Denmark

Half of the member-states of the European Union may hold referendums on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada, in spite of the fact that the European Parliament has already approved it, reported Brussels-based electronic portal EuroActiv.

The number of countries with a top-notch sovereign credit rating fell to the lowest level in 13 years last year, the international rating agency Fitch said on Feb. 9.

"The number of Fitch-rated sovereigns with 'AAA' ratings is at its lowest level since 2003 and is expected to remain unchanged over the next two years," Fitch said in a statement.     

Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) offered a bounty of $1 million for a Danish woman who spent a year fighting ISIS with Kurdish forces in the Middle East. The woman, however, is facing jail time in her home country Denmark for violating travel ban and going to the Middle East to battle jihadists.

The Council of the European Union adopted on Tuesday the proposal of the European Commission for a three-month extension of internal border control in five problematic countries in the Schengen area for free movement due to the continuing migrant crisis.

French jazz singer Julie Erikssen will give two concerts in Istanbul, taking the stage at the Moda Deniz Kulübü on Feb. 4 and at the Cinema Lovers Association club in Taksim, known as the Çiçek Bar, on Feb. 8. 

Erikssen, better known as Jody, gained fame in 2003 with the song "Dans ce monde," which she followed by another hit in 2004 titled "Entre l'ombre et la lumière." 

The permanent representatives of EU member-states agreed to extend the emergency border control within the Schengen area by three months until the middle of May.

Immigration and security continue to dominate the political agenda, reported Reuters, cited by BTA.

Turkey suffered the largest decline in freedoms among 195 countries over the past year, an annual report published by the Washington-based Freedom House showed on Jan. 31.

Greece's anti-corruption agency has dismissed Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, published last week, which said that the country's performance in 2016 worsened, falling to 69th place out of 167 countries, from 58th in 2015.

Turkey has ranked 75th in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index 2016, falling nine places from 2015 and adding to its dramatic decline over the past four years.

According to the results, Turkey scored 41 in the index, a one-point decrease from 42 in 2015. It shared the 75th rank with Bulgaria, Kuwait and Tunisia, decreasing from its 66th rank in 2015.

As Greek authorities struggle to host more than 60,000 migrants stranded in the country, the European Commission on Wednesday proposed the prolongation of border controls in the passport-free Schengen area for another three months as the bloc is still working on steps to deal with the migrant crisis.