Government & Politics

German court rejects AfD’s complaint over Angela Merkel’s refugee policy Judges on Germany's highest court unanimously threw out legal complaints brought by the AfD. They said far-right lawmakers failed to show how Merkel's 2015 decision to let in refugees was a constitutional violation.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Constitutional Court dismissed three complaints initiated by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) challenging German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s refugee policies in 2015. Judges on the high court unanimously rejected all the cases, which were brought by the AfD’s group […]

Government & Politics

Council of Europe criticizes Greece on Turkish minority Greece had closed associations in Western Thrace as they had word 'Turkish' in their names

(Anadolu) A top European body criticized Greece for not implementing European Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) verdicts on Greece for closing associations of the Turkish minority in the country. Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe’s decisions, published on Thursday, said ten […]

Banks & Banking

‘Everything I have done has always been above board,’ former mortgage lender tells fraud trial Omar Kalair faces numerous charges, including fraud, theft and laundering the proceeds of crime

(CBC) A man accused of misappropriating millions of dollars after his Shariah mortgage lending company went into receivership testified in his own defence in a Toronto courtroom, saying everything he’s done has always been “above board.” Omar Kalair, the former president and […]

Academics & Education

Nearly two-thirds of Quebecers support public-sector ban on religious symbols, poll finds But when asked detailed questions about how to apply the ban, public opinion is more divided

(CBC) Most Quebecers are in favour of banning public-sector workers from wearing religious symbols, according to a CROP poll released ahead of the first legislative session under a Coalition Avenir Québec government. But a separate survey by Vox Pop Labs, conducted following […]

Children & Teens

Pennsylvania does not criminalize female genital mutilation Rep. Thomas Murt has a bill in the pipeline to criminalize anyone who participates in the genital mutilation of a minor

(York Daily Record) A recent federal court decision that held the federal ban against female genital mutilation is unconstitutional may put more pressure on Rep. Thomas P. Murt to get his bill outlawing the practice in Pennsylvania pushed through the general assembly. Pennsylvania is […]

Government & Politics

EU top court rules against Austrian curbs on refugee rights The European Court of Justice ruled against a 2015 regulation that saw Austria give minimal social assistance to refugees. Austria's conservative government has introduced a number of strict immigration cuts recently.

(Deutsche Welle) The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ordered Austria to roll back regulations on Wednesday that saw refugees given markedly less social assistance than native-born Austrians. The ECJ ruled that the Austrian measure from 2015 was not compatible with EU directives […]

Clothing

German state plans to ban religious symbols from courts The state government of Lower Saxony is drafting a law that would ban judges and prosecutors from wearing religious clothing or symbols. Germany's justice minister has welcomed the plans.

(Deutsche Welle) The government of Germany’s state of Lower Saxony plans to ban … judges and prosecutors from wearing religious symbols such as crosses or headscarves in the state’s courtrooms. Promoters of the measure say it is aimed at making clear that judges […]