Society
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Online insults in Japan can lead to one year in prison
Japan passed a bill that makes online insults punishable to jail. The law will be revised in three years if it turns out to restrict freedom of speech.
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More than 15% of people suffer from hunger in Brazil in 2022
More than 33 million people in Brazil suffer from hunger in 2022, a figure that almost doubled in two years.
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Hong Kong launches a "counter-terrorism hotline"
Hong Kong authorities launch a counter-terrorism hotline and consider offering financial rewards to citizens who provide useful information to the police.
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Hungary condemned by the European Court of Human Rights for its treatment of an Iraqi asylum seeker attached to a leash
Hungary has been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights because the use of handcuffs and leash to an asylum seeker "amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment".
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More reports against discrimination in the Netherlands for the 3rd consecutive year
The Netherlands recorded more reports of discrimination in 2021, a third consecutive year of increase, mainly due to people who felt discriminated because of health restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The largest increase of minimum wage in 29 years in Chile enacted by the president
The minimum wage in Chile will have its largest increase in 29 years. The law also includes subsidies for small companies and allowances to the most vulnerable households
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More than 100 million people displaced in the world, the highest ever recorded by UNHCR
More than 100 million people in the world are forcibly displaced, the highest record the United Nations Refugee Agency ever recorded.
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An attractive destination before the pandemic, young adults now leave New Zealand
A significant number of young New Zealanders is leaving the country as borders reopen raising questions whether it's temporary or New Zealand is still attractive.
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Mexico Supreme Court considers random immigration controls unconstitutional
The Supreme Court of Mexico ruled that random immigration controls carried out in the territory were discriminatory and against the rights to free movement.
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Romania Education Minister wants to ban teachers from tutoring pupils they have in class
Teachers in Romania shouldn't get paid to be tutor of the pupils they have in class but the rule is not respected.
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Data explained: E.U. economy greenhouse gas emissions for 2021 are below pre-pandemic levels, but not Q4
Greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union for 2021 are below pre-pandemic levels but the last quarter actually saw an increase in emissions to 2019.
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Good grades usually pay more than the university reputation in the U.K.
Good grades for most students graduating in the U.K. are usually more important than the reputation of the university for higher revenue in the following years
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A woman at fault in a divorce in Turkey because she refuses to have sex with her husband
A court in Turkey considered the wife was at fault in a divorce case filled by her husband because she didn't want to have sexual intercourse with him. Yet, the Supreme Court had a different opinion for a man last year.
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The U.S. witnessed the highest number of antisemitic incidents in 2021 since the Anti-Defamation League started its reporting in 1979
The annual tally of antisemitic incidents in the United States has never been higher in 2021 since the ADL started reporting on it in 1979
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Colombia Constitutional Court rules sport fishing unconstitutional
The Constitutional Court of Colombia considers sport fishing is unconstitutional on the grounds of animal cruelty and the precautionary principle.
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Lebanon stops accepting requests for new passports until further notice
Lebanon doesn't have enough passports to meet any new requests and decided to block the application request platform, fully booked until April 2023.
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Malaysia banned electric scooters from public roads
Electric scooters and electric wheelchairs are banned from public roads in Malaysia. Offenders are exposed to a fine of $68
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Surveillance in Munich should be more difficult, Germany's Constitutional Court rules
To protect personal data and privacy, the Constitutional Court of Germany rejected some provisions of a law in Bavaria that extended powers to intelligence activities in home surveillance and localization tracking.
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The U.S. crackdown on the largest Irish drug trafficking organization
The United States joins efforts with Ireland in taking down the most important drug trafficking organization of the country managed by the Kinahans.
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New Zealand Climate change Minister: "A pandemic is not the way"
Data from New Zealand showed that the slower activity during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a decline of greenhouse gas emissions but that becoming carbon neutral is still a long way to go.
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Peru migration office apologizes for glitch in issuing passports
Dozens of Peruvians have been unable to travel because they didn't receive their passport on time due to a technical issue from the migration office.
