Center for European Studies

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. View the archived weekly news below.

More interested on what is happening right now? Visit our News from Europe page for current events.
 

Week of October 28, 2024

• UK D-Day veteran George Chandler, who escorted American troops to Normandy beaches, dies at 99
  World War II veteran George Chandler died October 19th of pneumonia. He spent the end of his life sharing the horrors of war and participated in the Remembrance Sunday ceremonies each year, this year his granddaughters plan to march in his place. Chandler escorted troops across the English Channel to land on Normandy’s beaches on D-Day. Chandler’s torpedo crew escorted U.S. army soldiers to Omaha and Utah beaches and served in the Adriatic before being sunk. His family plans to scatter some of his ashes there, so he may rest with his crewmates who are buried at sea.
• Japan and EU announce a security and defense partnership as regional tensions rise
  Japan and the European Union have announced a new partnership focused on mutual security and defense. This is the first security partnership between the EU and an Indo-Pacific country and comes amidst rising tensions in the region. Japan has been bolstering their security and defense industries over the last several years as China and North Korea have strengthened their respective militaries and their military relationship with Russia. Japan and the EU have committed to maintaining a regular security and defense dialogue, joint naval exercises, and cooperation on cybersecurity and space defense.
• Sweden abolishes tax on plastic bags despite warnings usage could rise
  Sweden’s government has abolished its tax on plastic bags following reports that the 3 kroner tax has reduced plastic bag consumption by more than 75% in the last four years. Environmentalists warn that abolishing the tax will increase plastic bag consumption, but government officials have claimed that the levy is no longer necessary as the country’s plastic bag consumption is already below the EU target.
• Spain flood death toll expected to rise amid anger over lack of preparedness
  At least 95 people are dead and more are still missing following extreme rains in Spain. The torrential rains were the result of a phenomenon called ‘gota fría’ in which cold air moves over the warm Mediterranean, this is expected to become more frequent and more devastating as sea temperatures continue to rise. As communities begin to recover, questions about the region’s emergency response are at the fore. Survivors report seeing the floods and becoming trapped in their cars before receiving issued warnings.
• UK urged to break with France, North Korea and Russia on UN nuclear war resolution
  Ireland and New Zealand have drafted a resolution to the UN to create a panel of experts to analyze the global impact of different nuclear war scenarios. Proponents of the resolution say that the last study of this kind, done in 1988, is outdated. The UK is expected to vote ‘no’ on the resolution, with North Korea, Russia, and France, though it is still expected to pass. Despite this, the UK is being urged to about-face on the issue, as a ‘no’ vote could negatively impact their reputation when it comes to nuclear proliferation issues.

Week of October 21, 2024

• Funding cuts could mean death of Sámi languages, say Indigenous parliaments
  Sweden and Finland plan to withdraw over £ 400,000 of funding to safeguard nine Indigenous languages that UNESCO has declared endangered. Indigenous parliaments in Sweden, Finland, and Norway warn that the removal of funding could lead to the disappearance of said languages. Sámi Giellagáldu was a program created to safeguard, promote, and strengthen the use of the nine Sámi languages across the Nordics. Still, just two years after Sámi Giellagáldu was established, funding cuts were announced because the respective governments of Sweden and Finland claimed the funding was only supposed to be temporary. Mika Saijets, the director general of Sámi Giellagáldu, accused the government of “cutting the heart out of the language,” and others have compared this withdrawal of funding to past attempts at the Swedification, Finlandisation, and Norwegianisation of Indigenous people.
• Around 40,000 litres of illegal alcohol beverages seized under OLAF’s lead
  EU member states and Norwegian customs seized around 40,000 liters of illegal alcoholic beverages, coordinated under the European Anti-Fraud Office. The action is part of an initiative dubbed OPSON XIII, which is coordinated alongside Europol to tackle food fraud and ensure the safety of food and beverages across Europe. The initiative’s overall goal is to identify and remove counterfeit and substandard food and drinks while curtailing the criminal groups peddling these items.
• Moldova voters narrowly approve referendum on joining the EU
  Moldovans, by a razor-thin majority of 50.39%, voted “yes” in a referendum about joining the European Union. This decision puts Moldova on a path towards European Union membership; a loss of the vote would have been disastrous for the pro-Western government that strongly advocated for the campaign. Although pro-Western and pro-European Union ideals prevailed, many claim that corruption and foreign interference influenced the vote, and Moscow is at the center of those claims.
• Russian lawmakers ratify pact with North Korea as US confirms Pyongyang sent troops to Russia
  Russian lawmakers have ratified a pact with North Korea envisioning mutual military assistance, as the U.S. confirms the deployment of 3,000 North Korean troops to Russia. The “comprehensive strategic partnership” treaty was signed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader King Jong Un on a June visit to Pyongyang. The pact forces Russia and North Korea to immediately provide military assistance using “all means” if either is attacked; it is the strongest link between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War.
• ‘Unprecedented’ Norman coin hoard bought by UK for over € 5 million
  An exceptional collection of 2,584 silver pennies dating back to the Norman Conquest has been acquired for €5 million, setting a record as the most valuable treasure ever discovered in the UK. The collection of coins, known as the Chew Valley hoard, was unearthed by seven friends on January 26th, 2019, during a metal-detecting outing. The Southwest Heritage Trust purchased the coin hoard, with proceeds going to the metal detectorists alongside the person who owned the land where the treasure was uncovered. The coins from the hoard will be displayed at the British Museum on November 26th, then go on a short tour, but will eventually find a permanent home at the Museum of Somerset. The coins reveal a unique insight into British history.

Week of October 14, 2024

• Prague bans night-time pub crawls in bid to attract ‘more cultured, wealthier’ tourists
  Joining the likes of Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Venice, Prague has become the latest European city to implement deterrents against certain kinds of tourists. The Czech capital has instituted a ban on guided pub crawls between the hours of 10pm and 6am. Tourists have made the Czech Republic the world’s thirstiest nation, but the Deputy Mayor now says that they want “a more cultured, wealthier tourist… not one who comes for a short time only to get drunk.”
• Human rights groups urge Polish PM to shelve plan to suspend right to asylum
  Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, has announced a plan to suspend the legal right to asylum in Poland. He claims it is a move that will protect the Polish and European border. Human rights organizations and a Holocaust memorial group published an open letter condemning the move as inhumane; other members of Poland’s coalition government have called it a violation of the rule of law and stressed that it is not the position of the whole government, rather that of one party.
• Italian ship transfers 16 intercepted migrants to Albania in a first under their new migration plan
  Following Italy and Albania’s unprecedented agreement, 16 migrants seeking asylum in Italy have arrived in Albania for processing. Human rights groups have criticized the arrangement for putting the rights and dignity of migrants at risk, while politicians have hailed it as “out-of-box thinking.” The deal includes the opening of two centers that will be manned by Italians and operate under Italian jurisdiction; those processed in these centers will retain their legal right to claim asylum in Italy. Only single, adult men will be sent to Albania, women, children, the elderly, and families will continue to be received and processed in Italy.
• 50 well-preserved Viking Age skeletons unearthed in Denmark
  In central Denmark, archeologists unearthed a Viking Age burial ground. The site was discovered last year and archaeologists spent six months carefully excavating it. In the end, they found 50 well-preserved and mostly complete skeletons that will be used to study social patterns in the area at the time.
• Italy passes law clamping down on surrogacy tourism
  Echoing sentiments from the Vatican, Italian political leaders have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to surrogacy and non-traditional forms of family planning. New legislation extends the existing ban on surrogacy to include punishments for those who go abroad to engage in the practice. Opponents of the law claim it unfairly targets LGBTQ+ couples because, although a majority of those who choose surrogacy are heterosexual, surrogacy is highly visible for same-sex couples in comparison to their straight counterparts. Birth-rates in Italy dropped to a record low in 2023, the 15th consecutive decline.

Week of October 7, 2024

• Asylum applications in the EU drops by 17% in June as countries tighten its border
  First-time applications for people seeking asylum in the EU have officially declined by 17% this summer according to Eurostat due to increased border controls. Syrians remain the largest group of asylum seekers with more than 10,000 first-time applicants, followed closely by Venezuelans and Afghans. Despite the massive drop, migration remains a buzzword in Europe as different EU states push the issue to the top of their agenda. Germany has been a leader in this, as they decided to tighten their land borders for six months in September and has allowed its law enforcement to reject more people.
• Eurovision failed to support us amid rows, winner says
  Nemo, the Eurovision winner, says the song contest organizers did not do enough to support participants caught up in the controversy over Israel’s inclusion in this year’s show. Leading up to Eurovision, there were calls for Israel to be banned from the competition because of their military action in Gaza, and pro-Palestinian protests hit the streets of Malmö, the Swedish host city for Eurovision. Contestants felt public pressure to boycott the show, and the entrant for Israel received death threats. Nemo hopes there will be more support for participants in the future.
• Greece’s low birth rate raises spectre of population collapse in Aegean Islands
  Authorities in the Aegean Islands warn that low birth rates could lead to disastrous outcomes in the region. A focal point of the issue is the island of Agios Efstratios, with at most 250 inhabitants; there are only two women under 30. Kostas Sinanis, the local mayor, says they are looking for incentives to bring boys and girls back to the islands they were raised in to create families. The case of Agios Efstratios is akin to all of Greece, where birthrates are steadily declining. Greece’s family ministry plans to spend €20 billion through 2035 on incentives to halt the decline, including cash benefits and tax breaks.
• Norway bans local chapter of motorcycle club Satudarah and calls it a criminal association
  Recently, Norway’s highest court called for a ban on the Norwegian arm of the Dutch motorcycle club ‘Satudarah’ due to its association with criminal activities. The Supreme Court said participants in the club “repeatedly committed serious offenses against someone’s life, health and freedom,” and they aroused fear in the population. The motorcycle club ‘Satudarah’ is also banned in Germany and its originating nation, the Netherlands.
• Europe was the leader on saving nature. Now its backsliding could threaten global progress.
  In 2022, diplomats struck a deal to protect 30% of the land and sea by 2030, and Europe was seen as credible in that decision; two years later, the narrative shifted. Recently, delegates met in wildlife-rich Colombia for Cop16 – the international summit to save nature. At Cop16, EU leaders scaled back plans to cut pollution and protect habitats due to protests from angry farmers at the start of the year. This backsliding has alarmed conservationists and scientists, who fear biodiversity loss is being pushed to the sidelines in these negotiations.

Week of September 30, 2024

• We look to the past to move forward: the ancient method boosting cuttlefish numbers in the Mediterranean
  In Spain, locals are tackling the decline in cuttlefish populations by employing traditional methods in modern fishing techniques. Isaac Moya and Boris Weitzmann worked together to reimplement the practice of placing branches on the seabed to attract cuttlefish, who need something solid to lay their eggs on, and have taken it a step further by having fishermen keep the cuttlefish eggs laid on their nets to be placed on branches as a sort of nursery. This project has bolstered the cuttlefish population in the area and helped spread local awareness of their importance.
• Harvesting hops for beer produces a lot of waste. These German groups are seeking to fix that
  In Germany, companies are seeking to address the issue of waste in the beer production process. Currently, the production of hops creates a disproportionate amount of waste. HopfON seeks to address this by using the waste in construction materials, while researchers at the Society of Hop Research are working on new varieties of hops that produce less waste to begin with
• UK gives sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The US base on Diego Garcia stays
  The UK has agreed to yield sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after over 50 years of contestation. The deal secures a strategically important UK-US military base’s position on Diego Garcia, with that island being the only of the archipelago to remain under UK control. The Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, has hailed the deal as the final step in the decolonization process.
• In a climate milestone, the U.K. — 1st to harness coal power — is among 1st to quit it
  This week, for the first time in 142 years, there is no coal burning in the UK. The country has been moving towards a clean energy grid for nearly 20 years and, by 2050, aims to cut carbon emissions entirely. This is a significant milestone in the fight against climate change because, although some countries have achieved this milestone already, the UK is the first G7 country to eliminate coal. Although the closure of this plant means the end of an era, it was meant with celebration, even from its former employees.
• EU court rules gender and nationality enough to grant Afghan women asylum
  Following a request from Austria, the European Court of Justice has ruled that gender and nationality are sufficient reasons for Afghan women to be granted asylum in Europe. Due to the Taliban’s restrictive laws, women face significant threat of persecution. This ruling applies to two specific women named in the lawsuit, but could pave the way for more women to be granted asylum status
• EU hits China with big taxes in electric car sales battle
  Despite condemnation as being protectionist, the EU has approved tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. The move seeks to address Chinese-state subsidies which some say give those companies an unfair edge in the market. Germany and Hungary opposed the tariffs, but failed to get enough support from other countries to block their approval. Many states abstained from voting.

Week of September 23, 2024

• European Day of Languages: Promoting Multilingualism and learning
  On September 26th, “The European Day of Languages” is celebrated in Europe annually. The day promotes linguistic diversity, encourages language learning across various age groups, and illuminates the importance of translation and language-related professions. This year, the European Commission hosted two virtual conferences to foster conversations around multilingualism in Europe and held many events, ranging from translation workshops to book fairs. The overall goal of this day is to promote the idea that languages are an essential part of the EU and its cultural heritage and encourage language learning throughout the EU.
• Iran was behind thousands of text messages calling for revenge over Quran burnings, Sweden says
  Swedish authorities have accused Iran of being responsible for over 15,000 messages sent to people in Sweden calling for revenge over the burning of the Islamic holy book in 2023. According to officials in Stockholm, the cyberattack was carried out by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which hacked an SMS service. Back in 2023, the protests where the Koran was burned were protected under the Freedom of Speech Act in the Swedish constitution, but the incident left Sweden torn between its commitment to free speech and respecting religious minorities. Today, the anti-Islamic acts in Sweden are preventing them from joining NATO as nations like Turkey condemn their people’s acts of xenophobia.
• War with Russia is closer to the end than we think- Zelensky
  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is quoted as saying, “I think that we are closer to peace than we think,” in reference to the Russian-Ukrainian war. Zelensky believes that Ukraine could effectively push Russian President Vladimir Putin to the end of the conflict if it can get sufficient resources from Western nations to strengthen its army. The Ukrainian president will speak at the United Nations General Assembly this week to present his “victory plan” to Western countries. The ultimate goal of Zelensky’s plan is to force Russia to agree to peace and hold Moscow responsible for its full-scale invasion in 2022.
• Finland to return pandas to China early due to cost
  In 2018, two pandas, Lumi and Pyry, were brought to Finland from China, with the agreement that the Nordic country would keep the pandas for 15 years and then send them back. The Finnish zoo that houses them will send the pandas back eight years early because they claim they can no longer afford to look after them. The Finnish zoo, Ähtäri Zoo, blames inflation in Finland for the panda’s eviction. A spokesperson for Finland’s foreign ministry said the pandas’ return was purely a business-related decision and should not impact Finnish and Chinese relations.
• Danish justice minister visits Kosovo prison set to recieve 300 inmates from Denmark
  Denmark’s justice minister, Peter Hummelgaard, has visited a detention center in Kosovo where his nation intends to send 300 prisoners to ease the overcrowding in the Danish prison system. Hummelgaard and his Kosovan counterpart, Albulena Haxhiu, see this as a “fruitful cooperation between the two countries.” Human rights groups, on the other hand, worry that prisoners will be exposed to more corruption, violence among prisoners, etc., than they would be in a Danish prison system. Others are concerned about the inmates being neglected access to healthcare and family visits. Despite the concerns, the Kosovan parliament has just approved this deal and it will go through.

Week of September 16, 2024

• Norway: electric cars outnumber petrol for first time in ‘historic milestone’
  In Norway, electric cars outnumber petrol for the first time ever. Although diesel vehicles still outnumber EVs, this milestone puts the Nordic country on track to remove fossil fuels from the roads entirely.
• Germany begins conducting checks at all its land borders
  In response to recent knife attacks by immigrants, Germany has introduced temporary border checks along five of its land borders. This is an expansion of existing checks, which were along four of its borders, to cover all nine of Germany’s land borders. This move brought criticism as a threat to the spirit of the EU’s Schengen area, a threat to trade, and a strain on the nation’s police force.
• Revealed: Far higher pesticide residues allowed on food since Brexit
  A new report details the looser restrictions on pesticide exposure in the UK. In over 100 food items, the maximum residue level has been raised, in some cases it is now thousands of times higher. These changes came despite Brexit architects promises that environmental standards would be stricter in a post-Brexit UK.
• Faces of transgender people adorn an artwork in London’s Trafalgar Square
  Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth has new artwork, which features the face masks of 726 trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people. The artist, Teresa Margolles describes the piece as a tribute to her friend, a transgender woman killed in 2015, and all the other people who have been “killed for reasons of hate.” The plaster masks will age during its exhibition as they are exposed to the elements.
• Inside one of the world’s biggest classical music festivals
  The Salzburg Festival is one of the world’s most celebrated gatherings for music and drama. Hosted in Salzburg, Austria, this festival has a long history of bringing together the most talented artists from around the world. This explores the meticulous preparations, the dedication of performers, and the passion that drives this grand celebration of culture.

Week of September 9, 2024

• Belgium’s top migration official critisizes Hungary for threatening to bus immigrants to Brussels
  Belgium’s top migration official has criticized Hungary for threatening to send a bus of migrants to Brussels in retaliation against European Union policies and heavy fines. In June, the European Court of Justice ordered Hungary to pay a fine of 200 million euros for persistently breaking the bloc’s asylum rules. The heavy penalties have led Hungary to offer one-way tickets to Brussels for migrants as a way to pressure the EU into dropping the fines. Belgium’s migration minister Nicole de Moor said Hungary’s threat “undermines solidarity and cooperation within the Union.
• EU makes progress in ensuring secure and affordable energy for all
  The European Commission has registered two European Citizens’ Initiatives, ‘ECI for a Water-Smart and Resilient Europe’ and ‘PsychedeliCare’.The ‘ECI for a Water-Smart and Resilient Europe’ aims to advocate for an action plan for water by reducing society’s water footprint, accelerating a shift towards water-efficient industry and agriculture, etc. The ‘PsychedeliCare’ initiative calls on the Commission to support expert consensus on psychedelic care standards and the rollout of psychedelic therapies, as well as capacity-building efforts for multidisciplinary training. To get the European Council to take action on these initiatives, it must go through a signature collection process that involves garnering support from EU nations.
• The UK is backing away from oil
  The Labour Party of the UK swept into power at the general election with pledges to shift from fossil fuels to greener, cleaner energy. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Energy Secretary Ed Miliband have ruled out giving oil and gas firms new licenses to drill off the Scottish coast, a practice that has been done for generations. Instead, they are calling for funds to build more solar farms and towering wind turbines. This switch to greener ways of achieving energy is a massive change from the previously approved fossil energy-centric policies of the past conservative government. Other nations have also switched to greener ways of attaining power.
• No new pledge on Ukraine missiles after Starmer-Biden talks
  UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer did not signal any decision on allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles to hit targets inside Russia after talks with US President Joe Biden in Washington. The fear of allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles stems from “deep concern about Iran and North Korea’s provision of lethal weapons to Russia.” The worry of deadly retaliation from Russia is validated by a threat from Putin, which states that if Western nations were to approve of Ukraine using long-range missiles, it would indicate NATO’s “direct participation” in the Ukraine war.
• Islamic extremist plotted to attack German soldiers their lunch break, prosecutors say
  A 27-year-old Syrian with radical Islamic ideals is alleged to have planned an attack on German soldiers during their lunch break in Munich to kill as many of them as possible, and this incident has caused a large sentiment of insecurity in the larger population. The suspect was brought before a judge on Friday following his arrest a day earlier; his name has not been revealed due to German privacy rules. The fear this incident caused has led to Germany pushing immigration back to the top of its political agenda.

Week of September 2, 2024

• Romania, Hungary, Georgia, and Azerbaijan launch venture to install power line under the Black Sea
  In an effort to further diversify energy sources in Eastern Europe, Romania, Hungary, Georgia, and Azerbaijan launched the project to link Romania and Hungary to Azerbaijan via a cable that would run through Georgia and the Black Sea. This comes after the war in Ukraine has driven energy prices up due to the European Union’s reliance on Russian energy. This power line would also increase green energy sources, a priority for the EU. Related E(U) Need to Know Blog- European Natural Gas Supplies – November 9, 2022 by John Sirabella
• Scholz urges firewall against far right after election win
  Following a concerning win for the German far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has called on leaders in other parties to not work with AfD to create a government. Despite many’s concerns over the rise of the far-right in Germany, it is clear that some voters are in favor of a change in their government and its policies, particularly on immigration. As further elections are held across the country, those concerned with the far-right are closely following the AfD’s results.
• The plan to save European farming
  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen formed the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture, a collaborative body of 29 organizations concerned with the agri-food sector ranging from environmentalist NGOs to farm lobbies. The coalition produced a 100-page collaborative report detailing the proposed future of farming in the EU. This plan includes an overhaul of the distribution system for farm subsidies, changes to the labeling and advertising of meat alternatives, a request for customized emissions targets for different types of agriculture, advocacy for stricter and more specific environmental laws, and proposes the formation of the European Board for Agri Food (EBAF) as a new consultative body.
• Protests in Seville as West Nile virus kills five
  2024 has been the worst year on record – save 2020 – for West Nile virus in the Lower Guadalquivir Valley area, with 61 cases and 5 fatalities. Residents blame a failure to fumigate nearby rice fields for the spike in reported cases and are coming out to protest the government’s lack of action to control the spread of the disease. Local officials have called on the central government for added support on the issue.
• Mushrooms foraged in Sweden could help research Chernobyl fallout
  Following the Chernobyl nuclear explosion, radioactive fallout spread throughout Europe. Sweden is pursuing new means of evaluating the remaining levels of Cesium-137 in their forests by asking the country’s large foraging community to send in samples of their foraged mushrooms, both fresh and dried. Researchers hope the data will further understanding of the risk of radiation poisoning to residents of affected areas.

Week of August 29, 2024

• Ukraine to present ‘victory plan’ to US- Zelensky
  Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will present his ‘victory plan’ against Russia to US President Joe Biden and US presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Zelensky claims the success of his plan depends on whether the US will give Ukraine “what is in this plan,” and he affirms that Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region of Russia is all part of his final plan for triumph.
• German Chancellor pledges swifter deportations in wake of Solignen attack
  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promises stricter weapon and deportation laws after a deadly mass stabbing in the western city of Solingen, as the far right seized on public outrage in the run-up to crucial elections. The rampage was claimed by the Islamic State group in which a Syrian asylum seeker is alleged to have killed three people and injured eight during a street festival. This incident has led to a wave of xenophobia in Germany.
• Commision proposes to deliver €1 billion to help Italy, Slovenia, and France recover from natural disasters
  €1 billion for specific European countries recovering from natural disasters. The assistance will be part of the cost of emergency and recovery operations. The Commissioner for Cohesion claims the EU solidarity fund will not only help recover EU member states after a natural disaster but also aid in rebuilding nations in the wake of issues posed by climate change.
• Spanish police boat appears to run over dinghy carrying four people
  Human rights campaigners in Morocco and Spain are calling for an investigation into a video circulating social media that appears to show a Spanish Guardia Civil patrol boat briefly mounting a small, inflatable dinghy carrying people toward the Spanish coasts. Although no one was hurt in the incident, one person did fall out of the boat, and people were outraged because of the dangerous and violent situation. Left-wing politicians in Spain claim the situation to be a “disgrace and unacceptable.” Still, as of right now, no investigation has been opened in Spain to persecute the officials on the Spanish boat.
• Greek-flagged tanker is burning after Houthi attacks, but no sign of an oil spill
  A Greek-flagged tanker is being repeatedly attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, but it has not yet sprung a major oil leak. Houthi rebels are targeting any shipping that passes through the Red Sea corridor over the Isreal-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. EU Operation Aspides, whose mission is to protect the shipment, claims the rebel’s attacks have caused fires to burn in at least nine different places on the ship, which could jeopardize the cargo load of 150,000 tons of Iraqi crude oil.

Week of June 13, 2024

• G7 leaders meet in Italy
  The leaders of the US, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, the UK, and Italy met in Italy for the 50th G7 Summit. Other guests included the leaders of the EU, India, Brazil, Algeria, Kenya, Tunisia, and Turkey, as well as the Pope. The Summit discussed cooperation on climate, AI, security, and trade. Day two focused on migration where Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, called for support for African countries to lesson the need for migration.
• Europe wants affordable electric vehicles from China. But not at the cost of its own auto industry
  The European Commission plans to raise tariffs on Chinese EV cars up to 38% to lesson the impact of Chinese manufacturing subsidies. Many Chinese EVs can still be sold for a profit. However, some European or US brands built in China would be effected when importing to the EU. China has announced retaliation with tariffs on luxury cars if the EU tariffs are enacted.
• Top EU court fines Hungary $216 million for flouting asylum law
  Hungary was fined by the European Court of Justice in a suit by the European Commission. In addition to the 200 million Euros, Hungary will be fined 1 million Euros each day until it complies. Hungary is accused of creating internal laws that contradict EU law for entry and processing of asylum seekers.

Week of May 30, 2024

• Iceland volcano dramatically erupts again as streams of lava reach town’s defensive walls
  For the fifth time since December 2023, an Icelandic volcano erupted. The flow of lava is currently contained by a protective wall outside of Grindavík. The town is without electricity, but isn’t yet cut off for evacuations.
• Spain’s parliament gives final approval to amnesty law for Catalonia’s separatists
  A close vote in the Spanish house passed amnesty for Catalan separatists. The contentious vote was backed by the ruling Prime Minster Sánchez’s coalition and opposed by the conservatives and far-right parties. The amnesty is expected to face legal challenges.
  
• Elections are not wasted on the young in the EU. Some nations allow 16-year-olds to decide in June polls
  Austria, Belgium, Germany, and Malta allow voting at 16, while Greece voting starts at 17. Those supporting younger suffrage associate the voting age with paying taxes and ability to get married. Additionally, many EU countries allow 18-year-old elected officials. In the U.S. the minimum age is 25.

Week of May 2, 2024

• EU election candidates face a TikTok conundrum as bloc cracks down on app
  Candidates in June’s European elections are leveraging TikTok to reach young voters, despite security and misinformation concerns. The platform, with 142 million EU users, is crucial for engaging youth. While some candidates, like Ursula von der Leyen, avoid TikTok due to data security worries and disinformation risks, others, like the Greens and Socialists, embrace it to counter far-right influence. The EU, probing TikTok under the Digital Services Act, pressures the platform to address mental health and misinformation issues. Despite debates over banning TikTok, its use remains pivotal for engaging youth in political discourse ahead of the elections.
• European Union marks 20 years cine ‘Big Bang’ enlargement
  On May 1, 2004, the EU expanded from 15 to 25 states, adding Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Croatia joined in 2012, while the UK left following the Brexit vote in 2016. For the countries who joined in 2004, EU membership marked a 20% population increase and territory expansion. GDP rose by 9%, though GDP per capita decreased. However, as analyst Michael Emerson highlights, economic and societal gains have been somewhat overshadowed by political challenges, with Poland and Hungary facing Article 7 procedures. European Commission initiated Article 7 for Poland in 2017, and for Hungary in 2018, citing threats to rule of law and EU values.
• Archaeologists unearth Greek helmet which may rewrite history of ancient tribal people
  Archaeologists in southern Croatia discovered a Greek helmet in burial mounds, unveiling insights into Illyrian culture. Led by Hrvoje Potrebica, the team found the helmet near Zakotorac, dating back to the 5th or 6th century BC. Likely votive gifts rather than burial items, they reflect religious or ceremonial significance. The findings challenge previous views of Illyrian prosperity and cultural practices. Illyrian tribes controlled vital trade routes, fostering affluence. The discovery may reshape historical narratives dominated by Greek or Roman perspectives. The Illyrians’ eventual defeat by the Romans marked a cultural decline, evidenced by abandoned settlements. The findings highlight the region’s rich and complex history.
• WhatsApp scam: More than 100 arrested in Spain for ‘son in trouble’ fraud
  Over 100 individuals have been arrested in Spain for defrauding WhatsApp users by impersonating distressed relatives, amassing nearly €1 million. The scam involved inducing victims to transfer money, ranging from €800 to €55,000, under false emergencies. Alicante alone reported 238 victims. The arrests spanned Alicante, Barcelona, Girona, Madrid, Malaga, and Valencia. This follows the arrest of 59 individuals in January for a similar scam, totaling €460,000. The scheme, also observed in the UK, involves impersonating family members and requesting money via WhatsApp. UK’s Action Fraud received 1,235 reports, totaling £1.5 million in losses, suggesting a global trend. Linkage between Spanish and UK scams remains unclear.

Week of April 25, 2024

• A room of her own: Louvre to give ‘disappointing’ Mona Lisa new digs
  The Louvre is considering relocating the Mona Lisa to alleviate overcrowding and enhance the visitor experience. Despite being the world’s most renowned artwork, overcrowding in its current space limits appreciation to just 50 seconds. Placing it in a dedicated room would offer better viewing conditions and honor da Vinci’s intention for intimate engagement. The proposed €500 million project involves basement renovations and a new entrance, with support from the Ministry of Culture but financial scrutiny from the finance minister. The museum sees it as essential to adapt to the painting’s global iconic status, despite budget constraints.
• Cancer cases expected to grow by more than 20% in Europe by 2045 – WHO agency
  Ahead of World Cancer Day, the International Agency for Research on Cancer reports a 22.5% increase in new cancer cases in Europe by 2045, with a global rise of 55%. Factors include aging populations, tobacco, and air pollution. Mortality could rise to 16.6 million globally by 2045. In Europe, breast cancer prevails, while lung, colorectal, and breast cancers top causes of death. World Health Organization urges more health financing. Disparities persist, with low Human Development Index countries facing higher risks due to late diagnosis. The Union for International Cancer Control calls for political will to address disparities and enhance cancer care globally.
• North Macedonia votes in presidential polls as EU membership bid looms
  North Macedonia conducts presidential elections ahead of a parliamentary vote, vital for its EU bid. Incumbent President Pendarovski seeks re-election against Siljanovska-Davkova, differing on Bulgaria’s minority recognition condition. Pendarovski and the ruling Social Democrats are willing to amend the constitution but lack parliamentary support. The opposition insists on post-EU admission changes. EU membership talks started in 2022, following NATO accession in 2020 and a name change from Macedonia in 2019. With 1.8 million registered voters, turnout must exceed 40%. If needed, a runoff vote will coincide with the May 8 parliamentary elections. Seven candidates compete, with expectations for EU integration and civic progress.
• Europe endured record number of ‘extreme heat stress’ days in 2023                     Europe faces increasing bouts of extreme heat stress, with a record number of such days in 2023, per Copernicus and WMO. A July heatwave affected 41% of southern Europe severely. The Universal Thermal Climate Index, considering various factors, recorded extreme heat stress, especially in Spain, France, Italy, and Greece. Heat-related deaths rose by 30% in 20 years, with Italy experiencing excess mortality. Last March was the warmest globally, with ocean temperatures hitting new highs. Europe warms twice as fast as the global average, leading to longer, more intense heatwaves, posing significant health risks, particularly for the elderly and urban populations.

