Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urged the Italian government on Friday to amend their planned reforms to defamation legislation to comply with European and international law. This comes days after amendments to this proposed legislation were revealed to include a potential ban on working as a journalist as well as increased fines. RSF heavily criticized the [...]
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Germany parliament authorizes the issuance of payment cards for asylum seekers and refugees
The German parliament, the Bundestag, passed contentious legislation on Friday authorizing the issuance of payment cards to asylum seekers and refugees for the distribution of state benefits. The nationwide legal framework was approved following a conference between Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the state prime ministers in November last year, during which 14 out of the [...]
Germany parliament passes self-determination legislation allowing gender identity modification
Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, passed the Self-Determination Act on Friday, allowing transgender and non-binary citizens to modify the gender marker on their legal documents through self-identification. The Transsexuals Act is the German law that is currently in place to govern the legal requirements for modifying gender identity on legal documentation. Section 8 of the act [...]
Kansas governor vetoes ban on gender-affirming care for minors
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) vetoed SB 233 on Friday, a Senate bill aimed at prohibiting gender-affirming care for transgender youth, including surgery, hormone treatments, and puberty blockers. Additionally, it proposed revoking the licenses of doctors providing such care and restricting state funds for gender-affirming treatments. Kelly stated that she vetoed the bill because “he [...]
Poland legislature votes on abortion rights issues, facing EU criticism for near-total abortion ban
After a contentious debate Thursday, the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish legislature, voted on four abortion–related proposals Friday and created an Extraordinary Committee to draft new abortion laws. Meanwhile, the EU Parliament voted to include the right to a safe and legal abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, specifically condemning Poland’s [...]
US DOJ expands firearms background check requirements for gun dealers
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a plan Thursday to expand background check requirements for gun dealers. The goal of the plan is to close loopholes for gun shows and online sales while simultaneously expanding the definition for firearm dealers required to be licensed. The rules, which fulfill provisions in the 2022 Bipartisan Safer [...]
Alabama House of Representatives passes bill defining sex based on reproductive systems
The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would define biological sex in binary terms based on individuals’ reproductive systems rather than their gender identity. House Bill (HB) 111 would amend the Alabama Code to define sex-based terms, provide policy relating to sex and gender identity, allow public entities to establish some [...]
The EU Parliament approved legislation on Wednesday regarding the rights and treatment of migrants and asylum seekers within the bloc. The legislation furthers the Migration and Asylum Pact, which seeks to expand the current rights that these groups have while solidifying the procedure around their treatment across the EU. The legislation includes a broad range [...]
Arizona legislators showcase resistance to 1864 abortion ban
The Arizona House of Representatives erupted into chants of “shame” on Wednesday after Republican members voted to adjourn instead of discussing a bill that would repeal the state’s 1864 abortion ban. The state’s Supreme Court ruled this week that the Civil War-era law could go into effect, setting off a heated debate in the southwestern [...]
Islam, Albania, and European Integration: The Vague Role of National Identity in Albanian Secularism
Every Eid-Al-Fitr, the Albanian Muslim community organizes a collective prayer in Tirana’s public square, a crowded event filled with people adoring and worshipping their God, ideals and morals. While attending as a spectator, one can witness a scene colored with feelings of tranquility, peace and harmony. Since the prayer is done in the direction of [...]