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Bogotá mayor bans male passengers on motorcycles to fight crime
After several days of protests, bikers came to an agreement with the mayor of Bogotá which will prohibit drivers from having a male passengers during weekend nights in an effort to combat crime.
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Police violence in the Netherlands increased 26% in 2021 vs. 2019
Dutch Police used more violence in 2021 compared to 2020 and 2019, which authorities explain by increased discontent from society and people questioning authority.
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Scottish conservatives want the conversion therapy ban to be inclusive of trans people
The UK conservative government plans to exclude trans people from a bill that would ban conversion therapies but the Scottish Conservative party disagrees, a month ahead of local elections.
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Qatar drops the criminal prosecution against a Mexican woman who wasn't married
A Mexican woman who worked for the FIFA World Cup organization committee faced a 7-year prison sentence and 100 lashes despite having been assaulted. Mexico advised her to marry the aggressor to avoid the sentence of an extramarital affair.
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Fearing criminal use, the Netherlands suspends a communication service dedicated to inmates
The Netherlands has suspended a digital messaging service that enabled inmates to stay in touch with the outside world more easily. Authorities are concerned criminal activities can be carried out via the system.
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An Italian porn actress found dead and cut into pieces
An unknown woman was found cut into pieces in northern Italy. She has now been identified as a 26-year-old Italian mother and porn actress. The alleged murderer confessed his crime, kept her in her freezer before dumping her in nature and even used her own phone and car.
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Hundreds of Niger nationals repatriated from begging in the streets of Senegal
Niger has repatriated several hundreds of Niger nationals who lived in precarious conditions in Senegal.
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An Indian High Court dismissed constitutional claim on hijab; not 'essential' to Islam practices
The High Court of the Indian state of Karnataka ruled that students are not entitled by the constitution to wear hijab and need to follow school uniform.
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Same-sex marriage in Bermuda and Cayman Islands blocked by a UK court
A British court supported local legislations in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands where same-sex marriage is forbidden.
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Britons will receive £350/month in a 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme
The British government offers 350 pounds a month to households providing a rent-free room to Ukrainian refugees.
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Spanish government voted an investigation on Church sex abuse
The government of Spain voted an investigation about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. A month earlier, the Church said it hired a private law firm to make its own probe.
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Controversial Israeli citizenship law extension approved after historical block
Israel's parliament passed a controversial temporary law aimed at preserving Jewish majority dating back to 2003 and the second intifada. It bars reunification of mixed Palestinian-Israeli families. The extension didn't pass last year after 13 years of continuous renewal.
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South Africa the world's most unequal country for the World Bank
South Africa is the world most unequal country according to the World Bank. Unequal opportunity inherited from the apartheid is a key driver. Inequality has actually increased since 1994
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U.N. Human Rights to visit Xinjiang
The U.N. Human Rights will visit the Chinese region of Xinjiang while its inquiry on the persecution of Uyghurs by the Chinese government hasn't been released, yet.
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Former Spanish King will live in Abu Dhabi but can visit Spain
Now that investigations stopped against King Emeritus Juan Carlos I, King Felipe VI accepted his father's request to periodically visit Spain.
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With Ukraine invasion, Romanians' view on their country improved
Romanians who perceive the country goes in the right direction has almost doubled in a month. The situation seems to remind Romania the protection the E.U. and NATO provide.
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Prison for lèse-majesté for a sticker on the portrait of Thailand's King
A political activist was sentenced to two years in prison for lèse-majesté. Many others have been charged to defaming monarchy during recent protests calling for political change.
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New measures against women violence in Turkey, but according to its own standards
Turkey released a plan to protect women from violence after it withdrew from the Istanbul Convention which was considered to go against Turkey's traditional family values.
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A South African court settles the rightful Zulu king. No coronation yet
A dispute for the next king of the Zulus was brought to court to halt the coronation. A judge ruled the rightful heir to the throne but it remains vacant for now.
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