send a message outside normal working hours, with a new labour law passed by parliament in a bid to create more work-life balance

The famous Christmas markets in Vienna started opening yesterday at various locations; other towns will follow suit

The government has estimated the cost of the July floods at €29 billion, making them one of the most destructive natural disasters in the country's history; the figures were provided in the application for financial assistance from the EU Solidarity Fund

Wood pellets will be used as fuel in an attempt to decarbonise, after the government signed an agreement with Norwegian producer Arbaflame to convert coal-fired power plants; the transition will reduce the plants' CO2 emissions by more than 90%

More than 450 restaurateurs have closed their doors in the country this year because of uncertainty about the future due to the pandemic; some are thinking about new remote format

The 14th Pride Festival of LGBT Cultures and Identities is taking place for 14 days at the Cité Universitaire in Paris, with the goal of bringing more attention on the community

A new portrait of Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume will be unveiled at a major art fair in Dublin; the painting is by acclaimed Irish artist Vincent Devine

After over 200 Covid-19 cases surged from a no-pass protests in Trieste, government presents specific plan to rule protests held in historical towns or art cities with narrow streets and alleys

Centuries-old Mayan artefacts found by German police hidden in the cellar of a farm in the state of Saxony-Anhalt last year have been returned to Mexico and Guatemala

The first 10 days of opening of KUNST + KRAFTORT = LEBENSKRAFT, exhibiting paints and sculptors of 93 years old artist Hermy Geissmann, have registered an exceptional number of visitors

A new Animal Protection Law has been submitted by the Ministerial Commissioner for Animal Protection; if passed, it would affect both the Animal Protection Act and - most importantly - the Criminal Code