Taiwan to suspend most flights to mainland China to control coronavirus
Taiwan will suspend flights to most cities in mainland China from Monday due to the coronavirus epidemic but those to the capital Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen and Chengdu will continue, the government said on Friday.
Palestinian and U.S. leaders blame each other for violence
Palestinian and U.S. leaders blamed each other for a surge of violence, as mourners gathered in the occupied West Bank for the funeral of a Palestinian police officer shot dead during unrest, and Israel tightened security ahead of Friday Muslim prayers…
Niger sprint star in middle of athletics’ hormone debate
Hailing from one of the world’s poorest country, Nigerien sprinter Aminatou Seyni is no stranger to life’s hurdles, but as she prepares for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the 23-year-old faces fresh obstacles.
Swiss vote on anti-homophobia law as critics decry censorship
When 41-year-old Jehanne, a lesbian, was repeatedly insulted for supporting LGBT rights during a tram ride in the Swiss city of Geneva last month, she threatened to call the police.
Iraqi cleric condemns anti-protester violence, calls for representative government
Iraq’s top Shi’ite Muslim cleric on Friday condemned deadly violence that killed protesters at sit-ins this week in the southern holy city of Najaf and said a new government must have the trust and support of the people.
Singapore raises coronavirus alert to SARS level as new cases show spread
Singapore on Friday reported three more coronavirus cases that have not been linked to previous infections or travel to China, prompting it to raise its alert to orange, the same level it reached during the SARS outbreak in 2003.
Carmakers close Chinese factories because of coronavirus
Automakers and parts suppliers have shut factories in China, in line with government guidelines, or have flagged a hit to profits following the coronavirus outbreak.
Turkey has no plans to withdraw troops from posts in Syria’s Idlib: source
Turkey has no plans to withdraw troops from observation posts in Syria’s northwest Idlib region even though three of the posts are in areas now controlled by the Syrian government, a Turkish security source said on Friday.
China doctor who warned of coronavirus mourned; Xi speaks with Trump
A Chinese doctor who issued an early warning about the coronavirus outbreak before it was officially recognized died of the virus on Friday, triggering a wave of public mourning and rare expressions of anger toward the government online.
Taiwan expects short-term coronavirus impact on exports
Taiwan’s first-quarter exports will suffer short-term impact from China’s coronavirus outbreak, a Finance Ministry official said on Friday, adding that she is cautious but not pessimistic about the full-year outlook.
