The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Italy leapt by 627 on Friday to 4,032, officials said, an increase of 18.4 percent, which is the largest daily rise in absolute terms since the contagion emerged a month ago. On Thursday, Italy, a country with 60 million citizens, recorded...

Since Lebanon was placed in lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, cash-strapped banks have cut access to dollars for depositors already separated from much of their savings by months of tightening controls. The health ministry has recorded 163 infections from coronavirus so far and...

Tunisian President Kais Saied ordered Friday a general lockdown, restricting public movement to counter the spread of the coronavirus. Speaking in a televised broadcast, Saied said he was asking the majority of people to stay at home and stopping movement between Tunisian cities.

Lebanon's foreign minister summoned the US ambassador Friday over the return of a naturalised American former militiaman accused of torture to the United States despite a travel ban, state media said. Amer al-Fakhoury, a former member of the South Lebanon Army (SLA), went into exile more...

The United States and China on Friday took their growing clash over the coronavirus pandemic to social media, with Beijing telling Secretary of State Mike Pompeo he was "lying through (his) teeth." In an interview on Fox News, Pompeo said Beijing "wasted valuable days" after identifying the...

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan called Friday for the lifting of "unjust" US-led sanctions on neighbouring Iran, so Tehran can better deal with the novel coronavirus crisis. Khan's comments came after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani wrote to him asking for help in dealing with the...

The mayors of Paris and the southern French city of Nice on Friday said they would be closing parks, promenades and walkways in their cities to limit the spread of the coronavirus outbreak as the number of confirmed cases in France passed the 10,000 mark. The French capital was shutting...

For the first time in over a year, the streets of the Algerian capital were quiet and almost empty on Friday, the day of weekly anti-government rallies. The coronavirus threat put paid to what would have been the 57th straight Friday of "Hirak" anti-regime protests since February 22, 2019,...

Opponents of Vladimir Putin’s plans to amend the constitution so that he can run for president again in 2024 said on Friday they had been forced to scale back protests this weekend due to coronavirus, but would press ahead with some demonstrations. Putin’s changes, which have already been...

China’s imported coronavirus cases have risen to a record 228, data showed on Friday, as infected travellers spread to ever more provinces, adding pressure on authorities to toughen entry rules and health protocols. For a second day in a row, China found no domestically transmitted cases of...

Saudi Arabia announced new emergency stimulus measures Friday that took its support for the economy to more than $32 billion as it battles the impact of the coronavirus outbreak and lower oil prices. The Saudi central bank said last week it had prepared a 50-billion riyal ($13.32 billion)...

Jordan will impose a curfew early Saturday to prevent people from moving except for emergencies to combat coronavirus, the government said. The curfew across the country would start from 0700 local time Saturday until further notice said Amjad Al Adailah, government spokesman. King...

At least 25 police and army personnel were killed in an apparent insider attack at a joint military and police base early Friday, Afghan officials said. The attack took place in southern Zabul province, a Taliban stronghold. Assadullah Kakar, a provincial council member, said the Taliban...

The United States sent Iran a blunt message this week: the spread of the coronavirus will not save it from U.S. sanctions that are choking off its oil revenues and isolating its economy. Iran is the Middle Eastern nation worst hit by coronavirus, with its death toll climbing to 1,284 and...

Russia and Saudi Arabia have good relations when it comes to oil markets and Moscow does not need anyone else to intervene, the Kremlin said on Friday, when asked to comment on a statement by U.S. President Donald Trump saying he planned to get involved. Trump said on Thursday he would get...

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a speech on state television for the Persian New Year, praised Iranians for their “dazzling” sacrifices in fighting the coronavirus outbreak in the worst-hit country in the Middle East. Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority, said it had been a...

Formula One drivers will join video gamers in a series of virtual grands prix to replace races postponed by the coronavirus outbreak, the sport announced on Friday. The first, run on the official F1 2019 PC video game, will be held from 2000GMT on Sunday when fans should have been tuning in...

Palestinian worshippers scuffled with Israeli police in East Jerusalem on Friday as crowds headed to Al-Aqsa Mosque to pray, amid a partial lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Police in riot gear and wearing face masks put barricades up outside Damascus Gate and other...

Iranians will overcome a coronavirus outbreak with unity, President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech on Friday, praising doctors and nurses for their courage in fighting the disease that has killed 1,284 in the Middle East country. “Our nation has managed to reach its goals,...

Oil prices recovered further on Friday, following steep gains in the previous session after U.S. President Donald Trump hinted he may intervene in the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia at an “appropriate time”. Prices were also supported by United States’ plans to buy up to 30...