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Posted by: Elin Hofverberg
This blog post is part of our Frequently Asked Legal Questions series and describes the Norwegian bunad dress. Today, May 17, marks the Norwegian Constitution Day (Syttende mai), and the creation on this day of the Norwegian constitution of 1814. In a normal year, the Karl Johans Gate (“Karl Johan”) in Oslo, which is located between …
Posted in: Global Law
Posted by: Elin Hofverberg
This blogpost is part of our Frequently Asked Legal Questions series and describes the Swedish Sami Parliament election. This upcoming Sunday, May 16, 2021, the Sami Parliament (Sametinget) in Sweden holds its general election. The date also marks the 18th anniversary of the first Swedish Sami Parliament election in 1993. 1. What is the Sami Parliament …
Posted in: Global Law, In the News
Posted by: Jenny Gesley
Technology and digitalization are changing the way we pay. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the trend away from cash to digital payments. Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are experiencing an all-time high. Central banks are taking note. On October 20, 2020, the Central Bank of The Bahamas launched the first worldwide retail central bank digital …
Posted in: Event, Global Law, In the News, Law Library
Posted by: Elin Hofverberg
We recently published a report on the Recognition of Foreign Passports on our website. The report, produced by specialists and analysts of the Global Legal Research Directorate, surveys 20 jurisdictions around the world as well as international law, and focuses on the rules and approaches for recognizing foreign passports. In addition, the report covers the …
Posted in: Global Law, Law Library
Posted by: Elin Hofverberg
Today, April 30, marks Walpurgis or Valborgsmässoafton. A holiday celebrated in, among other places, Germany and Sweden. The name is derived from the Saint Walpurgis. In Sweden, the Swedish form of Walpurgis, Valborg, has her name day on May 1, making April 30 the Eve of Walpurgis. The holiday, marked by bonfires, singing, and a welcoming …
Posted in: Global Law
Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
The following is a guest post by Barry Lerner, an editor in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. This blog post is part of our Frequently Asked Legal Questions series. From time to time, there are news articles or reports of stoning being used as a punishment for certain crimes in Iran …
Posted in: Global Law, Guest Post
Posted by: Kelly Goles
Calling all students of history, government, law, public policy, international relations, and other interested members of the public – help us expand access to hundreds of previously unreleased legal reports and other publications from the Law Library of Congress dating back to the 1940s! We are excited to launch our second crowdsourcing campaign with By …
Posted in: Collections, Global Law
Posted by: Jenny Gesley
This year, Switzerland celebrates 50 years of women’s suffrage. In a referendum held on February 7, 1971, 65.7 % of (male) voters approved the right of Swiss women to vote and stand for election at the federal level. As a result, article 74 of the Swiss Constitution was amended to state in paragraph 1: Bei …
Posted in: Global Law, In the News
Posted by: Jenny Gesley
The following is a joint guest post by Elizabeth Boomer, an international law consultant, and George Sadek, a foreign law specialist, from the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. On March 29, 2021, the engineers of the Suez Canal Authority were finally able to restore passage through the Suez Canal after a 1,300-foot, 220,000-ton …
Posted in: Global Law, In the News