Iran confirms 13 more coronavirus cases, two new deaths, mostly in Qom holy city
Iran confirmed 13 new coronavirus cases on Friday, two of whom have died, with the outbreak there coming just as the country votes in a parliamentary election.
Saudi Arabia intercepts missiles fired from Yemen as G20 ministers gather
Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted several ballistic missiles fired from Yemen towards Saudi cities on Friday as finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 major economies gathered for a meeting in Riyadh.
South Africa’s lobster catchers suffer in coronavirus fallout
The lobster catchers of South Africa’s Western Cape have become an unexpected casualty of the coronavirus after China halted imports of the West Coast rock lobster last month as part of measures to contain the outbreak.
Three new coronavirus cases discovered in northern Italy
Three people have tested positive in Italy for coronavirus, the northern Lombardy region said on Friday, the first known cases of local transmission of the potentially deadly illness in Italy.
Turkey’s Erdogan asks France, Germany to help end Syrian humanitarian crisis
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan asked the French and German leaders to provide “concrete” support in ending a humanitarian crisis in northwest Syria’s Idlib region, the Turkish presidency said on Friday, amid escalating tensions in the region.
About 100 Uniqlo stores re-open in virus-hit China this week, 250 shut
Fast Retailing , which operates casual clothing chain Uniqlo, said it had reopened about 100 stores in China since last week, although about a third of its 750-strong remained closed on Friday because of a coronavirus outbreak.
Lesotho PM misses court date over wife’s death
Lesotho’s Prime Minister Thomas Thabane had not turned up for a court appearance over his wife’s death two hours after the hearing was meant to start on Friday, and police said they were unsure of his whereabouts.
Lesotho PM Thabane has gone to South Africa to see a doctor: son
Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has gone to South Africa to see a doctor, his son told Reuters, after Thabane missed a court appearance over his former wife’s death.
Russia calls reports of Syrians fleeing Idlib en masse for Turkey false
Russia’s Defense Ministry on Friday said reports that hundreds of thousands of Syrians were fleeing Idlib in the direction of Turkey were false and urged Ankara to allow Idlib residents to enter other parts of Syria.
Thai court dissolves opposition party critical of military rule
Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Friday dissolved an opposition political party that has been critical of the military establishment and banned its leader from politics for 10 years over a loan he gave the party.
