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Below is a summary of the current world news briefing.
Church of England bishop rejects same-sex marriage
The Church of England will refuse to allow same-sex couples to marry in its churches under proposals put forward on Wednesday, with the centuries-old institution saying it will uphold its teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman. The proposals are drawn up by bishops, one of the three parts of the Church’s governing body, the General Conference, after six years of consultation in the Church of England on issues such as sex and marriage, and will be presented to the General Conference next monthly meeting.
Worried about COVID in rural areas, China’s Xi sees ‘light ahead’
President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday he was particularly concerned about China’s COVID-19 wave spreading to rural areas with poor medical facilities, but urged perseverance in times of stress, saying “the light is ahead”. His comments come as millions of urban workers are returning to their hometowns to be with their families for the Lunar New Year (LNY) holiday, in what was known before COVID as the largest annual population migration.
Chinese who lost loved ones to COVID-19 are angry at failing to protect the elderly
As the virus swept through her hometown in the southeastern province of Jiangxi, Ailia, a former high school teacher, was devastated when her 85-year-old father died after developing COVID-like symptoms. While her father was never tested, Arya and her mother were confirmed positive at about the same time, and she believes COVID was a contributing factor in his death.
Explainer – What’s at stake in Turkey’s upcoming elections
President Tayyip Erdogan aims to extend his 20-year rule in elections that will determine not only who leads Turkey, but how it is governed, the direction of its economy and its potential role in de-escalating conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. play a role. Presidential and parliamentary elections, which must be held in June, represent the biggest political challenge so far for Erdogan, who has championed religious piety, military-backed diplomacy and low interest rates.
UN Deputy Secretary-General talks women’s education, work in Kabul
The UN deputy secretary-general met with Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister on Wednesday to discuss women’s education and jobs after Taliban authorities ordered most female NGO staff to stop working and bar women from attending universities. Amina Mohammed was in Kabul as part of a series of meetings that included stops in Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan to discuss the situation in Afghanistan with diplomats, the Afghan diaspora and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
All eyes on Germany as defense leaders meet on arming Ukraine
When dozens of defense ministers meet at an air base in Germany on Friday, all eyes will be on what Berlin has to offer Ukraine. Defense leaders from about 50 countries and NATO will meet at Ramstein Air Force Base, the latest in a series of meetings since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly 11 months ago.
French unions threaten to cut power to MPs, billionaires in nationwide strike
France’s hardline CGT union threatened to cut power to lawmakers and billionaires ahead of a nationwide strike on Thursday, in an increasingly bitter showdown over the government’s plan to raise the retirement age.
The proposed bill, announced last week, would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, a move that polls show is opposed by an overwhelming majority of workers already facing a cost-of-living crisis.
‘Say their names’ – family urges Blinken to use China trip to release US detainees
Katherine Swidan has not seen a single photo of her son Mark, who has been imprisoned in China for more than a decade. The last time she heard his voice was in 2018. She and the families of other Americans wrongfully held in China by the U.S. government are hoping U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will push Chinese authorities to release him to meet with their loved ones when he visits Beijing next month.
Ukraine’s interior minister kills 15 in helicopter crash
Ukraine’s interior minister was among 15 people killed when a helicopter crashed near a daycare on the outskirts of Kyiv on Wednesday morning, Ukrainian officials said. Nine people on board and six on the ground, including three children, were killed when the French-made Super Puma helicopter crashed in a residential area on the outskirts of Brovari, on the eastern outskirts of the capital, officials said. Earlier, the official death toll was 18.
U.S. links Israel visa waiver to West Bank travel for Palestinian-Americans
The United States wants Israel to allow Palestinian-Americans free access to the occupied West Bank under a visa-waiver agreement being discussed among allies, the U.S. ambassador said on Wednesday. Violence in the West Bank has surged over the past year in a territory where Palestinians seek statehood. It is dotted with Israeli military checkpoints and patrols.
(According to agency opinion.)
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