In Vietnam, something to celebrate
Residents celebrate with national flags and fireworks on Wednesday after Hai Duong authorities end 34 days of social distancing amid the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Chi Linh city, Hai Duong province, Vietnam. The country has been leading in the fight against the coronavirus disease in the region with only 2,488 cases and 35 deaths so far. Thanh Hue , Reuters
Not this time
Members of the National Guard patrol at the U.S. Capitol after police warned that a militia group might try to attack the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. on Thursday. The alert was prompted by reports that supporters of former President Donald Trump will troop to the capital and take office for a second term, but both scenarios fizzled out. Joshua Roberts, Reuters
Fire hits residential area in Sta. Ana, Manila
Residents wait outside their houses as firefighters continue to extinguish a blaze at a residential area in Sta. Ana, Manila on Friday. According to officials, the fire that broke out at 11:42 a.m. reached the 3rd alarm and was declared out by 12:44 p.m. Some 30 families were displaced. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News
Checking the produce
A woman wearing a face mask as a precaution against COVID-19 looks at various fruits and vegetables being sold at an open-air market in Quezon City on Friday. The Philippines recorded more than 3,000 cases of COVID-19 infections, the highest since October, bringing the country’s total to 587,704 as the country continues its rollout of vaccines Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
Pope Francis arrives in Iraq
A handout picture released by Iraq's Prime Minister's Media Office on Twitter shows Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi welcoming Pope Francis at Baghdad Airport on Friday. Francis landed in war-battered Iraq on the first-ever papal visit, defying security fears and the pandemic to comfort one of the world's oldest and most persecuted Christian communities. Iraqi Prime Minister’s Press Office via AFP
Finally getting inoculated
A medical worker vaccinates Dr. Niño Gil Oconer, the pulmonologist who attended to the country’s first locally transmitted case of a SARS-CoV2 infection about a year ago, at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan on on Friday. In a recent press briefing, vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government is aiming to vaccinate all health workers nationwide this March. Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News
Practicing for nationals
A high-school student practices her color guard routine for a nationwide virtual competition in Quezon City on Friday. Virtual events and competitions have become the norm in the Philippines as a ban against mass gatherings remain in effect in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country, which has so far logged 587,704 total cases. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News