CES “News from Europe” collects interesting and timely news articles from around Europe. You can get an overview from the recaps or click the link to see the full article. Be sure to check back weekly for the next installment.
Week of December 2, 2024
- Wolves to lose protection as EU secures support for status downgrade
The EU is set to downgrade the legal status of wolves from ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected’ following a sharp increase in wolf populations over the last twelve years. Proponents of the change say it would allow a more flexible and balanced approach to the management of wolf populations and be an important change for rural communities and farmers. Conservationists opposing the change claim it is not based on scientific fact, but rather is the result of successful lobbying by the industrial farming and hunting lobbies. Opponents also claim this change sets a dangerous precedent for other protected species. - Damaged cables appear to be accident, Finland says
Following initial fears of sabotage on the undersea infrastructure, Finland’s transport agency has announced that the two fibre-optic cables connecting Finland and Sweden appear to have been cut accidentally by excavation work. Around 6,000 households in Finland were affected by the breaks last month. - Georgia’s moment of truth: Protesters demand Western path not Russian past
Protests continue as temperatures drop to freezing in the Georgian capital and protestors say they will continue every day until the new ruling party, Georgian Dream, calls new elections. The protesters punctuate the Georgian public’s desire to maintain ties with the West over Russia and their distrust of the new ruling party, following widespread reports of election interference, bribery, and multiple voting. Georgian Dream maintains that they have no official ties to the Kremlin and that the elections were free and fair, but have consistently trashed Georgia’s relationship with the EU and US. Protesters maintain support for the current pro-Western president and say if Georgian Dream is sure they won fairly, they should not mind new elections being called. Georgian Dream supporters believe the party needs only to wait for US president-elect Donald Trump to take office for change to proceed. - Gargoyles, stained glass and the spire: How Notre-Dame was restored
Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral is nearly ready for its grand reopening following restoration work made necessary by the 2019 fire. The renovation saw the entire 100m wooden roof recreated, limestone replaced and cleaned, gargoyles redone, spire rebuilt, windows and other artwork cleaned and repaired, and major archeological finds unearthed. Architects used new computer technology, previously completed architectural studies on the structure, and traditional techniques to restore the cathedral. - French government collapses in no-confidence vote
For the first time since 1962, the French government has passed a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Michel Barnier. This comes mere months after the highly criticized appointment by President Emmanuel Macron and in the wake of Barnier’s widely criticized move to pass a budget without Parliament approval. Barnier is expected to stay on as caretaker until a new appointment can be made. - Baltic Sea: Russian ship fires signalling ammunition at German army helicopter
Following a pattern of supposed hybrid attacks, a Russian ship fired signalling ammunition at a German helicopter that was completing a reconnaissance mission in the Baltic Sea. The use of signalling ammunition is only permitted in emergencies, but no such emergency has been identified. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock alleges that, since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been using hybrid attacks to threaten the peace order and indirectly weaken Western states. Moscow denies responsibility for any such incidents
Week of November 25, 2024
- EU targets US with tariff list for Trump-era olive trade dispute
The European Commission is arranging a list of USA products to target for retaliatory import tariffs in an ongoing trade spat over Spanish black olives. The tiff originated with tariffs on Spanish olives administered during Donald Trump’s first tenure at the White House in 2017 and will now prove to be an issue once again as Trump reclaims office. To challenge the high tariffs, Spain took the USA to the WTO, and they found the US was in breach of WTO rules, but since the sentence, the USA has done nothing to lower its tariffs. Thus, the EU sees its only option as retaliatory tariffs to counteract the USA’s inability to cooperate with diplomatic efforts, and that is compounded by negative sentiments from Spanish olive producers, which have spent €17 million on legal fees and lost almost €300 million in exports. - Volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year
After eight centuries of silence, a volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted for the seventh time since last December. The eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula started with little warning at 11:14 p.m. and sent molten lava flowing toward the Blue Lagoon, a major tourist attraction. The eruption poses no threat to air travel, but authorities warn that gas emissions can severely impact nearby communities. The constant eruptions make people worried about its implications on the environment. - Spain to grant residency, work permits to hundreds of thousands of migrants in the country illegally
