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...

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who met with U.S. President Donald Trump just days ago, has tested negative for coronavirus, according to a post on his Facebook page on Friday. The news comes after some media reported that a first test had been positive. Bolsonaro had been tested...

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...

Turkish and Russian officials agreed Friday to start joint patrols in Syria's Idlib at the weekend, Turkey's defence minister said, following a fragile ceasefire in the last rebel stronghold. "Both sides have signed the prepared text, and it has entered into force. We will see the first...

The European Union's new deal with Brexit Britain envisages a tight trade and security relationship, according to a draft seen by Reuters Friday, despite London saying it is seeking looser ties. Britain left the E.U. in January and is in negotiations with the bloc over a new partnership to...

The Pentagon said Friday it would keep two aircraft carrier task forces in the Gulf region after carrying out strikes in Iraq on five depots for Iran-supplied rockets. Central Command commander General Kenneth McKenzie said the two carrier groups would be staying in the region for a...

Thunderstorms and flooding around Egypt entered a second day Friday, interrupting daily life in much of the country, including the capital Cairo, as the death toll rose to 18, authorities said. Most of the fatalities took place in the country's rural areas and run-down slums. At least six...

Hamad al-Abdallah has installed wifi and insulation in his new concrete room, trying to make the most of the desperate conditions his family has endured since fleeing Syrian regime bombardments. They were among the lucky ones to move into the new, 24-square-metre concrete homes provided by...

 (Zaman Al Wasl)- Turkish-backed Syrian forces closed a crossing point with Kurdish-held areas in northern Aleppo province to prevent a novel coronavirus outbreak, according to a statement issued Friday. The National Army said the closure of Oun al-Dadat crossing was over concerns...

 A U.S air strike hit an Iraqi civilian airport under construction in the holy Shi’ite Muslim city of Kerbala and killed one worker, Iraqi religious authorities said on Friday. The United States said earlier it had mounted a series of precision air strikes on Thursday against an...

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump should blame attacks against U.S. and allied forces in Iraq on their “presence and behavior”. “Instead of undertaking dangerous steps and resorting to baseless accusations, Trump should review the illegal...

Iraq’s military condemned overnight U.S. air strikes on Friday and said they had killed six people and wounded 12, describing it as targeted aggression against the nation’s formal armed forces and a violation of sovereignty. The Pentagon said the strikes targeted five weapons stores used by...

Turkish observation posts in Syria’s Idlib region will remain in place and function despite being encircled by Syrian government forces, a Turkish security official said on Friday, a week after Ankara and Moscow agreed a ceasefire deal. Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in...

With the collapse in oil prices and a rampaging coronavirus outbreak, Iran’s living through a perfect storm that some in Washington believe the 40-year-old Islamic Republic will be unable to survive. A change of regime or outlook in Iran has long been a goal of U.S. governments, pursued...

As he watches his troops firing rockets and artillery shells, one of the many things that marks North Korean leader Kim Jong Un out from the officers alongside him is his coronavirus mask: it isn't there. Kim has overseen multiple military drills in recent weeks as Pyongyang mounts an...

The Players Championship golf event was halted after one round and the Australian Formula One Grand Prix scrapped as the unprecedented shutdown of elite sport triggered by the coronavirus pandemic continued around the globe on Friday. In a frenetic 24 hours, Europe’s leading football...

Sudan's economy has sunk into a deep crisis since the overthrow of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir almost a year ago, risking collapse and social unrest in a country in transition. Mass protests erupted in Sudan in late 2018 against a government decision to triple bread prices....

Chelsea's players and coaching staff were ordered into isolation as Callum Hudson-Odoi became the first Premier League player confirmed to have the new coronavirus late on Thursday. The news casts the viability of this weekend's games further into doubt after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta...

Saudi Aramco is expected to announce a drop in profits as it unveils Monday its first annual results since its listing, as the energy giant grapples with sinking oil prices. The 2019 financial results follow an initial public offering on the domestic stock exchange in December, which raised...