Week of April 18, 2024

• Russia’s meet grinder soldiers – 50,000 confirmed dead
  In a tragic revelation, the BBC confirms Russia’s military death toll in Ukraine surpasses 50,000, with a surge in fatalities during the second year of conflict. Collaborating with Mediazona and volunteers, they meticulously counted casualties, uncovering a devastating toll as Russia pursued its relentless “meat grinder” strategy. The analysis highlights the human cost of changing tactics, with spikes in deaths coinciding with key battles. Prison recruits, vital to Russia’s strategy, face disproportionately high mortality rates, underscoring the brutality of war. Families mourn loved ones, while surviving soldiers grapple with the harsh reality of combat, each mission a perilous journey.
• 150 years of Impressionism: How to celebrate the anniversary of the artistic movement in Europe
  Europe celebrates the 150th anniversary of Impressionism with exhibitions and events. Paris’ Musée d’Orsay presents ‘Paris 1874: Inventing Impressionism,’ featuring 130 works from the original 1874 show. Normandy hosts the Festival Normandie Impressionniste 2024, including contemporary art exhibits and painting classes. Individual artist exhibitions across France honor Maurice Denis, Édouard Vuillard, and Eugène Boudin. Sotheby’s in the UK holds auctions and talks, while the Van Gogh Museum in the Netherlands showcases Impressionist masterpieces. Exhibitions also occur in Germany and Italy. Impressionism, born in defiance of traditional art norms, revolutionized painting with outdoor scenes, pure colors, and light focus.
• Kharkiv at risk of becoming ‘second Aleppo’ without US aid, mayor says
  Kharkiv’s mayor warns of a “second Aleppo” fate without US military aid to deter Russian attacks. Continuous bombings target the city’s power supply, causing frequent outages. The $60bn aid package, stalled in Congress, is deemed critical. Ukrainian leaders request Patriot air defense systems amid escalating attacks. Seven die in recent strikes, leaving residents shaken. Despite challenges, some businesses, like Avex clothing factory, innovate with solar panels for self-sufficiency. Residents face tough decisions amid increasing bombings, with hopes for peace contrasting with the grim reality of war.
• EU urges Georgia not to pass ‘foreign influence’ law
  The European Union has sternly cautioned Georgia against passing a contentious “foreign influence” law, expressing concerns over its potential impact on freedom of expression and civil society. Despite protests, the Georgian parliament advanced the law, prompting Brussels to issue a warning, emphasizing its inconsistency with EU norms. Georgian President Zourabichvili opposes the law, comparing it to Putin’s measures to silence dissent. The law, labeled the “Russian law,” has sparked debates over Georgia’s EU aspirations and its stance towards Russia. While Georgian Dream defends the law’s transparency aims, critics fear it could muzzle independent voices and limit democratic progress.

Week of April 11, 2024

• Athlete breaks record by rope climbing Eiffel Tower
  Anouk Garnier, a world champion in obstacle courses, set a new world record by rope climbing to the Eiffel Tower’s second floor in 18 minutes, surpassing both men’s and women’s previous records. Undertaking this challenge to support the League Against Cancer in honor of her mother’s diagnosis, Garnier reached 110 meters as her loved ones cheered her on. After a year of dedicated training, the 35-year-old athlete achieved this feat. Garnier is also preparing to carry the Olympic torch for France in an upcoming ceremony, marking her return to obstacle racing.
• What does the ECHR’s landmark ruling mean for human rights and climate change?
  The European Court of Human Rights deemed Switzerland’s inaction on climate change a human rights violation, a case brought forth by Klima Seniorinnen, highlighting the vulnerability of older women to climate-induced extreme heat. This landmark ruling, favored by a majority of 16-1, alongside the dismissal of two other related cases, sets a precedent for future climate litigation. Experts believe this could serve as a blueprint for holding governments and corporations accountable for environmental neglect. The decision, celebrated for its potential to influence a wide range of climate-related lawsuits globally, underscores the significant role of ordinary citizens in driving governmental climate action across the Council of Europe’s 46 member states. It marks a pivotal moment in climate change and human rights law, emphasizing the right to effective state protection against the adverse effects of climate change on life and health.
• Simon Harris becomes Ireland’s youngest-ever prime minister
  Ireland’s parliament elected Simon Harris as the youngest-ever Prime Minister, succeeding Leo Varadkar after his unexpected resignation. Harris secured the position with a vote of 88-69, supported by independent lawmakers, Fianna Fail, and the Green Party. At 37, Harris, a former health and education minister, vowed to lead with unity and collaboration. His swift rise in politics began at 16 in Fine Gael’s youth branch, progressing to become a county councilor at 22 and a parliament member at 24. Harris faces challenges such as housing crises and asylum seeker policies, aiming to revitalize Fine Gael ahead of upcoming elections.
• Top French court suspends ban on using word ‘steak’ on plant-based foods
  France is again allowing veggie burgers to be called “steak” and other meaty terms. The government had banned such labels to protect the meat industry, but a court suspended the rule. The court is unsure if the ban is legal under EU law and is asking the EU court for clarification. This is not the first time such a ban has been challenged in Europe.

Week of April 4, 2024

• Ukraine lowers conscription age as Russia gears up for possible offensive
  Ukraine reduced conscription age from 27 to 25 amid military strain from ongoing conflict with Russia. President Zelenskyy signed the measure, taking effect after parliamentary approval. Reasons for the delay weren’t specified. An audit found previous recruitment estimates inaccurate due to troop reallocation. Zelenskyy refrained from disclosing new recruitment targets. The move addresses infantry shortage and ammunition deficits. Russian enlistments surged after a terror attack, blamed on Kremlin propaganda. Parliament debates a broader draft law with contentious exemptions. Despite waning enlistment enthusiasm, public support for the conflict remains high. Ukrainian military faces challenges in launching offensives due to manpower shortages. Zelenskyy deliberates on major mobilization’s costs and logistics. Disagreements over mobilization strategy arose within military leadership. Ukrainian armed forces had nearly 800,000 troops in October, excluding other units.
• ‘No means no’: How Portugal resisted the far right, but only just
  Portugal’s recent elections saw the hard-right party Chega increase its parliamentary seats from 12 to 50, highlighting a surge in support for populist, ultra-conservative parties across Europe. Despite the victory of the centre-right Democratic Alliance coalition, forming a stable government amidst Chega’s influence poses challenges. The prospect of cooperation with Chega remains uncertain, with concerns about its mainstreaming of extremist ideas. While a clear cordon sanitaire seems improbable, dialogue with Chega voters is proposed as a means to mitigate its impact. Portugal’s political landscape may offer lessons for European democracy, as the rise of far-right parties persists across the continent.
• Endangered Greek dialect is ‘living bridge’ to ancient world, researchers say
  The endangered form of Greek known as Romeyka, spoken by a small number of people in remote mountain villages of northern Turkey, is considered a “living bridge” to the ancient world. It lacks a written form but survives orally around Trabzon. With its speakers aging, a University of Cambridge project called Crowdsourcing Romeyka aims to preserve its unique linguistic features by recording native speakers worldwide. Romeyka, descended from Hellenistic Greek, shares characteristics with ancient Greek, including the use of infinitive forms. Its distinctiveness challenges the notion of modern Greek as an isolate language. The language’s survival is threatened by factors like migration and cultural stigma, prompting efforts to document it before it disappears. The initiative aims not only to preserve the language but also to foster a sense of belonging and identity among its speakers.
• Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany.                                  Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi threatened to send 20,000 elephants to Germany due to a conservation dispute over hunting trophies. Germany proposed stricter trophy import limits, prompting Masisi to assert that hunting controls elephant populations. Botswana, with a third of the global elephant population, faces challenges of overpopulation damaging property and crops. Masisi argues hunting revenue supports conservation and local communities. Animal rights groups oppose hunting trophies, deeming them cruel. The dispute underscores broader issues in wildlife conservation, hunting practices, and international trade regulations. Germany’s stance affects the EU’s largest import of African elephant trophies. Other nations, like Australia and Belgium, have banned trophy imports.

Week of March 28, 2024

• EU-US to announce 6G vision, cooperation on AI at TTC summit
  The upcoming Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Leuven, Belgium, on April 4 and 5, is set to announce a shared vision on 6G, AI, and semiconductor cooperation between the EU and US. The draft emphasizes the importance of advanced connectivity for global economic inclusivity and security. However, this TTC summit might be the last due to impending leadership changes on both sides of the Atlantic, with elections scheduled. Nonetheless, the cooperation between the EU and US remains crucial for addressing global challenges. The agenda includes commitments to responsible AI, resilient semiconductor supply chains, and combating foreign interference. Margrethe Vestager, Valdis Dombrovskis, Antony Blinken, and Gina Raimondo will co-chair the meeting.
• Artists spray-paint portraits of Alexei Navalny behind a Soviet monument in Vienna
  Two large portraits of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny were spray-painted onto a property in Vienna, Austria, owned by a former Czech foreign minister, behind a monument honoring Soviet soldiers. The graffiti received mostly positive feedback from the public, although criticism arose from certain groups alleging political misuse of the wall. Austrian graffiti duo Joel Gamnou painted the portraits, aiming to make a political statement, with one half of the duo expressing the significance of combining the Ukrainian flag with Navalny’s portrait. Despite the controversy, many locals praised the artwork as a symbol of freedom and democracy.
• Local election in Turkey are about to deliver yet another political thriller
  The upcoming municipal elections in Turkey, particularly in Istanbul, hold immense significance for the country’s future. The race between incumbent mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and AKP’s Murat Kurum will likely determine the trajectory of Turkish politics, impacting President Erdoğan’s legacy and the ruling party’s future. Despite challenges like unfair campaign environments and media bias, İmamoğlu remains a formidable contender, symbolizing hope for democratic revival. High turnout is expected, reflecting enduring optimism in Turkish democracy. The outcome will reverberate beyond Turkey, influencing Europe’s future, emphasizing the pivotal role Istanbul plays in regional dynamics.
• Olympics exhibition in Paris reflects 20th century’s highs and lows
  The Paris Olympics exhibition delves into the Olympics’ historical and geopolitical impact, from Nazi propaganda in 1936 to modern-day conflicts. It explores how the Games mirrored societal issues, including race discrimination and colonialism. Initiated as a symbol of peace, the Olympics evolved amid challenges like exclusion of women and exploitation by totalitarian regimes. The exhibition reexamines familiar rituals like the torch relay and architectural propaganda. It pays tribute to individuals who made political stands, such as Tommie Smith and John Carlos’s Black Power salute. The exhibition also addresses homophobia, disability rights, and the Paralympics, showcasing sport’s role in understanding 20th-century history and values.

Week of March 21, 2024

• ‘Where are the women?’ asks Michelin Guide head as 2024’s French restaurant guide is announced
  The Michelin Guide announced 52 new starred restaurants in France, a record high, with a focus on young chefs under 40. Fabien Ferré, at 35, became the youngest French chef to earn three Michelin stars. However, female representation remained scarce, with only six newly starred women, prompting the Guide’s International Director to address the issue, expressing hope for change. Despite efforts to diversify and expand, women’s underrepresentation persists in top-tier culinary recognition. Michelin’s reach spans over 25 countries, with its guidebooks extending globally, but the challenge of gender disparity within the culinary industry persists.
• A state of emergency has been declared in southern Iceland after another volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula – the fourth since December.
  The eruption commenced on Saturday evening near the mostly evacuated town of Grindavik, as confirmed by the country’s meteorological office. Authorities assured the safety of the fishing town and nearby infrastructure on Monday, despite ongoing lava emissions from the volcano. Photographer Jakob Vegerfors captured images of the eruption from Reykjavik.
• Swedish pharmacy bans sale of anti-ageing skincare to children
  Apotek Hjärtat, a leading Swedish chemist chain, is implementing age restrictions on anti-ageing skincare products due to concerns about their potential harm to children. They will no longer sell certain advanced skincare items to those under 15, unless with parental consent or for specific skin conditions. This decision follows reports of a skincare trend among children under 13, fueled by social media. Experts worry about the physical and psychological effects of premature skincare use, prompting the European Commission to consider regulations. Apotek Hjärtat aims to promote healthy skincare habits, prioritizing needs over beauty ideals, and takes responsibility for not endorsing unhealthy behaviors.
• Scotland’s pledge to cut emissions by 75% by 2030 ‘no longer credible’
  Scotland’s pledge to reduce climate emissions by 75% by 2030 is deemed “no longer credible” by the UK’s climate watchdog. The Scottish government has repeatedly failed to meet legally binding targets, lacking meaningful plans to achieve them. Critics warn of the government’s credibility crisis, urging urgent action. Despite some progress, sectors like housing and transport are significantly off track. The government faces criticism for its lack of emphasis on climate action, endorsing oil industry positions and delaying key measures. The CCC’s report highlights the need for drastic emissions cuts across sectors and calls for urgent legislative action to address climate challenges.

Week of March 7, 2024

• Meet the Scottish chocolatier making vegan film-themed chocolates for the Oscars
  Fiona McArthur, a Scottish chocolatier, received an unexpected opportunity to create film-themed chocolates for the Oscars’ gift bags. Despite initial skepticism, her artisanal chocolate shop, Fetcha Chocolates, was chosen to craft luxury chocolates representing Best Picture nominees. McArthur meticulously studied each film for inspiration, resulting in six unique chocolates, including vegan and gluten-free options. From Barbie to Oppenheimer, each chocolate captures themes or scenes from the films. McArthur’s eco-friendly approach and dedication to quality have garnered widespread attention, with her Oscars collection quickly selling out. Her small-town community’s support adds to the excitement as she prepares to watch the Oscars on March 10.
• Irish referendum: Confusion and debate ahead of constitution votes
  On International Women’s Day, the Republic of Ireland will hold referendums on constitutional changes regarding family definitions and women’s roles. The “Family Amendment” seeks to expand the definition of family beyond marriage, allowing recognition of unmarried and single-parent families. Supporters argue it reflects modern society, but critics fear ambiguity and potential legal consequences. The “Care Amendment” aims to remove outdated language about women’s roles in the home and replace it with gender-neutral language recognizing family care. While proponents advocate for gender equality, opponents, including disability activists, worry about shifting care responsibilities to families. The results are expected on March 9th following counting starting on March 8th.
• Norway gives Arctic foxes a helping hand amid climate woes
  In southern Norway, five Arctic foxes are released into the wild, but their traditional prey, rodents, is scarce due to climate change. To support the foxes, conservationists maintain feeding stations with dog food kibble across Hardangervidda National Park. While controversial, this step acknowledges the challenge of food scarcity amidst climate disruptions. Norway’s state-sponsored program has fed Arctic foxes for nearly two decades, costing approximately $293,000 annually. The initiative has helped increase the fox population from 40 to about 550 across Norway, Finland, and Sweden, highlighting the complexities of conservation in changing environments.
• EU hits Apple with $2bn antitrust fine following Spotify complaint                     The EU imposed a record antitrust fine of over 1.8 billion euros on Apple following a complaint by Spotify. The penalty, the first of its kind against Apple by Brussels, stems from Apple’s alleged restriction of music streaming services from informing users of alternative payment options outside its App Store. EU’s competition regulator deemed Apple’s actions as unfair trading conditions and abuse of market dominance. Apple vows to appeal, arguing lack of evidence of consumer harm. The decision aligns with EU’s broader crackdown on Big Tech, marking a significant move in regulating digital markets.

Week of February 29, 2024

• EU poised to OK major plan to meet climate goals and better protect nature despite farmer protests
  The European Union is nearing approval of a diluted Nature Restoration plan, part of its ambitious European Green Deal. Despite opposition from farmers and the largest parliamentary party, a compromised version is set for final approval. The plan aims to establish ambitious climate and biodiversity targets, though negotiations faced challenges over exemptions and flexibility clauses. Despite compromises, proponents view it as a crucial step in combating climate change and biodiversity loss. Opposition, particularly from conservative factions, centered on concerns about food security and economic competitiveness. Despite criticism, the plan’s adoption marks a shift towards prioritizing nature restoration in EU policy.
• Germany hosts the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan for peace talks
  Germany facilitated talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Berlin, with Foreign Minister Baerbock hosting counterparts Mirzoyan and Bayramov. These discussions followed a recent meeting involving German Chancellor Scholz, Armenian PM Pashinyan, and Azerbaijani President Aliyev, expressing willingness to assist peace negotiations. Baerbock commended both nations for taking courageous steps towards lasting peace after years of conflict. Recent border clashes and Azerbaijan’s military campaign to reclaim the Karabakh region underscore the urgency for a treaty. Despite past setbacks and ongoing tensions, direct dialogue remains crucial for progress, as both countries commit to pursuing a peace agreement.
  
• French Senate votes to enshrine abortion rights into the constitution
  French lawmakers advanced a constitutional amendment enshrining abortion rights following the US Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade reversal. The Senate’s adoption of the bill marks significant progress, spurred by US abortion restrictions. Since 2022, US states imposed abortion limits, influencing IVF procedures. President Macron proposed the amendment in March 2023, and after Senate modifications, it passed in June 2024. The amendment, affirming a woman’s right to terminate pregnancy, awaits final parliamentary approval. Advocates view this as a pivotal step, aligning with France’s progressive abortion laws established since 1975. The amendment reflects solidarity with global feminist movements.
• An Iranian-born mum is the new Miss Germany, reflecting the pageant’s inclusive turn
  Apameh Schönauer, an Iranian-born architect and mother, won Miss Germany 2024, representing a shift towards inclusivity in beauty pageants. Schönauer advocates for women’s rights and migrant integration, drawing from her own experiences. The contest focuses on personalities and actions rather than superficial beauty, with diverse finalists including a heart transplant recipient and a wheelchair user. Despite her victory, Schönauer faced backlash on social media, criticized for not fitting traditional beauty standards and questioned for her German identity. The Miss Germany competition, committed to inclusivity, awards a “Female Leader Award” instead of a crown, emphasizing women’s empowerment and societal impact.

Week of February 22, 2024

• As Belarus votes in tightly controlled elections, its leader accuses the West of fueling unrest
  Belarusian President Lukashenko accused the West of provoking protests during upcoming elections, while opposition leader Tsikhanouskaya denounced the vote as a sham. Lukashenko alleged Western plans for a coup and claimed Poland could coerce officials. Belarusian police increased patrols, anticipating unrest. EU criticized Belarus for human rights violations and lack of OSCE election observers. The election, amid ongoing repression, follows mass protests since Lukashenko’s disputed 2020 win. Over 1,400 political prisoners are detained, and deaths in custody are reported. Analysts see the election as part of Lukashenko’s strategy to suppress dissent and maintain power, treating it as a “military operation.”
• Polish farmers block Ukraine’s border in protest against grain imports
  Polish farmers escalated protests against Ukrainian food imports and EU environmental policies, blocking border crossings, spilling Ukrainian grain, and burning tires. Concerns over reduced production and income under the EU’s Green Deal sparked demonstrations across Europe. Farmers demand Poland exit the Green Deal and halt Ukrainian imports, criticizing the government’s prioritization of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials condemned the grain spillage, stressing solidarity amid Russian aggression. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy denounced the protests as undermining European values. Protesters argue Ukrainian imports depress market prices, threatening their livelihoods. EU exemptions on fallow land eased tensions, but protests persist. Further demonstrations are anticipated, heightening tensions between Ukraine and its Western neighbors.
• The Finnish miracle: how the country halved its suicide rate – and saved countless lives
  Finland underwent a series of national programs to combat having some of the highest suicide rates in the world. In 2022, death by suicide claimed 740 Finns, which is slightly higher than the rest of the EU but is considerably less than the Finnish peak of 1,512 in 1990. The government credits the decline with a worldwide better understanding and more treatment options. In addition, awareness and prevention guidelines in Finland have increased access to those treatments.
• France honors foreign Resistance fighters as WWII hero Manouchian is inducted into the Panthéon
  Missak Manouchian was buried in the Panthéon and was recognized as “having died for France” along with his resistance group. Until recently, foreign resistance fighters were not recognized with this distinction, because of their foreign origins. Manouchian was an Armenian, who was displaced during the Armenian genocide. He fought the Nazi occupation of Paris and was executed in 1944. Manouchian’s legacy persisted through the “The Red Poster,” which the Nazi’s used to denounce him and his co-conspirators. Instead, it was used as a rallying cry, and in 1955 was the inspiration for a poem and later a popular French standard song.

Week of February 15, 2024

• Greek lawmakers are debating a landmark bill to legalize same-sex marriage.
  Greece’s parliament debates legalizing same-sex marriage, a first for an Orthodox Christian country. Public opinion leans towards approval, while the Church strongly opposes it. The bill grants full parental rights but limits surrogacy for male partners. LGBTQ+ advocates call it a milestone but want further reforms. Prime Minister Mitsotakis seeks opposition support despite dissent from his own party. Vote likely to pass despite far-right protests.
• Russia puts the leader of NATO member Estonia on a wanted list over the removal of Soviet-era monuments
  Russia put Estonia’s Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, on a wanted list for the removal of Soviet-era World War II monuments and amid the rising tensions between Russia and the West. Kallas has been critical of Russia’s actions in Ukraine and has advocated for increased military aid for Ukraine. Russia views her actions as desecrating the memory of Soviet soldiers and has added her to their wanted list. This move is seen as an attempt to raise the stakes in the conflict.
• EU politicians back new rules on AI ahead of landmark vote
  European Union lawmakers have endorsed a proposal to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) in the bloc, aiming to foster responsible development and usage of this transformative technology while safeguarding fundamental rights and promoting innovation. The proposed regulations would mandate companies to disclose the data used to train AI systems and to subject high-risk applications to rigorous testing. Additionally, they would prohibit the indiscriminate collection of data for facial recognition databases.
  
• Poland, France, and Germany vow to make Europe stronger as fears grow over Russia and TrumpAlarmed by Russia’s actions and potential return of Donald Trump, leaders of Poland, France, and Germany pledge to fortify Europe’s security and defense capabilities. Their focus lies on boosting military spending, strengthening cooperation within the EU, and supplying additional aid to war-torn Ukraine. Concerns over Trump’s recent remarks, seen as potentially emboldening Russia, fuel their urgency. NATO chief Stoltenberg publicly rebuked Trump’s statements.

Week of February 8, 2024

• Italy takes aim at tourists with Airbnb crackdown and loudspeaker bans
  Italy is combating overtourism by implementing stricter regulations, such as limiting group sizes and banning loudspeakers in Venice. In response to overcrowding, Portofino fines tourists for lingering too long on selfies, while Alto Adige caps overnight tourism. Sardinia requires beach reservations, and Florence bans new short-term rentals to alleviate housing strain. Airbnb expresses willingness to cooperate with regulations. Experts suggest exploring less-known areas and hiring guides for a more authentic experience.
• EU launches legal action against Hungary’s ‘sovereignty’ law
  The European Commission initiates legal action against Hungary for laws on “protecting national sovereignty,” citing violations of democratic values and fundamental rights. Critics fear Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s regime will use the laws to suppress rivals, media, and civil society. Orban defends the legislation, aimed at curbing foreign influence, threatening violators with prison. A newly established office can probe foreign-funded entities, akin to Putin’s Russia, raising concerns of state overreach. The Commission warns of infringements on democracy, privacy, freedom of expression, and association. Hungary has two months to respond before potential legal action and fines.
  
• This disused mine in Finland is being turned into a gravity battery to store renewable energy
  A Scottish company is repurposing Finland’s Pyhäjärvi mine into a gravity energy store, using weights to store excess power and generate electricity when needed. Gravitricity’s system stores 2MW of power and integrates into the local grid, offering a blend of lithium-ion batteries and pumped hydro storage. Scientists suggest decommissioned mines worldwide could store 70TWh of energy. The project aims to revitalize the community with “low carbon” jobs amid the mine’s closure, part of broader initiatives including a solar farm, tech startups, and an underground 5G network, marking a transition towards renewable energy and community regeneration.
  
• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko sets a new world record for the most time spent in space
  Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko sets a new record for the most time in space, surpassing 878 days on the ISS. His five journeys to the station since 2008 culminated in this achievement. Kononenko, 59, expresses his lifelong dream fulfilled, emphasizing his love for space exploration over record-setting. His current mission, launched in September 2023, alongside NASA’s Loral O’Hara and Roscosmos’ Nikolai Chub, may see him reach 1,000 days in space. Despite geopolitical tensions, Russia’s Roscosmos and NASA continue cooperation, with joint missions extended until 2025, highlighting the enduring partnership in space exploration.
  

Week of February 1, 2024

• Thousands from Russia-friendly party join anti-government protest in Moldova’s capital
  Protests against the ruling pro-EU party were held in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau. Pro-Russian parties, such as the Chance Party and Shor Party, have been banned from running for office. This protest was organized by the Revival Party. They want the President to resign and new elections held to align the country with Russia instead of the EU. Pro-EU Moldovans held a counter-protest in support of the current government.
• EU asks Kosovo to delay requiring ethnic Serbians to use Euros
  Kosovo implemented the Central Bank’s rule for banks to use Euros in all parts of the country. Until then, the northern regions, comprised mostly of ethnic Serbs, used the Serbian Dinar. The EU is concerned that the transition was too fast, and that it may increase tensions in the region. Some Serbian banks have pulled out of Kosovo due to the new regulations.
• Catalonia: State of emergency declared as region faces worst ever drought
  Despite a water mitigation plan started in 2021, Catalonia is taking emergency measures due to the continued drop in the local water supply. Industry, agricultural, and personal water usage will be restricted and, in some cases, rationed. Other parts of Spain are also experiencing a historic drought. There are concerns about the impacts of the tourist high season if the drought persists.
• French farmers unions call to end protests as PM unveils new measures
  Two large French farmers’ unions end their road blockade after concessions from the French government. Those concessions include removing French only restrictions on certain pesticides, enforcing a law on fair pay for agricultural products, additional funds for loans, and lowered taxes for farms passed down to younger generations. The farmers’ unions had been protesting for two weeks by blocking roads.

2023

Week of October 12, 2023

• Polish elections: When are they and why is Europe watching closely
  Poles are preparing for a pivotal election, with the right-wing coalition led by the Law and Justice party seeking a third term, while tensions rise over relations with Ukraine and criticism of the EU. This election, described as the most important since 1989, sees a narrowing gap between the right and center in an intensely bitter campaign. The most important issues in this election have become Migration, the war in Ukraine, Catholic family values, and unblocking EU funds. During the election, Poles will also vote on a referendum on four questions designed to elicit the answer “no”. The Law and Justice Party opposes all the referendum questions, and the opposition does not plan to pursue any of them.
• It’s the EU and US against the rest of the world in new steel club
  Brussels and Washington aim to create a joint tariff zone imposing duties on steel and aluminum imports from non-market economies like China. The proposed deal, dated October 3, sets tariffs at 25 percent for steel and 10 percent for aluminum. The goal is to form a group of like-minded economies to place tariffs on imports from subsidized sectors like steel and clean tech, addressing transatlantic disputes. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seeks closer ties with the U.S. to present a united front against China. One of the intended outcomes is to establish a “Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum” aimed at discouraging the trade of environmentally harmful steel and prompting countries, particularly China, to reduce subsidies that harm U.S. and European metal producers. However, divisions persist on the deal’s specifics, with a new deadline set for January 1.
• Populist former prime minister in Slovakia signs a deal to form a new government
  Following elections in late September, the leftist Slovakian party Smer, or Direction, was able to attain 22.9% of the vote and signed a memorandum with two other parties to form a new government. This will likely see the return of former Prime Minister Robert Fico who will lead a coalition made up of his own leftist party alongside a left-wing and ultra-nationalist party. When he will be sworn in is unknown, but Fico hopes to be officially Prime Minister in time to attend the next European leaders’ summit of the European Union. Fico campaigned on a pro-Russian and anti-American message and though he intends to remain a member of NATO and the EU, it seems his appointment will increase already strained relations. 
• EU halts Palestinian funding following Hamas attack                                             Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, strongly condemned indiscriminate attacks by Hamas in Israel on behalf of the EU, although the language was not supported by all member states. The EU has previously faced criticism from Israeli officials regarding its funding for Palestinian organizations, but it emphasizes strict controls to prevent indirect financing of Hamas. Recent attacks are likely to increase scrutiny of EU funding for Palestinian groups and currently funding to Palestinian groups have all been put on pause. The EU’s stance on conflicts with Israel varies among its member countries, with some, like France, Nordic states, and Ireland, leaning more pro-Palestinian, while others support Israel. The EU displayed its support for Israel and projected the Israeli flag on its headquarters. 

Week of October 5, 2023

• Wopke Hoekstra hearing: Live updates as EU climate chief nominee questioned in Parliament
  Wopke Hoekstra, nominated as the EU’s commissioner for climate action, faced tough questioning on Monday in the European Parliament, especially from left-leaning MEPs who have concerns about his lack of experience in green policymaking. Hoekstra is the former Dutch foreign minister, chosen to fill the role after Frans Timmermans stepped down in August. This Hearing is set to asses whether he is appropriate for the position. While some, like EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius, believe he’s suitable for the job, others, such as Mohammed Chahim of the center-left Socialists & Democrats, have reservations. The decision to appoint Hoekstra has raised concerns among Socialist lawmakers, as they fear it may shift the political balance within the Commission. Hoekstra promises continuity and working more closely for the success of his transition
• Fire-hit Spain night clubs were told to close in 2022
  Two nightclubs in Murcia, Spain despite having been ordered to close in January 2022 due to a licensing issue. The company operating them had a permit for one but not the other and it remains unclear how they continued to operate. The fire claimed at least 13 lives, including tourists from Central America and a family celebrating a birthday. Investigations are ongoing, and a cause has yet to be identified. The fire started in the Fonda Milagros nightclub and spread to the Theatre and another nightclub in the building. The fatalities were thankfully concentrated to a small area and Murcia’s Deputy Mayor vowed to find out who was responsible. This tragedy is one of Spain’s worst nightclub fires in over 30 years.
• Nobel in medicine goes to two scientists whose work enabled creation of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19
  On Monday, two scientists instrumental in the creation of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine were awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine. Katalin Karikó is a Hungarian-American professor at Szeged University in Hungary and the University of Pennsylvania where she works with Drew Weissman. Together they were able to combine their research with earlier work that is cited as a “game changer” by other scientists in the field. Their work is expected to be used in the refining of vaccines for diseases like Ebola, malaria, and dengue along with hopes for the creation of immunization against certain types of cancer and auto-immune diseases. For decades, Karikó and Weissman collaborated and learned from each other, with Karikó specializing in RNA and Weissman in immunology.
• Italy pulls the brake on 11th-hour migration compromise
  Italy has delayed the final decision on the EU’s migration reform after Germany accepted a compromise. During an EU interior ministers’ meeting, Rome unexpectedly postponed the decision on the crisis regulation, dashing hopes of a quick deal. However, EU home affairs chief Ylva Johansson assured that the agreement would be signed off in the coming days. Spain, holding the rotating EU Council presidency, also expressed hope for finalizing the approach soon. A breakthrough would enable EU asylum policy reform before the European election, ending nearly a decade of failed attempts. Italy’s delay, despite Germany dropping its veto, could still impede progress due to concerns over migrant rescue missions and disagreements with NGOs. 

