San Marino votes overwhelmingly to legalize abortion
Around 77.30% of voters in the tiny European nation approved the measure which would make abortion legal in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Europe
This archive covers progress stories and milestones from across Europe, spanning health, climate policy, social equity, and scientific research. From small-nation experiments to E.U.-wide initiatives, these reports highlight what is working and why.
Michelin’s airless passenger car tires get their first public outing
Michelin says “tweels” will last three times longer than normal tires, even when nothing goes wrong for the life of the tire, leading to a major reduction in waste.
England will be first country to require new homes to include EV chargers
All new homes and offices will have to feature “smart” charging devices that automatically charge vehicles during off-peak periods. New office blocks will need to install a charge point for every five parking spaces.
Spain to ban sale of fruit and vegetables in plastic wrapping from 2023
The ban on fruit and vegetable packaging will apply to produce weighing under 1.5 kilograms, following similar legislation in France, where it will go into effect next year.
European Parliament passes historic resolution to end all animal experiments
The vote was nearly unanimous – 667 to 4. The motion aims to prioritize the shift towards scientific methods that do not involve animals, including for research, regulatory testing, and education.
France makes birth control free for everyone under 25
The free contraceptives offered include the pill, IUDs, contraceptive patches, and other methods composed of steroid hormones. Doctor’s visits for birth control prescriptions will also be free.
mRNA cancer therapy now in human trials after shrinking mouse tumors
BioNTech, the German company that developed Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine, is now testing whether mRNAs can treat cancer in humans. The treatment has already completely shrunk tumors in mice.
World’s largest direct air capture plant starts absorbing CO2 in Iceland
Climework’s latest facility, dubbed Orca, is designed to suck CO2 out of the air and store it away permanently underground as rocks. It will likely harvest roughly 4,000 tons of CO2 from the air every year.
Scotland joins growing global movement towards a four-day workweek
Scotland plans to launch a trial four-day workweek. Workers will have their hours reduced by 20%, but won’t suffer any loss in compensation.
Serbia foregoes lengthy, costly permits for rooftop solar panels
The Serbian government has completely flipped on solar permitting, going from extremely difficult to unbeaten ease and convenience, promising to accelerate the uptake of renewable energy in the country,