This is a focused recap of international news stories by Newsendip: the risks of nasal spray addiction, Singapore’s exclusivity deal with Taylor Swift, a short-lived health authority in New Zealand, and more.
- First alleged air conditioning gas smuggler in the U.S.
- Sex-for-rent in Ireland
- Dependency of Norwegians on nasal sprays
- A short-lived move dedicated to Māori people in New Zealand
- Serbia tackling critics of its military commandment
- Kenya’s e‑mobility strategy with regular power outage
- Singapore’s split between Taylor Swift and foreign influence
- Kazakhstan’s change to a single time zone
- In South Korea, knowing if it will be a boy or a girl
The first arrest in the U.S. for smuggling harmful gas used in refrigerators
For the first time, the United States has charged a man with smuggling hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) from Mexico. This gas is used as a cooling system in old appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioning. It has a global warming potential hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide. The suspect could allegedly bring 15 to 20 tanks a week. In the European Union, 255 tons of HFCs were seized between 2019 and 2020 across 24 countries. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California promised the case “will not be the last.”
A bill to tackle sex-for-rent in Ireland
Ireland’s largest political party proposed to make it an offense for landlords to seek sex-for-rent arrangements, which accounts for “a small but not insignificant number” of such ads, amidst a growing housing crisis in Ireland. The offense would be punished by a hefty fine but would remain extra-judiciary. A report shows that one in eight international students faced accommodation scams in the country. “The housing crisis is jeopardizing Ireland’s excellent reputation as a study destination and risks undermining the fantastic work being done in colleges across the country,” the executive director of the Irish Council for International Students said.
700,000 Norwegians dependent on nasal sprays
Norwegian professor Sverre Steinsvåg estimates that around 700,000 Norwegians abuse and are dependent on nasal sprays, characterizing it as a “huge problem for public health.” It is not unusual for people to use an entire bottle a day, he says. Between 2018 and 2022, there has been a staggering 36 percent surge in sales of over-the-counter nasal sprays to alleviate congestion during colds or allergies. However, it can be hard to severe from the temporary feeling of breathing well, and prolonged use can cause inflammation making nasal passages even more congested. Gulla, a 22-year-old Norwegian, has been addicted since she was 10 years old.
A short-lived health authority for the Māori people in New Zeland
Only 18 months after the first health authority dedicated to the Māori indigenous population in New Zealand was created, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon decided to abolish it by the end of June, sparking nationwide protests and emotional debate. Māori people have less access to health services and a life expectancy of 7 years shorter than the rest of the population. The government, however, favors finding a solution for health inequities within the existing system and argues that the move will streamline bureaucracy and bring healthcare closer to all New Zealanders.
The militarization in Serbia
The Serbian military budget has doubled between 2016 and 2022. Earlier this year, President Aleksandar Vučić announced a ramping up of military spending as Serbia continues its standoff with Kosovo, refusing to recognize the country after it declared independence in 2008. Despite strong public opposition, he also attempted to reinstate compulsory military service last year. Most recently, the president of the Serbian Military Union, an outspoken critic of the leadership within the military, and at least two other union officials were briefly detained and then charged with embezzlement. The Defense Minister had referred to military trade unions as the “biggest stupidity in the world,” exposing the unfolding tensions in military leadership.
Kenya and the challenge of e‑mobility
Almost 90% of Kenya’s electricity comes from renewable sources such as geothermal energy, and the government introduced several regulations aiming to increase e‑mobility in the country as part of a “Green Transport” initiative. However, it faces a major challenge: The fragility of its electricity network. In 2022, 75% of Kenyan households had access to electricity, a jump from 32% in 2013, but power outages and major electricity losses regularly hit the country. Last August, it took nearly 24 hours to fully restore power in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city.
Singapore’s balancing act between Taylor Swift and foreign interference
Singapore has recently been banking on the entertainment economy to attract tourists. A series of concerts by Taylor Swift could bring up to 373 million dollars to the economy, leading the government of Singapore to pay up to 3 million dollars for each concert so that Taylor Swift wouldn’t perform in other Southeast Asian countries, disappointing country officials in Thailand or the Philippines.
That same week, for the first time, Singapore designated a citizen of being a “politically significant person” under foreign, allegedly Chinese, interference under a law passed in 2021. The accusation highlights the challenging balance Singapore is facing between the openness of its economy that brings commerce, tourism, and expatriates and the need to safeguard the State against undue foreign influence.
A contested change of time zone
Kazakhstan is the world’s largest landlocked country, with geographical dimensions so wide that it could qualify for three to four different time zones. For 96 years, the country has been split into two time zones, but since March, it has adopted a single one. The change is supposed to ease communication and business between regions. However, not all citizens are happy with the decision, complaining, for example, that the government “[is stealing] sunlight from people.”
Korean parents can know the sex of their future baby
A 37-year-old law in South Korea banning parents from knowing the fetus’s sex before 32 weeks of pregnancy has been overturned by the Constitutional Court considering it unconstitutional and ineffective. It was previously created due to the country’s vastly uneven sex ratio between men and women. Between 1987 and 2008, at no point in time of the pregnancy could the parents know the sex of their future baby because of the traditional preference of sons over daughters. It has become common practice for doctors to reveal the sex of an unborn child, but only using expressions suggesting it. Although sex-selective abortions are no longer considered to be a problematic issue nationwide, the Constitutional Court “cannot confirm that the preference for sons has completely disappeared” in a country with the lowest fertility rate in the world.
