Louisiana reports its first two cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant first discovered in India. (AP)
Over one million people in Cuba have received a dose of the Abdala and Soberana 02 vaccines. (UrduPoint)
Seven people are killed and 14 others are wounded in a bombing at a Palestine solidarity rally in Chaman, Balochistan, Pakistan. (Dawn)
South Korea approves the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. (The Straits Times)
The Group of Seven agreed on Friday to stop international financing of coal projects that emit carbon by the end of this year, and to phase out such support for all fossil fuels. (Reuters)
2020–21 La Liga Atlético Madrid win La Liga for the first time since the 2013–14 season, after defeating Real Valladolid 2–1 on the final matchday. (The Independent)
2021 Mount Nyiragongo eruption Mount Nyiragongo, located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, erupts. Thousands evacuate from the nearby city of Goma. (BBC News)
Atlético Madrid win La Liga for the first time since the 2013–14 season, after defeating Real Valladolid 2–1 on the final matchday. (The Independent)
Bangladesh removes a passage from its passport saying that it cannot be used for travel to and from Israel, thereby formally lifting the travel ban. (Jerusalem Post)
Bangladesh–Israel relations Bangladesh removes a passage from its passport saying that it cannot be used for travel to and from Israel, thereby formally lifting the travel ban. (Jerusalem Post)
Måneskin, representing Italy, wins in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 which took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, with the song "Zitti e buoni". It is the first time that the country has won since 1990. (Eurovision.tv)
Mount Nyiragongo, located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, erupts. Thousands evacuate from the nearby city of Goma. (BBC News)
Sri Lanka reports a record 46 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 1,178. (Colombo Page)
Fourteen people are killed and another is wounded when the Stresa-Alpino-Mottarone Cable Car in Piedmont, Italy, collapses and falls to the ground. (La Stampa)
Malaysia reports a record 6,976 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 512,091. (Malay Mail)
NATO demands an international investigation into Belarus' diversion of the Ryanair flight. (The Daily Telegraph)
Russia surpasses five million cases of COVID-19. (ANI News)
2021 Kelana Jaya LRT collision An underground train collision between the KLCC LRT Station and Kampung Baru LRT Station on the Kelana Jaya line in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, injures 213 people, 47 of them seriously. (New Straits Times)
2021 Mount Nyiragongo eruption Thirty-two people are confirmed dead following the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, two days ago. (The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A suspicious package is sent to the home of U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY). The incident is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Capitol Police. (NBC News)
An underground train collision between the KLCC LRT Station and Kampung Baru LRT Station on the Kelana Jaya line in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, injures 213 people, 47 of them seriously. (New Straits Times)
Dame Cindy Kiro is announced as the next Governor-General of New Zealand. (Newshub)
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum rejects the claim by Belarusian authorities that the diversion was caused by a bomb threat from them. (Al Jazeera)
Malaysia reports a record 61 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,309. (CNA)
Malta has vaccinated 70% of its adult population with at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, thereby becoming the first country in the European Union to achieve this herd immunity-related milestone. (U.S. News & World Report)
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte receives her first dose of the CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine. (The Philippine Star)
Taipei bans all on-site dining and drinking in response to the continued increase in the number of domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases. All food and beverage vendors are only allowed to serve takeout or deliveries. (Focus Taiwan)
Thirty-two people are confirmed dead following the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, two days ago. (The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Costa Rica becomes the 38th member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (Barron's)
Four people are killed in a mass shooting at an apartment complex in West Jefferson, Ohio. The killings mark the village's first homicides in nine years. (The Columbus Dispatch)
Malaysia reports a record 7,289 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 525,889. (The Straits Times)
Restrictions are tightened in Melbourne, Victoria, after an increase in cases, potentially linked to a hotel quarantine breach in South Australia. The mask mandate is reintroduced, public gatherings are limited to 30 people and private gatherings are limited to 5 people. Residents will also be expected to adhere to these rules when leaving the city. (The Guardian)
The MV X-Press Pearl, a container ship sailing with a Singaporean flag and carrying cosmetics and chemicals, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid, catches fire off the coast of Sri Lanka after an explosion was detected onboard. Rescuers evacuated all crew from the ship and reported that two people were injured. (Reuters)
Two women in Kyrgyzstan are arrested for calling for residents of Chaldybar to get rid of Tajikistan citizens. (Asia-Plus)
Belgium suspends the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for people under the age of 41 following the death of a woman who had received the vaccine last week and who was showing "serious thrombosis and reduced blood platelets". (ABC News)
Four people are confirmed dead and 156 more are reported missing after a ferry traveling between Niger State and Kebbi, Nigeria, sinks in the Niger River. (RTL)
Jan Graffius, the curator of the Stonyhurst Collections states that the theft of the gold rosary that Mary, Queen of Scots took to her execution is a “very tragic loss” for Catholic history. Thieves broke into Arundel Castle in West Sussex, southern England, stealing the rosary and other items worth more than $1.4 million. (Catholic News Agency)
