Human rights groups have condemned a bill passed by Iraq's parliament that criminalizes same-sex relationships. According to a copy of the legislation seen by Reuters, the law aims to "protect Iraqi society from moral depravity and the calls for homosexuality that have overtaken the world."

The new law
The Law on Combating Prostitution and Homosexuality has a penalty of 10 to 15 years in prison for same-sex relations and mandates at least seven years in jail for anybody who promotes homosexuality or prostitution and between one and three years for anyone who changes their "biological gender." Doctors who perform gender reassignment surgery and men who "intentionally" act like women will also face prison terms under the new legislation. 

Why now? 
Iraq was one of the few Islamic nations that did not explicitly criminalize same-sex relations, but "loosely defined" morality clauses in its penal code have been used to "target" LGBTQ+ people, said The Independent. The new legislation is backed by conservative Shia Muslim parties that form the largest coalition in Iraq's mainly Muslim parliament. The law is "sweeping," said Pink News, although "less extreme than originally planned," after a clause in an earlier version of the bill that called for the death penalty for same-sex acts was removed, following opposition from the U.S. and Europe. 

The reaction
The amended legislation has sparked condemnation from rights groups and the wider international community. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the law was "dangerous and worrying." It "threatens those most at risk in Iraqi society," said the U.S. State Department. Pink News reported that data collected in 2022 suggested that just 2% of Iraq's population support homosexuality, while 55% oppose it. 

What was the law before? 
"Public perception and morality clauses in its penal code" mean that LGBTQ+ people have been "routinely targeted domestically and institutionally," said Pink News. Armed groups in Iraq were abducting, raping, torturing and killing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, according to a 2022 report by Human Rights Watch, which accused the Iraqi government of failing to hold perpetrators accountable. 

Over the past year, major Iraqi parties have "stepped up" criticism of LGBTQ+ rights, said Al Jazeera, with "rainbow flags frequently being burned in protests by both governing and opposition conservative Shia Muslim factions." The new law, said Human Rights Watch, "rubber-stamps" that "appalling record of rights violations."

Famous attractions across the globe are grappling with overtourism as the travel industry bounces back from the pandemic. Venice last week introduced an entry fee for day-trippers, and now the world's most famous artwork may be moved to an underground room at the Louvre, while a town in Japan is planning to block views of Mount Fuji. 

'Perpetually crammed' gallery 
Up to 10 million people a year visit the "Mona Lisa" at Paris' Louvre museum, crowding into the gallery where "she gazes out from behind 3 inches of bulletproof glass," said The Times. Many visitors queue for up to two hours to spend an allotted 30 seconds in front of the piece and "come away feeling cheated." 

The painting's present room, the Salle des États, is "perpetually crammed," with up to 25,000 people on a busy day, some of whom have described the experience as "torture" in online reviews. Laurence des Cars, the director of the Louvre, has suggested moving "Mona Lisa" to her own basement room to make the visitor experience more satisfying. 

Prioritizing 'long-term sustainability' 
In Japan, visitors have been flocking to the town of Fujikawaguchiko, at the foot of Mount Fuji, after travel bloggers began posting videos and pictures of the epic 12,388-foot landmark framed above a local supermarket, said The Telegraph. The local council is now set to erect a screen measuring 65 feet wide and more than 8 feet tall to "deter social-media-hungry snappers." 

Other "strict new measures sought to curb overcrowding" around the world include the new $5.35 daytripper fee to enter Venice's historic center, a ban on new hotels in Amsterdam, and a potential entry charge to the Plaza de España in Seville, said the i news site. And Barcelona has removed a bus route from Google Maps in a bid to reduce large tourist numbers in a popular area of the city. Ultimately, said Travel and Tour World, combating overtourism will depend on prioritizing "long-term sustainability over short-term gains, ensuring that travel remains a positive force in the world for generations to come."