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Western Europe
Belgian Parliament approves ban on conversion therapy
On Thursday, the Belgian Parliament passed a proposal that criminalises conversion therapies. Any treatment which aims to change someone's sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression or attempts to suppress it will become forbidden, the Belgian decree decides. Whoever violates the ban risks a fine of up to 2,400 euros…
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Western Europe
Partying in a former church? It is possible in Belgium
Fewer and fewer churchgoers lead to more and more empty churches. Several of them get a new destination. Have you ever dreamt of sleeping with a bedroom view through old stained windows with organ pipes as your headboard? Then go to “Martin's Patershof”, the Norwegian newspaper Vart Land discovered. The…
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Western Europe
Holocaust denial becomes illegal in the Netherlands
Holocaust denial will be included explicitly in the Dutch Criminal Code. That means it is illegal by law to “deny, down-play or condone” the mass murder of the Jews during the Second World War. The ban on such actions protects relatives from victims of genocide or other war crimes against…
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Central Europe
“Hot outside? Cool down in church”
As hot temperatures scorch the European soil, the German Health Minister has some remarkable advice: want to cool down? Go to church.This week, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (Social Democrats) visited Italy, PRO writes. There, temperatures rose well beyond 30 degrees Celsius. And Italy is not the only country that sighs…
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Central Europe
A place of rest for the busy traveller
Going on holidays is fun, at least after the luggage is packed, the trunk of the car can be closed, and the children are sitting peacefully in the back seat. In general, traveling can be quite stressful. Germany offers opportunities for tired travelers to find some rest, for body and…
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Eastern Europe
Russian Health Minister denounces women who choose career over children
Desiring education and a career and thus postponing childbirth is a “perverse practice” for women, Mikhail Murashko said on Tuesday. He is the Russian Minister of Health. When speaking to the Russian Duma, he called for a review of the situation, Moscow Times reports. He strongly denounces “the belief that…
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Eastern Europe
Eastern-European Jews move to Israel en masse
A massive “exodus” of Jews from Ukraine and Russia seems imminent. Tens of thousands of Jews have emigrated to Israel since war broke out between the two countries. This was reported by the London-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research in a report earlier this month, the Dutch daily Reformatorisch Dagblad…
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Northern Europe
Christian schools in Norway have financial troubles
Christian schools in Norway have a deficit of money. Not surprising when subsidies are cut, says Jan Erik Sundby. Sundby is the senior adviser of the Association of Christian Independent Schools. He sees that many Christian schools are struggling with their finances. Costs of teachers' salaries and electricity went up…
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Eastern Europe
Russian Senate votes unanimously for ban on gender change
The Upper Chamber in Russia has been clear: Gender reassignment must be banned from the country. Members of the Federation Council voted unanimously on Wednesday in favour of the bill that was already approved by the Russian Duma last week. That is reported by Svoboda. If President Vladimir Putin signs…
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Western Europe
Jail term for Dutch retailer of suicide drug
A Dutch man who sold a lethal drug to people who wanted to commit suicide has to serve a prison sentence of 3.5 years. On Tuesday, the judge ruled that he is guilty of assisting ten people to commit suicide, which is illegal in the Netherlands, where only euthanasia with…
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