Northwest China’s Gansu lowers coronavirus emergency response level
Northwest China’s Gansu province has lowered its coronavirus emergency response measures from level I to level III, its local health commission said on Friday, making it the first region in the country to do so.
Assange’s fate hangs in balance as UK court considers U.S. extradition bid
Almost a decade after his WikiLeaks website enraged Washington by leaking secret U.S. documents, a London court will begin hearings on Monday to decide whether Julian Assange should be extradited to the United States.
Amid Japan coronavirus fears, hundreds leave quarantined ship, Tokyo scraps public events
Hundreds of Japanese and foreign passengers were set to disembark from a coronavirus-hit cruise ship near Tokyo on Friday amid growing disquiet in Japan about whether the government was doing enough to stop the virus spreading.
Italian national tests positive for Coronavirus in Italy: Lombardy region
An Italian national has tested positive for the new coronavirus, a statement of the Lombardy region said early on Friday morning.
Qatar accuses Saudi Arabia of hampering its access to Gulf meet on coronavirus
Qatar has accused Saudi Arabia of allowing a protracted dispute to hinder Gulf Arab coordination over the coronavirus outbreak by denying the Qatari health minister timely access to a meeting of regional health ministers in Riyadh.
Iran’s election vetting body spokesman says honored to be blacklisted by U.S.
Iran’s election vetting body spokesman said he was honored to be blacklisted by the United States, which sanctioned five members of the Guardian Council for preventing free and fair elections in the Islamic Republic.
Factbox: Choices curtailed – Iran’s parliamentary election
Iranians voted on Friday in a parliamentary election likely to reinforce the authority of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amid mounting U.S. pressure over the nuclear program and as discontent grows at home.
Honda delays plans to restart operations at Wuhan plant to March 11
Honda Motor Co on Friday said it would push back plans to resume operations at its vehicle plant in Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in China, after government authorities asked firms to keep workers away through March 11.
Australia to spend $726 million to upgrade strategic northern airbase
Australia will spend A$1.1 billion ($725.9 million) to upgrade an airbase in the country’s tropical north, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday, a development that increases Canberra’s military armory in the Pacific.
Upstart Thai opposition party faces ban over loan from founder
Thailand’s Constitutional Court will on Friday rule whether to dissolve an upstart opposition political party that has challenged the military establishment, over accusations it benefited from an illicit loan from its wealthy founder.