Malaysia reports a record 7,478 new cases and 63 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 533,367 and the nationwide death toll to 2,432. (Free Malaysia Today)
Slovakia authorizes the use of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, becoming the second European Union country to do so after Hungary. (AP)
Taiwan reports a record 11 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 46. (South China Morning Post)
Thailand reports a record 41 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 873. (Bangkok Post)
The Maldives imposes a curfew from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. and will only allow people to travel for a few hours each day to obtain essential supplies in order to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (Reuters)
Argentina reports a record 41,080 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total to 3.66 million. (Perfil)
Canada announces that it will purchase two million doses of the vaccine produced by Moderna. (Global News)
COVID-19 vaccination in Canada Canada announces that it will purchase two million doses of the vaccine produced by Moderna. (Global News)
In Kebbi State, Nigeria, 45 people are found dead following the sinking of a boat yesterday. More than 100 others are still missing. (Al Jazeera)
Indonesia resumes the usage of the temporarily suspended batch of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine after tests conducted by the Food and Drug Authority showed that there is no relation between the quality of vaccine batch number CTMAV547 and the death of a young man earlier in the month. (Reuters)
Malaysia reports a record 7,857 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 541,224. (The Star)
Taiwan reports a record 13 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 59. (South China Morning Post)
Thailand reports a record 47 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 920. (Bangkok Post)
The Mexican Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk grants an emergency use authorization for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (Reuters)
Archbishop J. Michael Miller of Vancouver said he was “filled with deep sadness” after learning of the discovery of the children's remains that were found buried on the site. (CRUX)
Fiji reports a record 46 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the national total to 360. (RNZ)
Hungary reports its first two cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, which was first discovered in India. (Reuters)
Kosovo signs an agreement with Pfizer to buy 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine, with the vaccine rollout expected to begin on June 15. (Reuters)
Malaysia reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 8,290 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 549,514. (CNA)
Pakistan reports its first case of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, which was first discovered in India. (Arab News)
Taiwan reports a record 19 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 78. (Taiwan News)
Taoiseach Micheál Martin announces the further easing of the COVID-19 restrictions. Hotels in Ireland can reopen from June 2, followed by cinemas, gyms, outdoor service at restaurants and pubs from June 7. Meanwhile, indoor services of two establishments will be reopened on July 5, and international travel will be resumed on July 17 through EU Digital COVID Certificate. (BBC News)
The European Medicines Agency authorizes the usage of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 12 to 15 years old, becoming the first vaccine to be approved for children in the European Union. (France 24)
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge receives her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Sky News)
Malaysia reports a record for the fifth consecutive day of 9,020 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 558,534. The country also reports a record 98 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,650. (The Vibes) (The Straits Times)
Taiwan reports a record 21 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 99. (Taiwan News)
The number of people found dead following a boat accident in Kebbi State, Nigeria, three days ago, increases to 76. Many more people are still missing. (The Premium Times)
Vietnam discovers a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that combines the mutations from Lineage B.1.617 and Lineage B.1.1.7. (The Independent)
2021 Giro d'Italia Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal retains both the General Classification and the Young Rider Classification in the 2021 edition of the Giro d'Italia. (BBC Sport)
2021 Hialeah shooting Two people are killed and 20 more are wounded in a mass shooting at a hall near Hialeah, Florida, United States. The three perpetrators remain at large. (CNN International)
2021 IndyCar Series, 2021 Indianapolis 500 Hélio Castroneves wins the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500. It is Castroneves' fourth victory in the race, becoming only the fourth driver to accomplish this feat. (CNN)
2021 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix Swiss professional motorcycle racer Jason Dupasquier dies following a collision with Ayumu Sasaki at a qualifying race for the 2021 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix in Scarperia e San Piero, Tuscany, Italy. (Sky News)
Afghanistan reports a record of 929 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 71,690. (Big News Network)
Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal retains both the General Classification and the Young Rider Classification in the 2021 edition of the Giro d'Italia. (BBC Sport)
Hélio Castroneves wins the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500. It is Castroneves' fourth victory in the race, becoming only the fourth driver to accomplish this feat. (CNN)
Kenya extends its nightly curfew and ban on political gatherings and processions that could turn into superspreader events for 60 days as part of an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (News24)
King Felipe VI receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Royal Central)
Sri Lanka's Marine Environment Protection Authority announces that it will take legal action against the owners of the Singaporean container ship X-Press Pearl for the marine pollution caused by the ship's fire off the coast of Colombo on May 20. The authority reports that plastic granules from spilled cargo had been washing up on the Sri Lankan coast since May 27. (Dawn)
