News: Europe

Immigration

Germans increasingly prejudiced against foreigners, Muslims Xenophobia is on the rise in Germany, in particular in its eastern states, according to a new study. What's more, an increased affinity for authoritarianism in the country could pose a threat to democracy.

November 7, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) More than one out of three Germans believes foreigners only come to the country to exploit the welfare state, a study on authoritarian attitudes in Germany says. Almost one out of two people in eastern Germany believes this to be […]

Crime

German lawmakers push for Syrian refugee deportations In the wake of a rape case involving Syrians in Germany, conservative lawmakers are demanding the government re-evaluate the security situation in Syria. Criminal refugees should be able to be deported, they say.

November 5, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) Who wants to deport refugees from Germany to Syria? The rape of a young woman in the southwestern city of Freiburg has reignited the debate over deporting criminal asylum-seekers. At least seven Syrian men and one German man are suspected […]

Government & Politics

German Jews call for anti-Semitism classes for Muslim immigrants Germany's federation of Jews says Muslim immigrants need special classes to counter anti-Semitic beliefs. They also condemned the AfD for normalizing anti-Semitism in Germany.

November 5, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Central Council of Jews on Sunday called for combating anti-Semitism among new Muslim immigrants through education. Vice President Abraham Lehrer told the Protestant Press Service that he expects anti-Semitism among immigrants to become more of a problem as they become […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Tory vice-chair Kemi Badenoch says ‘political motive’ to Islamophobia call Conservative rising star Kemi Badenoch is rebuked by a Tory peer for dismissing the demands of the Muslim Council of Britain.

November 4, 2018   

(Sky News) A high-ranking Tory has suggested demands for an inquiry into allegations of Islamophobia within the party have a “political motive,” prompting a backlash from a Conservative peer. Party vice chair and Saffron Walden MP Kemi Badenoch, considered a rising star […]

Government & Politics

Austria rejects UN migration pact

October 30, 2018   

(AFP) Austria said Wednesday it will not sign a United Nations migration pact that is set to be adopted in December, in order to “defend its national sovereignty.” The United States and Hungary have already rejected the Global Compact for Migration, which […]

Moderation & Reform

Battling Salafism on Germany’s streets Saloua Mohammed's most important tool in the fight against Salafism is listening — to parents whose kids radicalize online, to youth who rave about Salafism, and to women returning to Germany after fighting alongside IS.

October 26, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) “Let’s see who is going to win in the end, shall we?” social worker Saloua Mohammed says. “They won’t get my youths that easily.” “They” are radical Salafists: ultraconservative Muslims who interpret the Quran literally, live their faith the way […]

Legal

The German who went from left-wing terrorist to Salafist sympathizer Bernhard Falk is no stranger to prisons. A convicted leftist terrorist, he spent 12 years behind bars. Now he looks after imprisoned Islamists. Germany's domestic intelligence agency considers him a danger to society.

October 25, 2018 and   

(Deutsche Welle) One of the advantages of a constitutional state that ensures the rule of law is that it also applies those rights to people who deeply reject it. Even those who want to abolish the democratic system and fight by force […]

Children & Teens

Germany ‘ignoring’ ECJ ruling on refugee reunification Media reports have accused Germany of disregarding a ruling from the EU's top court on the rights of unaccompanied minors to be joined by their families. The key point is the minor's age during the asylum process.

October 24, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) In mid-April, the European Union’s supreme court in matters of EU law ruled that unaccompanied minors could bring in their families, even if they had come of age during the asylum process. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that […]

Books

Abu Dujana: The Salafi preacher For years, the organization 'The True Religion' provided a rallying point for radical Muslims in Germany — some of whom left to join IS. Naomi Conrad met Abu Dujana, one of the movement's most prominent Salafi preachers.

October 24, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) There was nothing remarkable about the friendly, polite man with the long, dark beard, sporting a grey hoodie and blue jeans. Nothing, at first sight that is, to distinguish him from the young parents pushing prams and students milling around […]

Banks & Banking

Paypal halts services for UK charity with alleged ties to terrorism The termination of Paypal's service for War on Want means that people who choose to donate to the organization can no longer do so through PayPal.

October 23, 2018   

(Jerusalem Post) PayPal stopped providing services to War on Want, a UN NGO, after UK Lawyers for Israel, a pro-Israel consortium of lawyers, provided evidence to PayPal claiming to show that the charity had ties with terrorist organizations. UK Lawyers for Israel […]