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Geopolitics

A Cop Is Killed Every 32 Hours In Brazil

FOLHA DE S.PAULO(Brazil)

Worldcrunch

SAO PAULO – One policeman is killed every 32 hours in Brazil, according to a new report by the State Public Security Department shows.

Official statistics show that at least 229 police officers – from both civil and military police – were killed in Brazil this year, reports Brazilian daily Folha de S.Paulo.

Of those slain, 79% were killed while off-duty. According to a recent study from the University of São Paulo (USP), off-duty policemen are more vulnerable and homicide investigations are therefore harder to carry out.

Score-settling between gang bosses and police officers, especially in the city of São Paulo where violent clashes between police and PCC gang members have occured, also help explain such a high police homicide rate.

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São Paulo at night (Geralzona)

Folha reports that the state of São Paulo tops the list with 98 policemen killed in 2012, followed by Northern states of Para and Bahia. The study is the latest reminder that despite the current economic boom and major improvements in some urban areas, public safety remains a major issue in Brazil.

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Society

Tales From A Blushing Nation: Exploring India's 'Issues' With Love And Sex

Why is it that this nation of a billion-plus has such problems with intimacy and romance?

Photo of Indian romance statues

Indian romance statues

Sreemanti Sengupta

KOLKATA — To a foreigner, India may seem to be a country obsessed with romance. What with the booming Bollywood film industry which tirelessly churns out tales of love and glory clothed in brilliant dance and action sequences, a history etched with ideal romantics like Laila-Majnu or the fact that the Taj Mahal has immortalised the love between king Shahjahan and queen Mumtaz.

It is difficult to fathom how this country with a billion-plus population routinely gets red in the face at the slightest hint or mention of sex.

It therefore may have come as a shock to many when the ‘couple-friendly’ hospitality brand OYO announced that they are “extremely humbled to share that we observed a record 90.57% increase in Valentine’s Day bookings across India.”

What does that say about India’s romantic culture?

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