Countries

The French government presented a draft law that would enable France to return certain cultural artifacts taken from African countries during the colonial era. The new legislation stipulates that these objects must be given back within one year from when the law goes into effect.

Source: The Washington Times

Italy will put the captain of an Italian-flagged vessel on trial for allegedly pushing back migrants to Libya. The vessel picked up 101 migrants in international waters in July 2018 and returned them to Libya's capital city Tripoli, which is not considered a safe port under international law.

Source: EUobserver

Authorities in Baden-Württemberg have begun procedures to introduce a legal regulation to ban girls from wearing burkas and niqabs in school. Next steps will include a legal hearing and parliamentary debates before the amendment itself can be tabled in parliament for a reading.

Source: Euronews

France's parliament has voted to implement a bill intended to protect victims of domestic violence. The legislation allows doctors to break patient confidentiality if they believe a life is "in immediate danger".

Source: BBC

The purpose of the amendments is to hinder the emergence of communities which the Ministry of the Interior deems are posing high immigration and internal security risks. "This bill seeks to deliver a clear message that foreigners must return to their home state after the end of their studies and student mobility cannot be used as means for taking up permanent residence in Estonia," Minister of the Interior said.

Source: The Baltic Times

Poland’s justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, said that he would begin preparing the formal process to withdraw from the Istanbul convention. The treaty is the world’s first binding instrument to prevent and tackle violence against women, from marital rape to female genital mutilation.

Source: The Guardian

The editor in chief of Hungary's most widely read news site was fired and scores of journalists quit in protest as the government moved closer to near-complete control over the country's media landscape.

Source: The New York Times

Russian President Vladimir Putin signs the law "On the Federal Security Service”. It prohibits publication and distribution of materials about FSB bodies without the permission of the agency's management.

Source: Currenttime.tv