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Category: In the News

The picture shows a row of houses inside the Fuggerei.

500-Year Anniversary of the Fuggerei – the Oldest Social Housing Complex in the World

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

This blog post describes the "Fuggerei" in Augsburg, Germany - the oldest existing social housing complex in the world. The Fuggerei was established on August 23, 1521 by Jakob Fugger "the Rich," a wealthy merchant. In order to be eligible for housing, a person must be Catholic, needy, respectable, and a citizen of Augsburg. The yearly rent is Euros 0.88.

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Grizzly Bears and the Endangered Species Act

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

My favorite week of the year is “Fat Bear Week,” an annual competition organized by Katmai National Park in Alaska to crown the bear that managed to pack on the most weight over the summer. Bears are fascinating animals to me, which might also have to do with the fact that I am from Germany, …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Join Us for our Upcoming Webinar: “Central Bank Digital Currencies – the Future of the Monetary System?”

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 …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

50 Years of Women’s Suffrage in Switzerland

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 …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Stuck in the Suez Canal – What are the Legal Implications?

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 …