Tag Archives: British Isles & Western Europe

Religion + Belief
Three women’s flight from English town to join ISIS prompts renewed soul-searching about radicalization causes in Britain
  • The sisters left the northern town of Bradford with their nine children for a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, but are believed to have traveled to Syria to join the group.
  • Muslims represent around a quarter* of the population in the ethnically diverse working-class town that has encountered a number of economic struggles recently.
  • While PM David Cameron has announced tough crackdowns on those spreading extremist messages–including the closure of mosques–some community advocates find the measures are not combating the root causes of alienation and exclusion from opportunity afflicting the British Muslim community.

“It’s disturbing, because we’ve got young family of our own. We have to keep an eye on them, who they are associating with. At one time we were worried about lads on the street corner selling drugs. Now this is a bigger shock. Where does it end?”

More on this story at Reuters.

(Image Credit: Phil Noble/Reuters)

*Corrected (6/20) to accurately reflect the Muslim population proportion in Bradford.

Nationality + Migration
Italy PM calls for EU asylum rule revision as his country struggles with migrant influx
  • PM Matteo Renzi has called for a change in the Dublin II regulation, which stipulates that refugees must apply for asylum in the country of entry, as neighboring states France and Austria tighten their border controls.
  • With Southern European states like Italy and Greece bearing the brunt of the historic trans-Mediterranean migration taking place, Renzi argues the regulation is standing in the way of other countries bearing their fair share of incoming refugees.
  • Renzi criticized the EU’s proposed refugee distribution plan that will relocate 24,000 from Italy and 16,000 from Greece to other countries in the European bloc.

“Migration is a serious issue and – let’s be frank – the answers that Europe is giving are insufficient. Relocating only 24,000 people is almost a provocation.”

More on this story at Deutsche Welle.

(Image Credit: via Deutsche Welle)

Age, Nationality + Migration
Luxembourg citizenship reform moves slowly through policy channels as policymakers continue retooling requirements
  • Proposals put forth in Parliament include automatic citizenship rights for Luxembourger youth turning 18 who have resided in the country for at least five years, lowered residency requirements for non-nationals from seven to five years, and the abolition of language testing for non-nationals in residence for at least 20 years.
  • Despite being announced in 2014, the Justice Ministry’s proposals have yet to be made public or completed.
  • A recent poll indicates that the Luxembourgish public is not in favor of the eased pathways to citizenship.

More on this story at the Luxembourg Wort.

(Image Credit: Anouk Antony/Luxembourg Wort)

Nationality + Migration
U.K. PM David Cameron proposes new restrictions on non-EU skilled-worker immigration
  • With non-EU migration to the U.K. having increased to 290,000 in 2014, Cameron has proposed increasing the base salary threshold, further restricting eligible job functions and industries, and a “skills levy” on companies hiring non-nations to be put towards domestic apprenticeships.
  • Net migration stands at 318,000 and Cameron’s government hopes to get it below 100,000.
  • Some in the business community have complained that the government’s anti-immigration stance hurts the country’s global competitiveness and economic growth.

“We understand the public’s concerns around immigration, but limiting highly skilled workers from coming to the UK is not the answer. They bring their skills and ideas to this country, pay their taxes here and boost growth. We need to keep up-skilling our population, but at the same time as attracting the best and brightest global talent.”

More on this story at BBC.

(Image Credit: BBC)

Nationality + Migration
Aspirational emigration, not violence or economic destitution, is sending large numbers of Senegalese abroad in search of opportunity
  • Senegal has seen a 123% emigration rate increase versus the same time period last year, with 1,187 leaving for destinations such as France (its former colonizer), Morocco, Latin America, and Turkey.
  • Senegalese emigrants, who have at times outnumbered refugees from war-torn countries like Syria and Eritrea along Mediterranean migration routes, are leaving a politically stable, economically growing country that has seen great improvements in citizens’ standard of living.
  • Remittances from abroad have comprised an increasing share of Senegal’s economy, allowing for the infrastructural improvements driving Senegal’s success.

“People don’t go because they have nothing, they go because they want better and more. It’s aspiration. …What is happening now is not that different from the time of slavery. We are losing the arms we need to build this country.”

