France: New Law Allows Transgender to Legally Change Gender Without Going Through Sterilization

The French legislative body finally passed a petition on Thursday allowing transgender people to legally change gender without enduring sterilization. The rights activists rejoiced in victory as the long-awaited legislation was finally approved.

The decision came out after several European nations supported to improve the rights of transgender people. They urged other nations to remove sterilization as a legal requirement. In order to legally recognize the desired gender, transgender people need to undergo a medical procedure of sterilization. The United Nations strongly condemned the procedure as a violation of human rights.

Denmark, Malta, and Ireland started the reform in 2014 where they made changes in their policies. These nations implied a policy which only needs informing authorities of the desired gender without medical intervention.

For two years, the ILGA-Europe network of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups campaigned for the legislation of the French law. The group is based in Brussels, Germany. Sophie Aujean, spokeswoman of ILGA said: “These are years of sparring that finally come to fruition”. She then added in a phone interview with Thomson Reuters Foundation, “There is no other population in the world that is asked to be sterilized apart from transgender.”

French transgenders still require court approval

However, the new legislation is not as liberal with other nations like Denmark, Malta, and Ireland. The French law still requires transgender people the need to go to court for them to change their desired gender.

According to Delphine Ravisé-Giard, a spokeswoman for the National Transgender Association or ANT, “France has sometimes done revolutions, but this is not a revolutionary law”.

France disregards any statistical data of the transgender people. Similarly, France does not hold any official record in the numbers of transgender people. Although activists claim there are tens of thousands living in the European country.

In a European Union report published in December of 2014, transgender people tend to be gay and usually prone to be attacked, threatened or insulted.

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Hungary; Citizens Vote for Government to Oppose EU Refugee Quotas

Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government called for a referendum regarding mandatory European quotas for asylum seekers. Hungary’s citizens are set to vote on Sunday for the referendum to oppose future EU mandatory quotas.

A 50 percent plus-one ruling threshold applies in order for the referendum to be valid. Conversely, the government is certain to received positive support amongst voters, but uncertain if it will meet the threshold.

The voting ballots are straight to the point; it states “”Do you want the European Union to be able to prescribe the mandatory settlement of non-Hungarian citizens in Hungary even without the consent of Parliament?”

Orban urged Hungarian citizens to vote “NO”. Considering that the EU’s policy for imposing such quotas is in contradiction to Hungary’s sovereignty and independence.
Orban said that when the referendum reaches majority, Hungary’s Parliament will pass legislation for valid selection regardless of the outcome. On the other hand, if the “YES” votes won, he will resign as Prime Minister. Critics foresee Orban’s statement as a publicity ploy to draw more citizens to the polling votes.

Meanwhile, the referendum itself does not hold any obligatory acts for the EU. Nonetheless Orban ascertains the referendum will create massive influence on Brussels.
Orban said in an interview after he cast his vote in an elementary school in Buda hills. “The most important issue next week is for me to go to Brussels, hold negotiations and try with the help of this result — if the result if appropriate— achieve for it not to be mandatory to take in the kind of people in Hungary we don’t want to,”

Likewise, he wants each EU nation to hold more influence in the decision making process. Orban hopes to see the possibility of other potential anti-quota referendums in EU nations. He said, “We are proud that we are the first” he said. “Unfortunately, we are the only ones in the European Union who managed to have a (referendum) on the migrant issue.”

On a separate case, Hungary is suing the European Court of Justice because of the EU’s decision in 2015 to relocate 160,000 asylum seekers. EU denounced the original plan of moving 1,294 refugees to Hungary. EU instead relocated all refugees to the straining countries of Greece and Italy.

Roughly 8.3 million citizens were eligible to cast ballots on Sunday between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. (0400-1700 GMT). Turn out by 1 p.m. (1100 GMT) reached 23.5 percent according to the National Election Office.

The polls represent deeper denotation of citizens urging to “send a message to Brussels”. incidentally, there is an increase in cases of xenophobia in Hungary associating migrants with terrorism.

Several opposition and civic oriented blocs advised citizens to boycott the vote. Other recommended casting invalid ballots that will not count to the total tally of votes. These ballots on the other hand, can represent as a vote for rejecting government’s “”zero migrants “policies”.

Hungary’s geographic location makes it easy for nearly 400,000 migrants pass through the country on the way to Western Europe. With Serbia and Croatia’s new expulsion policies and razor wire fences built along the borders, numbers dramatically diminished. According to a police report only one or no migrant penetrated the border in 13 consecutive days.

Last year, Hungary rejected 80% of asylum claims, one of the EU’s highest according to Eurostat.

A total of 508 applications for asylum was approved while 2,917 rejected. With 37,000 more under process.

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EU: Cyber Criminals Offer Services to Militant Groups

Cyber criminals now offer their services to militant groups. This provides such organizations the method to attack Europe through the internet. However they have yet to utilize this form in any major attack, according to EU police agency Europol.

In its yearly cybercrime threat assessment, it mentioned, “There is currently little evidence to suggest that their cyber-attack capability extends beyond common website defacement.”

Militants seeking services presented by computer experts skilled in illegal cyber activities may take advantage of the Darknet. Also known as the dark underbelly of the web, where one can find a lot of illegal services and goods. “The availability of cybercrime tools and services, and illicit commodities (including firearms) on the Darknet, provide ample opportunities for this situation to change,” Europol said.

Rising number of incidents of Cyber Crime

In general, the report discovered that accessible techniques in cybercrime continues to develop. Incidentally, a number of the European Union’s member states accounted for increasing incidents of cyber crimes. More in fact, than traditional misdemeanors.

Rob Wainwright, Europol Director stated: “Europol is concerned about how an expanding cybercriminal community has been able to further exploit our increasing dependence on technology and the internet.” He added: “We have also seen a marked shift in cyber-facilitated activities relating to trafficking in human beings, terrorism and other threats.”

Some of the highly illegal software and activities are “Ransomware.” This is a kind of malicious software which blocks access to a database until an amount of currency is paid. “Phishing” attacks on prominent individuals – “CEO fraud” – to obtain highly personal details. And video streaming of rape, child abuse and other pornographic and deplorable actions.

Furthermore, ATM fraud was also on the rise. These are of a new type of fraud which does not require physical presence.

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