Week of September 28, 2023

• Six young climate activists take 32 countries to court
  Six young climate activists from Portugal are taking the countries of Europe to court at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for insufficient action over climate change and failing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Paris Agreement. The young claimants have suffered personally from the 2017 Portuguese wildfires and claim that their fundamental human rights are being violated due to government inaction. While countries claim the case in inappropriate as it was not brought to national courts first, they also do not see enough evidence that climate change poses an immediate threat and therefore is not under the ECHR’s jurisdiction. The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights believes this case has the potential to determine how states address climate issues and human rights. The verdict should be expected in nine to eighteen months.
• Germany imposes checks on borders with Poland and Czech Republic
  German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has announced temporary checks on Germany’s borders with Poland and the Czech Republic to address the influx of asylum seekers. The move comes as Germany faces increased pressure to address the rising number of asylum seekers, with 204,000 requests in the first eight months of 2023, a 77 percent increase from the previous year. German politicians are adopting a tougher stance on migration ahead of state elections in Bavaria and Hesse. The issue is also connected to an alleged visas-for-bribes scandal in Poland, causing tensions between the two countries. Poland is considering limiting access to its western border in response to the influx of migrants into Germany, potentially further straining relations. The imposition of spot checks circumvents EU rules that require one-month notification for border controls within the Schengen passport-free travel area.
• Leader of Spain’s conservatives loses his first bid to become prime minister and will try again
  After the Spanish elections this summer, the Conservative Party in Spain known as the Popular Party secured 137 seats. The Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo failed on Wednesday to collect enough votes to become the next Prime Minister. The election led to a parliament made up of 11 parties, a fragmented legislator for any party. The next vote will be held on Friday and if he is not able to secure another 6 votes, the current, center-left Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez may try to maintain his position. Catalan separatists appear to be the key to victory and garnering their support would require the allowance of an independence vote, something neither Feijóo nor Sánchez are politically interested in.
• EU to China: Don’t take us for sucker on trade
  In a speech in China, the European Union’s Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis emphasized the need for the EU to protect itself from abuse of its openness. While the EU remains committed to free and fair trade, Dombrovskis stressed the importance of fairness in global competition mentioning specifically electric vehicle exports. He mentioned the European Commission’s decision to investigate Chinese electric vehicle exports. China is a significant trade partner for the EU, covering various sectors, including rare earth materials, renewable energy equipment, and medicinal ingredients. Additionally, Dombrovskis raised concerns about China’s anti-espionage law and data flows in EU-China relations. Although the EU doesn’t intend to decouple from China, they are adopting a strategy of de-risking to minimize strategic dependencies. 

Week of September 21, 2023

• Swedish Appeals Court Upholds Conviction in PKK Funding Case
  A Swedish appeals court upheld the guilty verdict of a man charged with attempting to finance the PKK, a banned Kurdish Workers Party recognized as a terroritst group in the EU and Turkey, potentially affecting Turkey’s decision to ratify Sweden’s NATO application. Turkey accuses Sweden of sheltering members of militant groups and insists on cracking down on them before NATO membership. The lower court sentenced Yahya Gungor, a Turkish Kurd, to four years and six months in prison for gun crime, attempted extortion, and funding terrorism. The appeals court upheld most of the verdict but annulled the deportation decision, citing obstacles to its enforcement. Sweden claims to have met Turkey’s demands, including making membership in a terrorist organization illegal. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated he would forward Sweden’s NATO ratification to parliament in the fall but expects Sweden to take anti-terrorism steps in return.
• England’s National Health Service Operates on Holiday-level Staffing as Doctor’s Strike Escalates
  For the first time ever, junior doctors and senior consultants are both on strike together in England demanding increased pay. This is the sixth walk-out of junior doctors and third walkout for senior doctors referred to as consultants since December, but the first joint strike. Hospitals have been forced to provide only minimal care with only emergency procedures available which is costing 1 billion pounds and affecting 1 million appointments. The government is currently only offering a 8.8% increase to junior doctors and 6% to consultants. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak now refuses to hold another more discussions saying a larger increase would stoke inflation, although more strikes are expected throughout the year. 
• Russia Has Turned Food, Energy, and Even Children into Weapons Against Ukraine, Zelenskyy says at UN
  At this year’s UN General Assembly meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke Tuesday about international concerns from the Russian invasion of Ukraine that remains ongoing.  U.S. President Joe Biden also spoke of America’s support for Ukraine in his address to the Assembly calling UN countries to “stand up to this naked aggression”. Other countries, notably China,India, African states, and much of Latin America see climate change as the top concern and do not wish to pick a position in the conflict. While in New York, Zelenskyy has visited Ukrainian soldiers in hospitals and rehabilitation pledging that “we all will be waiting for you back home”. Following UNGA, Zelenskyy will travel to Washington DC where he will meet with Congress and the White House, where a growing divide over the $24 billion spending package for Ukrainian military and humanitarian aid is stuck.
• Ukraine Will Sue Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia Over Agricultural Ban                          Following the announcement Friday that the EU will allow Ukrainian grain to be sold across EU member states, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland have decided to impose their own bans that break this agreement. Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland all have different reasons for imposing the ban but all claim it is to protect their own agricultural markets from being flooded with Ukrainian grain. Ukraine has decided to sue these three countries through the WTO to make an example of their defiance. Ukrainian trade representative Taras Kachka argues this is a larger problem for the EU as it symbolizes EU member states breaking commitments they signed unto.

Week of September 14, 2023

• G20: How Russia and West agreed on Ukraine language
  Over the weekend, the 2023 G20 summit took place in Delhi, India and ended in a joint statement that brought together countries with conflicting ideas of the future of international relations. On the topic of the war in Ukraine, the statement acknowledges the tragedy of the war without blaming Russia, a considerable feat given the bloc’s varying views of the war. Ukraine expressed its discontent with the statement, while the UK, US, Russia, and China all see it as a victory in diplomacy. The two sides may have agreed, but they interpret the wording differently.
• Despite opposition, Britain passes law to curb prosecutions for Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’ violence
  After the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement in Northern Ireland, British Parliament has proposed a bill that stop nearly all prosecutions related to the conflict. While Northern Irish political parties remain divided on most issues, both Unionists and Republicans oppose the bill as it interferes with their efforts to reconcile their past. Since the UK left the EU officially in 2020, the Northern Irish government has been in shambles and since 2022 the region has had no functioning government. Even still both sides hold that this legislation is “abhorrent” and “cruel” as it would block families from receiving justice after so many years of violence. The British government believes the current law has little chance of convicting these now decades old crimes, but legal challenges from Ireland concerning human rights will likely pause the bill’s progress. 
• The iPhone 12 emits too much radiation and Apple must take it off the market, French agency says
  While released in 2020, the iPhone 12 has now failed to meet EU standards for electromagnetic energy absorption. The French National Frequency Agency brought this to Apple’s attention on Tuesday and has called for a pause in selling the model for increased monitoring. While radiation is still far below levels that would harm people, when the iPhone 12 is carried in a person’s hand or pocket its levels of radiation exceed the EU threshold, though when kept in a jacket or bag the phone passed its testing. The current scientist research has found no significant correlation between cellphones and cancer. French regulators are concerned that if this malfunction is not fixed, they will need to recall phones already sold.
• Disgraced football chief Luis Rubiales resigns over World Cup kiss scandal
  After weeks of public protest, the Spanish football president Luis Rubiales resigned on Sunday September 10th in response to forcibly kissing footballer Jenni Hermoso after the Spanish women’s football team won the World Cup. During the past three weeks, top politicians and football officials had been calling for his resignation alongside overwhelming public outcry. The moment has been taken to address sexism in Spanish society as Jenni Hermoso continued to stand firmly against Rubiales’ claims that the kiss was consensual. While Rubiales was initially only suspended as the sexual assault charges were brought against him, he has finally resigned citing that he “did not want Spanish football to be negatively impacted by this disproportionate campaign.”

Week of September 7, 2023

• 5 things to know as the Digital Markets Act ramps up
  On Wednesday, The EU Commission is set to announce digital gatekeepers, which are tech giants that will be the first to be restricted by the EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA). This regulation is aimed at reducing anti-competitive abuse brought on by massive tech companies like Google and Apple. It is expected to have ramifications beyond the EU as these companies make changes across global systems to meet the new requirements. The Commission sees the top 7 companies, coined gatekeepers, as the key to unraveling the tech industry’s monopolizing effect. Companies have from Wednesday until March 2024 to meet requirements or begin facing sanctions, or at worst bans.
• EU enlargement chief backs 2030 deadline
  EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Várhelyi, has set a date for new members’ accession into the EU to the year 2030. This comes after years of stalled negotiations and enlargement fatigue in Europe. With the EU granting candidacy status to Ukraine and Moldova after the Russian invasion in 2022, they are changing their tune about the timeline of enlargement of other candidate countries such as those in the Western Balkans. However ambitious, Várhelyi did note that Türkiye’s bid for membership would not be realized in the near future during a press conference in Ankara.
• Russian missile strike on Ukrainian market kills 17 as Blinken announces new $1B aid package
  On Wednesday, a Russian missile hit Kyiv killing 17 and wounding a dozen others hours before the US Secretary of State Blinken arrived. Top State Department officials say Blinken’s travel to Ukraine is to announce an additional $1 billion in US support. While the Biden administration remains firm in its support of Ukraine in the war, support in Congress is waning after 18 months of conflict and a summer counter offensive with limited results. Discussions are also expected to include how to navigate the Black Sea Grain Initiative which expired this summer after a successful year of use. 
• At least 7 people dead as flood ravage Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria
  After major wildfires in Greece last week, storms hit South Eastern Europe causing major floods and killing at least 7 people. Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Greece make up those countries most affected and evacuation zones include locations popular with tourists, two of which are among the deceased. This makes an important turning point in Europe as extreme summer weather caused by climate change turns deadly, impacting many countries vital tourist industries. Greek Prime Minister said Tuesday that he did not handle the weather as well as he could have and that ““the careless summers, as we knew them … will cease to exist and from now on the coming summers are likely to be ever more difficult.”

Week of August 24, 2023

• Europe’s sweeping rules for tech giants are about to kick in. Here’s how they work
  The Digital Services Act (DSA) takes effect in the EU on Friday for the largest online platforms. The EU defines large as 45 million or more users, which is 10% of the EU population. Smaller platforms have another six months before implementation. The DSA aims to decrease harmful content by making reporting easier, content removal faster, and easier opt-out for suggested content based on previous history.
• Firefighters in Greece struggle to control wildfires, including the EU’s largest blaze
  Greek firefighters are battling a number of outbreaks across the country, including the largest in Europe covering 282 square miles. Twenty people have died in the fires, including newly arrived immigrants. Some of the fires can be attributed to arson.
• Belarus outlaws prominent rights group Viasna, declaring it extremist
  The 27-year-old human rights organization, Viasna, founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski was labeled an extremist organization by the Belarussian government. The organization has human rights monitors in a number of cities across the country. After this declaration, anyone associated with the group could be sentenced to 7 years in prison.
• Ukraine claims Crimea landing for ‘special operations’ on Independence Day                           In a tactical and symbolic gesture, Ukrainian forces landed and fought with Russian troops in Crimea for the 32nd Ukrainian Independence Day. Spokespeople for Ukraine noted that the Ukrainian flag was seen in Crimea, and there were no casualties.

Week of April 17, 2023

• Swimming World Cup 2023: Transgender swimmers to compete in new open category in Berlin
  One year after banning transgender athletes from women’s races, World Aquatics is piloting an open category. The open category will be in all strokes for the 50m and 100m distances. Entrants must be affiliated with a national swimming federation. The category is to welcome diversity of all gender identities.
• Gotthard: World’s longest rail tunnel shut for months after freight crash
  Sixteen rail cars are stuck inside the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland after a derailment on August 10th. There is no estimated completion for the repairs. The tunnel cuts through the Alps from Erstfeld to Bodio.
• Czech ratify defense treaty with US that makes it easier to deploy US troops in Czech territory
  Czech Prime Minister, Petr Fiala, signed the Defense Cooperation Agreement, which was supported by both Houses of Parliament. The US has similar agreements with NATO allies, such as Poland and Bulgaria.
• Socialist wins key Spanish parliament vote that could pave way for new center-left government
  Spain’s Parliament elected Francina Armengol as chamber speaker. Although this doesn’t guarantee his socialist party will be in control of the chamber, it does give support to the newly elected Socialist Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez.

Week of August 10, 2023

• Cyprus to begin treating island’s sick cats with anti-Covid pills
  Since January 2023 Cyprus has seen a stark increase in feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). FIP is not a new disease, nor is it linked to Covid-19. However, there is evidence of effective treatment with Covid-19 medications. Since January estimates of lost cats range from 8,000 to 300,000.
• German official accused of spying for Russia
  A third German citizen in less than a year has been detained on suspicion of passing information to Russia. Thomas H. is suspected of initiating contact with a Russian embassy with the expectation of his materials being passed to the Russian state.
• Armenians face genocide in Azerbaijan, former International Criminal Court prosecutor warns
  Luis Moreno Ocampo warned of genocide by starvation of Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. He notes the blockade by Azerbaijan of the only access road to Armenia. The Azerbaijani government denies the report. There are currently 19 trucks carrying food and medical supplies that are blocked from entry.
• Lecturers in the UK refuse to mark exams in labor dispute, leaving thousands unable to graduate
  Some students were denied access to their degrees and graduation ceremonies because their grades were not submitted on time. Those grades are being held up by a labor dispute between teachers’ unions and university management. The educators’ aims are wage increases that match inflation and longer-term contracts.

Week of August 3, 2023

• Greenpeace demonstrators drape UK prime minister’s house in black to protest oil expansion
  In response to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s recent announcement that the UK will drill for new oil sources, 5 Greenpeace protestors draped the PM’s country residence in black fabric. The PM was not home at the time. The Greenpeace activists were arrested.
• EU imposes sanctions on dozens in Belarus over protest crackdown and support for Russia
  The EU added police officers, justices, and Belneftekhim, the state oil and chemical company, to a long list of sanctioned individuals and companies. The recent sanctions were in response to a crackdown on anti-government protests.
• Niger coup: Evacuated European nationals arrive in Paris and Rome
  Following the coup in Niger, French citizens were encouraged to evacuate amid growing anti-French attitudes. Niger is following other regional countries in turning away from former colonial powers and toward Russian support to fight Islamic jihadists. France says it has no plans to remove French soldiers stationed in Niger.
• Dozens injured after protestors storm Eritrean festival in Stockholm                            A pro-Eritrean government event was overrun by anti-Eritrean government protestors. The protestors were located at another festival site, but police were unable to hold them back when they swarmed toward the other event. The festival is an annual heritage event started in the 1990s.

Week of April 9, 2023

• Finland is now officially a NATO member
  Seventy-four years after the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Finland joined as the 31st member in what many view as the swiftest accession process this century. The desire to join and speedy acceptance resulted from the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year. Finland represents a significant physical security addition against Eastern aggression, however the nation eagerly awaits the accession of Sweden, as the two applied in tandem.
• OPEC+ oil cut delivers blow to ECB
  Efforts against the trying inflation currently facing the European Union face a new curveball as the OPEC+ group announces a significant production reduction. This reduction in oil immediately drove prices up, and the full economic effects remain to be determined. The European Central Bank, specifically, must now reconsider the best course of action against another increase in inflation in the wake of outpourings of public dissatisfaction.
• Police raid EPP party’s Brussels office in German investigation
  An investigation in Germany involving the EPP escalated into a headquarters raid this Tuesday. The ongoing nature of the investigation prevents access to the full details. However, German newspapers suggest a connection between the search and an ongoing investigation involving the EPP’s digital election campaign, the German state of Thuringia, and political leader Mario Voigt.
• After Italy blocked access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot, will the rest of Europe follow?
  Following a recent move by the European Union to prohibit the use of TikTok on government own devices, another up-and-coming form of technology may soon face widespread backlash. As of this week, Italy banned the use of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, following a breach that raised data protection concerns. Many now question whether other Western nations will follow suit, as the European Commission works towards AI-centered legislation.

Week of March 23, 2023

• Kosovo, Serbia agree on steps to implement EU normalization plan
  Following 12 hours of talks on Saturday, March 18th, leaders from Kosovo and Serbia, with the help of EU officials, made steps towards a plan to normalize their ties. Although Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic, refused to physically sign on to the plan, both sides reported their full commitment to honor its contents. Establishing less antagonistic relations between the two countries advance both of their prospects for joining the EU, and eases outside fear of Russian aggravation in the Balkans.
• Europe Looks to Allow Synthetic Fuels for Cars After All
  A draft proposal circulating the European Commission counters original plans to prevent the sale of non-zero-emission vehicles by 2035. Primarily in response to anger from Germany, the EC now considers a draft proposal to allow the sale of vehicles using synthetic, “e-fuels” in old style combustion engines. This allowance mainly serves classic and luxury automakers, who hope to retain their engines by powering them with carbon neutral fuel.
• EU seals deal to supply Ukraine with a million rounds of shells
  A new deal by EU ministers proposes sending 1million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. If achieved, the plan represents an impressive joint initiative by the EU and its member states, due to lack of experience with military purchasing as a bloc. Along with aid for Ukraine, hopefuls view the agreement as encouragement for the global arms industry to increase production allowing greater access to nations with increased defense spending this year.
• Europe heading for huge excess LNG import capacity, experts warn
  A report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) offers warning to European nations regarding their responses to Russia’s gas limits. When Russia began limiting gas imports to Europe, many nations hastily drew up plans to invest in infrastructure for acquiring liquified natural gas (LNG) from other sources. However, analysis by the IEEFA cautions against overspending or building, as demand for LNG is not expected to match the projected amount of LNG available through such infrastructure by 2030.

Week of March 9, 2023

• Putin’s Top Ally in Europe Disappoints Him Once Again
  A recent announcement from the Hungarian Parliament raises questions about the previously warm relationship between Viktor Orban and Vladmir Putin. On the decision of Swedish NATO membership, the Hungarian Parliaments Deputy Speaker announced his country plans to vote in favor. This announcement contradicts previous support for Russia by Orban typically in the form of criticism for EU and NATO support for Ukraine.
• EU tells UK its asylum plan ‘violating international law’
  International criticism dominates the conversation surrounding the recently unveiled British “Illegal Migration Bill”. The bill aims to guard British shores from small boats arriving with illegal immigrants. However, conversations between the European Home Affairs Commissioner and UK Home Secretary reveal disagreements. This attempt to prevent “irregular arrivals” of refugees raises human rights concerns from both the EU and UN.
• French nationwide strike to extend as pension reform fight intensifies
  French citizens’ rejection of new pension plans continues, with a nationwide strike disrupting many services earlier in the week. Over 1million people across the country took to the streets in protest of a pension reform which would raise the age from 62 to 64. President Macron hopes for parliamentary adoption of the unpopular plan before April, inspiring unions to continue organizing demonstrations, such as the one planned for this upcoming Saturday.
• European Medicines Agency angered by Amsterdam’s erotic center plans   Just 3 years after relocating from London to Amsterdam, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) faces location-based challenges. In an ongoing effort to reduce “nuisance tourism” from the old city center of De Wallen as well as improve quality of life in the area, city planners seek to relocate and reinvent the famous “Red Light District”. The short list of proposed new locations includes two very close to EMA headquarters, raising security and tranquility concerns similar to those cited for relocating the popular hub in the first place.

Week of March 2, 2023

• Why Brexit’s back in the news: Britain and the EU struck a Northern Ireland trade deal
  Six years after the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed on the issue of Northern Ireland. The new “Windsor Framework” addresses difficult trading issues by introducing trade lanes into Northern Ireland. The “green” and “red” lanes work to separate goods intended only for sale in Northern Ireland and goods intended for the Republic of Ireland, therefore the EU. Hopefuls view this as the solution to the ongoing deadlock in Northern Ireland’s politics.
• Greece train crash kills at least 38 people, many of them likely students
  Authorities in Greece continue to recover from a fatal train crash late Tuesday night. A passenger train headed for Thessaloniki collided with a freight train, killing at least 38 people. It remains unconfirmed what exactly caused the crash, but the Greek Prime Ministered referenced human error when addressing the press on Wednesday.
• EU Parliament bans staff from using TikTok over ‘cybersecurity concerns”
  Following a trend within EU institutions, the European Parliament banned the use of TikTok on official devices. Security concerns inspired the apps forced removal by March 20th, and encouragement for staff to remove it from personal devices as well. Opinions differ between spokespeople for the Parliament, parties within parliament, and TikTok itself.
• French football chief Noel Le Graet resigns amid sexual harassment probe
  Noel Le Graet announced resignation from his role as head of the French Football Federation (FFF) this week. The resignation comes after a suspension in January resulting from allegations of sexual and moral harassment. About two weeks prior to Le Graet’s final announcement, a report commissioned by the French sports ministry revealed the need for new management. Despite FFF condemnation and denial by Le Graet of the commission report, FFF vice-president will assume the role until this summer.

Week of February 23, 2023

• What happens now after Russia suspends the last nuclear arms treaty with the U.S.?
  Amidst the one-year mark of Russian invasion into Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, in his recent state of the Union, announce Russian suspension of participation in the New START Treaty. New START, which stands for New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, took effect in 2011 and represented the final nuclear weapons treaty between the United States and Russia. The suspension comes two weeks after public claims by the US that Russia had violated the treaty, and appears to be primarily motivated by a desire to resist US inspection of the Russian nuclear arsenal.
• What is going on with getting a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland?
  Rishi Sunak, the most recent British Prime Minister, currently faces potential change and backlash stemming from the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Protocol, a result of Brexit, dictates the movement of goods between Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and subsequently the Republic of Ireland. Various stakeholders view the protocol with fluctuating amounts of affection depending on where allegiances lie. The protocol’s resurfacing in headlines indicates the possibility of a deal announcement between the UK and the EU, but for now, interested parties anxiously watch and wait.
• Biden in Poland: US, allies ‘will never waiver’ in Ukraine and Turkey rejects links between NATO expansion, F-16 deal
  The United States President, Joe Biden, and Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, spent time in different parts of Europe this week. President Biden, to the surprise of many, visited the city of Kyiv before traveling to Warsaw, Poland and declaring unwavering support from the US to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Secretary Blinken met with Turkish officials in Ankara to discuss the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, and assessed earthquake damage near Incirlik Air Base, promising increased aid to the nation.
• Venice’s famous canals are running dry due to low tides and lack of rainfall
  After many dry winter weeks, all major water sources in Italy contain significantly less water than normal levels. Lack of snow in the Alps, and strikingly low water levels in the river Po led many to wonder what options exist for water recovery. Indirectly, the canals of Venice, more accustomed to flooding, find themselves running dry.

Week of February 16, 2023

• EU ethics cop plan coming in March, European Commission vows
  Tuesday morning, February 13th, the Vice President of the European Commission announced a plan to present a proposal for an EU ethics body this March. The announcement, made before the EP in Strasbourg, included the goal of creating a body which possess meaningful abilities to regulate all the various EU institutions. Amidst long standing calls for an ethics body, the recent Qatargate scandal seems to serve as motivation for more definite action.
• Nicola Sturgeon unexpectedly quits as first minister of Scotland amid swirl of political setbacks, citing ‘brutality’ of public life
  After eight years , Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announced her resignation on Wednesday, February 15th. Sturgeon said she battled with the decision for some weeks, feeling unable to continue contributing 100% to the job. Others, however, cite the ongoing fight for Scottish independence and a recent, highly controversial, law on gender identification as influential factors in the surprising decision.
• Thousands of Ukrainian children forced into vast Russian network of Russian camps, study finds
  A study from the Conflict Observatory out of Yale University revealed Tuesday that Russia may face human rights violations based on relocation of Ukrainian children. Thousands of children aging from 4months to 17years are documented as being sent to camps all over the country. Russian officials denied accusations from multiple nations and human rights groups, claiming the nation does no more than accept children who have fled Ukraine as a result of shelling. The program of relocation appears deeply embedded within Russian government, and likely in violation of the Geneva Convention.
• European Commission sues Poland over EU law violations by top court.  Despite recent passage of judicial reforms by Polish parliament, the battle between Brussels and the Polish judiciary continues. On Wednesday the European Commission announced its decision to refer Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union. The decision comes nearly two years after Polish rulings which give superiority to the Polish courts and constitution, clearly violating foundational EU principles. The referral by the Commission adds to the list of conflicts between the nation and Brussels preventing Polish access to EU pandemic recovery funding.

Week of February 9, 2023

• Rescuers dig through rubble as Turkey-Syria quake death toll passes 7,800
  On Monday, devastating earthquakes struck and impacted massive portions of Turkey and Syria. Reports from the morning of February 8th, place the death toll in Turkey at over 5,000 and nearly 2,000 in Syria. Despite efforts by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in the form of declared states of emergencies, to aid in disaster response Turkish citizens from countless provinces beg for greater support as they attempt to find survivors in the rubble without tools or expertise.
• EU-Ukraine summit: “We support Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan”
  European Union representatives returned to Kyiv on February 3rd
  for the first EU-Ukraine summit since 2021. Headed by the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and the President of Ukraine the summit concluded in a joint statement available
  here. Discussions of note included Ukrainian accession to the European Union, and a continued condemnation of Russian aggression.
• Crunch time in Poland for tackling EU rule of law dispute
  This week the Polish parliament considers multiple bills which stand to improve relations between Warsaw and Brussels. A bill aimed at better aligning the Polish judiciary with EU criteria faces a final vote in the Sejm, the lower house. If passed and signed off on by the current President, Andrzej Duda, the bill provides ample encouragement for the European Commission to release withheld recovery funds. Despite more critical observation that the bill only chips at the block of Poland’s judicial problems, its approval and passage highlights a willing attitude from Warsaw that may pave the way for further improvement.
• Get your act together on trade, EU tells Belgium
  Trade deals between the European Union and multiple Central and South American nations remain a point of contention for the institutions and their host country. Despite nearly a decade of consideration, multiple Belgian regions continue to delay decisions over cited “environmental and social concerns”. The European Commission continues on a back and forth with domestic opponents in efforts to obtain ratification and continue strides towards diversifying trade “away from China and Russia”.

Week of February 2, 2023

• EU pushes to increase migrant returns
  An upcoming meeting of interior ministers and an approaching session of the European Council inspired comment from the European Commission on efforts to return migrants to nations outside of the EU. With record numbers facing Europe’s borders, the Commission laid down a goal of “seamless coordination” to avoid red tape and miscommunication from further hindering the success of migrant return efforts across member states. The draft proposal garnered various reactions from diplomat’s, and includes increased efforts for Frontex, EU border agency, including acquisition of data and program expansion.
• Turkey advises its citizens against travel to Europe following recent developments
  Following recent incidents of far-right attacks on the Quran, the Turkish government cited anti-Muslim sentiment for the rationale behind a new travel advisory against Europe. Attacks occurred in multiple northern European countries, and may also pose institutional threats for Sweden. The nation not only faces protestors outside multiple embassies in Turkey, but a lack of support from Turkey for Swedish membership in NATO.
• French protests intensify against pension age rise
  Emmanuel Macron’s efforts to raise the French retirement age by two years, from 62 to 64, inspired another round of protests this week. Cities across the country face gatherings, with the largest occurring in Paris, causing multiple transportation disturbances. Proponents of the change explain the necessity behind maintaining the system to avoid citizens losing their pensions all together, while many protestors indicated more than the single reform for their motivation to take to the streets.
• The Green Deal Industrial Plan: putting Europe’s net-zero industry in the lead
  On February 1^st the European Commission built on ideas from last weeks World Economic Forum meeting in presenting the “Green Deal Industrial Plan”. The proposal echoes, European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen’s announcement in Davos, while providing a full picture of the plan’s four pillars. The full plan includes many new propositions as well as changes and complements to existing initiatives, and faces consideration by the European Council in the upcoming weeks. Along with the official communication, the Commission produced a factsheet including headings “The Road the Net-Zero” and “Four Complementary Pillars”, linked here.
• New Czech president aims to renew ‘truth, dignity, respect’
  This past weekend Czech runoff elections delivered the nation a President garnering many headlines containing exciting descriptions of national stability and a renewal of democratic values. Petr Pavel, who boasts a lengthy military career, beat former Prime Minister Andrej Babis in an election deemed “dominated by Ukraine”. Expectations for the presidency under Pavel include steadfast support to Kyiv, improved relations between Cabinet and the executive, and liberal democratic example setting in Eastern and Central Europe.

Week of January 19, 2023

• This week the World Economic Forum (WEF) held its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Attendees and panels highlighted a host of global topics under the theme “Cooperation in a Fragmented World”. The following summaries spotlight a session per day where a large portion of discussion, if not all, focused on Europe and the European Union.
• Special Address by Ursula von der Leyen
  Along with praise and discussion of aid to Ukraine, the current President of the European Commission utilized her address to announce the European Union’s Green Deal Industrial Plan. In unveiling the plan, von der Leyen emphasizes the importance of climate action, as well as the exciting opportunities that come with big, intentional moves towards clean energy. She goes on to outline the 4 pillars of the plan, regulatory environment, financing, skills, and trade and key efforts within each area. The Net Zero Industry Act, under the first pillar, exemplifies efforts towards clean energy through its dedication to clearing space for clean tech, “along the entire supply chain”, according to the EC President.
• Special Address by Volodymyr Zelensky
  President Zelensky, via Zoom, opens with a moment of silence honoring those lost in the helicopter accident which occurred just that morning. Following this sobering reality check, he continues by identifying, in his words, the greatest threat currently – time. Citing the occupation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale Russian aggression which began in 2022, Zelensky urges the world to stop hesitating. The wartime President stated, “the fact of life for us is a world in need of resolute and prompt steps.” and reminds attendees of the need to outpace Russia in aggression with aid to Ukraine.
• Panel: “Finding Europe’s New Growth”
  This panel brought together 5 leaders, Christine Lagarde – President of the European Central Bank, Valdis Dombrovskis – the European Commissioner for Trade, Mark Rutte – Prime Minster of the Netherlands, Andrej Plenković – Prime Minister of Croatia, and Christian Sewing – CEO of Deutsche Bank, with a focus on understanding prospects for the economic future of the continent. Catalyzed by the current state of inflation, 3 large topics garnered a major of the discussion. First, agreement from multiple parties on the importance of materializing Capital Markets Union, aka the European Commission’s plan to create a single market for capital. Second, the impacts of the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act, namely the need to preserve transatlantic value chains. Third and finally, China, from the lens of Netherlands current situation with semi-conductors, and a statement from PM Rutte that European policy needs to make the area “a player not a playing field”.

