Violence against women has become a “global public health problem of epidemic proportions,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “Some 35% of all women will experience either intimate partner or non-partner violence,” says WHO. “Intimate partner violence is the most common type . . . , affecting 30% of women worldwide.”

In a poll of 64,303 people, 79 percent thought that “religion is a cause of much misery and conflict in the world today.” Moreover, a 2011 census of England and Wales found that only 59 percent of the population profess to be Christian, down from 72 percent in 2001. During the same period, the percentage of people who claimed no religious affiliation rose from 15 to 25.

According to media reports, recently amended legislation requires adult children not only to visit their aging parents often but also to tend to their “emotional needs.” The law “does not stipulate any punishments” for children who fail to comply.

Criminal gangs are now counterfeiting such everyday consumer goods as cosmetics, detergents, and even food. “Just about every single ingredient that has even a moderate economic value is potentially vulnerable to fraud,” says the president of one food-security consultancy. One expert estimates that 10 percent of food items bought in the developed world are adulterated.