Tag Archives: Asia

Thai Lawmakers Overwhelmingly Pass Marriage Bill

The Associated Press reports: Lawmakers in Thailand’s lower house of Parliament overwhelmingly approved a marriage equality bill on Wednesday that would make the country the first in Southeast Asia to legalize equal rights for marriage partners of any gender. The bill passed its final reading with the approval of 400 of the 415 members of the House of Representatives in …

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China’s Population Drops Amid Record Low Birth Rate

Reuters reports: China’s population fell for a second consecutive year in 2023, as a record low birth rate and a wave of COVID-19 deaths when strict lockdowns ended accelerated a downturn that will have profound long-term effects on the economy’s growth potential. The National Bureau of Statistics said the total number of people in China dropped by 2.08 million, or …

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South Korean Lawmakers Ban The Sale Of Dog Meat

The BBC reports: The slaughter and sale of dogs for their meat is to become illegal in South Korea after MPs backed a new law. The legislation, set to come into force by 2027, aims to end the centuries-old practice of humans eating dog meat. Dog meat stew, called “boshintang”, is considered a delicacy among some older South Koreans, but …

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South Korean Opposition Leader Stabbed In Neck

Reuters reports: South Korean opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck during a visit to the southern city of Busan on Tuesday and was airlifted to Seoul after receiving emergency treatment, party and emergency officials said. The suspect, wearing a paper crown with Lee’s name on it, approached and asked for an autograph as Lee spoke …

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Japan Issues Tsunami Warnings After Major Quake

The Washington Post reports: Japan issued tsunami warnings for several regions after an earthquake with an estimated 7.6 magnitude erupted off the country’s western coast around 4:10 p.m. local time Monday, prompting authorities to urge those in vulnerable areas to evacuate or run to higher ground. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings or advisories for almost all of its …

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Franklin Graham Rages Over Claim Jesus Was Asian

The Christian Post reports: Evangelist Franklin Graham criticized Christianity Today on Wednesday after the magazine his father founded published an article claiming that Jesus Christ was Asian. In a Dec. 18 article by art curator Victoria Emily Jones titled “How Asian Artists Picture Jesus’ Birth From 1240 to Today,” CT showcased how Jesus has been depicted by various Asian cultures, …

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Thai Lawmakers Approve Marriage Bill In 369-10 Vote

Reuters reports: Thai lawmakers on Thursday overwhelmingly passed four draft bills on same-sex marriage in their first reading, moving the country closer towards its legalisation in a country with one of Asia’s most open and visible LGBT communities. All but 10 lawmakers present in parliament’s lower house voted to approve the draft legislation, paving the way to the formation of …

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Tsunami Warning Given After 7.6 Quake Hits Philippines

The Associated Press reports: A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck Saturday off the coast of the southern Philippines island of Mindanao and Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning. The quake struck at 10:37 p.m. and was measured at a depth of 32 kilometers (20 miles). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said based on the magnitude and …

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Thailand’s Govt Set To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

The Associated Press reports: Thailand’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved an amendment to its civil code to allow same-sex marriage, with an expectation for the draft to be submitted to Parliament next month. Karom Polpornklang, a deputy government spokesperson, said the amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code will change the words “men and women” and “husband and wife” to “individuals” …

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Man Killed When Robot Confuses Him For Box Of Food

The BBC reports: A man has been crushed to death by a robot in South Korea after it failed to differentiate him from the boxes of food it was handling, reports say. The incident occurred when the man, a robotics company employee in his 40s, was inspecting the robot. The robotic arm, confusing the man for a box of vegetables, …

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Indian Supreme Court Rejects Same-Sex Marriage

Reuters reports: India’s top court on Tuesday declined to legalise same-sex marriage and left it to parliament to decide, agreeing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government that the legislature is the right forum to rule on the contentious issue. The unanimous order by a five-judge bench came as a huge disappointment to the large LGBTQ community in the world’s most …

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Indian Supreme Court To Rule On Marriage Tomorrow

The Indian legal site Bar And Bench reports: The Supreme Court will deliver on Tuesday its verdict on whether same-sex marriages should be legally recognised in India. A Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha had reserved the verdict on May 11 …

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Hong Kong Top Court Approves LGBTQ Rights Appeal

Reuters reports: Hong Kong’s top court partially approved on Tuesday a landmark appeal by an LGBTQ activist for recognition of same-sex marriages, calling for new regulations for gay couples to protect their basic social needs. The ruling by Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal followed a five-year legal battle fought by jailed democracy and LGBTQ rights activist Jimmy Sham. It …

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India Celebrates Successful Launch Of Moon Mission

The New York Times reports: India is on its way back to the moon after a rocket lifted off from Sriharikota, a launch site off the country’s East Coast, on Friday afternoon local time. The mission, Chandrayaan-3, is largely a do-over after the country’s first attempt at putting a robotic spacecraft on the surface of the moon nearly four years …

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Winning Thai PM Candidate Blocked From Taking Office

The Guardian reports: The leader of Thailand’s pro-reform party, which won the most seats in May’s election, has been blocked from taking power by a parliamentary vote that includes military-appointed senators, a move likely to provoke street protests. Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of Move Forward, a progressive party that has a strong youth support base, won the most votes and most …

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Nepal Allows Registration Of Same-Sex Marriages

The Associated Press reports: LGBTQ+ rights activists and couples in Nepal on Thursday were celebrating an interim order issued by the country’s Supreme Court enabling the registration of same-sex marriages for the first time. The Supreme Court issued the order on Wednesday allowing for the temporary registration of marriages for same-sex and non-traditional couples. It was not clear when the …

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South Koreans Became At Least A Year Younger Today

CNN reports: More than 51 million people in South Korea awoke on Wednesday to find themselves a year or two younger – at least, according to the law. Under legislation that came into effect Wednesday, “all judicial and administrative areas” across the East Asian country will adopt the “international age” system used by most of the world, ending years of …

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Frontrunner For Thai PM Promises Marriage Equality

Reuters reports: The frontrunner to be Thailand’s next prime minister joined a Pride parade in Bangkok on Sunday, promising to pass a law that would allow same-sex marriage and gender identity rights if he becomes premier. Thousands of LGBTQ+ people, their allies and political leaders marched through central Bangkok, marking Pride month and promoting gender equality in the second official …

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Chinese LGBTQ Center Closes Amid Govt Clampdown

Bloomberg News reports: A prominent LGBTQ+ center in China is closing down after 15 years, another sign of the tightening of space for sexual orientation-focused organizations under President Xi Jinping. In a statement on its WeChat account on Monday, the Beijing LGBT Center said it was terminating its operations effective immediately, saying only that the closing was due to a …

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Japan Sees Bill To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

The Japan Times reports: Japan’s leading opposition party submitted to parliament on Monday a bill to legally recognize same-sex marriage in an effort to spur debate on the issue. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan’s bill proposes amending wording in the country’s Civil Code that has been written on the premise that marriage is a union between partners of different …

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