China urges the Philippines to avoid complicating South China Sea issue

China is calling on the Philippines to avoid taking any action that could complicate the South China Sea situation.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks after Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin posted an insulting tweet over Chinese vessels' sailing into the waters of Huangyan Island. 

Reiterating that the island is China's territory and its adjacent waters are under China's jurisdiction, the spokesperson called on the certain individual from the Philippine side to mind basic manners and act in ways that suit his status.

Mexico City mayor promises full investigation into subway collapse

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum is promising a full investigation after an elevated section of the city's subway collapsed.

"There has to be a formal investigation by the Attorney General's office of Mexico City and of course a full review of all government institutions, and if necessary, an external investigation will also be carried out to find out what really happened in this incident."

More than 20 people, including children, were killed and about 70 others injured in the accident that happened late Monday.

A subway car plunged onto a busy boulevard from the overpass that was about five meters above the road in southern Mexico City.

The collapse occurred on Line 12, the newest metro line of the city.

Mayor Sheinbaum earlier said it appeared a girder had given way on the overpass.

EMA starts rolling review of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a rolling review of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech.

This is a regulatory tool that the agency employs to accelerate the assessment of a medicinal drug amid a public health emergency.

A statement says the decision was made based on preliminary results from studies that showed that the Chinese vaccine triggers the production of antibodies targeting the coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease.

The EMA says the review will continue until there is enough evidence for a formal marketing authorization application for the Sinovac vaccine.

BioNTech nearing request for approval of longer-lasting version of COVID vaccine

BioNTech says it is working on getting approval for a version of its COVID-19 vaccine which can be stored in fridges of 2 to 8 degree Celsius for up to 6 months.

The jab being made with Pfizer had to be stored and shipped at minus 80 degrees.

The German company says data packages are being prepared for regulators.

Pfizer raises full-year sales forecast for COVID-19 vaccine

Pfizer has raised its forecast for full-year sales of the COVID-19 vaccine it co-developed with Germany's BioNTech.

The U.S. drug maker now expects full-year sales of 26 billion U.S. dollars from the jab, up from its prior forecast of about 15 billion.

French can go out unmasked by summer if vaccine rollout accelerates

France says it will not mandate the wearing of masks outdoors by summer if the country's COVID-19 vaccine rollout accelerates.

The French government aims to inoculate 20 million people by mid-May and 30 million by mid-June.

So far, over 16 million people in the country have received at least one shot, and about 6.7 million people have received two jabs.

Britain will announce travel green list shortly

British Trade Minister Liz Truss says the UK is set to announce the green list for countries that people can travel to on holiday shortly and will have the right procedures in place to ensure travel can happen safely.

Hopes that Britons will be able to travel to Europe rose on Monday after the European Union recommended easing restrictions to allow in people who were fully vaccinated or from countries with a "good epidemiological situation."

The British government said in mid-April it would announce which countries would be open for quarantine-free travel from England in early May.

Sources have suggested the list could be published on Friday, after local elections are held on Thursday.

Russian cities rehearse for Victory Day Parade

Across different Russian regions members of the military on Tuesday marched in rehearsals for the country's Victory Day parade.

Russian State TV showed soldiers parading and military hardware on display in various Russian cities ahead of the annual event.

Victory Day is a holiday that commemorates the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union at the end of the Second World War.

Celebrations take place on May 9.