Europe

Germany moves to tighten immigration and citizenship laws …………….. Germany’s Cabinet has approved a bill introduced by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to limit family reunification rights for certain refugees, DW reported. A separate draft law was also endorsed, aiming to…

A massive section of the Birch Glacier in the Swiss Alps collapsed on Wednesday, triggering a catastrophic mudslide that buried nearly 90% of the village of Blatten in Valais, The Guardian reported. Authorities confirmed one person missing as debris engulfed…

French lawmakers in the lower house approved a bill on Tuesday to legalise assisted dying, a step toward allowing terminally ill individuals to end their lives. According to Reuters, the National Assembly passed the bill with 305 votes in favor…

Spain is experiencing an intense heatwave as May ends, with temperatures forecast to reach 40°C in parts of the south, around 10°C above seasonal norms, The Guardian reported. According to Rubén del Campo from Spain’s meteorological agency, Aemet, the unusual…

A genetic study reveals Spain’s 1609–1614 expulsion of 300,000 Moriscos (converted Muslims) drastically reduced North African ancestry in Iberia, Informed Consent reported. Researchers analyzed DNA from four historical periods, finding significant Berber and Arab genetic ties before and during Muslim…

Catalonia’s ruling Junts party has sparked controversy by supporting a ban on Islamic headscarves in schools, alongside prohibitions on burqas in public spaces. The move, announced last Tuesday, cites “gender equality” and “public security” justifications but faces accusations of Islamophobia.…

Denmark’s parliament passed a bill Thursday to gradually raise the retirement age to 70 by 2040—the highest in Europe—with 81 votes in favor and 21 against, Anadolu Agency reported. The law applies to those born after January 1, 1971, following…

A coalition of nine EU countries—Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland—has called for a renewed dialogue on how the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is applied, particularly regarding migration policies, Anadolu Agency reported.…

Sweden’s Security Service (SAPO) has downgraded the national terrorist threat level from “high” to “elevated,” returning to pre-2023 levels following tensions over Quran burnings, Al Arabiya reported. The decision announced Friday reflects decreased targeting of Sweden specifically in militant propaganda,…

Spain’s parliament passed a non-binding motion on Tuesday urging the government to impose an arms embargo on Israel in response to its military actions in Gaza, Anadolu Agency reported. The motion, introduced by the leftist Sumar alliance and backed by…