French mayor bans Palestine flag as ‘riot symbol’ after violent football celebration
A ban on the Palestinian flag in the French town of Chalon-sur-Saône has been instigated by the local mayor.
Culture war
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‘Freedom under attack in the US,’ claims German minister
There was a growing risk of a global culture war amid rising anti-freedom tendencies among world powers, warned Wolfram Weimer, Germany's Minister of State for Culture,…
“I am disappointed they excluded Russia but let Israel in”, says Austrian Eurovision winner
Austria's Eurovision winner Johannes “JJ” Pietsch has come under fire for critical remarks about Israel and equating its war in Gaza with Russia's invasion of…
Statue of Venus removed from Berlin government office after ‘sexism’ complaint by Equal Opportunities Commissioner
An historic sculpture of the Venus de' Medici has been removed from a Berlin government building at the request of equal opportunities officers who argued its presence…
Eurovision contestants spurn English for festival of mother tongues
The May 17 Eurovision final in Basel, Switzerland will see an extraordinary chorus of mother tongues, with 19 of 26 finalists–73 per cent–ditching English to…
Meta takes on European digital rights watchdog over user data for AI training
Tech giant Meta has snubbed a 'cease and desist' request from the European digital rights watchdog over their use of personal data to train AI systems, countering…
‘Ordinary spanking’ row lights up Poland’s marathon presidential election debate
A row over spanking children was the highlight of Poland's marathon televised presidential election debate on May 13 that saw one candidate heatedly accuse another…
Antifascists claim egg attack in bid to thwart MCC think tank conference
'Antifascist' activists have claimed responsibility for an egg attack on Brussel’s Stanhope Hotel on May 12 in protest at a scheduled seminar hosted by Conservative…
Gérard Depardieu found guilty of sexual assault
A Paris court has found French movie star Gérard Depardieu guilty of sexual assault.
Anti-Semitic protests mar Eurovision song contest kickoff
Protesters demanding Israel be excluded from Eurovision overshadowed the 2025 song contest's May 11 opening parade in Basel, Switzerland.
French university has funding cut over its ‘Islamo-leftist drift’
All regional public funding to Lyon 2 University has been cut over concerns about "Islamo-leftist drift" within the institution.
Canton of Zurich offers 90% off for name alterations if combined with change of gender
The Swiss canton of Zurich, an administrative unit of Switzerland, has been offering large discounts on official name changes - if they were combined with a change…
Sweden’s Left Party kicks out MP from group over anti-Semitism accusation
Swedish Left Party MP Lorena Delgado Varas has been expelled from the party's parliamentary group after she made several inflammatory remarks on social media.
Pro-Palestinian protestors target Dutch WW2 liberation commemorations
Pro-Palestinian protesters have disrupted a ceremony commemorating the Netherlands' liberation from Nazi occupation 80 years ago.
Spanish police detain German couple who allegedly kept their kids locked up for years
In Oviedo, the capital of Asturias autonomous region in northern Spain, police have arrested a couple who allegedly kept their three children locked inside their…
More young French people reject heterosexuality and gender ‘norms’
A growing number of young French adults are turning away from heterosexuality and traditional gender roles, according to a new report from the French Institute for…
UK trans former judge to challenge British gender ruling at European court
Britain’s first transgender judge, Victoria McCloud, said she planned to sue the British government at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) following a UK…
The next pope must be a warrior for Christ, not a surrendered soul
As the Catholic Church stands at a crossroads, its throne vacant and its flock besieged, the next pope will not merely shepherd 1.4 billion souls.
French Socialist MP suffers ‘anti-semitic’ insults at rally against Islamophobia
French Socialist MP Jérôme Guedj has been subjected to what appeared to be anti-semitic insults during a rally against Islamophobia.
ECHR orders Poland to recognise same-sex partnerships
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that Poland must provide legal recognition and protection for same-sex unions to meet the country's obligation…
Civilisation needs revival, not a pope who wants Thunberg and a keffiyeh on Jesus
There have been many thoughtful comments about the recently deceased Pope Francis in the pages of Brussels Signal, all of them by people who are better versed in…
French minister refutes court ruling, says Muslim school a ‘bastion of Islamist influence’
French interior minister Bruno Retailleau has challenged the decision to reinstate public funding for the private Averroès Muslim secondary school in Lille following…
Thousands sign petition for women-only compartments on Berlin metro
A petition for compartments for women only on Berlin’s public transport network has received more than 15,000 signatures in just nine days.
Swedish Government wants to criminalise virginity checks
The Swedish Government has said it planned to criminalise virginity checks, virginity certificates and virginity interventions.
Call for French university chief to go after professor targeted by ‘anti-racist students’
Academics have called for the resignation of the president of France's University of Lyon 2, Isabelle von Bueltzingsloewen, over her treatment of a professor targeted…
US scientists headed for France to keep studying ‘gender and history’
US academics are crossing the Atlantic to continue their progressive gender studies, statistics suggest.
German ministry postpones arts award for student on trial for alleged attempted murder
Germany’s education ministry has announced it was suspending the award ceremony for the Federal Prize for Arts Students winner Hanna Schiller, currently in jail…
The Feast of Feasts: Why Easter remains Europe’s beating heart
Europe, that ancient cradle of civilisation, has long been a Christian continent.
Polish MEP attempts ‘citizens arrest’ over abortion at week 36 of pregnancy
Polish right-wing MEP Grzegorz Braun attempted a citizen's arrest when he entered a hospital in Poland aiming to detain a gynaecologist he alleged had murdered a…
EC mulls legal action against Hungary over LGBT Pride events ban
The European Commission has said it was considering taking legal action against Hungary over the European Union member state's decision to ban LGBT pride events.