Entertainment
-
European Court of Human Rights rejects Kirkorov’s case against Lithuania entry banThe European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has dismissed a complaint filed by Russian pop star Philipp Kirkorov against Lithuania's decision to bar his entry into the country.23 April 2024Read More...
-
Risnjak National Park: Croatia's hidden gem wins Europe's top spotNestled within Croatia's picturesque Gorski Kotar region, Risnjak National Park emerges as a beacon of untouched beauty, earning recognition as one of Europe's premier destinations sans the23 April 2024Read More...
-
Swiss castles experience record visitor numbersIn 2023, the National Association of Swiss Castles witnessed a historic milestone, welcoming over 1.3 million visitors to its 28 castles. This achievement marks a new record for the organization,23 April 2024Read More...
-
Underground surge: Belgium grapples with 2,214 illegal gambling websitesResearch conducted by gambling analysis firm Yield Sec has unveiled a concerning trend in Belgium's online gambling landscape. According to their findings, a staggering 2,214 illegal gambling14 April 2024Read More...
-
Flanders and Brussels Embrace Slow Art Day, inviting visitors to savor artistic experiencesOn April 13th, several museums in Flanders and Brussels will once again host a variety of activities as part of Slow Art Day, an annual tradition aimed at encouraging a deeper12 April 2024Read More...
-
4 Croatian beaches named Europe’s bestAs Croatia gears up for what promises to be its most spectacular summer season yet, the BookRetreats Summer 2024 Report has officially unveiled the top beaches across Europe, catering to10 April 2024Read More...
-
Tourism thrives in Flanders, surpassing pre-pandemic levelsPreliminary data from the statistics agency Statbel reveal that tourism in Flanders soared in 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. A total of 14.6 million domestic and international tourists29 March 2024Read More...
News
-
'Good to be together': celebrating 20 years of Poland in the EUPoland's government has initiated a special social and informational campaign titled "Good to Be Together: 20 Years of Poland in the European Union," marking a significant milestone in theRead More...
-
ÖBB unveils Summer Train Timetable with construction updatesAs summer approaches, Austria's ÖBB gears up for extensive construction activities in the eastern region, leading to adjustments in train schedules along certain routes.Read More...
-
Rare book theft: Europol cracks down on international gangIn a collaborative effort involving European law enforcement agencies, Europol successfully apprehended four suspected individuals involved in the theft of antique and rare books.Read More...
-
Embark on a journey: University of Porto launches free online Portuguese language courseThe University of Porto has unveiled an exciting opportunity for language enthusiasts with the launch of a free online course designed to introduce learners to the Portuguese language.Read More...
-
New study reveals camp Amersfoort's undisclosed role as a Holocaust concentration campRecent research conducted by historian Amanda Kluveld of Maastricht University has shed new light on the historical significance of Camp Amersfoort during the Second World War.Read More...
-
Bpost workers strike in Brussels and WalloniaThe ongoing strike at Bpost, the Belgian postal service, which commenced on Monday, has caused significant disruptions to its operations.Read More...
-
NATO Secretary General honored with Belgium's highest distinctionJens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO since 2014, was awarded Belgium's highest honor, the Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold, on Friday. Stoltenberg,Read More...
-
Amsterdam sees doubling of recent immigrants in ten years, mainly from Italy, UK, and USThe number of Amsterdam residents classified as recent immigrants—those born abroad and relocating to the Netherlands within the past decade—has surged twofold between 2013 and 2023,Read More...
-
EU plans new sanctions following Iran's attack on IsraelIn light of the significant Iranian air assault on Israel, the European Union is gearing up to implement sanctions targeting companies vital to Tehran's drone and missile production,Read More...
Most Read
- Teen held after US woman killed in London stabbings
- Football: Farhad Moshiri adamant Everton deal above board
- Greece hails new post-bailout chapter but concerns remain
- The Kokorev case caused wide discussion in Brussels
- EU accession talks stir debate in Moldova: insights from Gagauzia's leader, Yevgenia Gutsul
Business
Japan's top court will rule this week on a pair of 19th century family laws that critics blast as sexist and out of touch.
The Supreme Court will weigh in on the legality of a six-month ban on women remarrying after divorce and another law that requires spouses to have the same surname, in a highly anticipated decision set for Wednesday.
