Hong Kong protesters mark seven months since brutal mob attack
Hong Kong protesters, many dressed in black and wearing surgical masks amid fears over the new coronavirus, held sit-ins in the Chinese-ruled city on Friday to mark seven months since an attack by an armed mob on anti-government demonstrators.
After clashes, Ukraine blames disinformation campaign for spreading coronavirus panic
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk on Friday blamed an “information war” being waged on the country for spreading panic and mistrust over the coronavirus, a day after the arrival of evacuees from China sparked clashes outside a sanatorium.
Iran says coronavirus has spread to several cities, reports two new deaths
The coronavirus has spread to several Iranian cities, a health ministry official said on Friday, as an outbreak that the authorities say began in the holy city of Qom caused two more deaths.
Japan govt faces questions over coronavirus, Tokyo cancels events
Japan faced growing questions about whether it was doing enough to stop the spread of the coronavirus on Friday, as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government said it would cancel or postpone major indoor events it has sponsored for the next three weeks.
Prime minister leaves Lesotho, avoids being charged with murdering wife
Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane left the country, skipping a court appearance on Friday at which he was expected to be charged with murdering his estranged wife.
Iran holds election, hardliners set to dominate with turnout key
Iranians voted on Friday in a parliamentary election likely to help hardline loyalists of the supreme leader tighten their grip on power as the country faces mounting U.S. pressure over its nuclear program and growing discontent at home.
Norway rejects Moscow’s claim it violated Svalbard Treaty
Norway has rejected Russian accusations of violating the terms of an international treaty regulating activities on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, as a diplomatic spat over Russian operations there escalated.
Kazakh poachers sentenced to life for murdering ranger
A Kazakh court on Friday sentenced three poachers to life in prison for murdering a state ranger who attempted to stop them from hunting endangered saiga antelope, a case that drew the attention of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Erdogan says will decide his Idlib stance after call with Putin
President Tayyip Erdogan said he will speak by phone with Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Friday evening and, based on those talks, will determine Turkey’s stance on the military conflict in northwest Syria’s Idlib region.
Six cases of coronavirus in Italy’s Lombardy region: official
Six Italians have tested positive for the coronavirus in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, a local official said on Friday in the first known cases of local transmission in Italy of the potentially deadly illness.
