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The European Parliament adopted a resolution declaring Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism because of Moscow’s strikes on civilian targets. The resolution was adopted with 494 votes in favor, 58 against and 44 abstentions. The declaration is symbolic but it does call for new sanctions and further isolation of Russia.

Source: Politico

French prisons have reached record levels of inmates this year, with 72,809 people behind bars, despite there only being 60,700 places available. This overpopulation has led to a decline in prison standards, with some 2,225 prisoners having to sleep on mattresses on the floor.

Source: Euronews

Spain and the European Commission have sent Britain a proposal to keep the Gibraltar land border open as part of a definitive solution settling the post-Brexit status of the enclave. The Spanish-EU proposal includes removing the fence to ensure free flow of people between Spain and the enclave.

Source: Reuters

The European Commission tabled proposals to tackle rising amounts of packaging waste in the EU by introducing new targets for reuse and recycling. The amount of packaging waste produced in Europe has soared since the mid-2000s and is on track to keep growing by 2030.

Source: Euractiv

Statements made by the independent Russian TV station Dozhd raised suspicions it was helping Moscow troops taking part in the Ukraine war and triggered a probe by Latvia's state security service. Dozhd is broadcasting from Latvia and elsewhere after Russian authorities forced the closure of its Moscow studio on the grounds it had deliberately spread false information about the actions of Russia's troops in Ukraine.

Source: Euronews

Victims of the widening spyware scandal in Spain are demanding justice and reparations, following revelations that journalists, lawyers, civil society and politicians had been targeted. "We are seeking reparations and a clear commitment of the Spanish state to stop such practices against political dissidents," Elisenda Paluzie, a Catalan economist and politician, told MEPs.

Source: EUobserver

rance's National Assembly has backed a bid to enshrine the right to abortion in the constitution, prompted largely by increased restrictions elsewhere. Lawmakers voted by a large majority to include a clause guaranteeing "the effectiveness and equal access to the right to end pregnancy voluntarily".

Source: BBC

EU countries have become increasingly violent toward migrants and asylum seekers at their borders, a report by the Border Violence Monitoring Network finds. In 2021, only 5 percent of interviewees said they had not experienced or witnessed ‘excessive force’ while being expelled from Europe.

Source: Politico