2022

Week of November 9, 2022

• Le Pen Steps Down as Party Leader
  Marine Le Pen stepped down as party leader of the National Front, with 27-year-old MEP Jordan Bardella succeeding her. She publicly stated that she stepped down in order to focus on leading the party in the National Assembly, where her far-right party surged in popularity earlier this year.
• COP27: Europe Stays Vocal
  The COP27 climate talks in Egypt have begun this week. EU Commission President spoke to press at the conference, touting Europe’s accomplishments in green energy, their ‘Fit for 55’ plan, and touting the new for climate reparations for the global south.
• EU Moved to Charge Facebook for Anti-Trust Violation
  The European Commission plans to charge Facebook with anti-trust charges, sources told POLITICO. This is over Facebook Marketplace and its advertisements dominating the space. Facebook has been previous charged by the EU in 2014 for providing misleading information during an investigation.
• Russian Troops Leave Kherson
  Russian troops are officially leaving the South Ukrainian City of Kherson, which it’s held since the beginning of the war. This is a huge blow to Russia – especially after their illegal annexation of its surrounding areas this September. Moscow’s foreign minister now claims they are open to talks with Kyiv, a shift in the war that was projected to be over in a few short days.
• Pressure Builds on Germany to Hold Hungary Accountable
  Germany’s ruling parties are pressuring Chancellor Olaf Scholz to “thouroughly scrutinize” Hungary’s rule-of-law reforms. The EU Commission has an upcoming vote about 7.5 billion Euros in EU funds to Hungary, which could be suspended because of concerns about democratic backsliding.

Week of November 3, 2022

• Denmark election: Centre-left bloc comes out on top
  A snap election was help in Denmark this week after the Prime Minister of the Social Democratic party, Mette Frederiksen, called for them. This election was called following an unstable government and a series of controversies, including the culling of minks. The center-left bloc won a 1-seat majority in parliament, but the PM dissolved her government in an attempt to create a wider coalition.
• Britain’s New Prime Minister is Already Facing His First Crisis
  The UK’s Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has gotten in controversy this past week. She reportedly violated security rules by sending government documents to her private email address, and has come under fire for the terrible conditions for asylum processing facilities. This put’s Rishi Sunak’s new government in a big crisis less than a week after he assumed office.
• Germany’s Scholz flies out under fire to meet Xi
  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is flying to China this week with a group of business leaders to meet with President Xi Jinping. This has caused controversy among EU allies, especially France’s Emmanuel Macron, who believes the EU needs to stand together in facing China. Many believe this is an attempt to replace Germany’s previously strong trading relationship with Russia with China.
• Italy’s Meloni plays eager Europhile for a day – but bitter battles lie ahead
  Italy’s new Prime Minister, Girogia Meloni, met with top European Union leaders this week. While Meloni touts Euroscepticism often, she appeared to have amicable meetings with top European leaders. This may not last, as she attempts to fulfill election promises to distance from Europe and renegotiate deals to help Italy’s interests.
• The invisible migration crisis on von Der Leyen’s doorstep
  Migration levels in several Western European countries have matched, or even surpassed, numbers from the 2015 crisis. These refugees come from a variety of places, from Afghanistan to Ukraine. While the refugee crisis does not have the news coverage from years ago, governments under intense pressure are taking increasing steps to limit the flow of asylum seekers.

Week of October 27, 2022

• New PM Rishi Sunk pledges to lead Britain out of economic crisis
  Rishi Sunak is now the UK’s Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party. This comes after the scandalous resignations of Boris Johnson after almost 3 years and Liz Truss after 50 days. The PM has many challenges to tackle, including inflation, Britain’s financial crisis, and his own party’s declining poll numbers.
• Putin tightens grips on Ukraine and Russia with martial law
  Russian President Vladimir Putin instituted martial law in the 4 Ukrainian regions the country annexed just weeks ago. This declaration allows regional governors sweeping emergency powers in the regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. This declaration is another sign of escalation by Putin and Russia in their months-long invasion of Ukraine.
• EU agrees on new Iran sanctions over Ukraine drone strikes
  The European Union agreed on new sanctions on Iran following a series of drone strikes by Russia in Ukraine. Top EU ambassadors claimed to have intelligence that these drones originated in Iran, as Iran has supplied Russia with numerous weapons throughout the conflict.
• Record inflation: Which countries in Europea are being worst hit as energy and food prices soar?
  Inflation in Europe has continued to rise this October, hitting nearly 10% throughout the Eurozone. Energy costs and food prices are two of the main contributors to this inflation, putting pressure on Europeans throughout the continent and on the British Isles. Increasingly, this so-called transitory inflation seems to be here to stay.
• The awkward lunch: Macron snubs Scholz in Paris
  French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz refused to hold a joint press conference after their meeting in Paris. These conferences are seen has standard diplomatic procedure – and the absence of it raises questions about the Franco-German relationship. This strong friendship has been strained over the last months surrounding issues like defense, energy, Ukraine, and China.

Week of October 20, 2022

• UK Prime Minister Liz Truss announces resignation
  UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has resigned as leader of the Conservative party. Her 44-day reign, the shortest in British history, was characterized by economic and political turmoil as British financial markets tumbled. The Conservatives will soon hold an internal leadership election to find her replacement.
• France strikes: Transport hit amid nationwide walkout over pay and cost of living
  Massive strikes have spread throughout France, including refinery workers, railway and postal workers, nurses, teachers, and some students. All the groups have demanded higher wages amid rising inflation. These strikes have exemplified growing unrest in France, with Macron’s party failing to make progress on their budget in Parliament.
• EU inflation rises to 10.9% in September
  Inflation in the EU has hit a high of 10.9% for the month of September, Eurostat has reported. This is a nearly 1% increase from August’s numbers and mirrors the UK’s 40-year high inflation of 10.1%. Food costs and energy costs have continued to rise, putting pressure on the EU and its member states to address the crisis.
• Ukrainians told to ‘charge everything’ as power grid hit by Russia
  Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine’s power, water, and heat infrastructure. President Zelensky reported that Since October 10th, 30% of Ukraine’s power stations have been destroying, leading to widespread blackouts. This targeting of civilian infrastructure puts the country under more humanitarian stress as winter approaches, showing Putin’s strategy of total war.
• Brothers of Italy politician who collects fascist relics elected senate speaker
  While Italy’s right-wing coalition was successful in their September election, turmoil has struck the parties when attempted to form a government. The Brothers of Italy has turned to the controversial former PM Silvio Berlusconi for support, but his closeness with Vladimir Putin has caused headaches for Giorgia Meloni. Furthermore, a right-wing senator and collector of fascist memorabilia has been elected the speaker of the Senate in the right’s first step at forming a coalition.

Week of October 13, 2022

• Macron’s European Political Community holds inaugural meeting amid Ukraine war
  The new European Political Community held its first meeting this week, the result of planning and organizing by French President Emmanuel Macron. This 44-nation group of EU members, the UK, Turkey, and other nations in Eastern European and the Caucuses met with the goal of creating a dialogue between political leaders across the continent and even beyond. The major takeaway from their meeting is their stand against Russian aggression, but the future of the alliance remains to be seen.
• Gazprom CEO Says Europe Could Freeze Even With Full Gas Storage
  As winter nears in Europe, fears about natural gas supplies have begun to grow. While many nations have taken bold steps to ensure their gas storage remains high, the Europeans have to look at alternative sources if they want to avoid cutting consumption, even with a warmer-than-average winter. This pressure comes amid the Russian and Ukrainian War, resulting in sharp decreases in gas exports from Russia.
• Massive blast cripples parts of Crimea-Russia bridge, in blow to Putin’s war effort
  The Russian-controlled Kerch Strait road-and-rail bridge was bombed this week by Ukrainian forces. This was the only link between Crimea and the Russian mainland, cutting off Russian troops in Southern Ukraine from their supplies. In retaliation, Putin unleashed a series of missile strikes against several civilian areas in Ukraine, killing at least 19 people and injuring dozens.
• Creeslough: Ten dead after Donegal petrol station explosion
  A massive explosion at an Irish gas station left 10 people dead, rocking the Republic. All evidence so far points to this being an accident, destroying the gas station and part of an adjacent apartment complex. The community and nation mourn the loss of so many, including several children; many others injured remain in critical condition in local hospitals.
• European Commission recommends candidate status for Bosnia and Herzegovina
  The European Commission recommended Bosnia and Herzegovina for EU candidate status. This status is conditional upon the country completing several reforms, mainly improving the rule of law and combatting high levels of corruption. This is historic for the Balkan nation that applied to the EU in 2016, soon joining the ranks of Ukraine and Moldova as official candidates.

Week of October 6, 2022

• Liz Truss has U-turned. Will it be enough?
  UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has reversed her plan to cut the top marginal tax rate from 45% to 40%. This comes amid the Pound’s historical low value against the dollar and talks of a rebellion against Truss from her own party’s backbenchers. This reversal is an attempt to stop the UK’s economic decline and the backlash against her leadership, but it may be too late for the PM to reverse course.
• Nord Stream gas ‘sabotage’: who’s being blamed and why?
  Several unexplained gas leaks have erupted from the Nord Stream pipeline under the Baltic Sea, connecting Russia and Western Europe. Russian authorities have quickly pointed the blame at the United States, while many Europeans consider it an act of Russian sabotage. Russian gas heats many European homes, especially important in wintertime, so this act puts increasing pressure on Western governments to end the war or find alternatives to Russian gas.
• Ukrainian troops claim new gains in southern counteroffensive
  Ukraine has retaken much territory in the Kherson region in the South of the country. This follows Ukraine’s gains in the Northeast of the country, including their recent counter-offensive near Kharkiv. While the Russians have ordered a massive mobilization at home, much of their holds in Ukraine have been chipped away by increasing counter-attacks by the Ukraine Army.
• Giorgia Meloni: Italy’s far-right wins election and vows to govern for all
  Following an election on September 25, 2022, the far-right Brothers of Italy party became the largest party in the Chamber of Deputies. Their leader Giorgia Meloni is widely expected to form government in a right-wing coalition, mustering a majority of seats in an extremely divided parliament. Her party rose from 4% in the 2018 elections to over 26%, marking a huge surge for the far-right.
• Russia officially annexes 4 disputed Ukraine regions, leaves door open for more
  Following a series of Kremlin-organized “referendums”, Russia has officially annexed 4 regions of Ukraine: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Many leaders across the world have called out these results as fraudulent, with a suspiciously near-unanimous support for Russian annexation. With these regions annexed, Putin can now claim to be fighting a defensive war against Ukraine and the West, possibly changing the rhetoric around the conflict.

Week of September 22, 2022

• France’s Macros seeks ‘massive’ boost for renewable energy
  Macron pushes for additional renewable energy projects to increase France’s green energy goals as well as its independence from foreign energy. The war in Ukraine showed the full dependence on Russian natural gas for France’s energy needs. The wind farms, solar projects, and other renewable energy projects will help France in the long-term but not the immediate energy needs.
• UK businesses laud energy relief, but costs still a struggle
  U.K. businesses are dealing with drastically rising energy costs. The U.K. government announced this week that “wholesale energy bills for businesses will be capped this winter.” They are also capping home energy bills. Small businesses believe these caps will keep their heads above water, but it will not drastically relieve the strain of high inflation and high energy costs over the long-term.
• Baltics say no automatic asylum for Russians fleeing draft
  Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have closed their borders and will not allow asylum for Russians attempting to leave the country after President Putin called up drafts for the war in Ukraine. The Baltic states views this stance as supporting the Ukrainian government. They have not seen an increase in attempts to cross their borders. Russians fleeing by plane are attempting to enter countries who still have direct flights.
• Germany nationalized gas giant amid energy crisis
  The German government will take on 98.5% control of Uniper, an energy company currently with the Finish Fortum as the primary stake holder. The lessened gas supplies from Russia have placed private companies at a loss. Forty percent of Europe’s gas came from Russia before the war in Ukraine. Russia stated that the flow of gas wouldn’t reach former levels until sanctions were removed.
• Greece urged to address anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and intolerance
  The Council of Europe reported on discrimination in Greece, especially of intersex adolescence. They recommended that guidelines be provided for healthcare providers, educators, and parents and anti-discrimination laws be placed to protect intersex individuals. Currently, “normalization” surgery of intersex youth before they are old enough to consent or abortion of an intersex fetus are recommended.

Week of September 15, 2022

• Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral: What we know
  After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the UK prepares for a large state funeral on Monday, September 12th. The Queen will rest at Westminster Abbey, where a service will begin with leaders from across the UK and around the world. There she will rest for several days, opening to the mourning public.
• Ukraine reclaims more territory, reports capturing many Russian soldiers
  The Ukrainian military forces have taken back significant territory in the northeast of the country. Over 3,000 square kilometers of territory was seized, putting the Russian forces in disarray. This comes after months of stalemate and little territory change in the war, shifting the momentum for the Ukrainian forces.
• State of the Union: Six takeaways from URSULA VON der Leyen’s keynote speech
  On Wednesday, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her annual State of the (European) Union speech to the European Parliament. Her primary focus was on Europe’s united front against Russia in its war in Ukraine, with the first lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska. She also focused on combatting energy costs, fiscal responsibility, and the rise of autocratic forces within the EU.
• EU intelligence chief cancels Taiwan trip after Beijing learns his secret plans
  The director of the European Union Intelligence and Situation Centre canceled his top-secret trip to Taiwan this week. Beijing somehow caught word of this trip, pressuring EU officials to cancel the trip to what China considers its own territory. This calls into question privacy and security at the EU, with questions brewing about a data or human intelligence leak.
• Right-wing parties win Swedish elections in historical political overhaul
  Right-wing parties have narrowly won a majority in Sweden’s parliament following an election this week. While the Social Democrats increased their position as the largest party in the Riksdag, a collection of right-wing parties won a majority following the surge in support for the populist, anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats. The right must now form a government as the PM and leader of the Social Democrats, Magdalena Andersson, conceded defeat.

Week of September 8, 2022

• Queen Elizabeth dies at 96
  Elizabeth II, the Queen of the United Kingdom, has died at the age of 96. She was the longest serving monarch in British history, serving since her father King George VI’s death in 1952. Leaders from around the world have sent their regards to the British people, who are now in a period of mourning.
• Liz Truss becomes Prime Minister of the UK
  On Tuesday, former Foreign Secretary Liz Truss became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. She beat out Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the Conservative Party election earlier this week. She is the UK’s third female prime minister and the fourth Tory PM, following in the footsteps of David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson. She faces a country with record-high inflation and the lingering effects of Brexit and COVID-19.
• EU Commission calls for Tougher Sanctions on Russia
  The EU Commission called for tougher sanctions on Russia for its war against Ukraine. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a price cap on Russian oil, part of a larger plan to reduce energy costs for Europeans. In response Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to cut off all energy supply to Europe, saying it will freeze without its fuel.
• Ukraine takes credit for air strikes in Crimea
  The Ukrainian military took credit for several air strikes into Crimea earlier in August. Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian armed forces Valeriy Zaluzhnyi confirmed the attacks were carried out to damage Russian military capabilities in the region. Ukraine has been under Russian occupation since the 2014 invasion, and has been a point of international contention since.
• The UK’s first black chancellor
  New UK PM Liz Truss has chosen Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor of the Exchequer, replacing her rival Rishi Sunak. He is the first black Chancellor in UK history. As head of the British financial system, he plans on massively cutting taxes and regulation in an attempt to spur economic growth while attempting to curb inflation.
• Erdogan accuses the west of ‘provocation’ toward Russia
  Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, claimed that the West’s policy in regards to Russia is “[not] right” and “based on provocation”. He stated this accusation in a press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Throughout the Russia-Ukraine war Erdogan has attempted to stay neutral while  increasing his economic and diplomatic ties to Russia.

Week of February 24, 2022

• The Queen tests positive for Covid
  Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms.” She recently canceled a virtual meeting due to the persistence of the symptoms. The Queen’s positive test comes in the midst of a wave of positive tests at Windsor Castle.
• Northern Europe battered by 3rd major storm; deaths hit 14
  A major storm struck northern Europe yesterday, its third in five days, killing two more people. An elderlycouple were killed when their car was swept into the English Channel in Normandy. Storm Franklin is the third storm that’s been pushed across Europe by an “unusually strong jet stream across the North Atlantic,” with wind gusts exceeding 196 kmh in England.
• Italy rescues nearly 600 migrants off Calabria, finds one dead
  The Italian coastguard rescued 573 refugees and migrants, including 59 mostly unaccompanied minors, off the coast of Calabria. The refugees came in “two overloaded fishing boats,” and Italy send a ship and three patrol boats to aid in the rescue. One person died a few days before the refugees were rescued, and in total an estimated 229 people have died or gone missing trying to reach Europe.
• End hostilities immediately, Russia told at late-night UN meeting
  In a rare nighttime congregation of the United Nations Security Council took place late on February 21 to try to curb Russian aggression against Ukraine. The talks did not go far, as Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzya accused the West of “egging Ukraine on to ‘an armed provocation’.” Russia is one of the permanent members of the UNSC, and holds a veto power, so it is unlikely any major steps to denouncing Russia’s actions will emerge out of the Security Council.
• Spain’s Church seeks to add credence to enquiry of alleged child abuse
  The Spanish Catholic Church’s investigation into alleged child abuse by members of the Church will be “coordinate[d] and audit[ed]” by an independent law firm. Prosecutors stated they were investigating 68 cases, but there are reports of 1,200 cases over the past 80 years in Spain. Although the appointing of a law firm to aid the investigation seems like a good way to maintain integrity, victim advocacy groups called the appointment “another smoke screen,” as the law firm and the Catholic Church have “strong ties.”

Week of February 17, 2022

• France won’t respond militarily if Russia invades Ukraine, foreign minister says
  After reports from the President of Ukraine that Russia is planning on invading Ukraine on Wednesday, February 16, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said his nation will not aid Ukraine militarily. He did reiterate that France will continue supporting Ukraine financially, and if Russia does invade, France will invoke “massive consequences.”
• Latvia passes long-awaited Holocaust restitution law
  On February 10, the Saeima, Latvia’s 100-seat parliament, passed a Holocaust restitution bill that will help compensate for the loss of Jewish property and funding to “revitalize the Baltic nation’s Jewish community.” The bill will allocate about 40 million euros over the next decade to reconstruct Latvia’s Jewish community, which was almost completely destroyed in World War II, but now is nearly 10,000 strong. During the Nazi occupation of Latvia, which lasted four years, 90% of Latvia’s 95,000 Jewish citizens died, and those who survived were unable to recover their property.
• “Nothing, there’s nothing:” Senegal’s plummeting fish stocks drive migrant surge to Europe
  The EU and the African Union are holding a summit later this month, and among some of the topics on the agenda is the illegal immigration crisis that is due in part to a depletion in fishing stock, one of Senegal’s largest economic sectors. The depletion is due to non-Senegalese fishing boats, which “hinder fishing . . . pollute the sea, and catch everything we used to catch.” Not only are the number of foreign fishing vessels damaging to the Senegalese economy, but the fishing practices among European and Chinese ships are also unsustainable and dangerous to the repopulation of the fish. The economic effects have led more Senegalese people to illegally immigrate abroad, more specifically into Europe. The summit hopes to alleviate the economic woes in one of the largest sectors of the economy to help stop the immigration problem at its source.
• French Lawyer attacks EU over poster featuring Muslim woman
  On February 9, the EU posted an advertisement for the Conference on the Future of Europe event that featured a woman wearing a hijab, a headscarf commonly worn by some Muslim women. A French lawyer and a prominent advisor to France’s center-right future presidential candidate said that “the use of such an image to illustrate the continent’s future left him “speechless.”” Over the past year, the French government has passed multiple laws further restricting the Muslim population. France is the most secular government in Western Europe, and part of their governmental identity is maintaining that secularism, though many critics believe that some of the laws “ unfairly [single] out Muslims” and are more a reaction to the rise in xenophobia on the right side of their political spectrum rather than a way to maintain French tradition.
• Parliament Speaker Şentop congratulates Serbia on its national day
  Turkey’s Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop formally congratulated Serbia on Serbian National Day. The day celebrates the first Serbian uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1804. The two nations are on friendly terms, and Şentop wished “health, peace and happiness to the people of Serbia.”

Week of February 10, 2022

• Seated event to celebrate feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck
  &
  Feast of St. Paul’s Shipwreck
  This Thursday, February10, Malta is organizing a seated event to celebrate the Feast of St. Paul’s Shipwreck. This will be the nation’s first feast celebration since the outbreak of COVID-19 and will feature the statue of St. Paul being taken out in the evening, then a concert. The Feast of St. Paul’s Shipwreck is a feast celebrating St. Paul’s voyage from Jerusalem to Rome in 60 C.E., when St. Paul’s boat got caught in a storm and wrecked off the coast of Malta, where he established a Christian following on the island.
• This Year’s Prešeren Prizes for Slovenian Art, Culture Presented
  On February 8, Slovenia handed out the nation’s highest award for the arts, the Prešeren Prizes. February 8marks the commemorative holiday of the award’s namesake, Slovenian poet France Prešeren. This year, KajetanGantar and Mirko Cuderman were the two recipients of the Prešeren Prize. Gantar, at 91 years old, is an accomplished philologist and has translated many philosophical works, making major contributions to“Slovienian knowledge of classicism. Mirko Cuderman, also 91 years old, could not attend the ceremony in person so recorded his acceptance speech. Cuderman is a conductor and musicologist who made “indelible impression on Slovenian choral music.”
• Ukraine crisis: Macron says crucial days ahead after Putin summit
  French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to Ukraine early on February 8 to meet with Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelensky, in an effort to mediate de-escalation talks between Zelensky and Vladimir Putin. Earlier in the week, Putin told French reporters that if Ukraine tries to take back Crimea or if Ukraine is admitted into NATO, Europe could see its first major conflict since the Balkan wars of the 1990s. There is hope for a peaceful end to hostilities, as Putin announced that Macron’s proposals “could form the basis of further joint steps.”
• Czech millionaire investigated for racing at 417 km/h on German autobahn
  Radim Passar, a 58 year-old millionaire from the Czech Republic is facing a possible two year prison sentence for going 417 kmh, over 259 mph, on the autobahn in Germany. The autobahn is famously known for its lack of a speed limit, though prosecutors are arguing Passar’s speed was part of an illegal street race. Passar, driving one of the fastest street legal cars in the world, a Bugatti Chiron, recorded himself going over 250 mph and posted it to YouTube.
• Ex-pope Benedict XVI asks for pardon over sex abuse scandal but denies wrongdoing
  Retired Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter asking for forgiveness in his handling of sexual abuse cases in while he was archbishop of Munich, though he did not admit that he did anything wrong. There is a current accusation that on four occasions between 1977 and 1982, the then-archbishop did not restrict priests accused of sexual abuse after they had been criminally convicted. Pope Benedict’s lawyers assert that he did not know of the priests’ criminal record, and asserts that the archbishop was not involved in a cover-up.

Week of February 3, 2022

• Plans announced for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend 2022.
  On February 6, the Queen Elizabeth II House of Windsor will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, which is the 70th anniversary of reign over the commonwealth. This article outlines the celebrations planned for this year and the significance of the jubilee.
• If a war starts, they will come here first:’ Latvia mounts a wary border watch.
  Russian aggression in Ukraine and its troop movement through Belarus have caused Latvia to be on high alert, with plans to expand Latvia’s military force to around 12,000 troops. Russia’s movement in Belarus, who shares its southern border with Ukraine, have raised concerns over the safety of the Ukrainian capital and the rest of Eastern Europe. Latvia and other Eastern European NATO members have called on the US and UK to send more troops. Right now, theLatvian-Belarussian border is quiet, though many Latvians believe that if conflict does arise in Eastern Europe, Latvia will be the first target.
• EU fury: Bloc’s bureaucracy sparks outrage after UK banned from £80bn project.
  Horizon Europe is a 80 billion Pound pool of EU funding that allows countries to participate in and contribute to R&D programs. The UK was planning to contribute 15 billion Pounds over 7 years to be able to access the fund pool, though the EU banned them from participation due to Brexit disputes. Switzerland was also banned from participating because of political disputes. Scientists from the UK and Switzerland are thinking of ways to circumvent their exclusion, such as possibly forming their own program, or investing in a lesser known program. As of now, Horizon Europe has been criticized for numerous inequalities, especially for Eastern Europe.
• Time to go! Verhofstadt calls for von der Leyen’s resignation in brutal attack on Brussels.
  The EU Commission has had trouble with Hungary and Poland in the past months due to rule of law disputes that act against EUC and ECJ guidelines, though the EU Commission has decided to refrain from issuing sanctions despite the European Parliament and the ECJ’s urging them to do so. Specifically, they stated they will refrain from fining Hungary until after their General Election later this year. Both nation’s have challenged the holdings and decisions, and the verdict is scheduled for February.
• Croatia in my heart: The small places make it special.
  On February 3, ‘the biggest day of the year in Dubrovnik’ is taking place in the form of the Feast of Saint Blaise, the patron saint of Dubrovnik. The festival has lasted continuously from 972 to the present day. The feast day holds significance in the city by being symbolic of “freedom and independence and love for [the] city.”

Week of January 27, 2022

• Montenegro Being Urged to Join ‘Risky’ Open Balkan Initiative: Analyst
  Open Balkan is an initiative established by Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia which would “lift barriers on the movement of goods and people between Balkan countries.” While it seems like a beneficial initiative and an alternative to the EU, Montenegro and Bosnia have some reservations. They see it as unnecessary, since EU membership is a key goal. Also, Open Balkan could remove obstacles to smuggling of drugs and movement of criminal groups.
• EU sends formal request to Poland for payment of daily 1 million Euro fine
  The European Commission formally requested Poland to pay a 1 million Euro per day fine as a result of a ruling of the European Court of Justice. The ECJ agreed with the European Commission’s findings that Poland’s reorganized justice system could be “used in order to exert political control over judicial decisions or to exert pressure on judges with a view to influencing their decisions.” This is the first time a fine is imposed upon a member state for failure to comply with ECJ rulings.
• Ultra-safe Austria grapples with femicides as 31 women were killed in 2021
  In Austria in 2021, more women were murdered than men, which is a rarity in the EU, thus revealing a femicide problem in Austria. Though rallies have been organized around Europe and the world, the issue has taken a backseat in Austria until recent stories have uncovered the horrors of femicide in the country. A major problem in Austria is that women do not have an escape from abusive relationships. As one woman said, when she left she felt “like a refugee in her own country.”
• Spain Celebrates the Festival of Las Luminarias in Madrid
  On January 16, the eve of Saint Anthony’s feast day, the people of San Bartolome de Pinares gathered for the centuries old tradition of the festival of Las Luminarias. Horses are run through flames of bonfires to purify the animals for the coming year. It is done on the eve of St. Anthony’s feast because he is the patron saint of domesticated animals. Animal rights activists have raised protests about the festival, though organizers say the horses are not harmed because of the precautions taken by riders to cut horse hair and avoid burns.
• What lies in the way of North Macedonia’s EU membership?
  North Macedonia has begun discussion with Bulgaria to clear a path for the former to become a member of the EU. Bulgaria has vetoed the nation from beginning to start membership talks. The origin of the disagreements stem from Bulgaria’s refusal to recognize Macedonian language and identity, although the two have distinct histories since 1940. This is not the first time North Macedonia has had to talk concessions to gain membership to an international organization. To join NATO, they had to change their name to North Macedonia, because Greece thought their former name of Macedonia laid claim to their northern territory.

Week of January 6, 2022

• Europe’s tattoo artists fear for future after EU ink ban
  A ban of many inks used by tattoo artists went into effect on January 4th in the EU. The ban, which was approved in 2020, is opposed by tattoo artists who say that replacement inks aren’t accessible nor do they have the hues requested by clients. Scientists who helped draft the legislation say that the now banned chemicals caused allergic reactions.
• 874 cars were torched in France on New Year’s Eve – fewer than in previous years
  Across France 874 cars were burned on New Year’s Eve. This annual tradition was affected by COVID curfew, and therefore 500 fewer cars were burned than in years past. A number of people were taken in for questioning, but they were held more for breaking COVID restrictions than for burning property.
• US imposes sanctions against Bosnian Serb leader Dodik
  The US sanctioned the Serb member of the ruling Bosnian tripartite, Milorad Dodik. Dodik was accused of corruption and threatening the Dayont Accords, which ended the Bosnian War. Dodik advocates secession of the Serb areas from Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to join Serbia. Dodik’s reaction to the new sanctions was non-plussed, since he did not intend to travel to the US.
• Kosovo bans cryptocurrency mining after blackouts
  In an attempt to battle an energy shortage, the Kosovo government banned cryptocurrency mining, which takes a lot of energy. Energy prices have increased across Europe, for a number of reasons, but Kosovo has been hit harder than most. They are importing up to 40% of their energy at the higher global costs, because one of their coal plants was shut down for repairs. In addition to this ban, the government has issues rolling blackouts.
• Taiwan pledges to invest in Lithuania amid Chinese pressure
  Taiwan will invest $200 million into Lithuanian businesses over the strained relationship with China. A government office, which functions as a de facto embassy, in Vilnius bears the name Taiwan instead of Chinese Taipei. The Chinese government sees this as an affront to their claim to the island. The Chinese ambassador were pulled from Lithuania, and the Lithuanian ambassador was expelled from China over the renaming. There are also accusations that China is blocking Lithuanian exports from entering China. Taiwan pledges to accept these deliveries instead.

