EU Foreign Policy

#Eurosphere – Romania President rejects Muslim Sevil Shhaideh as PM, Romanian left proposes new PM candidate…

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Romania President rejects Muslim Sevil Shhaideh as PM  BBC News | Europe | World Edition   Romania’s president rejects a candidate who would have been the country’s first female, Muslim PM. [Ticker] Romanian left proposes new PM candidate EUobserver.com – Headline News   Romania’s social democrats have nominated former telecommunications minister Sorin Grindeanu for prime minister, a … Read more

#Eurosphere “A Muslim woman as Romania’s head of government?

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Romania readies itself for first female and first Muslim prime minister EurActiv.com by Samuel Morgan   Romania could appoint its first female and first Muslim prime minister after the Social Democratic Party (PSD) put its support behind Sevil Shhaideh, in a shock move following the Eastern European country’s 11 December elections. EurActiv Romania reports. Debate: A Muslim … Read more

#Eurosphere “Europe’s top court says UK surveillance rules are unconstitutional…

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Europe’s top court says UK surveillance rules are unconstitutional Boing Boing by Cory Doctorow   Last July, the European Court of Jutice’s Advocate General ruled that the UK’s mass surveillance regime was unconstitutional, triggering an appeal to the ECJ itself, which has affirmed that under European law, governments cannot order retention of all communications data; they … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “EU wants to know if Facebook lied about Whatsapp…

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EU wants to know if Facebook lied about Whatsapp EUobserver.com – Headline News   Facebook said in 2014 that linking WhatsApp’s phone numbers with Facebook was not possible. In 2016, it became possible, and it happened. Idiocraski: the apocalyptic situation in Poland after a year of trumpism Boing Boing by Cory Doctorow   It’s been a year … Read more

Europshere agenda: Berlin lorry attack :(

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Berlin lorry attack: Man films chaos moments after truck hits BBC News | Europe | World Edition   An eyewitness describes filming “horrible scenes” moments after a lorry ploughed into a Christmas market in Berlin. Berlin Christmas market attack ‘affects all Europe’ EurActiv.com by Frédéric Simon French President François Hollande and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker sent … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “EU’s Galileo satellite system goes live after 17 years

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EU’s Galileo satellite system goes live after 17 years  BBC News | Europe | World Edition   Europe launches its long-delayed Galileo satellite system, aiming to be the world’s most accurate. Romania: a social democratic anomaly in eastern Europe? open Democracy News Analysis – by Cornel Ban   Romania should be the ideal playground for right-populist parties, … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Polish protesters block parliament over press freedom…

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Polish protesters block parliament over press freedom  BBC News | Europe | World Editio   Crowds blockade the Polish parliament in Warsaw in a protest over press freedom. Italy: President names Paolo Gentilo new prime minister  AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (IN DEPTH)   Following Matteo Renzi’s resignation over referendum defeat, foreign minister is tasked with forming a new … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Banks fined £413m over euro rate rigging…

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Banks fined £413m over euro rate rigging  BBC News | Europe | World Edition HSBC, JPMorgan and Credit Agricole fined €485m (£413m) for rigging a key interest rate between 2005 and 2008. Four EU states among world’s worst tax havens  EUobserver.com – Headline News Cyprus, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are among the 15 worst centres for … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Geert Wilders found guilty of hate speech…

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Manuel Valls: Tough-talker with French presidential ambitions EurActiv.com When two journalists published the book ‘A President Shouldn’t Say That’ which quotes François Hollande disparaging judges, insulting footballers and revealing state secrets, Prime Minister Manuel Valls could not hide his “shame” and “anger”. Geert Wilders hits back at guilty verdict BBC News | Europe | World Edition A … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “UK and six other nations face legal action over Volkswagen emissions…

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  Volkswagen emissions: UK and six other nations face legal action  BBC News | Europe | World Edition The EU is taking legal action against the UK and six other nations for failing to take – or consider taking – action against Volkswagen. [Ticker] EU slaps €485m fine on ‘cartel’ banks  EUobserver.com – Headline News The EU … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Austria elections disrupts the global right-wing tide, While Italy referendum vote leads to Renzi’s resignation…

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Austria election: Van der Bellen promises to be “pro-European” president BBC News | Europe | World Edition Newly-elected Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen promises to be “pro-European” and open-minded. [Analysis] Austrian far-right beaten but not defeated EUobserver.com – Headline News Far-right candidate Norbert Hofer’s loss to Green-backed Alexander Van der Bellen sent relief across Europe, but … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Pirate Party asked to try to form government in Iceland…

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Iceland election: Pirate Party asked to try to form government BBC News | Europe | World Edition Iceland’s Pirate Party is asked by the president to try to form a new government, after snap elections. France presidency: Francois Hollande decides not to run again  BBC News | Europe | World Edition In a surprise move Francois Hollande … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Europe’s pupils bad at maths debated… Belgian beer culture added to UNESCO’s heritage list…

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Belgian beer culture added to UNESCO’s heritage list EurActiv.com by Georgi Gotev Beer culture in Belgium was inscribed yesterday (30 November) on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Debate: Why are Europe’s pupils bad at maths? euro|topics Ever four years the Timss Study tests the mathematics skills of grade four pupils around the … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Commission won’t call Castro a dictator…”French primaries…

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Commission won’t call Castro a dictator  EUobserver.com – Headline News The EU executive says that a statement decribing the former Cuban leader as a “hero for many” is balanced and suggests that the use of the word dictator by a commissioner doesn’t reflect its position. France’s next President could be an Islamophobic “Thatcherite” who wants to dismantle … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Martin Schulz to run in German election, leaving EU parliament

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Martin Schulz to run in German election, leaving EU parliament  BBC News | Europe | World Edition The head of the European Parliament is to return to German national politics next year. The Brief: Schulz gives up European Parliament to return to politics EurActiv.com by James Crisp Martin Schulz is giving up the European Parliament to return … Read more