The court will decide whether to uphold, amend or strike down the controversial legislation, which dates back to an era of starkly different social mores.
The half-year remarriage ban is linked to complex rules over the timing of a child's birth after divorce -- designed to determine whether a child belonged to the ex-husband or the new spouse's family in an era before DNA testing.
The surname rule is a throwback to Japan's feudal family system, in which all women and children came under the control of the head of household -- traditionally a man.
"Even if the feudal family system is long gone, many people still have the image of a woman marrying into the husband's household," said Waseda University law professor Masayuki Tanamura.
That system was abolished in 1948, part of broad reforms pushed by the post-World War II US occupation, but Japan's civil code maintained the two articles -- which will go before the court this week.
Activists say the laws are a continued reflection of the country's male-dominated society more than a century after they came into effect.
- Judicial tango -
Mother and activist Masae Ido knows firsthand the implications of the half-year ban on remarriage.
"These laws mean a woman remains under a man's sexual control even after divorce," Ido, 50, told AFP.
She vividly recalls her frustration after the birth of a child with her second husband.
A municipal official said her ex-husband must be registered as the father of her baby -- who, under the rules, was born too soon after they divorced -- even though he was not biologically related to the child.
The East Asia Pacific region is ageing at a faster rate than any other place in history, the World Bank warned Wednesday, a demographic shift likely to cramp public services and economic growth.
The region, which spans from Myanmar and China's western borders as far east as Japan, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands, is now home to a third of the world's over 65s -- some 211 million people.
That lurch towards older populations will have a significant impact on economic growth in a area of the globe that has been financially booming for much of the last two decades, according to the study.
The report is titled "Live Long and Prosper: Aging in East Asia and Pacific" -- a reference to the so-called Vulcan salute from the Star Trek sci-fi series.
Sharp falls in birthrates and a rise in life expectancy will likely heap pressure on public services while economies will struggle to fill the shortfall of working-age employees.
The region "has undergone the most dramatic demographic transition we have ever seen", said Axel van Trotsenburg, regional vice president of the World Bank's East Asia and Pacific Region.
Mark Zuckerberg has grown from a Harvard dropout who changed what it means to be social into a billionaire philanthropist bent on shaping a better world for his daughter.
Zuckerberg and his doctor wife, Priscilla Chan, set the Internet abuzz this week with news of the birth of their first child, a girl named Maxima.
Zuckerberg and Chan also pledged to give away their Facebook fortune to make the world a "better place" for baby daughter Maxima and others.
In a letter to Maxima posted on his Facebook page, the couple said they were going to give away 99 percent of their company shares -- estimated value $45 billion -- during their lives in an effort to make a happy and healthy world.
Zuckerberg cemented his fortune, and a place in Silicon Valley history, by leading Facebook to a historic Wall Street debut in 2012. Facebook shares on Wednesday were trading at nearly triple the initial public offering price of $38.
The $16 billion IPO was structured to keep control of Facebook in the hands of Zuckerberg, who has been Time's "Person of the Year" and cracked the Forbes list of 20 richest people in the world.
The hoodie-wearing 31-year-old, depicted in the Hollywood drama "The Social Network" as a socially challenged computer geek, has evolved into a confident chief executive presiding over an online community boasting more than 1.5 billion users monthly as of September.
Despite his massive wealth, Zuckerberg still favors t-shirts, jeans and sneakers, topped off by his trademark hooded sweatshirt and a mop of brown, curly hair.
He has donned suits, though, while meeting with high-profile figures such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama.
Zuckerberg is known for setting annual goals, which have included wearing ties every day; only eating meat of animals he kills himself; and learning to speak Chinese to be able to chat with members of his wife's family who speak that language.
He has grown more outspoken socially and politically. Zuckerberg has marched with hundreds of Facebook employees in San Francisco's grand Gay Pride Parade and publicly backed US immigration reform.
Quotes credited to Zuckerberg included "What would you do if you weren't afraid" and "Move fast and break things."
Zuckerberg is known for advocating a "hacker way" of boldly twisting software or systems in promising directions.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday that Syria could be weeks away from a "big transition", following on from international talks in Vienna at the weekend.