The right to life of the unborn is protected by Ireland's constitution. The Eighth Amendment was passed by national referendum in 1983. In May, Irish voters will take part in another referendum. This time, they're being asked whether they want to repeal the abortion ban.
The killing of Jan Kuciak, 27, who investigated corruption among politically-connected business people, and his fiancée at their home in February increased widespread anger about persistent corruption allegations, leading to the largest near-weekly protests since the end of communism in 1989.
In 2012, Sweden erupted in a national debate over the pronoun "hen." Traditionally, Swedish has gendered pronouns when referring to people. There is no gender-neutral pronoun for people. "Hen" was a new word meant to fill a gap in the language. This week on The World in Words podcast we explore how a little-known and little-used word went mainstream in Sweden.
Iceland made history this week, but not in a good way. For the first time since the nation became an independent republic, armed police shot and killed a man, startling a population accustomed to peace.
What does it mean to be white? And what does it mean to be Hispanic? Being a Spaniard from Barcelona, Jaime Gonzalez always considered himself to be European and white. But as a BBC reporter working in California — he has found that many Americans see him differently.
In France, government-funded agencies help people save their loved ones from so-called cults. But that list includes groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses and, not too long ago, Baptists. Some of them are now fighting back in courts.
Sometimes we choose dogs — and sometimes they choose us. A scruffy, yellow Ecuadorean street dog followed a team of Swedish trekkers on a race through the Amazon. He became the star of the race and ended up becoming the trusty companion to the team's captain.
Church membership in Germany has been on the decline in recent decades. But an atheist from the town of Templin believes organized religion still has unfair advantages in German society.
While governments are grappling with a surge of refugees, these groups are working hard to help the people fleeing war and human rights abuses in Syria.
Maybe Americans should take a cue from the Swedes, who sign up in droves for all sorts of optional vaccines, including measles immunizations. How did that happen? It was no accident.
You may have noticed that more and more wine bottles — even expensive ones — are increasingly coming with screw tops and synthetic stoppers. You might not think much about the stopper when you make a purchase, but cork producers want you to start. They're mounting a campaign to show that real cork is better for the planet.
People around the world are up in arms about the way Danish zoo officials killed a healthy giraffe and fed it to the lions. But the zoo is defending its decision as a way of protecting the giraffe population from inbreeding.
In Italy, thousands of immigrants are opening businesses, but they often can't get loans. Now, a new Italian bank has seized on the opportunity and has opened four new locations in six months.
.jpg?itok=wJ5KALtM "Demonstrators taking part in an anti-abortion rally in Dublin, Ireland on March 10, 2018. An estimated 100,000 people were there to \"Save the 8th\", the constitutional amendment that bans abortion.")
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Conflict & Justice
Iceland grieves after police shoot and kill a man for the first time in its history
PRI's The World
December 03, 2013
Updated
Iceland made history this week, but not in a good way. For the first time since the nation became an independent republic, armed police shot and killed a man, startling a population accustomed to peace.
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Lifestyle & Belief
I'm white in Barcelona but in Los Angeles I'm Hispanic?
PRI's The World
October 28, 2015
What does it mean to be white? And what does it mean to be Hispanic? Being a Spaniard from Barcelona, Jaime Gonzalez always considered himself to be European and white. But as a BBC reporter working in California — he has found that many Americans see him differently.
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Lifestyle & Belief
The French want to make society safe for religion by banning so-called cults
PRI's The World
July 12, 2014
In France, government-funded agencies help people save their loved ones from so-called cults. But that list includes groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses and, not too long ago, Baptists. Some of them are now fighting back in courts.
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Sports
A stray dog adopts a team of Swedish trekkers on an endurance race in the Amazon
PRI's The World
November 24, 2014
Sometimes we choose dogs — and sometimes they choose us. A scruffy, yellow Ecuadorean street dog followed a team of Swedish trekkers on a race through the Amazon. He became the star of the race and ended up becoming the trusty companion to the team's captain.
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Lifestyle & Belief
German atheists seek recognition for 'Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster'
PRI's The World
February 23, 2015
Updated
Church membership in Germany has been on the decline in recent decades. But an atheist from the town of Templin believes organized religion still has unfair advantages in German society.
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Politics
How to help Syrian refugees? These groups you may not know are doing important work
PRI's The World
September 03, 2015
Updated
While governments are grappling with a surge of refugees, these groups are working hard to help the people fleeing war and human rights abuses in Syria.
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Health & Medicine
What Sweden can teach America about measles vaccinations
PRI's The World
January 29, 2015
Maybe Americans should take a cue from the Swedes, who sign up in droves for all sorts of optional vaccines, including measles immunizations. How did that happen? It was no accident.
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Science, Tech & Environment
If you drink wine and care about the planet, cork growers want your attention
PRI's The World
May 09, 2014
You may have noticed that more and more wine bottles — even expensive ones — are increasingly coming with screw tops and synthetic stoppers. You might not think much about the stopper when you make a purchase, but cork producers want you to start. They're mounting a campaign to show that real cork is better for the planet.
Giraffe_CROP.jpg
Science, Tech & Environment
Here's the story of a baby giraffe fed to lions at the Copenhagen Zoo
PRI's The World
February 11, 2014
People around the world are up in arms about the way Danish zoo officials killed a healthy giraffe and fed it to the lions. But the zoo is defending its decision as a way of protecting the giraffe population from inbreeding.
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Business, Economics and Jobs
This Italian bank caters to immigrants — and business is booming
PRI's The World
December 16, 2013
In Italy, thousands of immigrants are opening businesses, but they often can't get loans. Now, a new Italian bank has seized on the opportunity and has opened four new locations in six months.