Delay to proposed Dutch surrogacy law

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A proposed Dutch law on surrogacy continued to be delayed, while the country had no legal framework specifically regulating the practice. About 30 to 50 families reportedly had a child with the help of a surrogate each year, and that number was increasing, creating difficult situations for intended parents and surrogate mothers. The discussion included the experience of Annemiek van Tilborgh, who had twice acted as a surrogate for a close friend and later regretted how quickly she had relinquished legal parenthood. The dilemmas surrounding the postponed legislation were discussed with surrogates, intended parents and child judges.

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Politics

Judges call for amendments to the Dutch surrogacy bill

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Judges in the Netherlands reportedly believe that the proposed surrogacy law should be amended. Family judge Annette Olland of the District Court of The Hague said the bill would be an advance but would not prevent some major problems. An estimated 30 to 50 Dutch families have a child with the help of a surrogate each year, while surrogacy is not currently regulated by law. Intended parents may not publicly seek a surrogate, and in more than half of cases they go abroad. Under the current system, the surrogate is automatically the legal mother. Intended parents must establish parenthood and parental authority through legal proceedings, which can take up to a year and a half; during that period, they cannot, for example, make medical decisions for the child or take parental leave. The proposed law would allow agreements to be made before conception and reviewed by a judge, with parental authority transferring directly to the intended parents after the birth.

Education

French student protests grow during national day of action

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A national day of action in France drew at least tens of thousands of people, with the union saying the turnout may have reached hundreds of thousands. The protesters expressed solidarity with school students as demonstrations that began at the start of the school year continued to grow and become more violent and political, according to the account. The protests concern teacher shortages, inadequate timetables and a lack of materials. Inequality is also a concern, with schools in the banlieues reportedly affected more severely than others. Dutch students studying in France described what they were seeing around them and what fellow students were doing.

Crime

Arrest of Pepijn van der S. over suspected ShinyHunters leadership

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Pepijn van der S., from the Netherlands, was arrested on suspicion of being a leader of the hacker group ShinyHunters. He had previously been an ethical hacker and helped others remain on the legal path. His arrest prompted discussion in the hacker community about how tempting criminal activity can be for ethical hackers. Ethical hacker Koen Candlesticks said that after breaking into NOS systems earlier in the year and publishing information about it online, he received several questionable proposals in his direct messages. Barry van Kampen of the ethical hacker collective DIVD, who had got to know Van der S., called for more attention to the issue in education.

Crime

The case of Jane Doe at Cornell University

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The case of Jane Doe, a student at Cornell University in New York who was reportedly drugged and raped by a group of fellow students two years earlier, has continued to unfold. Her name has appeared on signs at Cornell, on campuses across the United States and on social media. The case has prompted discussion about the culture on American campuses and the power of universities and student associations. Thousands of women have also shared experiences online.