Emily Fang

In Japan, where Buddhism is also widely practiced, a robot monk prototype dubbed the Buteroid by its inventors is programmed with scripture and can correct those studying Buddhist texts.

Emily Fang, NPR News.

Nicknamed Gabi, meaning Buddha's mercy, the robot monk led prayer at a temple in central Seoul this week.

Helping human monks chant Buddhist sutras, Gabi was inducted into a prominent Buddhist order in South Korea.

And its ordination was a bit of a novelty.

And it's a sign of how Asia's Buddhist communities have been trying to update and mainstream their faith practice.

In Japan, where Buddhism is also widely practiced, a robot monk prototype dubbed the Buteroid by its inventors is programmed with scripture and can correct those studying Buddhist texts.

Emily Fang, NPR News.

It's NPR.

China's Commerce Ministry said for the sake of national security, the U.S.

sanctions would not be enforced.

Before the war, most of Iran's oil ended up at small private refineries in China, ferried there by a so-called shadow fleet of ships, which the U.S.

has also begun sanctioning.

And that oil trade, the U.S.

says, provided Iran's regime with much-needed cash.

U.S.

sanctions means those oil refineries in China will not be able to use the U.S.

dollar to do business or buy international insurance or dock at Western ports.

But China settles most of its purchases with Iran in Chinese renminbi.

And today's announcement that it will not recognize these American sanctions is a clear signal to ships carrying Iranian oil that the Chinese refiners would still be happy to receive their cargo.