May 17, 2021 (2021-05-17) (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
Business and economy
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
- Hong Kong and Singapore postpone the start date of their air travel bubble agreement, which was initially scheduled to begin on May 26, due to an increase in the number of unlinked community cases of COVID-19 in Singapore. (CNBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
- Malaysia reports a record 45 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 1,947. (The Star)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines
- COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Saudi Arabia eases an international travel ban for those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. However, citizens from 20 countries remain banned from entering the country and Saudi citizens are banned from travelling to 13 high-risk countries, either directly or indirectly. (The Independent)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
- Taiwan reports a record 335 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, 333 of which are locally transmitted cases. This subsequently brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,017. (Taiwan News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
- Thailand reports a record 9,635 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which includes 6,853 cases among prisoners from jail clusters. This subsequently brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 111,082. (The Straits Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
- Mario Draghi's government approves a decree that would gradually phase out curfew to 11 p.m. beginning tomorrow and making the six regions an lowest-risk "white zone" by the first week of June. The curfew then will start at midnight from June 7 and be abolished completely on June 21. (Wanted in Rome)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
- Turkey begins to gradually lift its COVID-19 restrictions, including the 17-day full lockdown, which will end at 5:00 a.m. as the number of infections has declined. This gradual normalization will last until June 1. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- Lockdown restrictions are eased in England, Wales, and Scotland with museums, cinemas, children's play areas, and hotels reopening. Pubs, bars, and restaurants can now serve customers indoors again with social distancing rules in place. In England, people can now gather in groups of 30 outdoors and meet indoors in groups of up to six. A ban on international travel is also lifted. (BBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, COVID-19 vaccination in South Africa
- Namibia bans all imports of poultry and poultry products from South Africa due to an outbreak of avian influenza that was detected there. (Reuters)
- In the first global study of its kind, the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization find that working more than 55 hours a week can lead to higher risks of strokes and ischemic heart disease. The study, which was conducted between 2000 and 2016, also found that people living in the Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions, as well as men that are at least middle-aged, are particularly susceptible to risks from overworking. (Reuters)
- Darwin's Arch collapses in the Galapagos Islands. (CNN)
International relations
Law and crime
Politics and elections
Science and technology