Philippines, coexisting with Covid: After 2 years schools and borders reopen

Today's headlines : the Chinese Communist Party orders local officials to monitor and prevent abortions among young people and singles; Gulf monarchies pay homage to the Arabian leopard; possible entry of Kabul into the economic corridor between China and Pakistan; new hotbeds of tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

PHILIPPINES

The Philippines has ordered the reopening of borders and schools as a first step in a new policy of coexisting with Covid. Infection figures are falling and there is no threat of the virus returning. Hence the decision to allow classes for the first time in two years. The country has the second highest number of cases in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.

CHINA

The Chinese Communist Party has ordered family planning officials to "intervene" to prevent abortions among very young and single women. Officials are also to promote an online campaign to "respect the social value of childbirth, support marriage and pregnancy". Measures aimed at increasing the birth rate.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper and other historic buildings in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman were decorated with symbols and images of the Arabian leopard to mark the first International Leopard Day yesterday. The feline is the region's top predator and an icon in local culture and is threatened with extinction. 

AFGHANISTAN

China and Pakistan intend to open up for Afghanistan's entry into the economic corridor between the two countries (Cpec). The issue was the focus of a meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to local economic experts, Kabul's entry would boost trade in the region. 

THAILAND - ASIA

Thailand is a "flawed democracy" and ranks 72nd out of 167 countries, the same level as last year, according to the Economist's Democracy Index 2021. The kingdom ranked below Malaysia (39), Indonesia (52), the Philippines (54) and Singapore (66), but above Vietnam (131), Cambodia (134) and Myanmar second-to-last, better only than North Korea and followed by Afghanistan.

RUSSIA

Liberal-nationalist party leader Vladimir Žirinovsky was hospitalised and intubated in intensive care for Covid-19, the infection of which he had concealed for a fortnight so as not to encourage the no-vax crowd. Previously, he had already received eight doses of each type of vaccine produced in Russia. 

ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN

Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Džejkhun Bayramov said that mass graves had been found in Nagorno-Karabakh, where hundreds of people of unknown origin had been buried. The Armenian secret service reported that it had broken up a network of spies working for foreign services. Nineteen Armenians were arrested, including soldiers, who had sold themselves in exchange for rewards and promotions.

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