2021

Week of December 16, 2021

• Malta becomes first EU nation to legalize cannabis
  Possession of small amounts and growth of up to 4 plants for personal use has been approved by the Malta legislation. The legislation goes to President George Vella to sign it into law or veto. A number of other EU countries, such as Luxembourg, Germany, and Switzerland have proposed similar laws since the UN officially noted the medicinal use of cannabis. Cannabis is used recreationally in the Netherlands, but it is technically illegal.
• Netherlands announces €25bn plan to radically reduce livestock numbers
  In an effort to reduce nitrogen pollution from animal waste, the recently formed coalition Netherlands government will pay farmers to either transition their farms to environmentally friendly practices (more land and less animals) or quit farming. The legislation has met with protests and opposition from farmers, who created the Dutch Farmers Party (BoerBurgerBeweging [BBB]) two-years ago in opposition to the process. The BBB wants to use innovation to manage nitrogen pollution.
• Happy 100th, bloody mary: Paris marks cocktail’s birthday
  Harry’s Bar celebrates the 100th anniversary of the bloody mary, which was created there and formally introduces in “Harry’s ABC of Cocktails” book in 1921. The bar will host celebrations while strictly following all new COVID protocols. There are a number of legends surrounding the creation and naming of the drink. One involves Ernest Hemingway on his wedding day to Mary.
• Murder plots and threats from anti-vaxxers pose challenge for Germany’s new chancellor
  Olaf Scholz, the new German Chancellor, is pro-vaccine mandates, and has asked for legislation tin February to make vaccines mandatory in Germany. Mandates for certain vocations has already been implemented. In response, attacks on doctors, journalists, and politicians by anti-vaxxers have increased. Authorities in Dresden stopped a murder plot towards pro-vaccine governor, Michael Kretschmer.
• Romanian minister resigns over claims he faked education credentials
  Florin Roman, Romanian minister of innovation and digitalization, resigned after journalists uncovered alleged plagiarism on an academic paper and his resume. Roman was part of the coalition government since November 2021. Roman denies the allegations, but feels the attention would negatively impact the government.

Week of December 9, 2021

• Dyson loses fight for $198 mln compensation over EU energy labelling rules
  British company Dyson filed and lost a claim against the EU for 176 million euros in compensation. The corporation alleged that the amount was equal to losses they experienced due to EU energy labeling rules. The case originated in 2014 when Dyson fought a case saying that EU labeling requirements on vacuum cleaners discriminated against its technology, misled customers about the efficiency of some vacuum cleaners, and unfairly benefited its German rivals. After winning this suit in 2018, the company decided to file for the 176 million euros they claimed to have incurred. The judge did not rule in their favor this time but Dyson says it plans to appeal the decision.
• Germany’s Olaf Scholz takes over from Merkel as chancellorOlaf Scholz has officially taken over the German chancellory from long-time officeholder Angela Merkel. His party, the Social Democrats, formed a coalition with the Greens and the Free Democrats to secure a majority within the Bundestag. Their government will be Germany’s first cabinet to include as many women as men. The main ambitions of the government will be to tackle climate change and the coronavirus pandemic. Olaf Scholz’s first foreign trip in his new role of chancellor will be on Friday to Paris and Brussels to discuss Russia’s military build-up near the border with Ukraine.
• Europe is fighting over roaming — again
  The 2017 EU regulation of no roaming costs within its borders may become a thing of the past. The deal is set to expire on June 30, 2022, and the Commission has yet to hammer out the details of an extension. Without this extension, consumers would lose the right to call, text, and stream without paying extra costs when traveling within the EU. The two items of contention are the cost of calls between EU countries and the rate telecom companies pay each other. Both need to be resolved prior to summer if European Parliament members wish to keep their citizens’ phone bills low.
• Finnish PM apologises for staying out clubbing despite Covid exposure
  Finland’s Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, is receiving criticism for her decision to go dancing despite being exposed to COVID. Marin was photographed at a Helsinki nightclub only a few hours after being informed that her foreign minister, Pekka Haavisto, had tested positive for coronavirus. The PM has since apologized for her actions and promised to be more vigilant of COVID guidelines.

Week of December 2, 2021

• Munich WW2 bomb blows up near station, wounding four
  An undetected WW2 bomb was detonated during drill work near Munich, Germany. The presence of an intact bomb from WW2 being discovered during construction is not uncommon. However, the bombs rarely go off as towns are usually evacuated and bomb squads are called in. Unfortunately, this bomb went undetected and the explosion this Wednesday wounded 4 people. The Bavarian Interior Minister, Joachim Hermann, is calling for investigations to uncover how this bomb was not spotted earlier.
• EU must consider mandatory Covid jabs, says Von der Leyen
  South Africa has isolated and identified a new strain of the COVID virus named Omicron. The spread of a highly contagious variant has the EU Commission president, Ursula Von der Leyen, advocating for a conversation about mandatory vaccinations across the Union. A member of the EU, Greece, has already planned to implement mandatory vaccines for those in its population aged 60 or over. Those who still refuse the jab are being fined 100 euros per month. These extra measures are having a positive effect on the vaccination rates. Nearly 17,500 people in the demographic have registered for a first shot. This is a notable uptick from the average inoculation rate of 2,600 a day. Vaccination rates within the entire Union are 77% for adults and 66% for the entire population. President Von der Leyen hopes that these rates will increase in the coming months.
• Germany set to ban fans from Bundesliga games – Saxony premier
  Germany has recently entered a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, 45,753 new cases and 388 deaths were reported. These conditions are the worst the country has experienced since March. Due to the increase in cases, German officials are holding talks on Thursday to decide whether or not to allow in-person attendance at the nation’s soccer matches. This wouldn’t be a new measure as empty stadiums were also implemented during last year’s season. But even if stadiums are open to fans this year, the capacity would be reduced. Bavaria has been one of the hardest-hit regions in the country and is planning a tentative 25% reopening depending on the outcome of the vote.
• U advice on inclusive language withdrawn after rightwing outcry
  The EU Commission recently released guidelines created by Helena Dalli, the commissioner for equality, about using more inclusive phrases such as “the holiday season” rather than Christmas during this festive time. However, the guidelines were withdrawn after garnering the outrage of right-wing politicians. Former president of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani expressed his discontent with the guidelines on Twitter. He tweeted that “inclusion does not mean denying the Christian roots of [the EU]”. And former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi, tweeted that the guidelines were “an absurd and wrong document….cultural identity is a value, not a threat.” And although not everyone agreed with the criticism, Commissioner Dalli still chose to take down and revise the document in the hope that a future draft will properly demonstrate the European Commissions inclusive nature.
• UK seeks ‘urgent’ migration talks with Europe after French snub
  Last Wednesday, 27 people drowned in the English Channel. This event triggered the scheduling of talks between European nations about how to handle what they are calling the Channel crisis. Ministers of Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands will all be present along with officials from the European Union and its border agency Frontex, and the police agency Europol. The UK is notably absent from the list of attendees. Their invitation was rescinded following Prime Minister Boris Johnson publishing a letter he sent to French President Emmanuel Macron outlining London’s demands for collective refugee policy. Instead, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel “will be holding urgent talks with my European counterparts this week to prevent further tragedies in the Channel.”

Week of November 18, 2021

• 4 things to know about the EU’s effort to stop deforestation
  The European Union introduced a draft of legislation aimed at preventing deforestation. Should the legislation come into effect, it would force companies to prove that the products they sell haven’t been contributing to deforestation. Those that can’t are liable to face fines and see their products blocked from the EU market. The regulation is aimed at six commodities (coffee, cocoa, cattle, palm oil, soy and wood) and their derived products (leather, oil cakes and chocolate). Rubber is on a waitlist as to whether or not be included. Additionally, the regulation would be applicable to both exporters to the EU and those operating within its borders.
• Article 16: Will EU end Brexit trade deal if UK ditches Northern Ireland Protocol
  Tensions are rising once again between the United Kingdom and the European Union. This time, the matter concerns trade agreements within Northern Ireland. Confusion and anxiety over the situation in Northern Ireland have surrounded talks between the two since Brexit. However, these new developments leave many concerned about the future state of relations between Brussels and London.
• Spain scraps visa requirement for UK touring musicians
  Following Brexit, the Spanish government decided to implement visa requirements for UK artists on short-term tours. But they have recently decided to walk back this decision. UK Music, an organization in support of the UK’s music industry, called the decision a “huge victory”. And while they are celebrating this win, they acknowledge there are more steps to be taken. Eventually, they would like to “remove all the costly and bureaucratic restrictions that remain when it comes to touring the EU” to make it easier for UK acts to get booked across the bloc.
• Covid: The country locking down the unvaccinated
  The country of Austria has decided to implement a stay-at-home mandate for its unvaccinated citizens. Those who remain unvaccinated are only allowed to leave their homes for essential reasons like work or shopping for food and are barred from cafés and restaurants. Carina, a young woman who decided not to take the jab, says this new mandate makes her feel “excluded” and “ostracised.” The decision was inspired on by the fact that Austria is seeing their highest rate of daily infections since the pandemic began and has the lowest percentage of vaccinated citizens in western Europe. Since the lockdown began, more citizens have been receiving vaccinations. However, there are concerns about the constitutionality of this new mandate and the division it may cause between the vaccinated and unvaccinated.
• Clashes erupt at Belarus-Poland border as refugee crisis worsens
  In a recent occurrence along the Polish-Belarus border, Polish forces used water cannons and tear gas on asylum seekers after they claim to have been pelted with rocks by the migrants. There are allegations that Polish forces have been pushing back those amassed on their borders since August. Some suggest that Belarus has been aiding in the increase of migrants along the Polish border as an act of revenge against Poland, which supported last year’s protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. However, no matter the causes, these developments in the treatment of asylum seekers are alarming to the activists working to ensure their care.

Week of November 11, 2021

• France officially signs over artworks taken from ex-colony Benin
  President Patrice Talon of Benin and President Emmanuel Macron of France met on Tuesday to sign an agreement. The agreement entailed the return of 26 works of art to France’s former colony of Benin. And although this was only a small portion of the 5,000 works Benin is looking to take home, this was a historic moment in the fight for the restoration of stolen artwork to the African continent. President Talon is hopeful that this will be the start of the return of many more cultural treasures.
• Belarus migrants: EU accuses Lukashenko of gangster-style abuse
  Recently, the EU has raised allegations concerning illegal immigration against the nation of Belarus. EU officials are concerned about the thousands of migrants gathering at the borders of the countries neighbors and who is the newspaper. There are 2,000 migrants at the Poland-Belarus border alone. EU members such as Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have all seen a recent upsurge in the number of immigrants attempting to enter their borders which they say can be explained by Belarus’s leader, Alexander Lukashenko, who is allegedly spreading rumors about using Belarus as an easy entry spot into the EU refugees. The EU is currently fighting on a legal front and Germany is pushing for the take action to secure its member states’ borders.
• Google loses antitrust battle with EU as court upholds 2017 order to pay $2.8 billion fine
  The EU’s General Court ruled in favor of the European Commission at a trial on Wednesday. This case was about an incident in 2017 in which the EC claims that Google had favored its own comparison shopping service on its general results pages. And since the Court agreed, the tech giant will be required to pay a fine of 2.42 billion euros. There are hopes that this will create the momentum necessary to make the Digital Markets Act (DMA) a reality. Such a legislative piece would have the ability to regulate any behavior that closes off European markets. It could also affect the operations of Big Tech.
• Greek prime minister angrily defends treatment of refugees
  Ingeborg Beugel, a Dutch journalist, accused Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, of lying about the country’s treatment of refugees. The incident occurred at a joint press conference between the Greek and Dutch prime ministers. Prime minister Mitsotakis did not seem to appreciate being confronted with unsupported “accusations and expressions”. He defended his country by saying they didn’t turn down those seeking asylum and attempted to redirect some blame onto the nation of Turkey. His political opponents held a different opinion. In fact, many on the left supported Beugel for calling attention to the situation. Leader of the MeRA25 party and former finance minister Yanis Varoufakisand went so far as to say that the “crimes” being committed in the Aegen were an insult to “the good name of Greece”.

Week of November 4, 2021

• Bosnian leader stokes fears of Balkan breakup
  The recent actions of Milorad Dodik, an ethnic Serb politician who serves as a member of the country’s three-person presidency, have been heightening fears of the break up of the nation of Bosnia. His threats to withdraw the Serb territory from key national institutions like the tax authority and the armed forces are fueling the rumors about a possible succession. Although political theorists do not believe separation is likely, this has not alleviated the fears of citizens in the nation. Many Bosnians are worried that they or their children will be made into soldiers for a war they have no desire to fight. Experts believe that the upcoming meeting of the UN Security Council will determine the trajectory of the nation. Toby Vogel, of the Democratisation Policy Council think-tank, warns that Bosnia’s high representative, Christian Schmidt, will need the power that comes with an acknowledgment from the UNSC in order to maintain power dynamics in Bosnia.
• Handball federation changes uniform rules after bikini row
  Back in July, Norway’s female beach handball team competed against Spain in the European championships. The Norwegian team was fined €1,500 (or $1,737) after they stepped out onto the beach in shorts instead of bikinis. This decision stirred up discontent from the handball team, activists, and celebrities alike. American singer Pink offered to pay the fine and activist Talitha Stone began to gather signatures on a petition. This outrage did not go unnoticed. In the latest Internation Handball Federation handbook, there is no mention of female players being required to wear bikinis. Ms. Stone hopes this will be the “beginning of the end of sexism and objectification of women and girls in sport”.
• Sophie Pétronin: French aid worker slammed for returning to where she was taken hostage
  Sophie Pétronin, a French citizen, is receiving criticism from the French government following her return to the country of Mali. The 76-year-old woman had previously been to the West African nation. She had been captured by al-Qaida in 2016 and was released in October 2020 when a new Malian regime came into power. The French brokered for her release by exchanging Ms. Pétronin for 200 jihadist prisoners. A spokesperson for the French government, Gabriel Attal, said the government “deplored” her actions and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said Pétronin’s return to Mali was “indecent and unworthy” behavior.
• EU legislators make historic visit to Taiwan amid China concerns
  A seven-member delegation from the European Parliament arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday. The group is looking for answers concerning fighting disinformation and foreign interference within democracy, media, culture, and education. Some members of the European Union are worried about China influencing European politics and sowing misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. And since Taiwan also claims to receive regular interference from China, the Union wanted to learn more about the successful strategies that Taiwan has employed to solve these issues.
• ‘Put a price on carbon, nature cannot pay’: EU urges COP26
  Starting November 1st, over 100 countries convened in Glasgow for COP26. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wasted no time in opening a discussion on the subject of pricing carbon emissions. Such measures would be introduced in the hopes of cutting down on emissions. The EU has already pledged to cut down its emissions at least 55% by 2030 and von der Leyen has urged her fellow world leaders to do the same. Still, European leaders do not believe this to be enough which is why the bloc is working on the creation of greener policies. But this push of the green agenda across Europe is not very popular within the less economically developed eastern European states. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis believes these policies to be “dangerous” and thinks they will make fossil fuels more expensive for citizens.

Week of October 28, 2021

• Brexit: Welsh ports increasingly bypassed by Irish ferries
  The Irish government has created dozens of ferry routes between Ireland and mainland Europe during the past year. Ireland’s foreign affairs minister, Simon Coveney, says that the complications of Brexit are the cause. Prior to the UK’s exit from the European Union, Irish merchants would just use land bridges that ran through Wales and England to reach the rest of the Union. This route was the fastest and cheapest way to move goods from Ireland to the European mainland. However, post-Brexit paperwork and checks make routes that skip the UK more attractive. Despite the new trade routes, at the inaugural Wales-Ireland Forum, Coveney reassured all of those in attendance that the relationship with Wales was very important to Ireland.
• Man asks police to jail him because life at home is ‘unbearable’
  An Albanian national living in Italy has decided to trade in his house arrest for time behind bars. Following being tried for drug-related charges, the man was sentenced to several years of house arrest. However, the 30-year-old man said his life at home was unbearable and that he’d rather finish his term in jail. This incited him to break the terms of his house arrest and before turning himself in. As a consequence of breaking his house arrest, the courts have ruled that the man should serve the rest of his sentence in jail.
• Hungary’s Orban accuses EU, US of meddling in 2022 election
  After a decade in power, the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, seems to be facing strong opposition. A six-party bloc has formed in the hopes of defeating Orban and his party in the upcoming elections in April of next year. At a rally this past Saturday, Orban accused the US and billionaire George Soros of having a hand in the rising popularity of his opposition. The Prime Minister claimed that the left-wing bloc was receiving support in the forms of money, media, and networks. He also said that the EU treats Hungary as if the nation was the organization’s “enemy”. Such views aren’t shared by his opposition. Instead, the parties are hoping to work further with the EU and introduce the euro to Hungary. Additionally, the bloc would like to draft a new constitution, clamp down on corruption, and guarantee freedom of the media.
• Poland ordered to pay more than $1 million a day in fines amid E.U. dispute
  The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ordered Poland to pay a daily penalty of 1.2 million until the nation complies with an earlier ruling. The dispute concerns changes that Poland’s ruling party, Law and Justice, made to the country’s court system. The ECJ ruled that the changes weren’t compatible with EU law. This inspired comments from Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki about Polish sovereignty. He also said that the Union withholding pandemic relief funds over this situation could start a “third world war.” But the European Union is not backing down. Should Poland not pay the fines, Christian Wigand, a spokesman for the European Commission, said they would be offset by “payments due to the member state concerned.”
• Portuguese parliament rejects budget bill, snap election looms
  In a 117-108 vote with 5 abstentions, the Portuguese parliament voted to reject the minority government’s budget bill. This result was achieved after the hard left decided to side with the conservative opposition. This move is likely to trigger snap elections in the upcoming months. Despite the setback, Prime Minister Antonio Costa will not be resigning. This is due to the fact that during his time in office, he has seen six years of solid economic growth. Such a reputation bolsters his confidence in leading his party through another election campaign.

Week of October 21, 2021

• Facebook plans to hire 10,000 people in the EU to build its vision for a ‘metaverse’
  This past July, Facebook announced that its future plans include the creation of a ‘metaverse’. This undertaking is expected to create thousands of jobs which they will offer to qualified engineers from across the European Union. Recruitment for these 10,000 jobs has been focused in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, and Ireland. The multiverse is envisioned as digital worlds in which people can interact in a 3D environment. Facebook’s first step towards this development has been the creation of a work collaboration app where people can hold meetings in virtual reality. The social media giant is confident that European engineers will be essential in completing the project.
• Pedro Sánchez: Spanish PM vows to outlaw prostitution
  Spanish Prime minister Pedro Sánchez, and his Socialist Party, are working to outlaw prostitution in Spain. Sex work was decriminalized in the country in 1995. Since then, the country has emerged as the second-largest prostitution market in Europe behind Germany. Sex trafficking is estimated to generate €7-8m each day. People have raised concerns over the increase of sex trafficking by mafias. But this doesn’t mean that they would like to criminalize prostitution. Supporters of the current system say it gives sex workers a greater sense of safety. Those who oppose the current system are associations like APRAMP, which campaigns to prevent and eradicate sexual exploitation. They link prostitution to “violence, marginalization, economic difficulties and a sexist, patriarchal culture.” And the Socialist Party’s goal since it has been put into office has been to change the system as they included the outlawing of prostitution in their manifesto. This is why the party is committed to working with their coalition party Podemos to pass legislation on this issue.
• ‘A political low’: Slovakian President slams MP for Facebook post about her daughter
  Slovakian MP Tomáš Taraba is facing backlash after a recent social media post. The post in question features a photo of the Slovakian President’s 17-year old daughter modeling for a fashion show with the caption “After yesterday we know that we have a new top model in Slovakia.” Zuzana Čaputová, the Slovakian President, publicly voiced her discontent with the support of the police, other politicians, and the fashion show that her daughter was featured in. The police called the post “an exemplary case of cyberbullying” and said the comment had “crossed boundaries”. Taraba rejects any accusations of cyberbullying.
• Lockdowns Are Back as East EU Pays for Low Vaccination Rates
  In the eastern part of the EU, vaccination rates have remained low. However, COVID transmissions have not. Lockdowns have recently been reimplemented as the region’s cases reach the world’s highest per capita for the past week. Latvia leads the charge with the closing of its bars and shops and its imposition of curfews and distance learning for students. Such measures could survive as calls to action for the neighboring countries of Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Estonia.
• Syrian family sue EU border agency over removal from Greece
  Five years after their deportation from Greece, a Dutch law firm has filed a lawsuit for a Syrian family who was sent to Turkey. The case involves human rights violations and seeks to hold Frontex, the EU border agency, accountable. Accounts from the victims say that Frontex agents asked them to board a flight to “Athens” but that the trip truly brought them to a detention center in Turkey before they resettled into a town in northern Iraq. Their story is just one of the many experienced by immigrants who sought asylum within EU borders. However, this was the first recorded deportation of asylum seekers following the EU’s immigration deal with Turkey in 2016.

Week of October 14, 2021

• What is the ‘new model’ the EU is proposing for Northern Ireland?
  Since the UK’s departure from the European Union, there have been debates concerning policies pertaining to trade within the borders of Northern Ireland. The EU has begun formulating a new model for Northern Ireland’s unique case. This plan includes guidance on areas of trade such as meat and dairy, hauling, customs, medicines, and government. This plan will allow business to continue in Northern Ireland while not compromising the EU’s policies.
• Norway bow and arrow attacks: Danish citizen charged as death toll reaches five
  Five Norwegian citizens are dead and two others are injured following a bow and arrow attack. The weapon was wielded by a Danish citizen in their 30’s. Reports of the suspect walking around the city center firing on citizens came in at around 6:15 pm on Wednesday evening. The attack in Kongsberg left many shaken. Norwegian prime minister, Erna Solberg, described the attack as “horrifying”. Investigators are still searching for the reason behind the attack and the government is monitoring the situation closely.
• Poland challenges supremacy of EU law in snub to Brussels
  In the latest installment of conflict between the Polish government and the leaders of the EU, Poland has decided to try the legality of European law within their courts. The Polish Constitutional Tribunal ruled that some European laws were incompatible with their constitution. This was met with both celebration and criticism. Members of the Law and Justice Party such as Jaroslaw Kaczynski supported what they believed to be a win for the supremacy of the Polish constitution. However, several citizens protested the ruling. Anna Labus saw the situation as “a scandal” meant to remove Poland from the European Union. Union officials responded by saying the ruling may impact the disbursement of Polish pandemic relief funds. Despite these tensions, the Polish government says it is not considering a “Polexit” as of now.
• At Denmark’s Human Library you can read people like a book, and ‘unjudge’ them…
  In Denmark, a new type of story is being published. The Human Library is a place where people can share their life experiences with others. One of the storytellers is a blind and deaf 37-year-old man by the name of Anders Fransen. Fransen enjoys the experience that the library offers as it is an opportunity to connect to others in a way that his everyday life doesn’t always provide. The libraries are in 80 countries around the world with thousands of stories being shared each year.

Week of October 7, 2021

• Austrian chancellor under investigation over alleged misuse of funds
  Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz is facing scrutiny after claims of a misusage of government funds. Kurz allegedly put the money towards ensuring positive coverage in the media. The incident is thought to have taken place during the period of 2016-2018. As part of the investigation, prosecutors raided both the chancellor’s and the finance ministry’s offices. Chancellor Kurz has yet to respond as he is currently in Slovenia with other EU leaders such as Commission chief Ursula Von der Leyen. However, his party (ÖVP) has reacted angrily to the raids. Andreas Hanger, an ÖVP MP, went so far as to say that the investigation was organized by “leftwing cells” in the prosecutors’ office. The bad publicity has many wondering about the stability of the ÖVP’s coalition with the Greens.
• France pushing to strengthen EU’s energy independence as gas prices soar
  Members of the European Union are calling on the institution to become more energy independent after a further rise in prices. This charge is led by France but it echoes the voices of other governments (such as Spain, Italy, and Greece) who have all had to take measures to lessen the blow of the price hike on their citizens. Gas prices in Europe have risen 400% since the beginning of the year and are only expected to climb. The French have proposed that the bloc should turn to nuclear energy. However, some argue against it as they aren’t sure it is a green source of energy. The Commission was scheduled to generate their own thoughts on the matter in a however the announcement was postponed. It remains to be seen as to how the EU will handle this situation and future energy concerns.
• Pandora Papers: A simple guide to the Pandora Papers leak
  A collection of nearly 12 million documents, from 14 sources, collected and analysed by journalists all over the world details the money laundering activity of some of the most rich and powerful people in the world. The files included evidence that exposed 330 politicians from over 90 countries including the Czech prime minister and a prominent Tory donor. These offshore dealings are worth anywhere from $5.6 trillion to $32 trillion and costs governments around the world up to $600bn in lost tax revenue. Countries like the UK are attempting to discourage these practices by creating laws that will make it harder for shell companies to purchase property within their borders. However, when politicians are also engaging in the criminal pursuits, it’s difficult to garner change.
• EU indecision ‘jeopardising’ its position in Balkans – Von der Leyen
  European Union Commission chief Ursula Von der Leyen recently attended a summit in the country of Slovenia. Slovenia, like other countries in the Western Balkans, is on a list of potential members for the EU. The candidates are working to align with the 35 chapters of prerequisites that must be adhered to before joining the Union’s ranks. Certain nations, such as France, have reservations about enlarging the European Union. However, this doesn’t seem to be an issue as problems with corruption and lack of economic reform limit the possibilities for these nation’s timely ascension. Despite the lack of progress on the subject of EU membership, chief Von der Leyen’s visit acted as a reaffirmation of the EU’s interest in the region.
• France: Europe set to take measures to enforce Brexit agreement
  France’s Europe Minister Clément Beaune recently threatened European or national action against the UK. According to minister Beaune, the former EU member is not staying true to agreements written in the period following the UK’s departure from the EU. This is only the latest in a series of tensions between the two nations. First was British involvement in the US taking what was supposed to be a French defense contract with Australia and, more recently, the majority of French fishermen failed to receive permission to fish in British waters. Minister Clément Beaune’s solutions of either targeting U.K. exports to France or using European energy exports to the U.K. as leverage are pushback against what he sees as “aggressive one-upmanship” from the British.

Week of September 30, 2021

• France offers state-funded therapy, tackles mental health
  On Tuesday, the French government stated that it would be offering state-funded therapy. An earlier announcement this year saw them make a similar commitment of free therapy for children and young adults. And now, they are extending this offer to all of their citizens. The motivation behind this decision is the conversations surrounding mental health that have been spurred by the coronavirus pandemic. France is not the first to make this move. Countries such as the UK and Germany already offer state-funded mental health services.
• At least 25 injured after explosion at block of flats in Gothenburg
  At least 25 people are injured after an explosion in Gothenburg, Sweden. Authorities are still trying to determine the origin of the incident but they have already ruled out a gas leak. Instead, some are pointing to Sweden’s rising gang violence as the cause. Along with gang violence, gun violence has also surged in the country which is raising citizens’ concerns. This explosion may be a sign of the lowered levels of safety within Sweden.
• Local Governments In Poland Rescind Anti-LGBT Resolutions, Fearing Loss Of EU Funding
  In 2019, many Polish providences declared themselves “LGBT-free” after the Law and Justice party and the local clergy demonstrated their support. The right-wing Populist party has equated the increasing visibility of LGBT issues to Poland’s communist past with President Andrzej Duda going as far as to declare the community as an “ideology” that people are attempting to spread as “neo-Bolshevism”. However, recent announcements from the EU have the Polish providences walking back from their previously conservative stances. After the Commission threatened to pull funding from the local governments, their messages have become decidedly more inclusive. The battle between the Euro-skeptic conservative government and the progressive EU is far from over but this was definitely a step in the right direction.
• Greece, France tout European defence autonomy with warships deal
  France was sent reeling after a recent loss of a lucrative military contract with Australia. However, conditions seem to be improving for the nation as they have now found a new partnership with their nearby neighbor, Greece. Greece has committed to buying between six to eight warships from the French in a move that Greek President Kyriakos Mitsotakis hopes will help create the “autonomous response capability to the challenges Europe faces.” An agenda that French President Emmanuel Macron also promotes. Although the 5 billion dollar deal isn’t worth as much as the 66 billion dollar contract that fell through between France and Australia, beating out US-based company Lockheed Martin felt like a much-needed win.
• John Lennon: Recording of unreleased song sold at auction in Denmark
  An over 50-year old interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono was sold in Copenhagen for $58,300 (£43,000). The cassette was recorded by four Danish teenagers in January of 1970 for a school paper. Ono and Lennon had come to Denmark to spend time with Yoko’s daughter Kyoko who was staying with Yoko Ono’s ex-husband, Anthony Cox. When word got out that the pair had been spotted in the northern city of Thy, the four high schoolers wanted to meet them to ask about their peace efforts in opposition to the Vietnam War. Questions and responses on their peaceful protest, the sounds of the couple dancing around a Christmas tree, and a recording of Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” are all included on the cassette.

Week of September 23, 2021

• After Merkel, France could try to edge out Germany as Europe’s ‘superpower’
  The German elections are set to take place in a little less than a week. Beyond the issue of who will be the next leader of the German Republic, concerns are also being raised over who will be the next so-called leader of Europe. Angela Merkel has held the position during her tenure as German chancellor but whether or not her successor remains unclear.] Current French President Emmanuel Macron seems to be searching for an opportunity to become Europe’s most influential person. Though, with France unable to match Germany’s economic might and Macron not being able to touch Merkel’s popularity rating, his rise to power may be unlikely. Only time will reveal the future of power relations in the region.
• Russia behind Litvinenko murder, rules European rights court
  At a London hotel in 2006, former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko attended a meeting with two fellow Russians named Andrei Lugovo and Dmitry Kovtun. Though perfectly fine when he walked in, Litvinenko’s health quickly declined following the end of the meeting and he passed away nearly three weeks later. There were suspicions that the Russian state and the Russian men he met with had something to do with it. However, it took 15 years for the European rights court to officially make a decision on this case. Mr. Litvinenko’s former occupation, the ties of the men he met with to the Russian government, and the type of poison that was used (radioactive polonium-210) all pointed back to the Russian government’s involvement. His widow always believed this to be true and this ruling has brought confirmation. Additionally, she was awarded €122,500 in compensation as well.
• Dutch activists lose ethnic profiling case but vow to appeal
  In a highly contested ruling, the Dutch courts have decided to uphold the right of Marechaussee police force to use racial profiling when conducting border checks. Mpanz Bamenga, a city councillor from Eindhoven who was born in the Congo, was one of the main faces in the case. He reported coming home from a trip to Rome and being stopped becaus “he didn’t look Dutch”. Protestors against the ruling say such profiling is allowing discrimination that the Dutch constitution claims to prohibit. NGO leaders are promising to appeal the decision so that all Dutch citizens may be granted the equality they have been promised.
• ABBA return after 40 years with new album and virtual stage show
  Swedish pop icons ABBA are back after a 40-year hiatus. The group, now in thei 70’s, wanted to record a virtual show as a way to end their break. And while the group wa preparing for that, they decided that making some new music would be a great idea as well “Voyage” will be the follow-up to their 1981 album “The Visitors”. The album comes out on November 5th but fans will have to wait a little longer for their first performance. Tickets are currently on sale for the virtual tour that will begin on May 27th in London.
• US-French spat seems to simmer down after Biden-Macron call
  US-French relations became strained following the announcement of a new nuclear submarine deal between the UK, the US, and Australia. The co-signers had agreed on a deal for the US and UK to provide Australia with nuclear technology to enhance their military might so that they are ready should conflict in the Pacific arise. The problem? France had previously signed a deal with Australia to provide them with non-nuclear submarines. Following what the French saw as a breach of trust, French President Emmanuel Macron recalled French ambassadors from Australia and the US. However, after a phone call with American President Joe Biden, relations between the two nations have seemed to improve. France has agreed to both sending back its ambassadors to the US and a meeting between the two country’s leaders next month.

