Following a French government directive banning gatherings of more than 100 people in a bid to contain the coronavirus’s spread, the Louvre Museum and Versailles Palace were set to close on Friday. The Louvre in Paris, the world's most visited museum, said Friday that it was closing...

Syrian authorities on Friday announced measures aimed at preventing coronavirus from reaching the war-torn country, including school closures and a ban on smoking shisha in cafes, state media reported. Damascus ordered the closure of all public and private schools, universities and...

Iranian forces will clear the streets nationwide within 24 hours and all citizens will be checked for the new coronavirus in a bid to halt its spread, the military said Friday. A newly formed commission has been charged with overseeing the "emptying of shops, streets and roads" within that...

Muslims gathered in smaller-than-usual numbers at al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Friday after religious authorities decided to keep Islam’s third holiest site open for prayers but enact health measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Thousands of worshippers, some wearing face...