As Hanukkah ends, local governments look to combat antisemitism
On the evening of December 15, as the sun sets early, many Jewish Europeans mark the last day of Hanukkah.
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Society
Latest reporting and analysis on society.
Parties unite to push for Frisian language
Friesland, Netherlands. The Dutch government is not the only body that is set for renewal this winter.
Bulgaria dismantles monumental reminder of Soviet Army
Bulgaria has started taking down a 45-metre monument to the Soviet Union's army that had dominated the skyline of Sofia for almost 70 years.
MEPs scupper ‘geo-blocking’ film and TV streaming crackdown in last-minute reversal
MEPs have shot down a proposed ban on “geo-blocking” film and television programmes within the European Union at the last minute, voting through an amendment…
Albania’s Constitutional Court freezes migrant deal with Italy
The Albanian Constitutional Court has prevented the Parliament in Tirana from discussing or ratifying an asylum agreement forged by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama…
Expats falling out of love with Brussels
Brussels has a growing number of problems and is less and less popular among expats, according to surveys
Dinant: so compact and convenient you could almost fit it in your pocket
Dinant, Belgium. OK, even though Dinant is one of the most beautiful small towns in Belgium, admittedly it isn’t quite that small to fit in a pocket.
You’re a fraud, honey! European Parliament cereal killers come after breakfast
The cereal regulators sitting in the European Parliament have voted in favour of tighter restrictions on breakfast foodstuffs.
Polish far-right firebrand MP expelled from Parliament after dousing Hanukkah candles with extinguisher
Polish Confederation party MP Grzegorz Braun caused outrage in Parliament by taking a fire extinguisher off the wall and using it to snuff out Hanukkah candles,…
Sunak survives as revolt fails to materialise; UK Parliament approves second Rwanda bill
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has survived a crucial vote in Parliament to see his revised Rwanda bill move forward.
Why is Airbnb so at home with new Brussels regulations?
While many industries would rather Brussels keep its hands off their affairs, US-based rental platform Airbnb has raised eyebrows by celebrating its own European…
Left-wing Australian Government moves to fix ‘broken’ migration system
Australia's Labour Government said its current migration system is "broken" and it wants to cut its migrant intake “in half” over the next two years.
French Parliament torpedoes ‘strict’ new migration law
In what is seen as a painful blow to French President Emmanuel Macron’s standing, a bill that seeks to better control immigration and improve integration has been…
President of Veneto, Italy, supports foundation to fight femicide
Veneto, Italy Luca Zaia, President of Veneto region has said that his region is ready to support a foundation to combat femicide.
Push against geo-blocking ‘will hammer Europe’s entertainment industry’, sector warns
Attempts to ban the “geo-blocking” of audio-visual content within the European Union will hurt the bloc's entertainment industry, that sector has warned.
Austria planning ‘Air Schengen’ compromise for Romania and Bulgaria
Austrian interior minister Gerhard Karner said he is ready to ease the country's veto on Romania and Bulgaria entering the Schengen agreement, according to media…
UK Spouse Visas: reform petition hits 5,700 signatories in 48 hours
A storm has erupted following the UK Conservative Government’s move to ramp up the financial requirements Britons must fulfil if they wish to return to live in…
EXPLAINER: What Ukraine needs to do to keep its EU membership bid alive
The European Union's 27 leaders could decide at a summit this week whether to launch formal membership talks with Ukraine, a step that would provide a much-needed…
Is the short-lived Morawiecki government undemocratic?
On Monday November 27, Polish President Andrzej Duda appointed a new government led by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, expected to last only until Monday (December…
Pirates’ MEPs pull support for EU Digital ID plan over ‘mass surveillance’ fears
"Over-identification will gradually erode our right to use digital services anonymously. Mark Zuckerberg should have no right to see our ID!"
Russian-speaking Finns claim border closure is a violation of their human rights
After Finland closed its Eastern border with Russia following a spike in illegal migration, Russian-speaking Finns now say their human rights are being violated.
AfD in Saxony classified as ‘extremist’
The State Office for the Protection of the Constitution Saxony (SOPCS) has designated the right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party an “extremist”…
EU watchdog demands ban on Facebook and Instagram ‘behavioural advertising’
The European Union's data protection watchdog has demanded Facebook and Instagram owner Meta be banned from processing user data for “behavioural advertising”.
UK immigration minister quits, calling PM Sunak’s Rwanda bill a ‘triumph of hope over experience’
Amid the ongoing immigrants’ small-boats saga that has long been dogging the Conservative-led UK Government, immigration minister Robert Jenrick has suddenly quit.
Albanian opposition wants to block asylum agreement with Italy in the courts
The centre-right Democratic Party (DP) in Albania is going to the country’s Constitutional Court to fight an asylum agreement between the progressive Albanian…
Spain’s Puigdemont locks horns with EU’s Borrell again, this time over ‘sexist speech’
Spanish Junts leader Carles Puigdemont has grilled the European Commission on "sexist speech" by Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat.
No backbone? No protection: Octopuses left high and dry under EU law
Octopus species are not protected under animal welfare rights in European Union law, the European Commission has confirmed.
My UK immigration ‘love tax’ nightmare – plus update
Brussels Signal sub-editor Chris Nelson fears new immigration rules mean he will have to choose between living with his wife in the Philippines or his family in…
UK signs new asylum-relocation treaty with Rwanda
A new treaty between the UK and Rwanda has been signed in response to a British Supreme Court ruling declaring the Conservative Government’s controversial Rwanda…
Reliving the Odyssey among Greece’s vast island network
Few people appreciate just how enormous Greece’s network of islands is.