Week of September 16, 2021

• Ireland fails to enforce EU law against Big Tech
  Conflict ensues between Brussels and Dublin as Ireland continues to fall short of EU standards for privacy laws. The Irish Republic is the European home for large American tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, and Twitter which means the EU and its members use Irish rulings as guidance for what tech legislation should look like within their borders. Therefore, the backlog of cases and lack of enforcement concerning privacy laws within Ireland is a pressing issue threatening the entire cooperation system of the EU. Governments in various EU member states such as France, Italy, and Spain are calling on Brussels to encourage Dublin to take its unique position as the European link to these technology companies more seriously. Germany even submitted an official complaint to the European parliament about the Irish Data Protection Commissioner’s slow rate of case closings. The EU was unable to act on these grievances as they have limited power. The supranational body said that it was up to the Irish DCP to address these grievances at their own discretion. However, the EU might step in if it becomes a matter of infringement.
• How might Merkel’s successor manage Germany’s role in the EU?
  Germany’s election date of September 26th is fast approaching. Besides the obvious question of who will take over as Chancellor of the European nation, analysts are also pondering how Angela Merkel’s successor will handle Germany’s role in the EU. The main issues facing the next head of the German government include the EU’s pandemic recovery package, climate change, and defense policy. Olaf Scholz, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party and Germany’s current finance minister, and Armin Laschet, the face of the Christian Democrats, are the two frontrunners in the polls as of now. And considering that Germany is the EU’s largest member state, their positions on these issues may very well come to affect EU policy during either of their tenures as German Chancellor.
• Spain targets energy firms as European bills surge
  Soaring temperatures across Europe have led to soaring energy bill costs for the continent’s citizens. But that isn’t the only thing affecting European utility prices. From the UK to Poland, governments are telling their citizens to brace for impact as the cost of CO2 permits and natural gas increases which forces energy companies to raise their prices for their services as well. To counteract this financially crippling situation, Spain has begun increasing energy subsidies for its citizens and its energy companies. Other countries across Europe are looking to follow its lead to combat this energy crisis.
• Norway’s center-left heads to victory in general elections
  Norway’s recent elections have secured a majority in the Stortinget assembly for the center-left. The coalition is headed by the Labor party who is joined by the Socialist Left and the eurosceptic Center Party. Together, these three parties hold 100 out of 169 seats in the Norwegian legislature. The coalition’s views on climate change and Norway’s role in that debate are what clinched their victory over the opposing Conservative party. Their popularity means that the head of the Labor Party, Jonas Gahr Stoere, is preparing to become the Scandinavian nation’s next leader. He has served the nation well as foreign minister (2005-2013) and will hopefully do so again as Norway’s Prime Minister.
• European Central Bank slows its bond purchases as inflation surges
  In the face of rising inflation, the European Central Bank has decided to slow its purchases of bonds while maintaining current monetary policies. The unanimous decision was based on the rebound of the euro under the ECB’s recovery plan. Critics question whether this was the best approach considering recent inflation surges. However, the ECB reassures that they are keeping an eye on the market and are willing to adjust their policies accordingly. And seeing as the euro-zone economy has surpassed projected economists’ 2nd quarter projections, the ECB is doing something right to help their members bounce back from the pandemic.

Week of September 9, 2021

• Sebastian Vettel on speaking out as an LGBTQ+ ally: ‘Everyone has the same right to love’
  In the world of Formula 1 racing, German racer Sebastian Vettel caused a big stir at this year’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Vettel wore multiple articles of rainbow-themed clothing in protest of the Hungarian government’s introduction of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The Aston Martin driver wasn’t “nervous or embarrassed by the rainbow colours” because he felt displaying his support for the LGBTQ+ was the right thing to do. Aston Martin’s chief communications officer Matt Bishop, a veteran of the F1 world and a founder-ambassador for the Racing Pride Group, agreed and said Vettel’s actions “meant a lot”. Some denounced the star’s actions saying that the Formula 1 driver has no right to use his platform to promote political agendas. And while Vettel understands people’s misgivings, he believes this to be a human rights issue and that he has no choice but to fight for awareness of this issue. The driver hopes this small act will inspire others to “treat people the way we want to treat them, equally, and not based on who they love.”
• This summer was Europe’s hottest on record as Mediterranean heat soared
  The effects of climate change were on display this summer as Europe experienced its hottest summer on record. Flooding in Belgium and Germany, extreme heat in Italy, and wildfires in Greece and Turkey can all be attributed to the gradual warming of the Earth. European leaders have all pledged to cut carbon emissions but future actions can not save them from present consequences. Temperatures are expected from 1.2 Celsius above pre-Industrial times to 1.5-2 degrees above pre-Industrial times. And as temperatures continue to rise, the occurrence of extreme weather events is projected to as well.
• EU Preparing for Afghans Already Abroad to Try to Reach Europe, Border Agency Chief Says
  After the US’s military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent Taliban takeover, the EU is preparing itself for a wave of Afghan asylum-seekers. The bloc wasn’t prepared for the so-called “Refugee Crisis” it experienced in 2015-2016 but Frontex (the EU’s external border control agency) said it has made adjustments to its methods. Fabrice Leggeri, director-general of Frontex, has spoken about taking measures such as posting experts at the border to assess the nationality of a person claiming asylum to ensure they are truly from the country of origin they claim. These precautions were born out of an ongoing conflict between Belarus and the EU as to whether or not the country is illegally transporting immigrants across the bloc’s borders. Leggeri says it remains to be seen whether or not “the crisis in Afghanistan from a migration perspective might be linked to the crisis we have in Belarus.” No matter the circumstances of their arrival, EU leaders have pledged to provide assistance to the Afghani people that reach their borders.

Week of September 2, 2021

• Why Rent Control Isn’t Working in Sweden
  Despite a state-run rent control program, housing prices are soaring in the Swedish capital of Stockholm. People are paying over half of their monthly incomes to sub-let an apartment that the state says should be worth half the price. The absurd markups are having negative repercussions on Stockholm. This housing crisis is pushing young people out of the urban center and decreasing the number of skilled laborers within the city. The state is attempting to solve the issue by building more residences. However, the wait time for a rent-controlled apartment is still at an all-time high of nine years.
• Queen of Denmark hired as set designer on new Netflix film
  The reigning monarch of Denmark, Queen Margrethe II, has been contracted to design the sets for a new Netflix film based on a novel by Karen Blixen. The movie is projected for release in 2023 and it isn’t the Queen’s first time working on such a project. Queen Margrethe II also helped with production design on The Wild Swans (2009) and an adaptation of The Snow Queen (2000). Additionally, she has illustrated the Danish versions of the Lord of the Rings series and has exhibitions in the Arken Museum of Modern Art near Copenhagen.
• EU Takes US Off Safe Travel List
  As COVID-19 cases begin their resurgence in the United States, the EU has made the decision of removing the nation from its safe travel list. The travel ban on the US had previously been lifted in June. However, with the introduction of the highly contagious delta variant, EU officials are safeguarding the health of those residing in each of their 27 member states. And the US wasn’t the only one to taken off of the list. Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro and North Macedonia have also lost their safe status. These nations can regain their place on the safe travel list by reaching a threshold of less than 75 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Week of August 26, 2021

• Stalin-era mass grave found in Ukraine
  A mass grave site was found outside of Odessa when excavating for an airport expansion. Although the complete number of bodies might never be known, it is estimated that there are 5,000-8,000 people buried there. The grave is dated to the late 1930s during Stalin’s reign over the Soviet Union when an estimated hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were killed by the secret police. Millions more Ukrainians died during a famine from 1932-1933.
• Josephine Baker if the First Black Woman Who Will Be Buried At the Pantheon In Paris
  President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Josephine Baker would be added to the honored French historical figures laid to rest in the Pantheon. Baker was American, but she fought with the French Resistance in World War Two. She was originally buried in Monaco in her French military uniform. Baker is the first Black Woman, the first entertainer, and the fifth woman in the Pantheon.
• Angela Merkel scores higher in approval ratings than any current world leader
  In the six countries polled, German Chancellor Angela Merkel scored a positive favorability rating. Her net positive ratings ranged from +61 in Spain to +15 in the UK. In addition to Merkel, US President Biden and Canada’s Justin Trudeau also had positive ratings in all six countries. France’s Macron had a positive rating in only two of the countries. The Russian, Chinese, Indian, and British leaders all scored a net negative rating in all six countries.
• HGV driver shortages could ‘cancel’ Christmas, warns Iceland boss
  Businesses are pushing for the UK to add HGV drivers to the essential workers list, so that foreign workers can be recruited. A shortage of drivers has caused cancellations across the supply chain, particularly in grocery stores and retail. With the retail build up to Christmas, stock increases happen in September. However, those increases cannot happen at the current employment rate.
• Animal charity’s staff, pets seek way out of Afghanistan
  A British citizen, his Afghan staff, and the rescue animals await transport out of Afghanistan. Originally told by the British government that the pets would not be transported, the charity might have a way out with the animals. Media pressure from celebrities has pushed the government to allow a paid for chartered flight for the charity staff and pets. However, the group is still negotiating their way into the airport as the window for evacuations is closing.

Week of August 19, 2021

• EU eyes talks with Taliban but no plans to recognize them
  While not planning to officially recognize the Taliban as the government in Afghanistan, the EU is taking a pragmatic approach to relations with them. Aid funds has stopped with the fall of the previous Afghan government, but the EU will discuss with the Taliban continuing the funds or perhaps increasing them. There are concerns that another refugee crisis, similar to the 2015 crisis from Syria, will be triggered by the situation in Afghanistan. For now, the EU’s priority is to get European and Afghan citizens who helped the EU out of the country safely.
• Sicily May Just Have Experienced the Hottest Day Ever in Europe
  SIAS, the meteorological service in Sicily, recorded a temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.84 Fahrenheit). This temperature report is still being analyzed, but it would make it the hottest day in all of Europe. The previous record was 48 Celsius in Athens in 1977. The heat wave is part of a larger system, which has caused wildfires in Turkey and Greece. The system is projected to move into Spain and Portugal this week.
• A Cat Led A Rescue Team To An 83-Year-Old Woman Who Had Fallen Down a Ravine
  Thanks to her cat, Piran, a woman from Cornwall, England was found by rescuers after having fallen into a ravine. During the search, a neighbor noticed Piran meowing constantly near where she fell. That action directed the search team to the area, and they were able to retrieve the women and get her to the hospital. She is in stable condition, and Piran received many treats.
• Fearing Afghan refugee influx, Turkey reinforces border
  Turkey has seen an increase in refugees crossing their borders from Iran, many of which are fleeing from Afghanistan as the Taliban began to take control of the country. Now that the Taliban have full control, there are concerns in Turkey that masses of refugees will come to Turkey. The Turkish opposition party is using the potential influx as a wedge point with Erdogan’s government. The Turkish government is sending more troops to the border and plan to finish a wall between them and Iran.
• Swedish mountain shrinks by two metres in a year as glacier melts
  Formerly the highest peak in Sweden, Kebnekaise was moved to second highest in 2019 due to glacial loss. This year the mountain has lost another two meters. The glacial loss is due to climate change that is melting glaciers but also a change in wind patterns, which has decreased the snow on the mountain.

Week of August 12, 2021

• Poland’s coalition under threat as parliament votes on media bill
  Some are predicting the loss of the one-vote majority held by the United Right coalition as a result of voting on a new media law. The law would require that Polish media outlets be majority-owned inside the European Economic Area. This would directly impact the one media outlet who is a regular critique of the government.
• Briton suspected of spying for Russia arrested in Germany
  A British national employee of the British embassy in Berlin was arrested on suspicion of espionage. The man is accused of giving information to the Russians in exchange for money. The arrest was made after a joint British-German investigation.
• Wildfires Rage Through Greece as Thousands Are Evacuated
  Three large fires cause evacuations across Greece. The fires, which are across the country, were caused after a record heatwave created dry conditions. The Greek government has asked for and received assistance from other countries’ firefighters to battle the flames. The fires are not yet contained.
• Germany, Netherlands suspend deportations to Afghanistan
  Germany and the Netherlands have placed a hold on deportations to Afghanistan. The violent situation, as the Taliban fight to take the country, could place the deportees in danger. The deportations are postponed, not cancelled. Both governments plan to return the denied asylum-seekers once the violence subsides.
• Thousands Protest Against France’s Coronavirus Health Pass as Stricter Rules Loom
  For the fourth consecutive weekend, protestors took to the streets in France to oppose the health pass. The health pass is required to enter hospitality venues and transportation. The Court of Cassation recently upheld this requirement.

Week of August 5, 2021

• Belarus sprinter Krystina Timanovskaya lands in Vienna
  Timanovskaya flew to Vienna and will then connect to Warsaw where she has been granted a visa along with her husband. Timanovskaya was recalled from the Olympics by the Bularus IOC after making public statements about her coaches, who she stated were putting her health in danger. She refused to return to Belarus, because she feared reprisals after being withdrawn from the national team. She doesn’t feel like she was being political, and she would like to return to Belarus someday.
• Wildcats return to Netherlands after centuries’ absence
  The European wildcat is growing in population and habitat. Moving into the Limburg region of the Netherlands from neighboring Germany and Belgium their numbers are small but growing within Limburg and into other regions of the country. Wilder forests allow the cats’ prey to expand as well as their resting locations in hollow logs. Wild forests and cat friendly landscapes are part of a larger conservation effort and forest management plan.
• Illegally sterilized Czech women to be offered compensation
  The Czech government will put into place the recommendations made in 2005 by the rights advocates ombudsman, who found 80 cases of coerced sterilizations from 1966-2012. There were likely many more cases. The sterilizations were performed primarily on Roma women who did not receive any explanation or a full explanation of the procedure. Amnesty International notes that this is a first step in reconciliation for the Czech victims but also for victims in other local countries.
• Germany giving over $40 million to fight antisemitism
  After a 15% year-over-year increase in antisemitic cases in Germany, the German government has pledged $40 million (35 million euros) into research and programs to combat the misinformation of and abuse towards Jews. The funds will primarily go to universities and scholars to research the origins and different components of antisemitism across many platforms, such as the internet, in schools, and in the judicial system.
• Rooibos Tea is Africa’s First Food to Join the EU’s List of Protected Products
  The South African tea, Rooibos, will be a protected product in the EU. This is the first African product included on the list. Being on the EU list allows for a “protected designation of origin (PDO)” label, which allows consumers to distinguish between the real product and off brands. Usually, a PDO label equals higher prices, which will benefit the South African farmers.

Week of July 29, 2021

• Polish judges back EU court rulings, urge legal changes
  Current and former Polish federal judges posted a petition to the Polish government to implement the European Court of Justice’s ruling on the Polish Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court. The Court of Justice’s ruling noted that disciplining judges is against the EU agreement and EU financial support could be held back if the chamber wasn’t removed. The Polish Constitutional Court ruled that the European Court’s ruling was non-binding.
• Biden backs embattled democracy movement in Belarus
  During the Belarussian opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s, visit to Washington she met with President Biden. Biden’s administration recently placed sanctions on the President Alexander Lukashenko and his government for detaining a Belarussian journalist while he traveled overseas. Tsikhanouskaya is looking for overt US support for new elections and financial assistance for civil society and the media in Belarus.
• ‘Fisherman’s day’ must let women compete, German court rules
  A state court in Germany ruled that Fischertag must be opened to female competitors in rebuttal of the organization’s 1931 statute ruling only local men could compete. The planning organization argued that the exclusion kept the historical tradition of the event intact, but the judge ruled that many changes had been made since the inception of the event in the 16th century, which negated the logic. The planning organization is deciding whether to appeal to federal court.
• Bosnian Serbs defy top UN official Inzko over genocide denial
  A ban has been placed on genocide denial in Bosnia-Herzegovina is reaction to glorification of the war criminal, Ratko Mladic. Valentin Inzko, the UN-appointed High Representative, stated that the measure was necessary since no law has been passed by local authorities to combat genocide denial. The High Representative is a position created by the peace settlement and has sweeping powers to create and veto laws and fire politicians.
• Nikola Tesla: Sparks fly over plans to honor inventor with coin
  Croatia will petition the EU to have Nikola Tesla on their Euro when they join the currency in 2023. However, Serbia objects to this, because they claim Tesla as their own heritage. Tesla was ethnically Serbian, but he lived part of his life in what is now Croatia.

Week of July 22, 2021

• German Cabinet approves some $472 million in first flood aid
  Angela Merkel and the German cabinet approved funds to rebuild the flooded parts of Germany. The full cost is predicted to be in the billions. Most of the damage is concentrated in the Ahrweiler county in the northwestern border with Belgium, which also experienced deadly floods. Many Germans aren’t insured for flood damage, but the Interior Minister, Horst Seehofer, stated that even the uninsured will receive financial help from the state.
• Memorial divides survivors 10 years after Norway massacre
  The Norwegian government’s memorial for the bombing and shooting victims on July 22, 2011 by Ander Breivik has caused conflict between the survivors, victims’ families, and local residents causing a construction delay. Eight people died in a bomb set in Oslo and 69 people were shot on Utoya, a small island in a fjord west of Oslo. A memorial of bronze status representing the 77 victims was to open on the 10th anniversary. However, local residents sued the government to stop the construction citing the daily reminder of trauma with the influx of visitors. The survivors and victims’ families have memorials in Oslo and on the island, but they are disappointed that an official national monument hasn’t been created.
• UK to pay 55m pounds to French border patrols to fund migrant clampdown
  The number of migrants crossing the English Channel into England in 2021 has already surpassed the total number of migrants for 2020. To help stem the flow of attempted crossings the British Home Secretary, Priti Patel, worked out a payment deal with the French Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin. Some MPs believe that the cost of patrolling French beaches should be paid for by France.
• Liverpool stripped of Unesco World Heritage status
  Unesco voted to remove Liverpool’s status as a World Heritage site due to planned construction on their waterfront, which they believe diminishes the site. Joanne Anderson, Liverpool’s mayor, is looking into appealing the decision. Only two sites have had their status revoked since the label began in 1978. Liverpool received the status in 2004 for its role in the history of the British Empire.
• European Beach Handball Championships: Norway hit with 1,500 euros bikini fine
  The European Handball Federation (EHF) fined the Norway team for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms during a match. The Norway Handball Federation (NHF), who requested permission for the short prior to the match, agreed to pay the fine on behalf of the players. The NHF and the Norwegian Volleyball Federation will apply for a change in the rules for their sports, so that there is a wider range of acceptable clothing that players can choose from that makes them the most comfortable.

Week of July 15, 2021

• Ursula von der Leyen says EU has reached Covid vaccine target
  EU countries will have enough vaccine doses by Sunday to vaccinate 70% of their adult populations. Once delivered the individual countries manage the vaccination administration. The next goal is to have enough vaccines to immunize all eligible adults by September. Von der Leyen was criticized earlier in 2021 for not delivering on promised vaccine numbers.
• Google fined 500m Euros by French competition authority
  France’s competition authority fined Google for unfair practices involving the “neighboring rights” of local news organizations. In 2019, France passed a law that required payment for the use of materials by local news agencies. Google’s response to this law was to not include any local news materials in France unless such agencies agreed to waive the fees. In addition to the lump sum fine, Google must produce their plan to compensate news agencies in the future to not incur additional daily fines.
• EU puts its digital tax plan on ice
  The EU will hold off on a digital tax plan in order for the international minimum corporate tax rate deal. The G20 leaders will discuss a minimum corporate tax of 15% in October. The EU leadership is supportive of the international deal. However, certain member states, such as Ireland, Hungary, and Estonia, are currently opposed to a standard.
• Euro 2020: Jubilant Italy fans celebrate victory over England
  Italians celebrated their 3-2 victory in the Euro 2020 final, held in London, upon the team’s return to Rome. This was the second win for Italy. Italy last won in 1968. Italy didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup. They were not considered a favorite to win the Euro.
• UK plans to end prosecution for N Ireland ‘Troubles’ crimes
  A statute of limitations on prosecution for crimes committed during ‘the troubles” in Northern Ireland was proposed by the UK government. This would apply to both UK soldiers and Irish nationalists. The proposal appears to have been made in an attempt to remove the threat of prosecution on former UK military members. The proposal would include a fact-finding group in order to give answers to families if not criminal justice. The opposition labor party opposes the measure as amnesty for extra-judicial killings by military and para-military members.

Week of July 8, 2021

• New Caledonia gets 1st leader in favor of split from France
  The South Pacific Island of New Caledonia, which is a territory of France, elected a pro-independence president, Louis Mapou, over the pro-France candidate. This bodes well for the third independence referendum held in December. The most recent referendum, held in October 2020, voted against independence by 56.4%. The island won autonomy and the ability to hold up to three referendums as part of the Noumea Accord of 1998, which would transition the country over a 20-year period.
• Lawmakers press EU over Hungary, Poland rights concerns
  The EU Parliament voted to pressure the European Commission to enforce the “rule of law mechanism,” which began on January 1st. The mechanism allows for EU common funds to be connected to democratic rule of law. Hungary and Poland agreed to this rule, which is generally targeted at their own governments, because the rule would first be reviewed by the European Court of Justice. The Parliament believes that the Commission is unlawfully waiting for this ruling before implementing the law.
• Lithuania plans barrier on Belarus border to stem migrant flow
  An additional barrier and more border troops will be deployed to the Lithuanian and Belarussian border. Over 1,000 migrants have crossed the border illegally in June 2021, which is a large increase from the average 81 annual illegal crossings. The Lithuanian government is accusing Belarus of transporting migrants from Turkey & Iraq into Belarus and then allowing them to cross into EU countries unchecked. The Belarussian government denies these claims, but they have announced that they would not hold immigrants in Belarus.
• World’s biggest sandcastle constructed in Denmark
  The world’s biggest sandcastle, standing at 69.4’, was completed in the Danish town of Blokhus. The Dutch sculptor, Wilfred Stijger, designed the pyramid shaped piece to represent the control over the world by the coronavirus this past year. Once completed, the structure was coated in glue, so that it could remain until March 2022.
• Belgium unveils plans to return DRC artworks stolen during colonial rule
  Belgium’s African Museum will return illegally acquired artifacts to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a systemic way instead of on a piece-by-piece request basis. The museum houses 85,000-120,000 items, and they believe that up to 2,000 pieces were acquired illegally. The museum acknowledges that a broader definition of “illegal” could affect additional artifacts. The pieces will be housed in the DRC’s new museum in Kinshasa.

Week of June 24, 2021

• Europe’s human rights body seeks probe into Czech Roma death
  A human rights group in Europe calls for an independent investigation into the actions of the police with a Roma man, who later died. Video shows a police officer kneeling on the man’s neck, which is being compared to the killing of George Floyd. The police and interior minister say that the man died of a drug overdose that was not influenced by the police’s actions.
• Nine pardoned pro-independence Catalan leaders walk free
  Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, pardoned former Catalan cabinet members for their role in the 2017 independence referendum. The sentences ranged from 8-13 years, of which they served 4. The freed prisoners continue their promotion of independence for Catalan including in flags & signs during their walk of freedom. Polls show that a majority of Spaniards did not want the pardons, and the Spanish Parliament complained that the Prime Minister issued them without their say.
• Hungary fans bemused by rainbow-flag reception in Munich
  The UEFA declined Munich city council’s request to light up their soccer stadium in rainbow colors during the match between Germany and Hungary to protest the recent Hungarian law banning giving LGBT information to minors. The city’s viewpoint was made instead by large protests at transportation hubs and handing out free rainbow flags at the game. Rainbow flags outnumbered German flags in the stadium.
• Lift-off for European Union’s new space programme
  The EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) was created Wednesday. The new agency will coordinate all space initiatives for the 27 member states through 2027. The EU is looking to the future, and wants to compete with the US government, US private investment, and China who are all deeply invested in space programs. There is already a European Space Agency (Esa) in place, but the Esa includes non-EU countries, such as the UK.
• Brexit: Irish fishing fleet stages protest over EU-UK deal
  Irish fishing fleet blocked the Dublin port and proceeded upstream to protest the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and UK. The fishermen are protesting the loss in quotas over the next five years. This will particularly impact mackerel and prawns, costing the fishermen and estimates 38million pounds.

Week of June 17, 2021

• Hungary’s parliament passes anti-LGBT law ahead of 2022 election
  In a buildup to his re-election bid in 2022, Hungary’s President Viktor Orban supports the recent bill passed by Parliament. The new bill would ban those under 18 from learning about homosexuality or gender change. This ban includes advertisements as well as in schools. The opposition and international human rights watch groups are comparing the new law to the 2013 Russian law banning LGBTQI propaganda.
• UK excluded again from EU’s Covid-safe travel list, but US added
  The EU added eight countries, including the US, to the safe travel list. The decision encourages the 27-country bloc to allow non-essential travel from these counties, which were added to the previous nine acceptable countries. According to the EU, the UK was not included because despite cases per 100,000 being in the acceptable range the increase in the Delta variant was a concern. The list is a recommendation only. There are a number of EU bloc countries already admitting fully vaccinated UK tourists.
• Biden-Putin summit: US and Russian leaders meet for tense Geneva talks
  The Presidents of Russia and the US meet for the first-time during President Biden’s first foreign affairs trip since taking office. There are low expectations for any agreement on major issues, such as Ukraine or cyber-attacks, but both sides hope to make small steps towards a normalized relationship. Geneva, Switzerland was chosen as a historical nod to the Reagan and Gorbachev meeting in 1985.
• Spain hopes to jumpstart electric car industry with EU funds
  Spain has proposed using portions of the EU pandemic recovery funds for increasing usage of electric cars. Currently only 96,000 electric cars are used in Spain. The government hopes to increase that to 250,000 as one step towards the EU’s 2050 renewable energy goals. The proposed use of funds must be approved by the EU, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit Madrid this week for discussions.
• Message in a bottle travels across the Atlantic Ocean
  A message in a plastic bottle sent from Rhode Island in 2018 was found in Portugal in 2021. The note was sent by an unknown teenager during a Thanksgiving trip. The teenager’s contact email was included, but when the Portuguese family attempted to reach him/her no response was received.

Week of June 10, 2021

• These architects believe communal living is the way of the future
  The Norwegian architectural firm Helen & Hard has a new form of communal living on display at the 17thVenice Architecture Biennale. The full-scale model was tested for a year by co-owners of the collective house. There are individual sleeping quarters with semi-private rooms that transition to the fully communal living areas. The model is part of a larger trend towards cohousing, which is proposed as an antidote to the increase in adult loneliness and the aging populations in western countries.
• EU-UK talks to resolve Northern Ireland crisis end without agreement
  With a June 30th deadline to add tariffs onto chilled meats approaching, talks between the EU and UK breakdown. Previous decisions regarding the border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would allow the UK to monitor border controls. However, those controls have not been implemented, and according to the EU no plans have been made. Both sides say that all options are on the table.
• Oxford University Press to end centuries of tradition by closing its printing arm
  The Oxford University Press (OUP) is closing their in-house printing operations, Oxuniprint. OUP has outsourced most of its printing since 1989, and therefore OUP functionality will likely be the same. The OUP has been printing in London since 1478, and received official recognition in 1586. The closure will directly affect 20 workers.
• Albanian Parliament impeaches president for vote comments
  The Albanian President, Ilir Meta, was impeached by parliament for violating his a-political role under the Albanian constitution. The Parliament argued that Meta actively campaigned for the opposition party during the April elections. Meta argues that the current Parliament cannot impeach him, because they are in a lame-duck session. The newly elected Parliament will be seated in September. The decision to uphold his impeachment goes next to the Constitutional Court.
• Polish miners, power workers, protest shift away from coal
  Approximately 4,000 Polish workers protested the loss of coal jobs due to the transition to renewable energy. The protestors claim that without coal Poland will be dependent on other countries for their energy. Coal was a large industry in Poland, but it has decreased by two-thirds in the past 25 years. The protestors blame the conservative Polish government for allowing the EU to set energy policy in Poland.

Week of June 3, 2021

• Germany Officially Recognizes It Committed Genocide In Present-Day Namibia
  After 6 years of negotiations with the Namibian government, Germany formally acknowledged it committed genocide there during their occupation from 1884-1915. The ethnic cleansing, forced labor, and human experiments was labeled genocide by the UN in 1985. Germany will give financial support to Namibia for rebuilding projects.
• EU agrees to force multinationals to disclose tax, piling pressure on UK
  The EU will require companies who earn more than 750m Euros over two years to publicly disclose how much they pay in taxes in each of the EU countries. The UK has a similar requirement enacted in 2016, but it is not enforced. The argument against enforcement was the lack of similar international laws. Disclosure to governments was already required, but the new law will have greater transparency because it will be publicly accessible.
• Czech women win MP’s backing for non-gendered surnames
  MPs voted in favor of allowing women to choose whether to add the female suffix “ova” to their surname. Currently, women’s last names automatically have “ova” added to their father’s last name. A poll showed that 28% of Czech women will choose to have the masculine version of their last name. As part of the same proposal, removing gender from ID cards was defeated by the MPs.
• EU to keep pandemic economic safety net in place next year
  The financial safety net for EU countries will continue through 2022. Enacted during the height of the first Covid-19 wave, the financial support “allowed member nations to deviate from normal budgetary rules.” The economy is starting to recover with the increased vaccination rates, but the EU expects full recovery to be slow.
• EU announces ‘unprecedented’ Moldova recovery plan
  The EU will support the Republic of Moldova with 600 million-euro over three years. The funds are intended to support “areas such as digital technology, infrastructure, and education.” Judicial and corruption reforms must be enacted for the support, which the president, Maia Sandu, campaigned on during her presidential bid.

