Israel's coalition deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz breaks a year-long deadlock but has pitfalls -- from power sharing mechanisms to West Bank policy and the premier's corruption charges. Monday's agreement for a unity government, signed by Netanyahu and...

Lebanon's parliament sat Tuesday in a conference hall to allow for social distancing between lawmakers amid the coronavirus pandemic, while outside anti-government protesters demonstrated in a car convoy. As the country struggles with a battered economy, MPs approved a $120 million loan...

The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday that any lifting of lockdowns to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus must be gradual, and if restrictions were to be relaxed too soon, there would be a resurgence of infections. Lockdown measures have proved effective, and people must...

Russia recorded 5,642 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, bringing its nationwide tally to 52,763, the Russian coronavirus crisis response centre said on Tuesday. Fifty-one people with the virus died in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 456, it said. The number of...

A northwestern province on the frontline of China’s coronavirus battle reported on Tuesday its first cases in nearly three weeks, all involving travellers from overseas, as imported infections started to level off elsewhere. The province of Shaanxi reported 21 new infections from abroad, as...

Apple on Tuesday said it would expand its App Store, Apple Music and other services to dozens of new markets in Africa, the Middle East and beyond in the biggest geographical expansion of its services in almost a decade. Apple said it would expand the App Store to 20 countries, eight of...

The number of deaths worldwide from the novel coronavirus surpassed 170,000 late Monday, according to a running tally by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.  The university’s data counted 170,042 fatalities while the number of cases and recoveries stood at 2,473,209 and 646,012,...

South Korea played down a report Tuesday that the North's leader Kim Jong Un was being treated after surgery, as speculation mounted over his absence from a key anniversary. Pyongyang marked the birthday of its late founder, Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung, on April 15 -- by far the most...

Italy's Prime Minister said on Tuesday that by the weekend he would reveal the steps the country will take to loosen restrictions, reopen the economy and emerge from the coronavirus crisis. Italy, which has reported more coronavirus deaths than any other European country, has been under...

U.S. oil prices rebounded above zero Tuesday, a day after futures ended in negative territory for the first time as a coronavirus-triggered collapse in demand leaves the world awash in crude. In afternoon Asian trade, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery was changing hands...

Months after the United States killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad, it has offered millions for any details on the mysterious man filling his boots - Hezbollah power-broker Muhammad Kawtharani. Washington charged last week that Kawtharani had "taken over some of the political...

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Turkish and Russian forces on Tuesday have carried out a new joint patrol along a strategic M4 highway in northwestern Syria, said Turkey’s Defense Ministry. "Fifth combined Turkish-Russian land patrol was conducted today by air and ground vehicles on M4 motorway in...

When Anwar al-Bunni crossed paths with fellow Syrian Anwar Raslan in a DIY store in Germany five years ago, he recognised him as the man who had thrown him in jail a decade earlier. On Thursday, the two men will face each other in a German court, where Raslan will be one of two alleged...

Syrian air defenses have opened fire and shot down several missiles launched by Israeli warplanes Monday night near the central historic town of Palmyra, state media said. Syrian state TV gave no further details about the attacks saying they are still ongoing. Israel has in the...

Italy Monday reported its first symbolic drop in the number of people currently suffering from the novel coronavirus since it recorded its first infection in February. The civil protection service said 108,237 people were either being treated in hospital or were recovering at home after...

Four children and their mother were killed when an old unexploded bomb went off in northern Jordan on Monday, according to Jordanian police. "A hand grenade exploded in Al-Mafraq province which led to the death of four children and their mother," police spokesman, Amer al-Sartawi, said....

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that the Syrian government was violating a ceasefire in the northwestern Idlib region, warning that Damascus would suffer "heavy losses" if it persisted. Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in Syria's war, agreed on March 5 to halt...

France on Monday announced it had become the fourth country worldwide to register over 20,000 deaths from the novel coronavirus, after recording 547 new fatalities in the epidemic. "Tonight, our country has passed a barrier that is symbolic and particularly painful," top health official...

Taher al-Matar's home in northwest Syria is in ruins but he has gone back to live there anyway, driven by dire conditions in camps for displaced people, where he fears any outbreak of the coronavirus would be devastating. Even though he worries a fragile ceasefire in the Idlib region may...

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Five civilians were killed by unknown assailants in a desert area west of Deir Ezzor city, activists said Monday. Activists have accused Daesh militants of carrying out such crimes against civilians in the Syrian desert, known as al-Badiya. Early April, seven...