One of the most significant legal consequences in Italy involves the recognition of parentage orders. Italian courts apply the principle of ordre public, or public policy to refuse recognition of foreign birth certificates listing two fathers. This practice is grounded in the doctrine mater semper certa est, under Italian family law recognizes the gestational mother as the legal mother. The transcription of a foreign birth certificate reflecting a surrogacy arrangement may therefore be partially void in Italy. This doctrine has been upheld by the Court of Cassation, Italy’s highest court of appeals. Decisions from 2014 and 2016 affirm that recognizing a foreign birth certificate listing two fathers would violate Italian…

When people think of trademark disputes, it is often pretty clear: counterfeiters, cheap knockoffs, or bad-faith actors exploiting famous brands. However, the 1-on-1 between Michael Jordan (and Nike) and the Chinese sportswear company, Qiaodan Sports, demonstrates how much messier international trademark disputes can be, especially when rules, languages, and borders collide. The dispute began in China, where a domestic company called Qiaodan Sports(乔丹体育) had been selling athletic shoes and apparel for years. “Qiaodan” is the standard Chinese transliteration of “Jordan,” and the company used a silhouette logo — although not the famous “Jumpman” logo — that looked almost identical to a photo of Michael Jordan, taken in a basketball game.…

Vatican City is the world’s smallest independent nation-state, yet it hosts the leader of the world’s largest Christian denomination and second largest religion overall (approximately 1.4 billion followers). In light of this moral authority over such huge proportions of the world’s population, the Catholic Church has had a significant influence on many issues of international law such as the Law of Armed Conflict, as well as a host of social justice-related topics. Despite the decline of Church attendance in the West in recent decades, as the global Church continues to grow in numbers and influence, so too will their role in shaping how mankind navigates the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution.…

President Donald Trump has articulated interest in purchasing Greenland since his first term. In August of 2019, President Trump offered to buy Greenland, but Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declined the offer, calling it an absurd discussion. But for President Trump, the purchase would provide significant security benefits to the United States. Security concerns over missile attacks drives President Trump’s interest and is the reason for the operation of Pitufik Space Base, the only remaining U.S. military base on the island. Greenland is also home to vital minerals located under layers of ice, complicating the extraction process but providing economic opportunity. Although President Trump hopes to expand economic rights in Greenland, current U.S. companies have been unsuccessful mining the territory.  The key factor complicating the territorial acquisition is Greenland’s self-governing ability. Belonging to the…

On September 17, 2025, a grass-roots movement titled No Music for Genocide was launched to geo-block music on streaming services from the State of Israel. This means these artists are restricting access to their music on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music in a specific geographic region. The region here is the State of Israel. Although Israel and Palestine are geographically on top of each other, the people running No Music for Homicide have clarified that to their knowledge the geo-block does not affect the Occupied West Bank. The initiative is a “cultural boycott” response to Israel’s ongoing genocide in Palestine. The website cites the move done by major…

Recently, Japan has witnessed a sharp rise in bear attacks which has aroused public concern. Bears have been increasingly sighted in residential neighborhoods, on school grounds, supermarkets, and train stations.  During the current fiscal year, approximately 100 individuals have been injured and at least 12 were killed.  This issue has become so serious that the British government added a bear warning to its Japan travel advisory.  Additionally, a new app called “Bowbear” was launched in Japan to help deter bears and improve public safety. Limitations on bear hunting in Japan are among the key factors contributing to the current crisis.  Under the Wildlife Protection, Control and Hunting Management Act, hunting…

With just over 30 weeks until the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off, questions persist about how the United States, Canada, and Mexico will manage security. The 2026 edition of soccer’s biggest event is being billed as the biggest ever, and for good reason. It’s the first to feature 48 teams, a 16-nation increase and is also the first to be hosted in three countries. With such scale, it is impossible not to wonder about safety. The past year and a half has only deepened those questions. In June 2024, the United States hosted the Copa America final (South America’s largest soccer competition) in Miami, which was delayed for…

The United States-Mexico-Canada agreement (“USMCA”) is a trade deal between the three countries in North America, which came into effect in July 2020, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”). The USMCA agreement aims to promote free trade, labor rights, environmental protection, and digital trade among the parties. This trade relationship is approaching a pivotal moment, as it is scheduled for its mandatory joint review in July 2026. The U.S. is holding a public hearing on November 17, a consultation process required by U.S. law. Tensions are high as the U.S. considers restructuring the current trilateral agreement. What was supposed to be a routine check-in has now been compromised,…

On September 1, 2025, the Government of Nepal began enforcing the sixth amendment to the Mountain Expedition Regulation Act. This version of the act introduces new rules aimed at addressing long-standing safety and environmental concerns. It also brings economic changes for high-altitude guiding services in Nepal. In recent years, an increasing number of people have tried their luck at reaching the top of Mount Everest. In 2025 alone, the Government of Nepal issued 468 climbing permits—over 100 more than the 2022 climbing season—highlighting the upward trend in human traffic. However, this growing allure has had negative consequences due to inadequate regulation. For example, many people link the rise in climbers…

On January 27, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14122, designating Mexican cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists.  This move, finalized by the State Department on February 20, 2025, allows the U.S. to freeze cartel assets, block their financial networks, and pursue narcoterrorism charges.  The goal is to choke off the fentanyl trade, which the CDC’s 2024 Update blames for over 100,000 U.S. overdose deaths each year.  Those deaths come with a staggering $1.5 billion economic hit, from healthcare costs to lost productivity.  The U.S. Department of Justice’s 2025 Cartel Enforcement Report details 1,200…