More on this story at The Wall Street Journal.

(Image Credit: Mackenzie Knowles-Coursin/The Wall Street Journal)

Race + Color + Ethnicity
English primary schools see enrollment levels not experienced since the 1970s as the ethnic minority child population continues to increase
  • Primary-school enrollment has grown by nearly 100,000 (2.1%) in the last year, with an increase by 10 since 2014 to 87 schools that now have at least 800 pupils.
  • Minority children make up 71% of the increase, bringing the total enrollment proportion to 30.4% of students.
  • With enrollment projected to grow by 460,000 over the next five years, the government has announced increased funding to protect per-capita spending and exert downward pressure on class size.

More on this story at BBC.

(Image Credit: BBC)

Sexual + Gender Minorities
Ireland’s gender identity bill moves away from medical to self-declarative model for legal recognition for transpeople.
  • The change in the bill applies to those over the age of 18 seeking to legally change their gender.
  • The bill also removes a “forced divorce” clause dissolving a marriage if one of the partners transitions.
  • In allowing for self-declaration, the bill hopes to separate civil registration and medical treatment considerations for trans individuals.

“Throughout the drafting of this Bill, I have listened carefully to the views of individual citizens, representative groups and public representatives. It is essential that this important legislation is in line with international best practice.”

More on this story at PinkNews.

Religion + Belief
Belgian town sees interfaith support as Muslim community raises funds to help Jewish community reopen shuttered synagogue.
  • Despite not having a permanent mosque of their own, local Muslims rallied to provide the Synagogue d’Arlon, the oldest Jewish house of worship in the country, with €2,400 in assistance after it was shuttered because of structural problems.
  • The funds were presented at an interfaith roundtable discussion on “Living Together” bringing together local religious and secular leaders.

“Jews and Muslims have lived together for centuries. Do you know that the first hydraulic clock was invented by a Jew so that Muslims can observe prayer times? Imams in France protected Jews during war. It is regrettable that religions are used for political purposes and sow discord between men.”

More on this story at the Huffington Post.

(Image Credit: Association of Muslims of Arlon, via The Huffington Post)

Health + Ability
U.K. High Court rules the delay in disability payments by the Work and Pensions Secretary “unlawful and unacceptable.”
  • Two unnamed claimants filed suit claiming delays in personal independence payments (PIPS) breached common law and human rights.
  • The Court ruled against the human rights claim.
  • Recent figures suggest 78,700 claims await processing to determine eligibility for PIPS.

More on this story at the International Business Times.

(Image Credit: Reuters, via the International Business Times)

Sexual + Gender Minorities
Although same-sex marriage is not recognized in Northern Ireland, the Belfast City Council votes in support of changing the law.
  • Councillors vote 38-13 in favor of legalization.
  • Though the vote doesn’t have any legal effects, supporters hope it will help spur the Northern Ireland Assembly to become the last country in the British Isles to legalize the union.
  • Homosexuality was decriminalized in Northern Ireland in 1982, a decade before the Republic of Ireland, where same-sex marriage is now legal.

More on this story at Belfast Telegraph.

Gender, Nationality + Migration
Pop-up restaurant Mazi Mas’s open menu creates unique opportunities for immigrant women in London.
  • Founder/CEO Nikandre Kopcke, himself German and Greek-American, offers not only work opportunity but also entrepreneurial lessons to its workers.
  • Women from Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Iran, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, and Turkey have worked with Mazi Mas.
  • Kopcke hopes for international expansion, including to Berlin and hopefully New York.

More on this story at Gulf News.

Image Source: Bloomberg, via Gulf News

Sexual + Gender Minorities

Ireland’s Equality Minister works to secure LGBT employment anti-discrimination legislation for schools and hospitals before the start of the new school year. More from The Irish Times.

Sexual + Gender Minorities

Report from Equality Network finds nearly half of UK bisexual people have experienced biphobia when attempting to access services in the UK. More from The Scotsman.

Health + Ability

Euthanasia debate in the UK grows as MPs take up assisted-suicide bills and those with chronic, terminal illnesses fight for the right to death on their own terms.  More from VICE.