OVERSEAS | ABS-CBN News

US Coast Guard to tackle China 'illegal' fishing in Pacific

Agence France-Presse
Oct 24 10:05 AM

The United States said Friday it would deploy Coast Guard patrol ships in the western Pacific to counter "destabilizing and malign" activities by China in disputed fishing grounds of the South China Sea.  Read more »

7 bodies found in fertilizer shipment from Serbia to Paraguay

Daniela Desantis, Reuters
Oct 24 05:09 AM

ASUNCION - The badly decomposed bodies of seven people who may have been stowaways were found on Friday inside a shipment of fertilizer that left Serbia three months ago, Paraguayan authorities said. Read more »

In Asia, US's Pompeo expected to bolster allies against China

Sanjeev Miglani, Reuters
Oct 24 05:06 AM

NEW DELHI - US Secretary of State of Mike Pompeo is flying to India next week to strengthen strategic ties with a nation that is locked in a military standoff with China, in Washington's latest effort to bolster allies against Beijing. Read more »

WHO's Tedros says countries on 'dangerous track' in pandemic

Reuters
Oct 24 05:01 AM

GENEVA - The world is now at a critical juncture in the COVID-19 pandemic and some countries are on a dangerous path, facing the prospect of health services collapsing under the strain, the head of the World Health Organization said on Friday. Read more »

WHO: Nations mulling Gilead's COVID drug should consider trial flop, too

Stephanie Nebehay and John Miller, Reuters
Oct 24 04:52 AM

GENEVA/ZURICH - Health officials reviewing Gilead Science Inc's remdesivir against COVID-19 should consider all evidence, including a trial where the medicine failed, before giving it the green light, the top WHO scientist said on Friday. Read more »

US COVID-19 deaths could hit half million by February as surge continues

Maria Caspani and Kate Kelland, Reuters
Oct 24 04:48 AM

NEW YORK - The COVID-19 death toll could reach a half million in the United States by February unless nearly all Americans wear face masks, researchers said on Friday, a day after the number of new infections reported across the country approached a record high. Read more »

France becomes 7th country with more than 1 million COVID-19 cases

Geert De Clercq, Reuters
Oct 24 04:42 AM

PARIS - The number of confirmed novel coronavirus infections jumped over one million on Friday, making France the seventh country to reach that milestone. Read more »

France to crack down on online posts after teacher's murder

Jürgen Hecker, Agence France-Presse
Oct 24 04:06 AM

PARIS - France said on Friday it would crack down on social media posts that put people in danger by divulging their personal details, a week after the murder of a teacher targeted in an online campaign over Prophet Mohammed cartoons. Read more »

'Real number' of Spain virus cases over 3 million

Christian Chaise, Agence France-Presse
Oct 24 03:21 AM

MADRID - The "real number" of coronavirus cases in Spain is more than three million, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday, urging people to limit their movements as much as possible. Read more »

Trump, Biden battle for swing states after final debate

Sebastian Smith, Agence France-Presse
Oct 24 03:14 AM

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump was hitting the campaign trail in must-win Florida on Friday after a spirited last debate against White House challenger Joe Biden, who was seeking to cement his lead with a speech on the COVID-19 crisis. Read more »

Norway to tighten coronavirus restrictions next week, says PM

Reuters
Oct 24 12:01 AM

"We see that the infection is spreading in many places," Solberg said.  Read more »

Poland curbs public gatherings, shuts bars as coronavirus cases climb

Reuters
Oct 23 11:59 PM

Poland will close restaurants and bars for two weeks and limit public gatherings to five people, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday, after new coronavirus infections hit a daily record of more than 13,600. Read more »

CureVac posts positive pre-clinical data for COVID-19 vaccine

Reuters
Oct 23 11:23 PM

BERLIN - German biotech company CureVac said on Friday its potential vaccine against the coronavirus induced an immune response in pre-clinical animal studies. Read more »

US records 2nd-highest single-day rise in COVID-19 infections

Lisa Shumaker and Maria Caspani, Reuters
Oct 23 11:19 PM

CHICAGO - The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the United States on Thursday was the second highest on record, coming in just short of a midsummer peak as the spread of the novel coronavirus accelerates in nearly every region of the country. Read more »

US says no justification for 'concentration camps' in China

David Brunnstrom and Andrea Shalal, Reuters
Oct 23 11:04 PM

The deputy White House national security adviser on Friday denounced China's treatment of Uighur Muslims, saying there was no justification for the country maintaining "concentration camps" within its borders. Read more »

Swiss report record COVID cases as infection rates eclipse neighbors

John Miller, Reuters
Oct 23 11:00 PM

ZURICH - Switzerland set a record for new COVID-19 infections on Friday with cases passing the 100,000 mark as a second coronavirus wave engulfs the country, whose infection rates far surpass those of its neighbors. Read more »

Locsin urges UN to rally nations in fight vs COVID-19

Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
Oct 23 10:57 PM

MANILA - The country's top diplomat on Friday called on the United Nations to rally its member states to “to set aside self-interest and work in solidarity” to beat the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more »

More than 50 million Americans have cast ballots in presidential election

Reuters
Oct 23 10:55 PM

The high level of early voting has led Michael McDonald, the University of Florida professor who administers the US Elections Project, to predict a record turnout of about 150 million, representing 65% of eligible voters, the highest rate since 1908. Read more »

France extends anti-COVID curfew in 9 cities

Valery Hache, AFP
Oct 23 10:28 PM

Two persons face the Eiffel Tower in Paris, during a nighttime curfew as a measure against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday. Read more »

Dutch transfer patients to Germany again as COVID infections spike

Reuters
Oct 23 10:24 PM | Updated Oct 24 02:25 AM

The Netherlands began transferring COVID-19 patients to Germany again on Friday, as hospitals come under increasing strain from a second wave of infections. Read more »

'Eating rats': Myanmar's second lockdown drives hunger in city slums

Shoon Naing, Reuters
Oct 23 10:20 PM | Updated Oct 23 11:45 PM

fter the first wave of coronavirus hit Myanmar in March, 36-year-old Ma Suu closed her salad stall and pawned her jewelry and gold to buy food to eat. Read more »

Erdogan confirms test of Russian missile system, rejects US criticism

Agence France-Presse
Oct 23 09:49 PM

"It is true about the tests, they have been done and will continue." Read more »

Unmasking the candidates

Julio Cortez, AP
Oct 23 12:06 PM

Unlike the chaotic first presidential debate, the candidates were able to dive into more issues despite the occasional jabs. Read more »

Biden warns of 'dark winter' of COVID-19 in final Trump debate

Eric Baradat with Sebastian Smith and Shaun Tandon in Washington, Agence France-Presse
Oct 23 10:33 AM

WASHINGTON - Joe Biden on Thursday assailed President Donald Trump as having no plan to stop a "dark winter" of coronavirus deaths as they sparred in their last head-to-head clash 12 days before the election. Read more »

Largest fountain on record

Rula Rohana, Reuters
Oct 23 10:17 AM

The Palm Fountain, located at The Pointe in Dubai's waterfront Palm Jumeirah area, spans over 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters) of sea water and features 128 super shooters reaching up to 105 meters (344 feet) in height. Read more »