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The independent

Taste of the exotic: ‘fatty rice’ condoms from Malaysia

Port Klang, Malaysia | AFP | A Malaysian condom company is hoping to spice up sex lives with a contraceptive that tastes like the country’s ultimate comfort food — a chili-infused rice dish known as nasi lemak. Industry giant Karex, which claims to be the world’s biggest condom maker, already offers …

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Malaysian gets dressing down for wearing shorts

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | AFP | A Malaysian man has been reprimanded by Islamic authorities for “indecent dressing” after he was caught wearing shorts in public on the way to a football match, officials and reports said Wednesday. The case in Kelantan, a state ruled by an influential Islamist party, sparked …

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Wenger’s Arsenal facing 2000km trip to Belarus

Paris, France | AFP | Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he will field a strong side for Thursday’s Europa League visit to BATE Borisov, despite a 4000km round trip in the middle of a spell of three games in seven days. The second round of group-stage matches also sees AC Milan …

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Senate Republicans pull plug on latest Obamacare repeal bid

Washington, United States | AFP | US Senate Republicans abandoned their latest plan to dismantle Obamacare Tuesday when it became clear that President Donald Trump’s party did not have the votes, assuring the 2010 health reforms survive for the foreseeable future. Grim-faced lawmakers, who had hoped to hold the vote this …

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Chad condemns ‘injustice’ of US travel ban

N’Djamena, Chad | AFP | Chad expressed to its United States ambassador the “injustice” of being added to the list of countries targeted by its travel ban, the acting foreign minister said Tuesday. The landlocked African country was included in the newest version of President Donald Trump’s order, which cited Chad’s …

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Ireland to hold abortion referendum in 2018

Dublin, Ireland | AFP | Ireland announced it will hold a referendum next year on whether to repeal its constitutional ban on abortion in almost all cases — just a few weeks before Pope Francis visits. The government is also planning votes to remove Ireland’s anti-blasphemy law and to reduce the …

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UK Labour mobilises to push Corbyn into power

Brighton, United Kingdom | AFP | In a former church, 40-odd activists are learning how to become effective frontline troops in the battle to sweep Labour opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn into power. “The next campaign is already going on,” said 19-year-old Connor Hodgson-Brunniche, a student at York University, who came down …

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Twitter aims to boost appeal with new 280-character tweet limit

San Francisco, United States | AFP | Twitter is testing allowing tweets to be expanded to 280 characters — double the existing limit — in the latest effort to boost flagging growth at the social network. San Francisco-based Twitter said Tuesday that the new limit, a major shift for the messaging …

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Saudi Arabia allows women to drive, in historic move

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi Arabia said Tuesday it would allow women to drive, the last country in the world to do so, sparking euphoria and disbelief among activists in the ultra-conservative kingdom, where social restrictions are increasingly being loosened. The longstanding driving ban was seen internationally as a …

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