Europe Slovenia The country hosted the first European Honey Competition, attended by 114 competitors from eleven countries; first places in all but one category went to Slovenian beekeepers
Europe Czech Republic Scientists at Mendel University in Brno have cultivated highly efficient algae capable of capturing and removing from water fertiliser and drug residues, including paracetamol and antibiotics
Europe Bulgaria The draft budget for 2025 foresees an increase in funds for education from 4,1% to 4,8% of the country's gross domestic product, +0,7% compared to last year
Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina 7.540 people who disappeared during the war in the 1990s still haven't been accounted for, with the country searching for them; there are around 1.300 unidentified remains, both complete and incomplete, in the morgues
Europe Andorra The goal of Forces Elèctriques d'Andorra, in charge of Andorra's electricity supply, is to ensure that 100% of the electricity produced by the company in 2030 is of renewable origin, whereas currently it is 74%
Europe Kosovo A new programme to track perpetrators of domestic violence with electronic bracelets has been launched, part of the authorities' efforts to address the growing number of reports of violence within the home
Europe Ireland New bandaging aims to ease the agony of those living with genetic skin condition Epidermolysis Bullosa; Maynooth University is leading research into 'spray on, wash off' bandages that won't cause severe pain when applied or removed, as those now used do
Europe Switzerland Compulsory tipping does not meet with unanimous approval among the Swiss: over two-thirds of citizens do not want to include it in the price of their food, according to survey published earlier this month
Europe Belgium People working as sex workers will be able to obtain regular employment contracts thank to a law has gone into effect
Europe France World leaders gathered for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris making the event an unofficial, key international meeting; President Emmanuel Macron thanked all who ‘saved, helped, rebuilt’ the beloved cathedral after the devastating 2019 fire
Europe Norway A solid majority of the Norwegian Parliament voted in favour of extending women's right to self-determined abortion from 12 to 18 weeks of pregnancy; previous law had not been changed for 46 years
Europe Denmark The municipality of Kalundborg will introduce a four-day working week for its administrative staff as of 1 January 2025; consequently, the municipality's main telephone line will only be open Monday to Thursday
Europe Italy Trenitalia is ranked as the best overall performer rail operator in Europe according to a new study published by the European NGO Transport & Environment