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Global Developments Highlight Concerns Over Safety, Rights, and Regulations
Several international developments emerged Tuesday, ranging from medical guidelines and legal proceedings to social media restrictions and safety regulations, reflecting growing concerns over safety, human rights, and the impact of technology.
In the United States, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) recommended that its members delay performing gender transition procedures on young patients until they reach age 19. This shift in position, according to the NY Times, comes "at a time of mounting opposition to such care at the state and federal levels." The ASPS stated the new recommendations were prompted by a perceived "lack of quality research on the long-term outcomes for young people who had undergone" such procedures. This stance contrasts with that of most major medical associations in the U.S., which endorse a range of treatments, including puberty-blocking drugs, hormone therapies, and, in rarer cases, surgeries, for adolescents and teenagers struggling with gender dysphoria.
Across the Atlantic, in Oslo, Norway, the trial of Marius Borg Høiby, son of Norway's crown princess, continued. According to BBC World, the court heard the first account from a woman who alleged Høiby raped her at a party in 2018. The woman "told the court in tears she had no recollection of what had happened, after an earlier sexual encounter that lasted a matter of seconds." Høiby pleaded not guilty to raping four women and other serious offenses but admitted to breaking a restraining order, transporting marijuana, and speeding, while "partly" admitting threats. He faces 38 charges.
Meanwhile, Spain announced plans to ban social media for children under the age of 16. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, said the changes would "protect them from the digital Wild West," according to BBC World. The ban, which requires parliamentary approval, is part of a broader effort to make company executives responsible for "illegal or harmful content" on their platforms. Australia implemented a similar ban last year, and France, Denmark, and Austria have also announced similar measures.
In China, new regulations were introduced banning hidden car door handles on electric vehicles (EVs) due to safety concerns. BBC Technology reported that China is the first country to prohibit the use of these designs, popularized by Tesla. The decision follows "a number of deadly incidents, including two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs in which power failures were suspected to have prevented doors from being opened." The new rules, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, mandate that all cars have a mechanical release both on the inside and outside of their doors.
Globally, human rights are in peril amid a "democratic recession," according to a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), as reported by The Guardian. The report states that almost three-quarters of the global population now live under autocratic rulers, "levels not seen since the 1980s." The HRW report highlighted growing authoritarianism and abuses in the U.S., Russia, and China, which threaten the global rules-based order. The report also mentioned President Trump launching his Board of Peace in Davos last month, which includes supporters such as Argentina's Javier Milei and Hungary's Viktor Orbán.
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