In northern Syria, currency switch shows Turkey’s influence
Last month Hussam Shamo, a baker in northern Syria, stopped selling his bread in Syrian pounds after the latest slump in the currency forced him to push up prices yet again.
Two test positive for coronavirus in Iran: health ministry spokesman
Preliminary tests on two suspected coronavirus cases in Iran have come back positive, a health ministry spokesman said on Wednesday, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Outgoing Iraqi PM warns he will walk away if successor’s government is not approved soon
Iraq’s outgoing prime minister urged political leaders on Wednesday to quickly approve his designated successor’s cabinet and warned he would walk away from his caretaker post if they do not do so by March 2.
China revokes credentials of three Wall Street Journal reporters over opinion piece
China has revoked the press credentials of three journalists of the Wall Street Journal after the newspaper declined to apologize for a column with a headline calling China the “real sick man of Asia”, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Indonesia bill on family targets surrogacy, ‘sexual deviations’
Politicians from four Indonesian parties are backing a so-called “Family Resilience” bill that would outlaw surrogacy and require LGBT people to seek treatment at rehabilitation centers, prompting outrage on social media and criticism from activists.
Trump says working on a very big trade deal with India, but will take time
President Donald Trump said the United States and India were working on a major trade deal, but he was not sure if it would be completed before the U.S. presidential election in November.
Only masked punters: Macau casinos reopen after coronavirus suspension
Casinos in Macau, the world’s biggest gambling hub, reopen on Thursday after being closed for two weeks because of the coronavirus epidemic, but all punters and croupiers will have to wear a mask at the tables.
Criticism of Japan’s effort on coronavirus cruise ship as passengers leave
Hundreds of people began disembarking a cruise ship quarantined in Japan on Wednesday as criticism mounted of Japan’s handling of an onboard outbreak of the new coronavirus that has infected more than 540 people.
Rains mock drought-stricken Australian town as climate risks hit home
For all the relief felt in other parts of eastern Australia as torrential rain in the past few weeks doused wildfires and filled reservoirs, the tiny township of Murrurundi, one of the driest places in the country, just can’t seem to catch a break.
China won’t send officials to G20 meeting amid virus outbreak: sources
China’s central bank and its finance ministry will not send any officials to a G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors in Riyadh due to virus outbreak, officials said.
