Europe

Incest is a ‘fundamental right’, German government committee says

Laws banning incest between brothers and sisters in Germany could be scrapped after a government ethics committee said the they were an unacceptable intrusion into the right to sexual self-determination. “Criminal law is not the appropriate means to preserve a social taboo,” the German Ethics Council said in a statement. “The fundamental right of adult siblings to sexual self-determination is to be weighed more heavily than the abstract idea of protection of the family.

If Scotland breaks away, these 8 places in Europe could be next

Given Europe’s complicated history and cultural diversity, the existence of independence-minded groups and regions is understandable. Even so, the sheer number of separatist movements in Europe may surprise you. Some of these groups have transformed their desire for separation into successful political movements; others are operating at a far lower level.

Only a monetary ‘nuclear bomb’ can save Italy now

If so, Italy’s public debt will spiral to dangerous levels next year, ever further beyond the point of no return for a country without its own sovereign currency and central bank. “This is catastrophic for the finances of the country. We’re heading for a debt ratio of 145pc next year,” said Antonio Guglielmi, global strategist for Mediobanca.

+ More