International
Filipinos Seeks Freedom, Demand Right To Divorce
The Philippines is the only place outside the Vatican where divorce is outlawed, as a Philippine mother-of-three, Stella Sibonga is desperate to end a marriage she never wanted. But divorce in the Catholic-majority country is illegal, and a court annulment takes years.
Pro-divorce advocates argue the ban makes it harder for couples to cut ties and remarry, and escape violent spouses.
People wanting to end their marriage can ask a court for an annulment or a declaration that the nuptials were invalid from the start, but the government can appeal against those decisions.
The legal process is slow and expensive — cases can cost as much as $10,000 or more in a country plagued by poverty — with no guarantee of success, and some people seeking a faster result fall for online scams.
“I don’t understand why it has to be this difficult,” said Sibonga, who has spent 11 years trying to get out of a marriage that her parents forced her into after she became pregnant.
Sibonga’s legal battle began in 2012, when she applied to a court to cancel her marriage on the basis of her husband’s alleged “psychological incapacity”, one of the grounds for terminating a matrimony.
After five years and $3,500 in legal fees , a judge finally agreed. The former domestic worker’s relief was, however, short-lived.
The Office of the Solicitor General, which as the government’s legal representative is tasked with protecting the institution of marriage, successfully appealed the decision in 2019.
Sibonga said she requested the Court of Appeals to reverse its ruling, but is still waiting for an answer.
“Why are we, the ones who experienced suffering, abandonment and abuse, being punished by the law?” said Sibonga, 45, who lives near Manila.
“All we want is to be free.”
International
Japan beer giants raided over alleged price-fixing cartel
Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo all saw their share price fall after news of the investigation broke on Wednesday. Suntory’s beer business is not publicly-listed.
Image credit: BBC| GETTY Images
Japanese officials have raided the country’s biggest beer makers over allegations they worked together to raise the price of their beverages.
Asahi, Sapporo, Kirin and Suntory Spirits confirmed to the BBC that their premises had been searched by the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC), adding that they would fully cooperate with the regulator.
The four firms dominate Japan’s beer market, with their drinks a common sight in supermarkets and convenience stores across the country.
Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo all saw their share price fall after news of the investigation broke on Wednesday. Suntory’s beer business is not publicly-listed.
“I do not deny that an investigation is being conducted today, but I’d like to refrain from commenting on the details as a preliminary review is underway,” JFTC Secretary General Iwanari Hiroo said, according to local media.
International
Belgian Students Protest Over Rising Education Costs
Tuition fees for most students in Belgium’s French-speaking Community, was increased from €835 to €1,194.
Hundreds of students in the Belgian city of Liège took to the streets protesting rising education costs, according to Belga news agency.
Tuition fees for most students in Belgium’s French-speaking Community, was increased from €835 to €1,194.
Local media reported that 107 people had been arrested in recent days, for offences linked to property damage and arson.
The protesters are challenging conditions in Belgium’s French-language education system, citing rising costs, overcrowded classrooms and difficulties accessing study materials.
Students carried placards expressing their frustration, including messages calling for education to be treated as a right rather than a privilege.
International
Ethiopian woman says she hasn’t eaten or drunk water since age 10
Despite claiming not to eat, Ambaw said she enjoys preparing meals for her family and visitors.
•Muluwork Ambaw
An Ethiopian woman, Muluwork Ambaw, has claimed that she has not eaten food or drunk water since she was 10 years old, saying she suddenly lost her appetite as a child.
Ambaw, who is now 26 and lives in Jimma, Ethiopia, said her last meal was lentil stew before she stopped eating and drinking.
Her extraordinary claim gained international attention after travel content creator Drew Binsky visited her in Ethiopia and documented her story and daily life.
According to Ambaw, the change began when her family would ask her to have breakfast before going to school.
Her extraordinary claim gained international attention after travel content creator Drew Binsky visited her in Ethiopia and documented her story and daily life.
According to Ambaw, the change began when her family would ask her to have breakfast before going to school.
“I used to live with my family, and they asked me to eat breakfast and go to school. I said I had eaten, but I was pretending,” she said, according to an account shared by Binsky.
Ambaw said she simply stopped feeling hungry or thirsty and has continued living without consuming food or water.
Despite claiming not to eat, Ambaw said she enjoys preparing meals for her family and visitors.
She reportedly grows vegetables in her garden so she can cook fresh food when her sister or guests visit.
“I cook as much as I want, but I have no appetite,” she said.
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