site.news_by_theme ban
Japan bans child porn possession
Japan on Wednesday finally fell into line with other developed countries and made the possession of child pornography illegal.
18 June 2014
Circus performers flip over animal ban in Mexico City
About 1,000 clowns, jugglers and animal trainers marched Tuesday against Mexico City's pending ban on circus animals.
11 June 2014
China blocks Google sites amid Tiananmen security drive
Several Google websites have been blocked in China, a monitoring service said Tuesday, as authorities step up arrests and censorship before the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
03 June 2014
Turkey's top court rules YouTube ban violates rights
Turkey's top court ruled on Thursday that a blanket ban on YouTube violated individual rights and freedoms, clearing the way for the popular video-sharing site to come back.
30 May 2014
Chinese elderly commit suicide to avoid coffin ban
Six elderly people in China are said to have committed suicide to ensure they died before new regulations banning coffin burials come into force, a newspaper reported.
28 May 2014
Costa Rica to allow gay couples to share health benefits
Costa Rica's social security administration has agreed to allow same-sex couples to share health and pension benefits, even though the conservative Central American country bans gay marriage.
24 May 2014
Microsoft to press China after Windows 8 ban
Microsoft said Tuesday it would maintain efforts to gain approval in China for its Windows 8 operating system after a ban announced by Beijing.
22 May 2014
European alcohol ban in Kazakhstan a hasty decision: KazAlko
KazAlko Association considers ban of European alcohol import to Kazakhstan a hasty decision.
19 May 2014
Swiss vote to ban paedophiles from working with kids
Switzerland on Sunday overwhelmingly voted for a harsher stance against convicted paedophiles by banning them from working with children for life.
19 May 2014
Tokyo to ban sales of incest comic to minors
The Tokyo government is to ban sales to children of a manga comic that depicts incestuous relationships, an official said Tuesday, the first time expanded rules on sexual content have been invoked.
14 May 2014
Kazakhstan bans European alcohol import
Kazakhstan will introduce a temporary ban on import of alcohol from a number of foreign countries that do not meet the Customs Union standards.
13 May 2014
Indonesia bans video-sharing site Vimeo over 'porn'
Indonesia has ordered a ban on popular video-sharing website Vimeo after accusing it of hosting pornographic content, sparking social media fury.
13 May 2014
India threatens WTO action over EU mango ban
India on Friday threatened to drag the European Union to the World Trade Organization over its ban on mango imports.
04 May 2014
Singaporeans defy ban on e-cigarettes
Singaporeans are defying a ban on electronic cigarettes despite stiff fines for distributors and smugglers, health authorities said.
26 April 2014
Gambia bans flights from Ebola-hit nations
The Gambia has banned flights from Ebola-hit west African countries from landing in its territory, airport officials told AFP.
16 April 2014
Japan lifts own blanket arms export ban
Japan on Tuesday lifted a self-imposed ban on weapons exports, introducing new rules covering the arms trade in a move supporters say will boost Tokyo's global role, but which could unnerve China.
01 April 2014
Whaling ban applauded despite fears of Japan sidestep
Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday hailed a landmark court decision that Japan must halt an annual Antarctic whale hunt, despite fears it may try to sidestep the order.
01 April 2014
Smoking ban reduces pre-term births, childhood asthma
Bans on smoking in public and the workplace led to a 10 percent drop in premature births and in emergency asthma treatment for children.
28 March 2014
Turkey bans YouTube after Syria security talk leaked
Turkey banned YouTube after the video-sharing website was used to spread damaging leaked audio files from a state security meeting debating possible military action in Syria.
28 March 2014
US ends BP contract ban
The United States announced Thursday an end to its ban on BP obtaining government contracts following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
14 March 2014