A vitamin D deficiency whilst pregnant could increase the chance of children developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in later life: study. (Twonix Studio / shutterstock.com)
The lower house of the Russian parliament on Thursday passed a bill banning foreigners from using Russian surrogate mothers.
The bill adopted by the State Duma mandates that only married Russian citizens or single Russian women who cannot give birth to a child for medical reasons will be able to use the services of surrogate mothers.
Commercial surrogacy is legal in Russia, but religious groups have criticized the practice as too commercial and linked it to crime.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the parliament speaker, said Thursday's decision was made in order to protect Russian children. According to Volodin, writing on Telegram last week, about 45,000 babies born by surrogate mothers have been taken abroad over "the past few years."
Proponents of the bill have often associated surrogacy with child trafficking and the organ trade. They have also criticized the use of surrogates by same-sex couples.
"The purpose of the law is to prohibit surrogacy for foreign citizens. Who is coming? We don't know. Where are the children being taken? We don't know either. These are our children," Volodin told the Duma.
"They can be taken out in order to be used for (transplantation of) organs, into same-sex families. It is forbidden by law to take our children out. Children will automatically straight away receive Russian citizenship and will be protected," he added.
Under the bill passed Thursday, couples where one of the spouses is a Russian citizen will still be able to use Russian surrogate mothers. It stipulated that a child born by a surrogate mother in Russia would automatically be given Russian citizenship.
To become federal law, the bill needs to be approved by the Federation Council, the upper house of Parliament, and signed by President Vladimir Putin.
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The Department of National Defence says Canada is working with the United States to protect sensitive information from foreign intelligence threats after a high-altitude surveillance balloon was detected.
Magic mushroom dispensaries are popping up in cities across Canada, with customers ranging from those looking for treatment for depression or PTSD to people wanting to 'micro-dose' a small amount of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound in magic mushrooms. But while the situation is in some ways reminiscent of when cannabis retailers set up shop before marijuana was legalized in 2018, Health Canada says there are no plans to legalize or decriminalize psilocybin products.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, as of Thursday morning there were extreme cold or winter storm warnings active from coast to coast, with the harshest extreme cold warnings stretching from northern Alberta all the way to Nova Scotia.
Hundreds of customers who scan QR codes for restaurant menus across Canada are being surprised by secret menus instead, revealing the hidden costs behind the food they eat.
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A former commander of Russia's Wagner mercenary group who fled to Norway told Reuters he wanted to apologize for fighting in Ukraine and was speaking out to bring the perpetrators of crimes to justice.
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A Brazilian magazine on Thursday released audio of a senator claiming then President Jair Bolsonaro sought help in a plot to annul the October elections and keep himself in power.
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After a tiny radioactive capsule went missing in the Australian outback, an expert in Canada says the likelihood of the same happening in this country is unlikely, given our strong regulations governing the handling of radioactive materials.
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An archeological team from Saint Mary's University will travel to France this summer to use ground-penetrating radar and other technology to assist a United States defence agency recover and identify military personnel missing since the Second World War.
A former 'Dances With Wolves' actor accused of sexually abusing Indigenous girls and leading a cult must remain held without bail until his next court hearing, a judge ordered Thursday morning.
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Nestle Canada says it is winding down its frozen meals and pizza business in Canada over the next six months. The four brands that will no longer be sold in the freezer aisle at Canadian grocery stores are Delissio, Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine and Life Cuisine.
Canada's main stock index shored itself up against losses in the energy sector for the second day in a row, while U.S. markets were mixed.
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The U.S. Justice Department has requested documents from Tesla related to its Autopilot and 'Full Self-Driving' features, according to a regulatory filing.
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