October 18, 2024 11:59 AM

Russian law against ‘child-free propaganda’ clears first hurdle in parliament

Laws that would ban "propaganda" which discourages Russians from having children won overwhelming approval on Thursday in the first stage of their passage through parliament, part of a Kremlin drive to boost the country's flagging birth rate. The move to outlaw content that is deemed to promote a child-free lifestyle won unanimous backing from members of the lower house, the Duma, in the first of three required readings. "It is important to protect people, primarily the younger generation, fro...