Pompeo: ‘significant reduction’ in Afghanistan violence
The United States has seen a significant reduction in violence in Afghanistan during the past six days, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday, one day before Washington hopes to sign a U.S.-Taliban deal on an American troop withdrawal.
Health official warns U.S. lawmakers of wider coronavirus outbreak: source
A top U.S. health official told lawmakers on Friday there would be many more coronavirus cases in the United States and the nation did not have enough testing resources, a source said, as criticism of the Trump administration’s response to the crisis m…
Coronavirus outbreak ‘getting bigger’, WHO says
The rapid rise in coronavirus raised fears of a pandemic on Friday, with six countries reporting their first cases, the World Health Organization warning it could spread worldwide and Switzerland cancelling the giant Geneva car show.
Swiss anti-viral ban on large events hits Geneva car show head-on
Switzerland on Friday banned large events expected to draw more than 1,000 people in a drive to curb the new coronavirus epidemic, prompting cancellation of the Geneva car show and grumbling from businesses watching demand vanish.
EU health ministers to hold extraordinary virus talks next week
European Union health ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting on March 6 to discuss the coronavirus outbreak, an EU official said.
Italian region warns of hospital chaos if coronavirus spreads
Italy’s hospitals will be thrown into chaos if the severe outbreak of coronavirus spreads, the country’s worst-hit region Lombardy said on Friday, warning that 10% of those who caught the disease needed intensive care treatment.
French fashion label Agnes B cancels Paris show due to coronavirus
French Agnes B joined on Friday the list of fashion houses that have canceled shows at Paris Fashion Week due to coronavirus outbreak that has reached multiple countries around the world.
Russia to deport 88 foreigners for violating coronavirus quarantine
Moscow will deport 88 foreign nationals for allegedly violating quarantine measures imposed on them as a precaution against the coronavirus, the RIA news agency cited Moscow’s deputy mayor as saying on Friday.
Turkey says it demanded immediate ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib from Russia
Turkish officials told a Russian delegation in Ankara on Friday that a sustainable ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib region must be established immediately, Turkey’s foreign ministry said, after 33 Turkish soldiers were killed by Syrian government attacks.
Russia’s Putin, Turkey’s Erdogan could meet next week: RIA cites Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan could meet on March 5 or March 6 amid tensions around the Syrian province of Idlib, the RIA news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying on Friday.
