A couple of days ago we highlighted some of the ridiculous new state laws that will go into effect across the country starting today (see "Here Are Some Of The Ridiculous New State Laws That Will Take Effect January 1st - Happy New Year!"). And while there was plenty of lunacy noted within the post, apparently we overlooked one of California's finest achievements of 2016, namely the legalization of child prostitution.
The Vatican has called for the establishment of a “global public authority” and a “central world bank” to rule over financial institutions that have become outdated and often ineffective in controlling the masses. A major document from the Vatican’s Justice and Peace department condemned what it called “the idolatry of the market” as well as a “neo-liberal thinking” that it said looked exclusively at technical solutions to economic problems.
Angela Merkel announced her German government’s secret weapon in the fight against terrorism is “compassion” and claimed that her open-door mass migration policy, which directly brought terrorists to Germany, is a success that the rest of the world should follow.
Lawmakers in California have officially decriminalized child prostitution on January 1, meaning children selling sex on the streets can no longer be arrested by police. Bill SB 1322, entitled “SB-1322 Commercial sex acts: minors”, says: Existing law makes it a crime to solicit or engage in any act of prostitution. Existing law makes it a crime to loiter in any public place with the intent to commit prostitution.
The final numbers are in, and according to AFP, Saudi Arabia carried out 153 executions in 2016 based on official announcements, fractionally lower than the year before.
As AFP adds, the ultra-conservative kingdom is one of the world’s most prolific executioners and has a strict Islamic legal code under which murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape and apostasy are all punishable by death. Once charged, the likelihood of avoiding a terminal sentence is nominal.