Overseas | ABS-CBN News

Pandemic, diplomacy: Germany's new govt takes charge

Hui Min Neo, Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 07:53 PM

With a major meeting on the pandemic and debut appearances in Paris and Brussels, Germany's new Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his team hit the ground running on their first day in office Thursday. Read more »

Ferris wheel lights up Nice amid COVID-19 wave

Valery Hache, AFP
Dec 09 07:12 PM

A man walks by a Ferris wheel in the French Riviera city of Nice, on Wednesday. Read more »

Omicron variant, nagdudulot umano ng mild na sakit

ABS-CBN News
Dec 09 06:54 PM

Mataas ang tsansa ng reinfection sa COVID-19 omicron variant ayon sa WHO. Pero posible rin umano na "mild" lang ang sakit na idinudulot nito. Read more »

Hong Kong mandates COVID tracing app

Lauren Lau, Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 05:52 PM

The Hong Kong government made its check-in app mandatory for most adults in bars and restaurants on Thursday, the latest expansion of coronavirus tracing tech at a time of heightened privacy concerns in the city. Read more »

China: Olympics diplomatic boycott nations will 'pay a price'

Sébastien Ricci, Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 05:37 PM

China warned Western nations on Thursday they would "pay the price" for a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Read more »

US, Israel to discuss military drills for Iran scenario

Phil Stewart, Reuters
Dec 09 05:31 PM

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, saying it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Read more »

US defense official: Boosting Taiwan's defenses an 'urgent task'

Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom, Reuters
Dec 09 04:54 PM

Tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated in recent months as Beijing raises pressure on the island it claims as its own. Read more »

Strong quake jolts Japanese islands

Kyodo News
Dec 09 04:33 PM

A strong quake jolted an island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Thursday but no tsunami warning was issued and there have been no reports of injuries or serious damage. Read more »

New Zealand to ban cigarette sales

Reuters
Dec 09 02:17 PM

New Zealand plans to ban young people from ever buying cigarettes in their lifetime in one of the world's toughest crackdowns on the tobacco industry. Read more »

Virus turns Indonesia holiday island into desert of abandoned resorts

Haeril Halim, Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 01:06 PM

The COVID pandemic has shuttered almost all resorts and restaurants across Indonesia's Gili Islands, famed for their turquoise waters, sandy beaches. Read more »

Over 100 nations, including PH, gather for 'democracy' summit

Sebastian Smith, Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 12:57 PM

President Joe Biden hosts representatives of more than 100 countries, including the Philippines, for a democracy summit that is drawing fire from China and Russia. Read more »

Coronavirus spreads in Australia's pubs; Omicron cases linked to party boat

Reuters
Dec 09 12:25 PM

COVID-19 infections have been spreading in pubs and clubs in Australia's biggest city, including three new cases of the Omicron variant. Read more »

Fox News Christmas tree in New York set on fire

Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 12:01 PM

Police arrested a man suspected of having deliberately torched the giant Christmas tree standing in front of the Fox News headquarters overnight. Read more »

India's military chief killed in helicopter crash

Reuters
Dec 09 11:49 AM | Updated Dec 09 11:58 AM

India's defense chief General Bipin Rawat, was among the fatalities in the helicopter crash that claimed least seven people. Read more »

New leader for Germany

Fabrizio Bensch, Reuters
Dec 09 10:22 AM

Olaf Scholz takes over as Germany's new chancellor, after Angela Merkel's historic 16 years as leader of the German nation. Read more »

Experimental saliva test nearly as accurate as PCR

Nancy Lapid, Reuters
Dec 09 08:49 AM

An experimental saliva test can diagnose SARS-CoV-2 infection in minutes, nearly as accurately as gold-standard PCR tests. Read more »

Biden warns Putin of sanctions if Ukraine attacked

Sebastian Smith, Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 07:36 AM

Putin, however, justified Russia's movement of up to 100,000 troops to the border of Ukraine as a defensive measure. Read more »

Spanish police officers brave frozen reservoir to rescue dog

Reuters
Dec 09 07:11 AM | Updated Dec 09 11:21 AM

Two Spanish police officers waded into a frozen reservoir to rescue a stranded dog as a cold front arrived in the northern part of the country. Read more »

Russia blocks Tor web anonymity service

Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 07:00 AM

Russia's media regulator has blocked the Tor online anonymity service as authorities try to bring the country's segment of the internet under control. Read more »

Denmark COVID surge leads to school closures, nightlife curbs

Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 06:40 AM

Denmark will close schools, curtail nightlife and urge citizens to work from home to try to stem surging coronavirus cases. Read more »

US says committed to ‘unprecedented’ ASEAN ties

Reuters
Dec 09 05:51 AM

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be visiting Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand from December 9 to 17. Read more »

Death toll from Indonesia volcano eruption rises to 39

Agence France-Presse
Dec 09 12:00 AM

The highest mountain on the island of Java thundered to life on Saturday, ejecting volcanic ash into the sky and raining hot mud on villages. Read more »

Indonesia considers relocations after deadly volcanic eruption

Reuters
Dec 08 11:21 PM

Questions have been raised about the effectiveness of the disaster warning system and whether some villages should be moved. Read more »

India military chief among 13 dead in helicopter crash

Devjyot Ghoshal and Sanjeev Miglani, Reuters
Dec 08 10:18 PM

NEW DELHI - The head of India's armed forces, General Bipin Rawat, was among 13 people killed on Wednesday when the military helicopter they were travelling in crashed, the air force said. Read more »

New Zealand forces warn of rising threat from China in Indo-Pacific

Reuters
Dec 08 08:15 PM

New Zealand has publicly expressed its concern over developments such as the building and militarization of features in the South China Sea. Read more »