OVERSEAS | ABS-CBN News

German priests defy Vatican ban by blessing same-sex unions

Enrique Anarte, Thomson Reuters Foundation
May 12 12:07 AM

Priests and dioceses all over Germany have joined the "Liebe Gewinnt" or "Love Wins" initiative, with blessings taking place this week in cities like Berlin, Munich and Cologne, home to Germany's largest archdiocese, as well as rural areas.   Read more »

China deletes 2 million online posts for ‘historical nihilism’

Jun Mai, South China Morning Post
May 11 10:40 PM

Deleted posts had ‘polluted’ the online environment with ‘harmful’ discussion of history, China's cybersecurity administration said.  Read more »

Singapore PM condemns attack on woman over face mask

Reuters
May 11 08:39 PM

SINGAPORE - Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has condemned an alleged racist attack on a local woman of Indian descent after media reported she was kicked and abused for not wearing a mask, in a case that is being investigated by police. Read more »

UK to ban LGBT conversion therapy

Reuters
May 11 08:18 PM

LONDON - Britain will move to ban conversion therapy and provide more support to those in the LGBT community who have undergone the treatment, as part of its post-pandemic government agenda. Read more »

Dumi ng baka, ginagawang pangontra sa COVID-19 sa India

ABS-CBN News
May 11 07:49 PM

May ilan na nagsasabing nakatulong sa paggaling nila sa COVID-19 ang pagpapahid ng dumi ng baka sa kanilang katawan, bagay na kinontra ng mga doktor sa India.  Read more »

Deaths at home surge in Japan amid COVID-19 wave

Reuters
May 11 07:44 PM

TOKYO - A growing number of Japanese people are dying of COVID-19 at home as more infectious variants of the coronavirus fuel a fourth wave of infections and hospital resources are stretched to the verge of collapse. Read more »

Brazil health agency calls for halt to AstraZeneca vaccine for pregnant women

Reuters
May 11 07:24 PM

SAO PAULO - Brazilian health regulator Anvisa recommended the immediate suspension of the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women, according to a statement late on Monday. Read more »

Israel's Iron Dome intercepts rockets

Amir Cohen, Reuters
May 11 03:47 PM

Streaks of light are seen as Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel May 10, 2021. Read more »

Novavax delays COVID vaccine authorization request

Agence France-Presse
May 11 02:11 PM | Updated May 11 02:12 PM

WASHINGTON - US biotech firm Novavax on Monday said it had delayed plans to seek authorization for its COVID vaccine candidate, a setback for developing countries hoping the injection would soon be available. Read more »

Hong Kong scraps mandatory vaccines for foreign domestic workers

Agence France-Presse
May 11 01:57 PM

Hong Kong on Tuesday scrapped a plan to make coronavirus vaccines mandatory for foreign domestic workers after the proposal sparked an outcry and a diplomatic tussle with the Philippines. Read more »

Lighting candles for COVID-19 victims in Czech Republic

David W Cerny, Reuters
May 11 09:24 AM

A woman lights a candle to commemorate all Czech victims of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Monday.  Read more »

Safari park in China concealed leopard escapes for weeks, police say

South China Morning Post
May 11 08:14 AM

A safari park in eastern China concealed the escape of three leopards - one of which was still at large - for nearly three weeks to prevent negative publicity affecting its visitor numbers during last week's May Day holiday, police said on Monday. Read more »

20 killed as Israel strikes Gaza after Hamas rocket barrage

Ben Simon with Adel Zaanoun in Gaza, Agence France-Presse
May 11 08:09 AM

Israel launched deadly air strikes on Gaza Monday in response to a barrage of rockets fired by Hamas and other Palestinian militants, amid spiraling violence sparked by unrest at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.  Read more »

US authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for 12-15 year olds

Agence France-Presse
May 11 08:06 AM

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 years old.   Read more »

Saudi Arabia to require arriving visitors to quarantine for a week

Reuters
May 11 07:03 AM | Updated May 11 09:58 AM

Exempted individuals such as Saudi citizens, flight crews and diplomats will have to quarantine at home unless they are vaccinated, state news agency SPA said. Read more »

WHO: COVID-19 variant in India classified as being ‘of concern’

Nina Larson, Agence France-Presse
May 11 05:02 AM

The WHO insisted though that it was far too early to interpret this to mean that the variant might have more resistance to vaccine protections. Read more »

‘Deeply concerned’ world powers call for calm after Israel unrest

Agence France-Presse
May 11 04:02 AM

US State Department spokesman Ned Price condemned the rocket attacks by Hamas as an "unacceptable escalation" and renewed calls for calm in Jerusalem. Read more »

Over 300 wounded as violence flares at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque

Majeda El-Batsh, Agence France-Presse
May 10 08:53 PM

More than 300 people were wounded Monday in renewed clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, as an Israeli celebration of its 1967 takeover of Jerusalem risked inflaming tensions. Read more »

Malaysia tightens coronavirus curbs ahead of Eid holiday

Agence France-Presse
May 10 08:37 PM

Muslim-majority Malaysia will tighten coronavirus curbs across the whole country ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday as cases spiral, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Monday. Read more »

Chinese TV authorities move to curb obsessive fan culture

Agence France-Presse
May 10 08:22 PM

Beijing TV authorities have ordered online entertainment shows to promote socialism instead of "irrational" star-chasing as part of a crackdown on China's increasingly obsessive celebrity fan culture. Read more »

BioNTech says 'no evidence' its jabs need adapting for COVID-19 variants

Agence France-Presse
May 10 07:58 PM

German firm BioNTech said Monday that the Covid-19 vaccine it developed with Pfizer does not require any modifications at the moment to protect against variants of the virus. Read more »

DFA confirms death of Filipino embassy personnel in India due to COVID-19

ABS-CBN News
May 10 07:36 PM

DFA confirms death of Filipino embassy personnel in India due to COVID-19. Read more »

China foreign ministry says planned UN event on Xinjiang an 'insult'

Reuters
May 10 07:29 PM

BEIJING - China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Monday that the use of the United Nations as a platform for a virtual event on the repression of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang was an insult to the institution. Read more »

DFA: 5 more overseas Filipinos sick with COVID-19; total rises to 18,545

ABS-CBN News
May 10 07:27 PM

The number of Filipinos abroad who have contracted COVID-19 rose to 18,545 as 5 new cases were recorded Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. Read more »

'Cautious hugging' and pints: UK PM Johnson to ease England's lockdown

Estelle Shirbon, Reuters
May 10 07:05 PM

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out on Monday the next phase of lockdown easing in England, giving the green light to "cautious hugging" and allowing pubs to serve customers pints inside after months of strict measures. Read more »