Issued on: 22/09/2019 - 18:54Modified: 22/09/2019 - 18:55 Tens of thousands marched in Slovakia's capital on Sunday calling for a total ban on abortions in the predominantly Catholic central European country. Abortion laws in Slovakia are relatively liberal compared to those in countries like Poland or Malta, which have among the strictest laws in the European Union and often allow them only in cases like rape.In Slovakia, on-demand abortions are legal up until 12 weeks of a pregnancy while abortions for health reasons are allowed until 24 weeks.Conservative and far-right lawmakers want to allow them only to up to six or eight weeks of pregnancy or ban them outright, and parliament starts debating draft laws to restrict abortions this month.It is unclear if the proposals will become law since the ruling Smer - a leftist, socially conservative party - and junior centre-right Slovak National Party in the government, have not said whether they will back any of them.Abortions have … [Read more...] about Tens of thousands march for ban on abortions in Slovakia
Europe
Greek Cyprus makes nearly 1B euros annually on golden visas
Greek Cyprus rakes in 914 million euros annually by awarding citizenship to so-called investors, the second most lucrative golden visa program in the European Union, despite strong concerns voiced by EU leadership over its vetting methods. Berlin-based Transparency International said in a report in October 2019 that the Greek Cypriot administration had raised 4.8 billion euros from its golden visa scheme. According to the report, only Spain raises more annually with Spain 1 billion euros per year from applicants. German journalist Michael Martens of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung put Greek Cyprus' earnings at a higher figure, reporting Sunday that the administration had earned over 6.5 billion euros in the past five years. The visas give purported investors the right to settle in any EU country and have been criticized as a gateway to Europe not only for the super-rich but also for money launderers and other exploiters. The Greek Cypriot scheme is particularly lenient in its … [Read more...] about Greek Cyprus makes nearly 1B euros annually on golden visas
Hundreds mourn ‘dead’ glacier at funeral in Switzerland
(CNN)Hundreds of people held a funeral and paid respects to a Swiss glacier that is disappearing as temperatures climb. Pizol glacier in the Glarus Alps, eastern Switzerland, stands at an altitude of about 2,700 meters, and has lost 80-90% of its volume since 2006, leaving behind 26,000 square meters of ice -- less than four football fields -- said Matthias Huss, a glacier specialist at ETH Zurich university. The glacier, which has been monitored since 1893, will be the first to be taken off the Swiss glacier surveillance network, according to Huss. Around 250 people gathered Sunday to hike up to the glacier, where a local priest gave a speech to commemorate the retreating ice, said Alessandra Degiacomi, coordinator of the Swiss Association for Climate Protection and organizer of the funeral march. Experts say the Pizol glacier has effectively disappeared. "Pizol glacier has disappeared. There will be some snow left, but the glacier is no more," Huss told CNN. Read More … [Read more...] about Hundreds mourn ‘dead’ glacier at funeral in Switzerland
Corbyn: UK Could Be Better Off Outside EU With Labour Deal
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has suggested that the UK could be better off outside of the EU while talking to Andrew Marr on Sunday. When asked if it was his view that Britain would be "better off" outside than EU than in, Corbyn replied that it "depends on the agreement you have with the European Union outside." "What I’ve tried to do all along is recognise the result of the referendum and respect it" he added "We have consistently put forward what I believe to be a credible option, which is what we call the five pillars which is the customs union, the trade relationship, protection of consumer, environmental and workers’ rights, and of course, the Good Friday agreement and the peace process" As the 2019 Labour Conference gets into full swing, Corbyn also said this morning that the party should recognise that while the majority of the party voted to remain, the majority of the country voted to leave. He continued, saying that it was important to remember the reasons … [Read more...] about Corbyn: UK Could Be Better Off Outside EU With Labour Deal
Migrants caught ‘posing as volleyball team’
Europe 22 September 2019 Share this with Facebook Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share this with Email Share this with Facebook Share this with WhatsApp Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share Share this with These are external links and will open in a new window Email Share this with Email Facebook Share this with Facebook Messenger Share this with Messenger Messenger Share this with Messenger Twitter Share this with Twitter Pinterest Share this with Pinterest WhatsApp Share this with WhatsApp LinkedIn Share this with LinkedIn Copy this link https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49786370 Read more about sharing. These are external links and will open in a new window Close share panel Related TopicsEurope migrant crisis Ten migrants posing as a volleyball team have been detained at Athens airport after … [Read more...] about Migrants caught ‘posing as volleyball team’