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world news Diabierna 23 OctOber 2020

Heavy rain causes landslide in Indonesia, killing 11 miners

(AP) — Intense rains Agency spokesman Raditya
caused a landslide at a Jati. Indonesia’s Meteorology,
coal mine on Indonesia's Climatology and Geophysics
Sumatra island that killed Rescuers have recovered all Agency said the area could
11 miners, authorities said the bodies. see light to moderate rainfall
Thursday. Seasonal rains and high tides for the next three days.
in recent days have caused
The slide occurred Wednes- dozens of landslides and Most parts of Indonesia have
day in a mine tunnel about 20 widespread flooding across entered the rainy season this
meters (65 feet) deep at Tan- much of Indonesia, a chain of October. In addition, the La
jung Lalang village in Muara 17,000 islands where millions Nina phenomenon in the Pa-
Enim district of South Su- of people live in mountain- cific Ocean can set off intense
matra province, according to ous areas or near fertile flood rainfall across the islands.
National Disaster Mitigation plains close to rivers.

Mixed Philippine reaction on pope nod on gay civil unions

gress. Vatican’s official position and the pontiff’s position was a
if the pontiff was accurately “huge thing” and should lead
Retired Sorsogon Bishop quoted in context in a docu- to changes in the Philippine
Arturo Bastes said he “had mentary, where he made the family code to recognize such
very serious doubts about remarks. unions.
the moral correctness” of the
pontiff’s position. He said “It is just a documentary film Presidential spokesman
it ran against long-standing so it is not official and should Harry Roque said Duterte
church teachings, which ex- first be verified,” Balanga has long supported same-
plicitly permit only the union Bishop Ruperto Santos said, sex civil unions and the pa-
of man and woman whether adding there could have been pal endorsement may finally
in civil, legal or church sacra- editing alterations or the doc- convince legislators to give
mental unions. umentary was “just for pro- their approval. In the past,
paganda so that it could be such proposals have been
“This is a shocking statement talked about or patronized.” opposed or avoided by con-
coming from the pope,” servative legislators or those
(AP) — Pope Francis’ en- the pontiff ’s remarks with Bastes told reporters in a cell- The Catholic Bishops Con- who feared earning the ire of
dorsement of same-sex relief. phone message. “I am really ference of the Philippines, influential church leaders.
civil unions drew mixed scandalized by his defense of the largest group of bishops
reactions Thursday in the President Rodrigo Duterte’s homosexual union, which in the predominantly Roman “With no less than the pope
Philippines, Asia’s bastion spokesman said the Phil- surely leads to immoral acts.” Catholic nation, has yet to is- supporting it, I think even
of Catholicism, with a re- ippine leader has long ex- sue any reaction. the most conservative of all
tired bishop saying he was pressed support to same-sex At least three other bishops Catholics in Congress should
scandalized by it while an civil unions but added it expressed disbelief, saying LGBTQ group Bahaghari no longer have a basis for ob-
LGBT group welcomed needed to pass through Con- they would verify if it’s the told ABS CBN News that jecting,” Roque said.

UK minister: Door 'still ajar' for post-Brexit talks with EU

(AP) — A senior British official “We’re certainly not saying that if they of the coronavirus pandemic and the resilience is chipped away. A swift
said Sunday the door is “still ajar” do change their position we can’t talk uncertainty on trading with the EU. deal is the single most effective way
for post-Brexit talks to continue to them,” he told the BBC. to support recovery in communities
with the European Union if offi- “With each day that passes, business across Europe,” the groups said.
cials in the bloc change their po- Britain officially left the EU on Jan.
sition on key points. 31, but remains part of its economic
structures until Dec. 31. The two
Michael Gove's comments came af- sides have been trying to strike a deal
ter Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s on trade and other relations before
spokesman said Friday that the trade then, but months of talks have been
talks are “over” unless there is a “fun- stalled on the issue of fishing and
damental” change of position from rules to ensure fair competition.
the EU. With just weeks to go until European Commission President
the end-of-year deadline, Johnson Ursula von der Leyen said this week
said the U.K. needed to get ready for that the EU still wanted a deal, but
leaving the EU with no trade deal. “not at any price.”

But Gove on Sunday left room for Britain charges that the EU is to
talks to agree on a deal so that the blame for not giving in to the U.K.’s
U.K. can avoid the high trade tariffs demand for a generous free trade
it faces from Dec. 31, when the tran- agreement like the one the bloc has
sition period ends. with Canada. London also accuses the
EU of seeking to impose demands it
He accused EU officials of not being hasn’t placed on other countries it has
serious about making compromises, free trade deals with.
and said they would have to back
down if chief EU negotiator Michel The Confederation of British Indus-
Barnier is to resume negotiations in try and other business groups warned
London this week. that companies face unprecedented
challenges with the double whammy