Skepticism

Global Quickies: Vaccinations in Italy, Bill to End Violence Against Women in Tunisia, and Homeopathy in the UK

WORLD
“UN peacekeepers are sent to the most war-ravaged countries on Earth, ostensibly to help them transition to peace. But some stand accused of committing crimes against the very people they are supposed to protect. According to a recent investigation by the Associated Press (AP), between 2004 and 2016, the United Nations received almost 2,000 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against its peacekeepers.”

ITALY
A 10-year-old boy in Sardinia has been diagnosed with tetanus. […]The 10-year-old boy was admitted to hospital with a cut to his forehead caused by a bicycle injury a few weeks ago. Doctors back then suggested a tetanus vaccination as a precaution but the parents apparently refused it.

ITALY
“MPs and doctors in Italy have been the victims of violent protests against a law that will see parents fined if they fail to vaccine their children.”

NIGERIA
More than 40 men have been arrested in Nigeria over the weekend for performing homosexual acts, police say.

TUNISIA
“Tunisia’s parliament has approved a bill aimed at ending “all violence against women” in a move welcomed by rights groups. The new law, which is expected to enter into force next year, defines violence against women as “any physical, moral, sexual or economic aggression” against women based on discrimination between the two sexes. It includes the key elements of the definition of domestic violence recommended in the United Nations Handbook for Legislation on Violence against Women.”

UK
Homeopathic remedies will no longer be available on prescription on the NHS according to newly-announced plans. The move comes as part of the NHS England’s drive to save more than £190m a year through a new set of national guidelines, which are now open for public consultation. “

PAKISTAN
“Some 20 people from Multan, Pakistan, have been arrested for ordering the rape of a teenage girl, in revenge for a rape her brother allegedly committed.”

MALTA
“Lawmakers on the predominantly Catholic island of Malta voted to legalise same-sex marriage by 66 votes to 1 on Wednesday evening (12 July).”

KENYA
Three Kenyan men who stripped and attacked a woman in a bus have been sentenced to death by a magistrate in the capital, Nairobi. The death sentence was imposed after the three were convicted of robbery with violence.”

ITALY
“A man hired to work as a waiter at a hotel in Emilia-Romagna had the job offer retracted after his employer told him: “We can’t put coloured guys in the dining area”.”

DENMARK
“Three LGBT rights activists from Uganda have been denied visas to enter Denmark despite having been invited to take part in the Copenhagen Pride event.”

UK/KENYA
“The UK has extradited a self-styled Kenyan pastor, who claimed he created miraculous pregnancies, to Kenya to face child-trafficking charges.”

AUSTRALIA
“Since the Australian government launched its ‘No jab no pay’ campaign on 1 January 2016, thousands of children have been vaccinated for the first time, as parents who previously refused to immunise their babies faced family payment cuts of up to $15,000 a year. […]According to the report, since the policy was introduced in January, the immunisation rate for one- and five-year-olds has now reached 93 percent for the first time ever – up from around 90 percent.

Featured image: United Nations Photo

Daniela

Born and raised in Mexico City, Daniela has finally decided to abdicate her post as an armchair skeptic and start doing some skeptical activism. She is currently living in Spain after having lived in the US, Brazil and Italy. You can also find her blogging in Spanish at esceptica.org.

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