Spain has recently instilled a policy to grant residency, and work permits to about 300,000 migrants living in the country illegally each year for the next three years to expand the workforce and combat low birth rates. Spain, in comparison to other nations, has remained open to migrants even as other European countries close their borders because they need around 250,000 registered foreign workers a year to maintain the welfare of the nation. Many of the migrants fleeing to Spain come from West African countries in search of job opportunities and fleeing political instability and violence at home. Many advocate for legal protections for workers so they do not get exploited in low-end jobs. - EU pledges $96M loan to Cameroon to boost infrastructure
The European Union has pledged to lend 96 million euros to Cameroon over the next three years to boost the nation’s infrastructure and attract foreign investment. The loan will aid the West African nation in developing its energy sector and railway network. The loan will also cover the construction of a bridge over the Ntem River between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Before the loan, Cameroon had been struggling to develop these projects because they were plagued by a separatist conflict in the country’s west that has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 760,000. The EU Ambassador to Cameroon, Jean-Marc Chataigner, said the loan was conditional on the government’s proper management of the funds. - Romania Sanctuary seeks to save bears as hunting resumes
Romania supported by the European Union is allowing 481 bears to be killed this year but sanctuaries argue the bears should be protected. A bear sanctuary in the heart of Romania’s Carpathians fears cubs and bears may need more shelter because the country has authorized hunting this protected species, effectively overturning a ban in place since 2016. The government argues that the bear population is too large and that attacks have increased. In contrast, animal welfare groups argue that conflicts between people and bears are caused by human behaviour. This is a divisive issue that is hitting Romania.
Week of November 11, 2024
- European fake art network involving Banksys, Warhols, Modiglianis uncovered in Italy
In a nearly €200 million bust, authorities have dismantled a network of art forgers across Spain, France, Belgium, and Italy. The operation uncovered 2,100 forgeries of work from over 30 artists. The works were issued certificates and stamps of authenticity from auction houses in Italy before being exhibited in Mestre and Cortona, Italy. Those involved will be charged with conspiracy to forge and deal in contemporary art. - Political turmoil rocks the Netherlands after Amsterdam violence
Tensions continue in Amsterdam following bouts of violence surrounding the match between Dutch team Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. The game was marked by both pro-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Semitic gatherings, chants, and violence. Most recently, the secretary for benefits from the center-right New Social Contract (NSC) party resigned over alleged racist remarks in a closed door meeting about the violence. In an attempt to address the ongoing violence, the Dutch capital has adopted a motion calling for immediate action to address the “real and imminent” risk of genocide in Gaza. - Protesters storm Abkhazia parliament over Russian investment deal
In opposition to a law encouraging Russian development in the region, residents of Abkhazia stormed parliament and took control of the presidential administration building. Abkhazia has been largely autonomous since 2008, when a separatists group gained control of the region during Georgia’s short war with Russia. Although Abkhazia is formally recognized by Russia as a state, some residents are concerned with their Northern neighbor’s potential influence. In opposition to the same bill, residents blocked bridges and gathered at the security services headquarters earlier this week. - Italy’s Albania asylum deal has become a political disaster for Giorgia Meloni
Italy’s €1bn plan to house incoming migrants in detention centers in Albania has been blocked for breaking international law. The agreement was initially hailed as an innovative solution to Italy’s large number of arrivals, but has quickly turned into a national embarrassment. Italian judges determined it was unlawful to detain them in Albania prior to repatriation to countries considered “safe” by Rome, referencing a ruling by the European Union’s court of justice (ECJ) that a country outside the EU can not be declared safe unless its entire territory is deemed safe. Although 24 men were transferred to the facilities earlier this month, none stayed for longer than 48 hours and none remain there now. Critics raised concerns of the scheme’s legality prior to its implementation, and now point out the financial drain on Italy’s already struggling finances. - Austria says Russia’s Gazprom will cut off natural gas supply this weekend
The Russian state-owned natural gas company Gazprom will end supply to Austria’s OMV utility on November 16. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has assured residents that this will not cause an energy shortage and they should not worry about going cold as winter approaches. This move will cost Gazprom around $2.5 billion a year in annual revenue, a potentially damning amount as natural gas exports account for a large portion of the Kremlin’s financing and exports to the rest of Europe were slashed at the outset of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.
