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German priests defy Vatican ban by blessing same-sex unions

Enrique Anarte, Thomson Reuters Foundation
Posted at May 12 12:07 AM

Priests and dioceses all over Germany have joined the "Liebe Gewinnt" or "Love Wins" initiative, with blessings taking place this week in cities like Berlin, Munich and Cologne, home to Germany's largest archdiocese, as well as rural areas.   Read more »

BSP to keep rates steady; economy remaining in recession: Reuters poll

Reuters
Posted at May 10 03:59 PM

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate at a record low on Thursday, after the economy likely contracted for a fifth straight quarter in the January to March period, a Reuters poll showed. Read more »

Czech Republic's COVID-19 death toll surpasses 25,000, doubling in 2021

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Mar 23 07:55 PM

PRAGUE - The Czech Republic said on Tuesday that the total number of deaths related to COVID-19 had passed the 25,000 mark, more than doubling since the start of 2021.   Read more »

Bangladesh under 'no obligation' to accept stranded Rohingya refugees— minister

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Feb 27 04:23 PM

"They are not Bangladesh nationals and in fact, they are Myanmar nationals." Read more »

Vaccines become latest frontline in China's campaign to win hearts of Taiwanese

Yimou Lee, Reuters
Updated as of Jan 21 12:56 PM

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, is making the free-of-charge offer at a time when the democratic island has yet to begin vaccinations of its own, with Chinese government departments and state media quoting Taiwanese in China in support of the program.   Read more »

Zimbabwe's foreign minister dies after contracting COVID-19

Reuters
Posted at Jan 20 07:32 PM

Zimbabwe's foreign minister, Sibusiso Moyo, has died after contracting COVID-19, presidential spokesman George Charamba said on Wednesday. Read more »

N. Korea cracks down on foreign media, speaking styles

Josh Smith, Reuters
Posted at Jan 20 01:43 PM

North Korea is imposing stiff fines or prison for anyone caught enjoying South Korean entertainment or copying the way South Koreans speak as leader Kim Jong Un steps up a war on outside influences and calls for better homegrown entertainment. Read more »

COVID-19 spurs calls to boost protections for millions of homeworkers

Emma Batha, Thomson Reuters Foundation
Posted at Jan 13 09:45 PM

The dramatic global shift to remote working during COVID-19 lockdowns has underscored an urgent need for greater protections for homeworkers, many of whom are paid far less than those employed outside the home, the United Nations said on Wednesday. Read more »

Japan set to expand state of emergency, public cools to Olympics

Elaine Lies and Chang-Ran Kim, Reuters
Updated as of Jan 13 02:45 PM

The move comes after the governors of Osaka, Kyoto and other hard-hit prefectures requested the government issue the emergency state, which gives local authorities the legal basis to place restrictions on residents' movements and businesses.   Read more »

Bangko Sentral sees solid rebound for pandemic-hit economy

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 12 03:31 PM

The worst is over for the pandemic-hit Philippine economy, and a "remarkable rebound" is expected this year, the head of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said on Tuesday. Read more »

China to provide COVID-19 vaccines for free - gov't official

Reuters
Posted at Jan 09 01:14 PM

China will provide COVID-19 vaccines free of charge once they become available to general public, government authorities said on Saturday. Read more »

Beijing raises guard as COVID-19 cases rise in Hebei province

Reuters
Posted at Jan 08 03:45 PM

Tongzhou district in Beijing, which borders Hebei province, also declared that it was entering a "wartime state" to prevent infections. Such a measure is usually followed by contact tracing and testing to track down any infections at the local level.   Read more »

Baidu plans smart electric vehicles company, to make cars at Geely plant: sources

Yingzhi Yang, Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh, Reuters
Posted at Jan 08 10:26 AM

BEIJING - China's Baidu Inc plans to form a company to make smart electric vehicles (EV), two sources familiar with the matter said, with manufacturing to be carried out at plants owned by automaker Geely. Read more »

Thai landfill turned into urban farm to feed poor during pandemic

Rina Chandran, Thomson Reuters Foundation
Posted at Jan 07 08:46 PM

An urban farm developed on a former landfill site in northern Thailand boosted the food security and livelihoods of poor families during the coronavirus pandemic, and can be a model for unused spaces in other cities, urban experts said on Thursday. Read more »

N. Korea's Kim vows to boost military capabilities at rare party congress

Reuters
Posted at Jan 07 04:40 PM

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would expand military capabilities to better defend the country, state media reported on Thursday, during a rare party congress as the country faces international sanctions and pressure.   Read more »

Tokyo to request new emergency declaration as COVID-19 cases climb - report

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jan 02 12:47 PM

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will ask the central government later on Saturday to declare a state of emergency following a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, local media reported. Read more »

With little ado, a divided United Kingdom casts off into the Brexit unknown

Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton, Reuters
Posted at Jan 01 10:01 AM

After years of Brexit vitriol, one of the most significant events in European history since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union passed with little fanfare: The United Kingdom slipped away, serenaded by the silence of the COVID-19 crisis.   Read more »

Thai women gold panners are rare winners in COVID-hit economy

Matthew Tostevin, Reuters
Posted at Dec 30 09:14 PM

With global gold prices near an all-time high, the women are a rare bright spot for an economy hard hit by the collapse of tourism amid coronavirus travel restrictions.   Read more »

China seeks better protection of Yangtze river with landmark law

Reuters
Posted at Dec 30 02:17 PM

The Yangtze, one of China's two so-called "mother rivers", the other being the Yellow River, has been stained by years of pollution. Aquatic life has also been threatened and fish stocks depleted.  Read more »

Sydney on alert after mystery cases but new infections remain low

Reuters
Posted at Dec 29 01:06 PM

Australia's most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) maintained its downward trend of new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday but authorities asked people to be on "high alert" after cases were detected outside the current virus cluster. Read more »