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Eat more fries! Uplifting stories you may have missed this week

by Thomson Reuters Foundation | Thomson Reuters Foundation
Friday, 1 May 2020 13:31 GMT

Fresh french fries are seen at Mydibel Group factory, a manufacturer of chilled, frozen and dehydrated potato products, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Mouscron, Belgium April 29, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman

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From a virtual football tournament for LGBT gamers to Belgians helping farmers by eating more spuds, here are five positive news stories from around the world

LGBT+ 'gaymers' in Mexico escape coronavirus lockdown with virtual football tournament

Confined at home by the new coronavirus, and often in the closet too, LGBT+ football fans in Mexico will get a rare chance to kick a ball about and make friends online on Friday in a national 'gaymers' tournament.                                                                                                                                       

Do your bit for farmers and eat more fries, Belgians urged

With potato farmers and processors struggling, Belgians are being urged to eat more fries to offset a slump in demand during the coronavirus pandemic. "We know Belgians like their fries, it's intangible heritage our frying culture, so we ask Belgians to consume an extra portion of fries to allow us to process more potatoes and to avoid food waste," Romain Cools, secretary-general of industry group Belgapom, told Reuters TV.

A Bollywood vanity van given to the Mumbai women police on lockdown duty by its owner Ketan Rawal is seen in this handout picture from Ketan Rawal via Thomson Reuters Foundation

Bollywood 'vanity vans' aid Indian policewomen on COVID-19 duty

Bollywood vanity vans - the luxury trailers where stars relax and prepare for movie shoots - are providing relief to female police officers on coronavirus lockdown duty in India's financial hub Mumbai. "I had never entered a vanity van before," said Nilophar Shaikh, a sub inspector with Mumbai police. "It had two rooms, a nice washroom and a resting space too."

Fax-loving Japan to introduce online system for reporting coronavirus

Japan's health ministry will introduce a system for health centres to report new coronavirus cases online instead of by hand-written faxes, phone or email - drawing praise from some but scorn from others wondering what took it so long. "Sorry, but I can't say 'well done'. What were you doing until now?" said Twitter user mamazon.

A city made from paper is shown in this handout photo from Foster + Partners via Thomson Reuters Foundation

Children reimagine cities with paper and glue amid coronavirus lockdowns

From "fantastical skyscrapers" to sprawling green spaces, children are creating their own cities while under lockdown, using designs from a renowned British architecture studio.


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