Saudi Arabia reopens Mecca, Medina holy sites after coronavirus closure: state TV
Saudi Arabia reopened two of the most holy religious sites in Islam, Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca and Al-Masjid al Nabawy in Medina, after they were closed for sterilization to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, state TV Al-Ekhbariya reported on Frida…
Coronavirus crisis threatens to silence Japan’s tourist boom
The restaurants at the Exitmelsa shopping center in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district are usually packed with Chinese tourists. But on a recent weekday, many lunchtime tables were empty, a sign of the toll that the coronavirus is taking on tourism.
Japan says virus travel restrictions not too late as South Korea protests
Japan’s government defended tighter travel restrictions on visitors from China and South Korea, saying they were not too late to help slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, as Seoul protested the measures as “excessive”.
China’s Hubei, excluding Wuhan, reports no new coronavirus cases
China’s central province of Hubei, excluding the provincial capital Wuhan, reported zero new cases of coronavirus over 24 hours for the first time during the outbreak, as authorities continued to contain imported infections in other parts of the countr…
Malaysia anti-graft chief who probed 1MDB scandal quits
Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief who investigated the 1MDB fraud said on Friday that she had resigned, the second such exit in the last few days after a party that was defeated in the 2018 general election came back to power.
Australia closes first school after pupil contracts coronavirus
Australia ordered its first school closure on Friday after a 16-year-old pupil tested positive for the coronavirus, as the country’s prime minister warned the public bill for treating infected patients could top A$1 billion ($661 million).
South Korea confirms 196 new coronavirus cases, total 6,284; deaths up by 7 to 42
South Korea confirmed a total of 6,284 coronavirus cases on Friday, up by 196 cases from late Thursday.
NZ man with coronavirus attended packed rock concert in Auckland, health authorities say
A person in New Zealand confirmed to have been infected was revealed on Friday to have attended a rock concert packed with thousands of other people.
Guyana’s Granger says ready to serve five more years as president
Guyanese President David Granger on Thursday told supporters his coalition was ready to serve five more years in office following the country’s presidential election on Monday.
Guyana opposition cries fraud in presidential election
Guyana opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday accused the nation’s elections commission of fraud in tallying the results of Monday’s presidential vote, saying the group inflated the vote count to favor the incumbent, President David Granger.