Week of May 27, 2021

• EU citizens win right to access personal data held by Home Office
  An EU court of appeal vacated an earlier decision regarding the legality of the immigration exemption clause of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). EU citizens who are denied status, can now see the full records used in the legal battle for their status. The three-person court ruled unanimously that “DPA was ‘non-compliant’ with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the charter of fundamental rights of the EU.”
• ‘Liverpool is built on transatlantic slavery’: how city’s museums are tackling race issues
  Following the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis in May 2020, many companies and organizations created, renewed or reevaluated their anti-racism policies. The National Museums Liverpool is doing the same through exhibits, goals for representative hiring, and support for current employees. The slave trade, and Liverpool’s role and benefits from it, were already part of the museum’s exhibits, but new initiatives connecting that history to current institutional racism and the BLM movement are being highlighted.
• 3 arrested in Italy funicular crash; clamp deactivated brake
  The cable car crash that killed 14 on Sunday, was preventable, per recent arrests. The owner and operators of the cable car company are accused of placing a device on the emergency break, so that it wouldn’t engage in an accident. The emergency break was slowing operations, and the blocking device allowed the car to operate more efficiently. It is still unknown was the cable broke, but the disabled emergency break would have stopped the crash.
• Switzerland says talks on accords with EU have collapsed
  “Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said the Alpine nation’s government informed EU chief Ursula von der Leyen about its decision to withdraw from talks.” The seven-year negotiation was cancelled when the two governments disagreed on allowing EU citizens access to the Swiss job market. The EU noted that the lack of an agreement could affect existing bilateral agreements.
• Shell: Netherlands court orders oil giant to cut emissions
  In a landmark victory for environmental groups, the Shell corporation is being court ordered to meet the Paris Agreement on climate change emission goals by 2030. Currently, the ruling applies within the Netherlands only, however, experts believe that this will set a precedent for similar global requirements. The Friends of the Earth environmental group along with Dutch citizens and six additional companies sued Shell in 2019.

Week of May 20, 2021

• Belarus: Staff of popular news site in detention after raids
  The offices and homes of senior staff of the news website Tut.by were raided and 10 employees and journalists were arrested. The Belarussian state claims tax evasion as well as posting content from an unregistered foundation, BYSOL. Tut.by was stripped of their journalist credentials last year for covering protests and arrests following the contested reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko in August 2020.
• Turkey bans polyethylene plastic imports
  Turkey’s Ministry of Environment and Urbanization banned polyethylene plastic imports following an investigation of recycling plants in southern Turkey. The plants were exposed by a Greenpeace Mediterranean video showing the plastic being burned instead of recycled. Greenpeace noted that most of the garbage were bags and plastic waste from the UK and Germany.
• US spares German firm as it issues new pipeline sanctions
  In opposition of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which transports natural gas from Russia to Germany, the US is placing sanctions on Russian ships and companies. However, the US is not placing sanctions against the German company, Nord Stream. Nord Stream and its executives will be listed as violating US law, but President Biden waived sanctions.
• EU takes big step toward relaxing travel for vaccinated
  The European Council made up of EU nations, ‘will now recommend that member states ease some of the current restrictions’ for those who have been vaccinated…” The recommendation is to change the entry criteria from an approved countries list, which currently includes only seven countries, and change to individuals’ vaccination or immunity.
• Angry French police hold huge, emotional rally at parliament
  A protest of approximately 35,000 police, security forces, and supportive citizens was held Wednesday to demand laws protecting police. Signs of “Paid to Serve, Not to Die” expressed the police union’s grievances of current French laws not protecting police in all situations, from petty crimes to murder. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin attended the protest, but no politicians were allowed to speak.

Week of May 13, 2021

• Appeals court says Air France and Airbus should be sent to trial over 2009 crash
  The companies will be charged with “unintentional manslaughter” for the Rio de Janeiro to Paris flight. The ruling overturns a lower court’s dismissal of the case. The companies immediately appealed the decision. An investigation by French authorities “found that pilot error and technical problems has caused the tragedy.”
• Arthur Beale: Sailing goods business closed shop after 500 years
  Originally called John Buckinghams, Arthur Beale was founded around 1500 to make sailing ship ropes from locally grown flax plants. The importance of the Thames River to sailing and shipping as well as explorers, specifically Everest explorers, kept the shop going well into the early 1900s. The pandemic and lack of interest in their specialty has caused the store to close on June 24th.
• Panel suggests WHO should have more power to stop pandemics
  In a review of WHO’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, experts suggest that WHO should have access to countries during future crises. The panel noted “the lack of global leadership and restrictive international health laws” as well as slow national responses for the spread of COVID-19. Critics of the panel’s report note the lack of responsibility taken by WHO itself.
• EU companies could face legal action over Iran contracts
  Companies who ended their business ties with Iran specifically over the US sanctions against Iran could be fined. The EU did not support the sanctions, and therefore the EU based companies should still work with Iran. However, many of those countries have stronger business connections with the US, and therefore chose to not anger the former US president’s sanctions. If companies are found to have discontinued working with Iran, then they must justify the action or face charges.
• Europe rights body worried by claims Greece ejects migrants
  The Greek government has failed to address claims and mounting evidence of “pushback” of migrants. Pushback is defined as either stopping asylum seekers from entering or returning migrants to Turkey if they’ve reached Greece. The Greek government denies these claims, but an independent review notes the lack of response other than denials. Suggestions for an independent monitoring and reporting system were made by EU officials.

Week of May 5, 2021

• Belgian farmer accidentally moves French border
  In an attempt to move a rock from his tractor path, a Belgian farmer inadvertently shifted the border with France by 7.5ft (2.29m). The border, marked by a stone, was established in the Treaty of Kortrijk in 1820. The local authorities are taking the shift with good humor. They’ll be asking the farmer to return the border to its original location.
• Marine Le Pen: French far-right leader cleared of hate speech
  A French court ruled that a December 2015 social media posts by Le Pen and Gilbert Collard, National Rally party member, were political protests, and therefore protected under freedom of speech. Len Pen and Collard posted images of Islamic State murders.
• Ikea starts buy-back scheme offering vouchers for old furniture
  Ikea starts their used furniture program, in order to meet their goal of being “fully ‘circular’ – eliminate waste through the continual use of materials – by 2030.” When a consumer wants to sell back their Ikea furniture, they fill out an online form, receive an estimated offer, and bring the item into a store. The used items will be sold in Ikea stores or, in some places, listed on an online used furniture market. Ikea pilot tested the program in Sydney, Lisbon, Edinburgh, and Glasgow prior to full roll out.
• EU plans tightening foreign investment, with eye on China
  The European Union will attempt to remove loopholes in foreign investment policy.“Companies have been free to use foreign subsidies to buy up businesses here in Europe. Some have been able to undercut their competitors in public tenders not because they are more efficient, but because they get financial support from foreign countries. And that’s not fair,” said EU Vice President Margrethe Vestager. “It has to stop.”The new policy may negatively affect the trade agreement, Comprehensive Agreement of Investment, which was tentatively agreed upon in December 2020 after years of negotiations.
• COVID-19 overshadows independence in key Scottish election
  Elections for the Scottish Parliament will be held on Thursday, May 6th. The Scottish National Party (SNP), which believes Brexit constitutes the need for a second independence referendum, is down playing the immediacy for that vote. The double economic strains of COVID-19 and Brexit is causing some to be cautious in their desire for another economic shock. The prolonged and difficult Brexit from the EU, which was more difficult than pro-Brexit proponents suggested, also brings into question the ease of removing Scotland from Great Britain. Polls suggest that the SNP will win most seats, but perhaps not a full majority.

Week of April 28, 2021

• German gymnasts’ outfits take on sexualization in sport
  Sarah Voss chose to wear the approved full-body suit during the European Artistic Gymnastics Championship in an attempt to desexualize the sport of gymnastics. The body suit is is usually worn by gymnasts for religious reasons. Although a number of gymnasts practice in the full suit, it is traditional to compete in a leotard. Voss inspired other gymnasts to also wear full bodysuits for their turn in the competition over the weekend.
• Vaccinated U.S. Travelers Will be Allowed to Visit Europe Again Starting this Summer
  The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, informed the New York Times that vaccinated American tourists will be able to visit Europe starting this summer. Europe has been closed to Americans for non-essential travel since summer 2020, but with promising mass vaccinations Americans will soon be able to travel openly again. Some details need to be considered, such as how will American prove their vaccinations, and ultimate decisions will be made by each country.
• No sign of infection after test concert in Spain, researchers say
  In a social experiment, approximately 5,000 concert goers who tested negative for COVID-19 were masked but not socially distanced at a concert in Spain. From that concert, six people were diagnosed with COVID within 14-days. However, that “was half the rate of people of the same age in Barcelona, researchers found.”
• UK watchdog steps up probe into Johnson’s apartment refurb
  The Electoral Commissions moves forward with formal investigation over the funds used in renovating 11 Downing Street. They are investigating whether the funds constitute a not reported campaign contribution. Johnson responded in the House of Commons stating, “I have paid for Downing Street refurbishment personally.” However, the Commission will be reviewing whether he was leant to money, so that the payments would come from his personal accounts.
• EU lawmakers approve post-Brexit trade treaty
  The European Parliament overwhelmingly approved the final legal step of Brexit. The UK Parliament approved the deal in late 2020, but full legal implementation was only completed with the European Parliament vote. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated “the final step in a long journey, providing stability to our new relationship with the EU as vital trading partners, close allies, and sovereign equals.”

Week of April 22, 2021

• EU warns “spark” could set off escalation at Ukraine borders
  European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell has called on Russia to withdraw their ‘over 100,000’ troops from the Ukrainian border with Russia. While the European Union does not have immediate plans of imposing new sanctions, they will still look to apply pressure through diplomacy. The Russo-Ukrainian war has already seen more than 14,000 people perish since the 2014 annexation of Crimea, a peninsula previously located in Ukraine, by Russia. Recent development has also seen accusations by the Czech Republic of Russian involvement in a 2014 ammunition depot explosion. On this matter, the European Union has not yet been requested to set up a joint action. Still, Borrell remains pessimistic and asserts that a mere ‘spark’ can help initiate conflict with Russia.
• Hungary blocks EU statement criticising China over Hong Kong, diplomats say
  The European Union’s attempts at calling out Chinese actions in Hong Kong have been thwarted by Hungary, which blocked a statement to be made by the bloc during a meeting of foreign ministers of all EU member states. Diplomats speaking on behalf of Budapest have justified blocking the statement by highlighting it as unneeded given the many issues the EU already has with China. EU sanctions over human rights abuses imposed in March were also called ‘pointless’ by Hungarian leaders. Hungary’s actions can be explained by the fact that it is a large recipient of Chinese investment in Europe, much like Greece, which has also blocked statements on China in the past. The implications of this defeat for the EU bring about real concern over whether it has been effective in exporting its ideals to its member states who consistently disregard actions which are meant to underscore the EU’s commitments to human rights.
• European Super League: Premier League’s ‘big six’ agree to join new league
  Twelve elite European football (soccer) clubs—among them six English clubs—have expressed their desire to join a planned European Super League featuring these clubs in a league format whereby each club will play all others throughout the season. The anticipation is that another eight clubs will accept the offer to join the league, along with the aforementioned English clubs and European sides AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus (from Italy), Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid, and Barcelona (from Spain). British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron have taken the opportunity to condemn plans to start this league. Additionally, the European association UEFA and international soccer association FIFA have both decried the idea, stating that any player who participates in this tournament will be banned from playing in the FIFA World Cup tournament and from their national teams in continental competitions like the European Football Championship (UEFA Euro).
• Germany: CDU party board backs Armin Laschet as chancellor candidate
  With a majority of 77.5% of the CDU party board on his side, Armin Laschet was nominated as the party’s candidate for the chancellor position for the upcoming German parliamentary election in September. His rival—Markus Söder from the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, CSU—has not backed down but respects the decision of the party board to support Laschet. This indecision on who should be nominated as the party’s candidate is generally seen as harmful to the cohesion of the party, and thus its appearance to the public. The Green party presents a threat to the CDU/CSU bloc, only polling a few percentage points behind the conservatives. The Green party has recently nominated their candidate in Annalena Baerbock and looks to capitalize on this final stretch before the elections to form a government and depose Angela Merkel, in power since 2005.
• EU launches digital platform to let citizens debate the bloc’s future
  In an effort to promote the democratic legitimacy of the European Union, the main EU institutions—the European Commission, Parliament, and Council—have joined efforts to develop a digital platform for the exchange of ideas and dialogue among citizens of the EU. This platform is set to launch on Europe Day, May 9th, 2021 and coincides with this year’s Conference on the Future of Europe. The platform is part of a plan to propagate the conference across the continent to all citizens of the EU. It will be composed of three components, called ‘platform, panels, and plenaries’. The first involves forums whereby citizens will discuss any of ten key topics, including climate change, digitalization, and health. Panels will also be organized and will feature representatives who will take into consideration the points of discussion mentioned in the platform. Lastly, the plenary, the conference’s high body, will make final considerations on these topics as they are brought up from the panels. Vice-President of the European Commission Dubravka Šuica calls this a ‘truly bottom-up’ approach.

Week of April 15, 2021

• Prince Philip, Husband of Queen Elizabeth II, Is Dead at 99
  Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and husband of Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Friday April 9th at Windsor Castle. He was 99 and is said to have passed away peacefully. Prince Phillip has been a longstanding member of the royal family—having married the Queen in 1947 before she became queen. He is credited with playing a key role in the modernization of the royal family in the 20th century. His funeral in a few days will also be the first time Prince Harry visits the UK since his bombshell interview with Oprah last month. To read more about his life and origins read the linked article.
• Ukrainian soldier killed, several wounded in Donbass flare-up
  A Ukrainian soldier was killed, and several others were wounded as fighting re-erupted in the Eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas. The fighting between the Ukrainian military and Russian backed separatists has been happening since 2014 and a peace deal was supposedly signed in 2015. This skirmish is one of many to occur since that peace deal was signed. In December, another peace agreement was signed that involved an exchange of prisoners although this skirmish proves that lasting peace remains a far-out prospect for the time being.
• Belfast: Rioting ‘was worst seen in Northern Ireland in years’
  Rioting in Belfast last Wednesday the 7th and in the towns and cities across Northern Ireland in the days since has been the worst seen in years according to the BBC. On Wednesday, 8 police officers were injured as rioters threw petrol bombs and even burnt a bus. Saturday the 10th saw a gap of peace—with some claiming it was response to news about Prince Phillip’s death. Nonetheless, the rioting in Northern Ireland is concerning—especially the clashes which occurred between Loyalists (loyal to the UK) and Unionists (who seek a united Ireland). Much of the protest is against the Northern Ireland Protocol established as part of the Brexit agreement which allowed Northern Ireland to remain part of the EU single market and established customs checks for goods travelling from the UK to Northern Ireland. Many Loyalists are upset by this deal as they see it establishing a hard border across the Irish Sea and hurting Northern Ireland.
• Giorgos Karaivaz: Veteran crime journalist shot dead in Greece
  A well-known Greek reported was assassinated on Friday. He was shot 6 times with a silence weapon by two men on a moped outside his home. It appeared to be a professional hit job and left many wondering whether he was killed because of his work as a reported. The Greek Prime Minister has urged for a speedy investigation into the matter.
• Omit Mediterranean products from EU-wide food labelling plan, says MEP
  The European Commission has brought forth a plan to label food products. This plan would rate foods according to a “Nutri-Score” which judges foods from ‘A’ to ‘E’ based upon their healthiness. The plan could make it mandatory for food items produced and sold across the EU to feature these ratings. One Spanish MEP has argued that there should be certain items exempted from this such as monosaturated fats. He argues that these goods (olive oil, ham, and honey) are integral to their societies and should not be scored negatively as such. Likewise, he argues that the rating system is deeply flawed.

Week of April 8, 2021

• Gaffe as EU’s Von der Leyen left without chair as male leaders look on
  The high-level meeting between the European Union—represented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel—and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented an uncomfortable scene as von der Leyen was left to sit on a sofa further away than Michel to the Turkish President. The irony of this incident lies in that it happened shortly after Turkey was criticized over its withdrawal from the international treaty on preventing domestic violence, the Istanbul Convention. The reluctance to offer a seat of equivalence to von der Leyen reflects the attitudes shown by the Turkish government toward the treatment of women. While she was surprised by this, the Commission President proceeded to prioritize formal matters and discuss relevant topics such as women’s rights with the Turkish President.
• AstraZeneca: EMA says blood clots ‘very rare’ side effect
  The European Medicines Agency (EMA)—an agency of the European Union responsible for the supervision of medicinal products—has evaluated that the AstraZeneca vaccine should be deemed safe and that the blood clot side effects reported by some be officially declared as ‘very rare’. Out of 34 million doses delivered across the entire European Economic Area, only 169 cases have been reported to have resulted in a rare brain blood clot. Both the EMA and the World Health Organization have established that the risk-benefit to getting the vaccine remains positive, with extremely low chances of getting an adverse reaction to the vaccine. The EMA goes on further to state that there is no evidence to restrict the use of this vaccine on the European population. However, various member states have already taken action to do so by placing minimum age limitations for taking the vaccine.
• Stone slab found in France thought to be Europe’s oldest 3D map
  The Saint-Bélec stone slab, discovered in 1900 and thought to depict 4,000-year-old engravings, has been deemed the oldest topographical map ever found in European soil. Researchers believe the slab depicts an area in Western Brittany, in particular the Odet river along with the adjoining valley. They mention how the slab, while most likely a cartographical outline drawn from memory, still bears an 80% resemblance to the area thought to be what the map depicts. The slab itself was found in 1900 but was lost for over a century until its rediscovery below a moat inside the home of the archeologist who discovered it, Paul du Châtellier.
• Kosovo parliament elects Vjosa Osmani as new president
  Vjosa Osmani, ex-speaker of the Kosovar assembly, was elected as the seventh president in Kosovo’s history. She is also the second female president since the independence of Kosovo in 2008. While the role is mostly ceremonial, Osmani does head an office with a significant foreign policy position. Osmani aims to normalize ties with Serbia but promises that this will only come after an apology and the implementation of justice for those who committed war crimes throughout the Kosovo War of 1998-1999.
• Dutch police make arrest in thefts of Van Gogh, Hals works
  A suspect in the theft of paintings by Van Gogh and Hals has been arrested by Dutch police. The burglaries were said to have taken place last year, but at different times in two different museums which housed the paintings. The paintings have not been recovered. The painting by Frans Hals, titled ‘Two Laughing Boys with a Mug of Beer’, has been valued at €13 million, or around $17 million. This painting has been stolen before on two separate occasions, in 1988 and in 2011. Both times it was recovered within six months of it being stolen.

Week of April 1, 2021

• Austria threatens to halt EU’s 100M vaccine buy until it gets greater share of jabs
  Austria has threatened to block the EU’s plan to buy 100 million more doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine if the distribution plan is not modified to give Austria a larger share of the vaccines. This is done despite evidence that Austria is not currently one of the states with the greatest need for the vaccine. Currently, vaccine distribution is done on a population-based formula, and the EU is trying to stick with that despite Austria’s attempt to upend this. Austria is claiming it can halt the purchase of these vaccines under the pretense that the purchase of these extra doses from Pfizer requires unanimous consent. But many EU diplomats are challenging that idea and stating that Austria’s vote for a joint EU vaccine rollout plan and its formal approval of the contract with Pfizer/BioNTech. Thus, the EU plans to move ahead with the purchase, and Austria seems powerless to stop it.
• EU Parliament endorses Balkan accession talks
  The European Parliament has demanded that EU accession talks begin with North Macedonia and Albania. The endorsement follows vocal support for this from the Commission and the hope is that it will put pressure on states within the EU that are opposed to the accession of these two countries. Chief among those is Bulgaria who houses a large minority of North Macedonians and there is also a large Bulgarian enclave in North Macedonia. Both sides accuse the other of rights violations. Currently, the hope is that talks can begin before June; however, certain EU member states may slow that process as might the failure to combat corruption in both Albania and Macedonia.
• Armenia PM confirms he will step down to allow early election
  After months of protests, Armenia Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, will step down in April and therefore, trigger an early election. Calls for his removal have been widespread since Armenia lost it war with Azerbaijan last year in the Nagorno-Karabakh region—a region within Azerbaijan that had been controlled by ethnic Armenians for over 25 years. The peace treaty signed by the PM gave up control over vast swaths of the territory, and he has been harshly criticized for that.
• Belarus excluded from Eurovision over political entry
  Belarus has been disqualified from this year’s edition of the Eurovision song contest after it failed for a second time to submit a song that complied with the competition’s non-political nature. The Belarussian band Galasy ZMesta initially wrote a song which seemed to mock the Belarussian protest movement and was forced to rewrite another song. That second song has been rejected under similar grounds as the first. The Belarussian government criticized the decision and claimed that it was politically motivated.
• UN inquiry finds French air strike killed Mali civilians
  A UN inquiry into a French air strike in Mali which took place in January is said to have killed 19 civilians. The UN investigated this air strike after locals claimed French forces had fired upon a wedding in central Mali. The report also said that 5 armed individuals were thought to be affiliated with the Al-Qaeda branch in the Sahel. Nonetheless, the report states that France’s attack overwhelmingly affected civilians. France’s defense categorically denies these claims and argues its strike was against an armed terrorist group and that its attack was an important part of its larger effort to fight terrorism in the Sahel.

Week of March 25, 2021

• Europe halfway towards closing all coal power plants by 2030
  Out of the 324 coal-powered plants in Europe, half of them (162) have either already been closed or plan to close by the target year of 2030. This astounding decline in coal reliance is even more impressive when realizing that all of these power plants have been closed or have announced their closures in the past five years alone. The EU—through Commissioner for Climate Action Frans Timmermans—holds that phasing out of coal is the key in efforts to reduce climate change. The issue in coal is that it produces the most carbon dioxide per kilogram emitted out of all energy sources. Financial institutions within the European Union have contributed to this through their implementation of policies that assist in the phasing out of coal production. While there are still a few European Union member states which will miss the 2030 deadline for a complete phase-out of coal—such as Germany, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria—others have taken advantage of EU funds in the transition away from coal.
• German professor under police protection for stance on Islamophobia
  Klaus Kinzler—a professor of German at the University of Grenoble Institute of Political Studies in France—has faced controversy after refusing to compare islamophobia with anti-semitism when it came to including both as the title of a planned seminar on ‘equality’. Kinzler and another professor who showed solidarity to his case have been placed under police protection. As per Kinzler, it is wrong to place islamophobia on a similar footing as anti-semitism because the latter has resulted in far more victims than the former. The French student union at the school, Unef, has spearheaded the campaign against the professor and those who defend him. This incident comes in the wake of the recent beheading of a French middle-school teacher after he showed his class depictions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. French interior minister Marlène Schiappa, drawing from this earlier incident, reminded that the persecution of the professors by Unef has ‘put [their lives] in mortal danger’.
• Spanish lawmakers approve bill legalising euthanasia
  The Spanish lower chamber of parliament has voted in favor of a legalization of euthanasia for individuals with ‘incurable or debilitating diseases who want to end their life’. Before the passing of this law, individuals involved in euthanasia would face jail terms of up to 10 years. Those against the legalization of euthanasia include far-right parties such as Vox and religious groups in Spain. Despite this, according to an opinion poll, about 90% of Spaniards are in favor of a decriminalization of euthanasia. Spain is the fourth country in the European Union to decriminalize euthanasia after Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
• French wine experts ask to be prioritised for COVID vaccine
  France’s Oenologist’s Union (concerned with the study of wine and viniculture) has called for the prioritization of wine professionals in receiving COVID-19 vaccines after a study which showed that nearly 38% of wine professionals who suffered from ‘anosmia (loss of smell) and ageusia (loss of taste)’ in various countries due to the contraction of the coronavirus were not able to continue working. While they believe that health professionals and frontline workers should be prioritized above all others, they also call for the prioritization of individuals whose professions are directly impacted by the symptoms of the coronavirus, including ‘oenologists and sommeliers’ (wine stewards).
• Polish writer charged for calling president a ‘moron’
  Polish screenwriter Jakub Żulczyk has been charged for insulting the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, by calling him a ‘moron’ in a Facebook post. The post was a comment on Duda’s congratulating of President Joe Biden’s victory in the American presidential election. In this post, President Duda commended Biden’s success but also expressed that he would wait for ‘the nomination by the electoral college’. Żulczyk’s comments addressed that the electoral college’s nomination is merely a formality. Żulczyk then proceeded to insult Duda. The screenwriter will possibly face a prison sentence for these remarks. Poland’s laws against insulting have been criticized in the past. Other laws that have received critique include those against ‘offending religious feeling’ and insulting of the country’s flag.

Week of March 18, 2021

• See you in court! EU to take legal action against Britain TODAY over Brexit deal move
  The EU has formally notified the British government of its intention to take it to court over the unilateral suspension of customs checks on goods from Northern Ireland being shipped to the rest of Britain. This action is in violation of the post-Brexit trade agreement established in 2019 in which Northern Ireland was to temporarily remain part of the EU’s single market in order to uphold the peace brought about through the Good Friday Agreement. The Irish border has remained a key area of contention both during Brexit and in its aftermath. There is fear on both sides that the reintroduction of a hard border between the countries could spark violence that has not been seen for decades; however, maintaining Northern Ireland as part of the EU customs union also strains its position in the United Kingdom and its relationship with the other countries in the UK.
• China warns EU against ‘confrontational’ human rights sanctions
  The EU is set to discuss sanctions on select Chinese individuals and entities over their involvement in human rights abuses directed at China’s Uighur population. The Chinese government has not taken this lightly and has urged the EU to reconsider such actions which it describes as an attack on Chinese interests and security. China has systematically interned over a million Uighur Muslims in the western province of Xinjiang in recent years all though it denies such claims as lies propagated by the West to weaken China’s geopolitical power.
• Merkel’s party suffers defeats in 2 German state elections
  Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has suffered two clear defeats at the hands of parties more to the left in two German provinces. These provinces, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate kick off elections in what is known as Germany’s super election year which culminates in a national election in September. Chancellor Merkel has already announced that she will not seek another term, and thus these election results appear to be a sign that voters are not super enthused with her chosen successor, Armin Laschet. This was the CDU’s worst performance in both states since World War II.
• Corinne Masiero: Actress protests naked at ‘French Oscars’ ceremony
  French actress Corinne Masiero attended the César Award Ceremony in a donkey costume and blood-stained dress. Once on stage, she stripped naked and had the message “No culture, no future” written across her torso .and “Give us back art Jean” on her back (in reference to French PM Jean Castex). This was done to protest French restrictions on cinema attendance and the perceived failure of the government to support the arts through the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Kosovo opens Israel embassy in Jerusalem
  Kosovo became the third country to open an embassy in Jerusalem following the United States and Guatemala. This comes after Israel officially recognized Kosovo’s independence and recently established diplomatic ties with the country. Israeli recognition of the country’s independence is hugely important to Kosovo’s plan to gain global recognition for their independence which they declared in 2008 from Serbia. Serbia has so-far refused to acknowledge Kosovar independence and has used its alliance with Russia to keep Kosovo out of the EU.

Week of March 11, 2021

• EU unveils plan to force companies to publish wages to help close gender pay gap
  The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, has laid down a pay transparency proposal to have companies report on salaries for their employees. This plan is made with the intent of eradicating the pay gap between men and women who work the same job. For the year 2018, women in the European Union earned on average 14 percent less than their male coworkers. If passed, this would force companies with 250 or more employees to release data upon request regarding any existent gender pay gaps within their organization or face fines. The question of the gender pay gap has been discussed within the European Union since the Treaty of Rome in 1957, and this proposal is a huge step forward in the incessant struggle for equal pay. The proposal will be presented to the European Parliament for approval and, if successful, will then be discussed by the European Council for possible implementation.
• Protesters demand withdrawal of Cyprus’ ‘satanic’ Eurovision entry
  Greek artist Elena Tsagrinou (representing Cyprus) and her Eurovision candidate song ‘El Diablo’ have faced intense criticism by Orthodox Christians and the Orthodox Church itself for what they deem is a blasphemous song that praises the submission of people to the devil. The artist claims the song is rather about a love affair between a woman who bonds with her abuser, known as ‘El Diablo’. Dozens of Orthodox Christians protested outside the state broadcasting company’s headquarters in favor of withdrawing this song as the Cypriot entry to this year’s Eurovision contest. Amidst these protests and declarations made by the Orthodox Church to replace the song with another which better expresses the Orthodox culture, the Cypriot government has responded that they cannot limit artistic freedom.
• Swiss narrowly pass Muslim ‘burqa ban’
  A referendum took place to decide on a ban on ‘full facial coverings’ in Switzerland. The result was a slight majority in favor of the ban, at 51.2 percent of voters, against 48.8 percent who were not in favor of a ban. Switzerland joins other European countries which have also imposed bans on full facial coverings, such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria. The political framework that allows for such referendums in Switzerland allows any proposal to be decided by a referendum if it gains 100,000 signatures. As a result of the ban, no individual is now able to completely cover their face while in public, except in places of worship. Muslim feminists, who say this ban is targeted against muslim women, have called this ban ‘racist and sexist’ and have also stressed that very few muslim women actually cover their face entirely, looking to dispel the impression that this is a rampant issue.
• Generation Identity: France shuts down far-right group
  The French government has dissolved the far-right group Generation Identity after accusations of incitement of ‘hatred and violence’. The group is decidedly white-nationalist in its approach, advocating for the preservation of ‘white Europeans’ against ‘immigration and Islamization’. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin attributes the hateful rhetoric of the group to the provoking of violent attacks and ‘heightened tensions within the national community’. It has been revealed that this group has ties to the National Rally party of Marine Le Pen and to multiple European Members of Parliament who support it.
• Coronavirus: Australia wants EU to ‘review’ Italy’s vaccine block
  The European Commission, the Italian government, and now France have blocked the export of around 250,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from the EU to Australia. These measures—part of an announced export control mechanism which halts exports outside the bloc—have been taken to ensure that the European Union receives the quantity of doses it bought from AstraZeneca, which has not been able to deliver on even half of the promised 80 million doses to the European Union in the first quarter of the year. The Australian Prime Minister understands this decision and cites the relatively greater number of cases and deaths in Italy and in the European Union as a whole when compared with the same statistics in Australia to justify his compassionate stance. As of March 5th, the EU has provided vaccines to only 8 percent of its population while the United Kingdom has inoculated over 30 percent of their population. The divergence is in large part due to the disruption in supply chains and the delay in approval of the vaccines. The EU looks to vaccinate over 70 percent of its adult population by the end of summer.

