Swiss women go on strike over inequality

Swiss authorities have approved a plan for pilot testing the sale and use of cannabis for recreational purposes this summer in Basel, joining in on a debate over the pros and cons of selling cannabis legally.

More than two-thirds of people hospitalized with COVID-19 still suffer symptoms a year later, UK researchers have said. Women and obese people are most at risk of long COVID.

Switzerland has turned down two requests by Germany to reexport Swiss-made ammunition to Ukraine. The move has triggered a debate about Switzerland's principle of neutrality.

Domestic violence is on the rise, but under-reported in Cameroon. Campaigners say official figures account for only a fraction of the women who have suffered - or even died - at the hands of their partners. And for those seeking justice, advocates say successful prosecutions are rare due to the failings and corruption within Cameroon's judicial system.

Iranian women who rebel against mandatory wearing of hijabs say they are being discriminated against in the workplace.

The hard-line Islamist group has told Afghan women to cover their faces in public — the latest backslide on promises to retain women's rights after the Taliban seized power last August.

The Taliban have further curbed women's rights with their latest veil compulsion decree. Afghanistan's civil society faces an uphill task to challenge the group without adequate support from the international community.

We look at reactions to Finland and Sweden's imminent bid to join NATO. Spanish lawmakers will soon discuss a proposal to offer period pain leave to women, which, if passed, would make Spain the first Western nation to do so. Also, the US wins hosting rights to the Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033. We then look at Friday the 13th and why there's even a word for people who fear the day. Finally, Indian parents sue their son... for not giving them grandchildren!

An entrepreneurship association made up mostly of young women from South Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, is manufacturing soap from coffee beans. The group’s coordinator, Mademoiselle Solange Kwinja, says the product is a great success since it is now being marketed in Bukavu, the provincial capital.

In France, coming out of the closet and living openly as a member of the LGBTI+ community can be a significant psychological, emotional and social challenge. Until just 40 years ago, it was also a legal one. In 1982, the age of consent was lowered from 21 to 18 for homosexuals in France, making it the same for everyone. This landmark law paved the way for important civil liberties, including the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2013. But there are still obstacles to be overcome. To find out more about the ongoing fight for equality, we speak to Sébastien Tüller, LGBTI+ legal advisor for Amnesty International France.

The Taliban has made face veils mandatory for all Afghan women appearing in public, including those on television. This edict was ignored by presenters on Saturday, but they relented a day later.

Many women in Angola’s province of Bengo are now achieving places often occupied by men. For example: arbitration. Young female referees show the importance of cooperating with each other – no matter who, no matter where.