Russian lawmakers endorse bill to ban adoptions by gender-transition countries

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s upper house of parliament has endorsed a bill banning adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries where gender transitioning is legal. The Federation Council on Wednesday also approved bills that outlaw the spread of material that encourages people not to have children. The bills have previously been approved by the lower house. They will now go to President Vladimir Putin for signing into law. They follow a series of laws that have suppressed sexual minorities. Putin and other top officials in recent years have increasingly called for observing so-called traditional values as a counter to Western liberalism.