Week of November 4, 2024
- Scholz sets stage for German snap election as government collapses
German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz fired Finance Minister Christian Lindner on Wednesday night, removing the Free Democratic Party from the governing coalition. This was due to differences on economic policies, especially in regards to funding to Ukraine and climate policies. This will lead to a vote of confidence on January 15th, and snap elections in March if Scholz’s government does not survive. - Trial begins over beheading of teacher who showed Prophet Muhammed Cartoon
Eight people in Paris have gone on trial for encouraging the murder of Samul Paty, the teacher who was beheaded on the street outside his school four years ago for showing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammed. The murderer of Samuel Paty, a young man of Chechen origin named Abdoullakh Anzorov, was shot dead minutes after his attack on Paty, so the trial is about the circumstances that led to the crime rather than the crime itself. The trial will showcase how social media influenced Anzorov to commit his murder as well as all of his accomplices, including students, he paid off to identify Paty outside the school before his murder. The trial will take place in December. - Dutch school bars parents from marks-sharing app in push to lower pupil-stress
A secondary school in the Netherlands is blocking parental access to student’s grades for a term to reduce the stress put on pupils to perform. Like other nations, the Netherlands has a system where students must obtain a certain grade average to advance to the following year. Still, Jordan Montessori Lyceum Utrecht found that constantly sharing results with parents increased stress in children. The school took action after the economics teacher studied 500 pupils and found that when parents regularly checked the app, children rated their stress at 2.7 out of five, compared to without regular checking, which was 2. The story of this school reflects a more prominent call in the Netherlands for less pressure and grade obsession for students, especially in a time of declining results in math and language, an urgent teacher shortage, and a growing number of dropouts - Belgian comic book withdrawn amid outrage over racist depictions
A Belgian comic book that received backlash for its racist depictions of black people and “hyper-sexualized” images of women has been withdrawn from sale. The graphic novel Spirou and the Blue Gorgon was first published in September 2023 and had little controversy. That changed last month when a TikTok video went viral, condemning its portrayal of black people and women, triggering a great deal of criticism. One internet user noted that all the white characters were human beings. In contrast, black characters were depicted as monkeys, and women were drawn as “hyper-sexualized” with plunging cleavage and tiny waists. The cartoonist behind the Blue Gorgon, Daniel Henrotin has denied any racist or misogynist intentions and issued an apology. - Fighting cross-border crime: Council adopts EU Law about transfer of proceedings
Fueled by an increase in cross-border crimes in the European Union, the European Council has officially approved an EU law that regulates the conditions under which proceedings in a criminal case initiated in one member state may be transferred to another member state. This law will ensure criminal cases are prosecuted and investigated in the optimal member state, prevent unnecessary parallel proceedings (of the same suspect) in different EU member states, and, therefore, help to fight cross-border crime more effectively. The regulation will enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. - Putin praises Trump, says he’s ready for dialogue
President Vladimir Putin of Russia congratulated Donald Trump on winning the U.S. election and praised him for acting like a “real man” when he was shot while speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 14. Furthermore, Putin stated he was open and ready to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war with Trump. Trump said during campaigning that he could bring peace to Ukraine within 24 hours if he were elected but has given few details on how he would seek to end the most significant land war in Europe since World War Two. Putin awaits the Trump administration’s call to establish a dialogue between him and Trump.
View our News from Europe Archive for previous news.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |