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EU Nations Battle Over the Istanbul Convention
October 09, 2020
European Union institutions and member states spent Tuesday arguing in court over the legality of the Istanbul Convention, a 2014 treaty that requires States Parties to prevent and punish “all acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women.” with thirteen of the Council’s 47 member states, including Hungary and the UK, refusing to sign the convention over concerns the treaty threatens traditional family values and oversteps EU law.
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Finance Ministers Back EU Coronavirus Recovery Fund
October 06, 2020
Despite concerns that restrictions on uses of the money could slow payouts, ministers backed a bill to create the EU coronavirus recovery fund, clearing the way for EU ambassadors to sign off on the text and open European Council talks with the European Parliament on a final form of the legislation.
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European Court Imposes Duty on State to Prevent Potential Harm from Specific Credible Threat of Gun Violence
October 05, 2020
In a major case involving state responsibility for foreseeing and preventing gun violence, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that, in failing to properly investigate a known possible occurrence of school-based gun violence, Finland violated its duty under the European Convention on Human Rights to protect the right to life of potential victims.
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French President to Invigorate Fight against "Islamist Separatism"
October 05, 2020
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that he will fight "Islamist Separatism" in France, where homegrown Islamist militancy has shown signs of radicalization within Muslim communities, including the refusal of Muslim men to shake women’s hands, swimming pools that impose alternate time slots for men and women, girls being told to wear full-face veils, and a proliferation of ‘madrassa’ religious school
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Britain has Offered the EU a Transition Period for European Fishing Fleets
October 01, 2020
The Guardian reports that Britain has offered the EU a three-year transition period for European fishing fleets to allow them to prepare for post-Brexit changes, allowing the catches of EU fishermen to be phased down by 2024 to allow enough time for European coastal communities to adapt.