Week of March 4, 2021

• EPP group moves forward to suspend Orban’s Fidesz
  The European Parliament’s main center-right party, the European Peoples Party (EPP) is planning a vote tomorrow to allow for member parties to be suspended from the EPP. These actions are being taken to fully suspend Hungary’s anti-democratic Fidesz party from the EPP and is expected to pass the two-thirds majority threshold with minimal resistance from MEPs. Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary and head of Fidesz, has repeatedly violated the rule of law and brought much democratic backsliding to Hungary. These actions have been a headache for the EU, and this vote is a way for the EPP to disassociate itself from this problematic political party.
• Court of Justice says Polish judicial amendments may violate EU law
  The ECJ ruled that Poland’s procedural change to nominating judges to the Supreme Court may be an infringement of EU law. This is because the amendments violated the principle of judicial review that allowed a specific body to be involved in the appointment of judges. Ultimately, the ECJ ruled that it is for Poland’s courts to decide how this ought to be dealt with. This unclear judgement was attacked by members of the Law and Justice Party in Poland claiming it was violating Poland’s rights as a state. Likewise, the ruling was praised by opposition parties and is likely to be used by some to pressure Brussels to take action against the Polish government.
• Sarkozy: Former French president sentenced to jail for corruption
  Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to three years in prison for corruption. His sentence comes after he attempted to bribe a judge for information about another case he was involved in. That original case involved taped conversations between Sarkozy and his lawyer discussing claims about illegal finances being provided to Sarkozy’s presidential campaign in 2007. Two years of Sarkozy’s sentence has been suspended meaning that if his appeal fails, he may be forced to spend one year under house arrest. There are other cases involving Sarkozy which are pending; however, he still remains popular and may run for president next year if he is able to.
• Swiss Muslims denounce ‘burqa ban’ proposal as referendum nears
  On March 7th, the Swiss will go to the polls to vote on whether to ban face coverings like niqabs and burqas in public. These so-called “burqa-bans” are not uncommon in Europe, but this does not make them any less controversial. The bill is expected to narrowly pass with many on the far-right supporting the bill as a means to create cultural unity in a country that is becoming increasingly diverse. Still, many Muslims see it as a bill specifically directed against them despite there being very few women actually wearing the niqab in Switzerland.
• Arrests made at Barcelona football club after police raid
  One of the world’s most famous football (soccer) clubs, FC Barcelona, was raided by police Monday morning. The former president of the club, Josep Bartomeu was arrested as was the club’s CEO and head of legal services. Not much is known about the case that prompted the arrests other than that the alleged financial crimes involve hiring and overpaying a company to begin a smear campaign against many of the players of the club—including Barcelona’s biggest name, Lionel Messi. Barcelona has been riled in turmoil in the past year as it recently revealed it has over 1 billion dollars in debt. Presidential elections to replace Bartomeu are due to be held next week.

Week of February 25, 2021

• Alps hiker survives seven icy nights after fall in Italy
  An Italian man from Trieste was rescued after being stranded for seven nights in the Venzonassa Valley in the Italian Alps. The man credits his dog, Ash, as “helping [him] to survive” by keeping him company throughout the ordeal. The man suffered a broken ankle after falling and was out of reach of cellular service to contact anyone for help.
• Isle of Man Viking jewellery found by metal detectorist
  Retired police officer and metal detectorist Kath Giles from the Isle of Man unearthed a collection of Viking jewelry which dates back one millennium. The jewelry consisted of a gold arm ring and a silver pin which were both dated to about AD 950. At a courthouse inquiry, the collection was legally deemed as treasure. In the United Kingdom, when an item or items are thus classified, they are property of the Crown Estate; that is, they are owned by the monarch, but cannot be sold. The rarity of the golden arm band was emphasized by the curator of archaeology at the Manx National Heritage Organization, who explained that silver was far more common at the time.
• Italian ambassador among 3 killed in attack on Congo convoy
  Italian Ambassador to the Congo Luca Attanasio, his bodyguard Vittorio Iacovacci, and the driver of the convoy Moustapha Milambo were killed while traveling from Goma, the capital of Congo’s eastern region, to visit a school project in Rutshuru. The road in which the attack took place was previously deemed safe by UN security officials in the country. Italian media has stated, without sources, that the convoy suffered a kidnapping attempt with the aim of using the hostages as a means of securing ransom money. The situation in Eastern Congo is reportedly increasingly dangerous with the presence of various rebel groups; each of whom vie for control of the Congo.
• EU agrees to sanctions on Myanmar military, Russian officials
  The European Union will impose sanctions upon Russians who were responsible for the detention of Alexei Navalny through the Magnitsky act, a human rights regime that was adopted in 2020. All 27 member states agreed to undertake action against those who have committed human rights abuses, as per EU Minister for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell. This includes individuals who were directly responsible for the persecution of Navalny. Moreover, the EU has also stated that it will impose sanctions on the military government of Myanmar after the coup that occurred earlier this month. These sanctions are aimed at the military and its economic interests, rather than Myanmar’s government programs which directly affect the general population.
• EU tells six countries to lift Covid border restrictions
  The European Commission has called for EU member states to maintain open borders with other member states after a recent string of border closures. Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Hungary were issued notices over their recent border closures. The Commission’s guidelines for the month of January urge member states to advise against non-essential travel but to also maintain open borders for the sake of supply chains and the movement of goods and people. The stricter control on border movement has been criticized by the Commission as “a risk to the functioning of the single market”. Germany’s Europe Minister Michael Roth defends the German government’s actions by emphasizing the importance of the health of German citizens over the transport of goods. The German government’s closing of the Austrian border in Tyrol and the Czech Republic were justified over a high incidence of new, more infectious coronavirus variants in those regions. The aforementioned member states have 10 days to respond to the EU’s notice as of February 23rd.

Week of February 18, 2021

• Criminals selling fake COVID-19 test certificates at Europe’s major airports and stations
  Europol, the European Union’s police agency released a report demonstrating that criminals inside Europe’s airports have been selling fraudulent negative COVID-19 test certificates. Eight people have already been arrested for selling these certificates at airports—including one at London’s Luton airport. Negative test results are in high demand because many European countries are requiring them in order to enter their countries. Arrested fraudsters face up to five years in prison and hundreds of thousands of Euros in fines.
• Klubrádió: EU asks Hungary to keep liberal radio station on the air
  The EU Commission has sent a letter to the Hungarian government requesting that a liberal radio station’s broadcasting frequency be continued. This is after the Budapest radio station’s license was discontinued along “questionable legal grounds.” This station was one of the few opposition voices remaining in Hungary as it often featured opposition politicians. The crackdown on Klubrádió is part of a larger, systematic crackdown on free speech in Hungary that has proven a challenge to the EU’s commitment to democracy.
• Catalonia Spain: Separatists set to boost majority in regional parliament
  Separatists parties in Catalonia have gained seats in local parliamentary elections. Despite this, turnout was down significantly—only at 53% and down from 79% in 2017. These election results demonstrate support for the independence movement in Catalonia which is a region whose linguistic and ethnic distinctness has made it a headache for the Spanish federal government for decades.
• In Athens, rare snow blankets Acropolis, halts vaccinations
  As much of Europe was receiving a respite from cold winter weather, temperatures in the Balkans and Turkey plunged. In Athens, there was a large amount of snowfall that blanketed much of the city. One Norwegian in the city reported it having snowed so much that he was able to ski down a hill in his neighborhood. The rare sight of snow in a city like Athens has come at a cost though; most public transport throughout the city was forcibly shut down and major highways were closed. Most notably, the disruption caused by the snow has halted the COVID-19 vaccination process in Greece.
• France passes anti-radicalism bill that worries Muslims
  A law in France that is meant to protect France from “Radical Islamists” was passed with overwhelming support in the lower house. The bill will strengthen oversight of mosques, schools, and social media as France tries to deal with its very real problem with terrorist attacks. The bill was given a sense of urgency after a teacher was beheaded outside a school in west Paris for having shown pictures of the Prophet Muhammad in class. Some Muslims are saying that the bill points a finger at France’s second largest religion and are afraid that the bill is unjustly assaulting their rights. For more information on the bill and the teacher, listen to the NY Times Daily on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or this link: The Daily: The Debate Over Laïcité, France’s Principle of Secularism – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Week of February 11, 2021

• Mario Draghi secures support from key parties to form new Italian government
  Both the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) and Lega signaled support for a government led by Mario Draghi, former president of the European Central Bank. Italian President Sergio Mattarella appointed Mr. Draghi the task of forming a government after the coalition led by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was undermined, urging that Mr. Draghi succeed in doing so as soon as possible in order to secure a 200 billion Euro EU recovery fund. M5S leader Vito Crimi and Lega leader Matteo Salvini echoed that their parties would be willing to work with traditional rivals in order to advance the interests of the country. Mario Draghi will continue meeting with other political parties, business lobbies, and union leaders and attempt to outline his vision for his new government, along with naming a potential ministerial cabinet.
• EU expels three Russian diplomats, defends envoy’s ill-starred Moscow trip
  The Foreign Ministries of Poland, Germany, and Sweden have ordered the expulsion of three Russian diplomats from their posts in each country as an act of “reciprocity”. This comes after three European Union diplomats, representing Poland, Germany, and Sweden, were removed from their positions in Moscow the previous week for taking part in protests supporting jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The expulsions occurred during a meeting between Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday, February 5th, as the former was attempting to negotiate the release of Navalny. As ties between the European Union and Russia take a new hit, Borrell is expected to meet with the foreign ministers of all 27 European Union member states on February 22nd to decide on the possibility of new sanctions against Russia.
• Pope Francis Appoints First Woman to the Synod of Bishops
  Pope Francis has appointed Nathalie Becquart, a French religious sister and member of the Congregation of Xavières, as undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops. She is the first woman to be appointed to this role and receive a right to vote in the Catholic Synod of Bishops, an advisory body which serves to debate topics of doctrine and advise the pontiff. While some argue that the commitment to granting women greater decision-making participation in the Church serves as a precursor to ordaining women as priests, others deny the correlation.
• UK Calls for Reset with EU and ‘Refinement’ of Brexit Deal
  The attempt by the European Union to restrict COVID-19 vaccine supplies outside the bloc has undermined relations with the United Kingdom as the European Union threatened to employ emergency measures to prevent vaccines from entering the United Kingdom through Northern Ireland. The EU later altered its stance. Nevertheless, the trade disruptions that occurred as a result were enough for the UK to now press the EU on changes to the Northern Ireland protocol of the Brexit deal, calling for extended grace periods on the transport of food from Britain to Northern Ireland. Michael Gove, MP in charge of the implementation of the Brexit deal, is set to meet with EU Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič to discuss these terms and prevent a hard border from being established between Ireland and Northern Ireland, which could provoke tensions and conflict between both polities years after the 1998 peace agreement between the two.
• ‘Happy to be with you’: europe’s Oldest Person Survives COVID
  Sister Andre, née Lucille Randon, who is the oldest living person in Europe, is set to celebrate her 117th birthday on the 11th of February after surviving COVID-19. Sister Andre was diagnosed with the virus on the 16th of January and presented no symptoms. She is currently the second-oldest living person as per the Gerontology Research Group World Supercentenarian Rankings List.

Week of February 4, 2021

• Moscow court orders Kremlin foe Navalny to prison
  Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has had his formerly suspended prison sentence of 3 ½ years reinstated after having been arrested 2 weeks ago. The prison sentence is associated with 2014 embezzlement conviction which Navalny dismisses as being politically motivated. A judge ruled that Navalny, after having spent the last year in Germany recovering from an assassination attempt using a nerve agent, will need to serve out the remainder of his sentence (2 ½ years) in a prison rather than under house arrest. Navalny’s arrest, alongside poor economic conditions, has led to mass demonstrations throughout Russia with thousands being arrested by security forces.
• Ancient Jersey teeth find hints at Neanderthal mixing
  A reassessment of prehistoric teeth discovered in 1910 and 1911 on the British island of Jersey has revealed that the now extinct Neanderthals may have been interbreeding with modern humans (homo sapiens) some 40,000 years ago. New studies of these teeth revealed that they were not part of one individual, as previously thought, but were part of at least two adults. Furthermore, scientists discovered characteristics of the teeth that are typically found in modern humans. In essence, this discovery is significant because it challenges the belief that Neanderthals went extinct and presents a separate thesis claiming that they were simply absorbed into modern human populations.
• German beer sales suffer as virus restrictions bite
  Beer sales in Germany were down around 5.5% last year. They are part of a continuing multiyear trend in the decline of sales of German beer; however, this year’s drop was exceptionally sharp. This is, in large part, a result of massive shutdowns of bars in Germany from March until May and their continued closure from November until now. Exports of beer were also down demonstrating the damage caused by coronavirus on brewers.
• Croatia police ‘blocked’ MEPs investigating treatment of refugees
  Four Italian politicians who were trying to access a refugee camp on the Croatian border with Bosnia & Herzegovina have said that Croatian police denied them access to the camp. The politicians are all Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who were investigating the conditions under which asylum seekers from the Middle East are living. Per the MEPs, they were prevented from reaching the camp by car by a mass of police who had formed a “human barrier” on the street. They eventually entered Bosnia and visited the camp where they witnessed the terrible conditions these refugees experience. There are growing concerns of a refugee crisis in Bosnia.
• Future of Holocaust research in Poland hinges on libel case
  Two professors, one at the University of Ottowa and one at the University of Warsaw, are facing a libel trial in Warsaw’s 9th district court. This is after the two professors participated in a 1600-page work titled “Night Without End: The Fate of Jews in Selected Counties of Occupied Poland”. The book is a thoroughly researched account of Polish complicity in many of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust. The case against the professors serves as the first test for a 2018 Polish law passed by the conservative Law and Justice Party which makes it a crime to accuse the Polish nations of complicity in the Holocaust.

Week of January 28, 2021

• Italian premier to offer resignation as government wobbles
  Giuseppe Conte has voiced his intention to resign from the office of Prime Minister of Italy. After a confidence vote in the past week and a narrow victory securing him time to form a government, Conte was unable to gather enough support to secure government within the senate. This comes as a result of Italia Viva party leader Matteo Renzi pulling his ministers from the government coalition over objections to EU recovery fund budgetary plans. Nevertheless, the ‘Movimento 5 Stelle’ party, consisting a majority within the current government, remains on Conte’s side. The options moving forward include president Sergio Mattarella offering Conte another mandate with a reshuffled government, the nomination of a new leader to make up another majority government, or as a last resort a call for early elections two years in advance.
• 3 dead, several injured in Madrid as explosion rocks Spanish capital
  Three people suffered fatal injuries after a suspected gas leak caused an explosion near the center of Madrid. One building is at a risk of collapse after the incident with major damage on multiple floors. An 85-year-old woman bystander and two men of unidentified age were among those killed. The building is located next to an elderly care home and a school. However, none of the elderly at the care home were injured as a result of the event nor was the school in operation at that time.
• Estonia to get first female PM as government deal clinched
  Kaja Kallas is set to become Estonia’s first female Prime Minister after her Reform party—a liberal, pro-EU party—joined a coalition with the current government’s Centre (center-left) party. Despite being the largest party after the 2019 elections, the Reform party had been left out of a government formed by a Centre, EKRE (right-wing populism and Euroscepticism), and Isamaa (right-wing Christian democratic) coalition. Eight of the fifteen ministries in the new government will be filled by Kallas’ Reform party while the rest will be filled by the Centre party. This new government means the exit of the far-right populist party from governance in Estonia. Implications of the new government arrangement include progressive measures such as dropping the definition of marriage as that between a man and a woman, along with a new strategy to tackle investment aimed at the fossil fuel industry.
• Turkey says Cyprus talks to be held with U.N., EU by early March
  Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, has announced that talks will be held between Greece, Turkey, Britain, and the United Nations in hopes of strengthening trust between the major guarantors over the island of Cyprus, which has, since a 1974 Greek coup d’état and Turkish response, been disputed between both powers. Meanwhile, Turkey is facing threats of sanctions coming from the European Union due to maritime disputes concerning the eastern Mediterranean and the island of Cyprus. Both sides therefore hope to clarify themselves and improve relations.
• Portugal President Rebelo de Sousa re-elected, abstentions surge
  72-year-old Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has been re-elected to a second term as President of Portugal after improving on his 2016 election results by 9 percentage points to 61 percent of the vote. These elections have also been characterized by the highest abstention percentage in Portuguese history as 60 percent of voters declined to vote. In second place came Ana Gomes of the Socialist party with 13 percent of the vote, ahead of right-wing populist André Ventura of the ‘Chega!’ party with 12 percent of the vote. Rebelo de Sousa has exercised his powers of decreeing a state of emergency multiple times since the start of the pandemic, and with Portugal currently topping the charts for both new daily infections and deaths per 100,000 individuals, the country looks in confidence towards its leaders to combat the virus.

Week of January 21, 2021

• Italy PM Conte wins crucial Senate vote to stay in power
  Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte survived a confidence vote on Tuesday in Italy’s upper chamber and is allowed to remain in power. However, he has failed to gain an absolute majority in the chamber and his political platform is severely weakened. The confidence vote—which was triggered by Mateo Renzi’s small party pulling out of the governing coalition could have triggered a snap election, but now that has been avoided. Nonetheless, opposition parties plan on asking the president to force the PM to resign.
• Ice Hockey World Championship: Belarus capital Minsk removed as host city on safety grounds
  The International Ice Hockey Federation announced that the World Championship Tournament, which was to be held in the Belarussian capital, Minsk, as well as the Latvian capital, Riga, will no longer host matches in Minsk. This is in large part due to continued unrest in Belarus following Lukashenko’s election to a 6th term of office in a fraudulent election. Furthermore, the IIHF based this decision upon Belarus’ lax attitude towards Covid-19. Now the tournament will need to find a new location where it can be held in a Covid-safe environment.
• Kremlin foe Navalny jailed for 30 days; allies plan protests
  Upon returning to Russia from Germany where he was recovering after having been poisoned by a nerve agent, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was arrested and sentenced to 30 days in prison by a judge. Navalny returned to Russia despite a warrant for his arrest and was arrested at passport control in a Moscow airport. His arrest sparked protests within Russia with dozens being arrested and a mass demonstration being planned for Saturday. The move has been widely condemned by US and European leaders and there have been some calls for sanctions against Russia.
• British meat industry warns of border chaos as delays halt exports
  In response to Brexit, British meat companies reduced their exports to the EU and Northern Ireland by 20%. Despite this reduction in export quantities, new and antiquated customs and immigration checks on exports have caused delays in the exportation of meat and is damaging the British meat market.
• ONA: Vegan restaurant becomes first in France to get Michelin star
  A vegan restaurant in Southwest France became the first of its kind to receive a Michelin star. The restaurant, named ONA or Origine Non-Animale from the town of Arés is run by chef Claire Vallée who has been running this restaurant since 2016.

Week of January 14, 2021

• France seeks strategy change to reduce troops in West Africa
  French President Emmanuel Macron will meet next month with recommendations on a reassessment of French troops in Africa. The troops were deployed in 2013 to Mali to fight Islamic extremism. Deployments were expanded into “Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania to improve security and stability in the broader Sahel region.” The reassessment comes after five French soldiers were killed and questions arose over deaths at a wedding.
• Village doctor in Ukraine faces coronavirus challenge
  Dr. Viktoria Mahnych fears the holiday gatherings and church services where social distancing and mask wearing was limited will increase her already overloaded cases in rural Ukraine. Dr. Mahnych does not wear full protective gear to see COVID patients. She notes that the full hazmat suits have scared off patients during testing in the past, and she does not want to discourage villagers from seeing a doctor.
• Italy puts over 320 on trial for ‘ndrangheta mob ties
  The trial for over 320 members of the ‘ndrangheta mob and their co-conspirators started in Italy. The trial is expected to take over a year. It took the first three-hours of the trial to call the roll of all defendants and their lawyers. The ‘ndrangheta mob took over in southern Italy during the wane of the Sicilian Mafia. They are accused of being in all of Europe, North and South America, and Africa.
• Climate activist Thunberg to appear on Swedish postal stamp
  Greta Thunberg will be featured on one of five Swedish stamps highlighting environmental issues. Thunberg started the Fridays for Future movement in 2018. They began as solo protests, but were adopted by students around the world.
• Reform Party leader tasked to firm Estonia’s new government
  Kaja Kallas has been given 14 days to form a new Estonian government. The former coalition run by Juri Ratas was disbanded after Ratas and his cabinet resigned due to a bribery scandal. Kallas states that the Reform Party will start talks with the Center Party this week.

Week of January 6, 2021

• Siegfried, meet Ahmet: German weather systems get makeover
  The right to name weather systems is Germany can be bought, and a number of upcoming low and high weather systems have been bought by the New German Media Makers. This association represents diverse voices in German media. They have selected traditional Turkish, Hebrew, Kurdish, Greek, Polish, and South Slavic male and female names to represent the diversified German population. The first system, Ahmet, is a traditionally Turkish male name.
• Portugal leads drive for EU consensus on migration policy
  The EU has been unable to create a common migration policy, but Portugal, who holds the rotating presidency for the first half of 2021, is beginning negotiations in hopes of a mandatory system across the EU. They want to include Northern African countries in the dialogue, in order to address the source of migration along with the results.
• 10 people to stand trial over deadly 2016 Brussels attacks
  The Brussels Chamber of the Council decided to charge 10 of the 13 suspects in the 2016 subway and airport Brussels attacks, which killed 32 people. This includes the lone survivor of the suicide bombing and other co-conspirators. The trial is expected later this year.
• EU says it will redouble efforts to save Iran nuclear deal
  Iran announced on 1/4/21 that it would begin enriching uranium to 20%, which is in breach of the 2018 Iran deal. However, the EU plans to work with Iran to return to the deal instead of see it crumble. Iran did note that “the actions was ‘fully reversible.’”
• UK hospitals stagger as new virus variant takes huge toll
  UK under a six-week lockdown, the third lockdown during the pandemic, in order to lessen the effects of the virus, which is overwhelming the UK medical system. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the lockdown will be reviewed in mid-February, by when most at-risk populations should have received a first dose of the vaccine.

2020

Week of December 17, 2020

• Going ‘the extra mile’: UK, EU keep up Brexit trade talks
  The UK and EU agreed to keep talking pas their self-imposed deadline before the no-deal Brexit cliff. Recent talks haven’t yielded any compromise, so many on each side question why add more negotiating days without the prospect of movement. It is possible, even with this extension, that January 1, 2021 will see some trade disruptions.
• Conservationists: Bisons revive, freshwater dolphins dwindle
  The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) noted that the European bison has strengthened in numbers. This information was released as part of the IUCN’s “red list,” which assesses the population of threatened and pre-extinction species. The European bison is the largest land mammal in Europe. The bison population was extinct in the wild due to hunting. “Reintroduction efforts began in the 1950s, and today 47 free-ranging herds now roam the continent.”
• EU leaders agree to reduce emissions after all-night talks
  A last-minute deal was reached among the EU member states “…to cut the bloc’s net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by the end of the decade compared with 1990 levels…” This was a critical agreement after consensus couldn’t be reached at the October meeting, and it comes the day before a weekend summit to mark the 5-years since the Paris Agreement.
• France’s Christmas gift to care home residents: More freedom
  France is allowing care home residents to visit family outside of the retirement home, if they are Covid free, or have up to two visitors in their room if they are Covid positive. The relaxed restrictions are in effect from December 13, 2020- January 3, 2021 for the holidays.
• Barcelona concert tests use of same-day COVID-19 screening
  In a scientific study to test the effectiveness of same-day antigen tests, 500 people were allowed to attend an in-door, 5-hour concert. All participants had to wear masks, but social distancing was not required. The test will be used to determine if large cultural events can take place. The antigen tests are not as effective as the PCR tests, which the participants took prior to the concert and will take 8-days after the concert. Scientists are trying to determine if someone “got pass” the antigen test and infected others.

Week of December 10, 2020

• UK, EU leaders to meet Wednesday amid Brexit no-deal signals
  Boris Johnson headed to Brussels on Wednesday to meet with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, with the intent of coming to an agreement regarding post-Brexit trade with the EU. December 31 marks the end of the post-Brexit transition period- if no agreement between the two parties is reached before the end of the year, the UK will officially be ejected from the European single market and customs union. This carries numerous economic consequences for both the UK and EU, namely tarriffs and quotas on goods traded between the two parties.
• Jacques Jordaens: Baroque masterpiece found in Brussels town hall
  A painting depicting the Holy Family that hung for over 60 years in Saint-Gilles town hall has been authenticated as the work of Flemish master Jacques Jordaens. The authentication was aided by examination of the painting’s wooden panel, which revealed the Saint-Gilles piece is the oldest known version of the composition. Examination also revealed that Jordaens and Baroque master Anthony van Dyck were both active in the studio of famed Dutch master Peter Paul Rubens, according to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels. This particular painting was long believed to be a copy, making the authentication especially monumental.
• France: 5 dead after rescue helicopter crashes in the Alps
  5 members of the French Air Rescue and Service Aerien Francais (SAF) perished after a rescue helicopter crashed in Savoy, France during a training mission. The pilot survived the crash, but remains in critical condition. French authorities have announced an investigation into the cause of the crash. Jean Castex, the French PM, tweeted Tuesday that the deaths of these rescue personnel leave “a whole nation in mourning.”
• Tesla: German court halts factory plan over snake and lizard habitats
  Tesla has been ordered by a German court to suspend preparations for a car factory near Berlin, out of concern that construction would endanger the habitats of native snakes and lizards. The decision is yet another in an ongoing legal dispute between Tesla and two environmental groups: the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) and Green League. Environmentalists argue that construction in that area would destroy the habitats of local sand lizards and smooth snakes, both of which are protected species. Local German courts have previously ordered Tesla construction to halt on other sites for similar environmental concerns.
• Shakespeare gets COVID vaccine: All’s well that ends well
  William Shakespeare, 81, was the second person to receive the COVID-19 vaccine outside of a clinical trial on Tuesday. His was one of the 800,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be dispensed in the UK in coming weeks. News of Shakespeare’s vaccination prompted a flurry of puns on Twitter and in coverage by news outlets, a welcome bit of humor lightening pandemic news

Week of December 3, 2020

• Belarus protesters gather in Minsk districts, hundreds arrested
  At least 300 protestors were detained following a series of demonstrations in the suburbs of Minsk, Belarus. Sunday’s demonstrations mark the latest in a rash of protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that began in August, following a highly disputed election. Opposition protestors have faced mass arrests, and staged a series of smaller demonstrations throughout the districts of Minsk in an attempt to thwart mass deployment of riot police. Local news outlets report at least 20 separate demonstrations throughout the Belarusian capital’s districts.
• Scores of nuns contract coronavirus at German convent
  A convent in the German city of Thuine has been under quarantine since Friday, November 27, after multiple nuns tested positive for the coronavirus. As of Tuesday, 75 of the convent’s nuns had tested positive, while a further 85 had tested negative. The results of more tests are pending, but so far the cases have been reported to be mild. Convent leadership is consulting with German health authorities who initially ordered the quarantine, as the closure affects the operation of day-schools and a boarding school run by the convent.
• Scottish leader says she could seek 2021 independence vote
  On Monday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she hopes to pursue a referendum on Scottish independence as soon as next year. A previous referendum was held in 2014, with “remain” narrowly winning- 55% to 45%. Following the fallout from Brexit, which the majority of Scots voted against, along with the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic, support for an independant Scotland has grown. Approval from the U.K. government is required for any future referendum to be binding; Sturgeon has not indicated what action she will take if the U.K. refuses to grant a referendum.
• Europe’s medical agency eyes safety of two COVID-19 vaccines
  The EU’s medicine regulatory body, the European Medicines Agency, announced Tuesday that it will hold a meeting regarding the efficacy and safety of coronavirus vaccinations on December 29. Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine will be reviewed by the EMA to determine whether there is sufficient data for the approval process to move forward. Moderna Inc’s vaccine could be approved as soon as mid-January, the agency says. Both vaccines utilize new technology that relies on mRNA in order to trigger an immune response.
• French government drops draft law curbing filming of police
  In a news conference Monday, the leader of France’s ruling party announced that a controversial security bill will be “completely rewritten.” The announcement follows Saturday’s mass protests, in which tens of thousands marched throughout France in opposition to the law’s controversial Article 24. Dozens were injured in clashes with the police in Paris as they marched against Article 24, which critics warn would allow police to prevent civilians and journalists from documenting police abuses.

Week of November 19, 2020

• “Ancient Greek god’s bust found during Athens sewage work” A bust of the ancient Greek god Hermes, in good condition, was unearthed during work on Athens’ sewage system this past Friday. The Greek Ministry of Culture estimates that the bust is from the 3rd century BCE and likely served as a street marker before being built into a drainage duct. This particular bust is unique in that it depicts Hermes as a mature man, in contrast to typically youthful portrayals of the god.
• “Moldovan Election: Pro-EU candidate Maia Sandu wins presidency” Following a run-off election, preliminary results indicate that Maia Sandu has won the Moldovan presidency. Sandu, a former World Bank economist and vocal proponent of closer ties between Moldova and the European Union, defeated the incumbent candidate by upwards of 10 points. She may face difficulty upon assuming the office of President, however, as her opposition party lack a majority in parliament.
• “Open Arms rescue ship brings 255 migrants to Italy” Humanitarian vessel Open Arms, operated by the Spanish NGO of the same name, delivered 184 adult and 71 child migrants to Sicily on Saturday. The refugees will undergo a two week quarantine to ensure they are not carrying COVID-19. Open Arms is the only humanitarian vessel to operate in international waters near Libya, monitoring and rescuing migrant vessels in distress. Passage by sea from Northern Africa to Italy is particularly perilous: this week alone, a hundred migrants have drowned in attempts to make it to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea.
• “Belgian racing pigeon sells for 1.6 million Euro at auction” A female pigeon named New Kim sold for nearly 2 million Euro at auction in France this week, with a wealthy Chinese businessman entering the winning bid. New Kim won titles in 2018 for pigeon racing, a hobby rooted in Dutch and Belgian working-class culture that has recently found popularity among China’s growing upper class. The previous record price for a racing pigeon was 1.25 million euro, set last year by the sale of a male pigeon to the same buyer that purchased New Kim.
• “Scents of history: study hopes to recreate smells of old Europe” A 2.8 million Euro project to identify and possibly recreate scents from Europe’s past is scheduled to begin work in January. With cooperation between historians, artificial intelligence experts, and scientists, the project (named “Odeuropa”) first plans to develop AI to identify descriptions and depictions of scents in historical documents and art. This information will enable Odeuropa to develop a digital library or encyclopedia of the distinctly European scents and their associated cultural impacts that were present from the 16th to 20th centuries.