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Associates of jailed members of the Saudi royal family have hired lobbyists with close connections to US President Donald Trump to advocate for their release, the New York Times reported. A former senior associate of Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Salman al Saud hired Robert Stryk, a lobbyist with strong …

In the run-up to the International Quds Day events, Iran’s Foreign Ministry reminds the world community that Palestine’s fate is only to be decided by Palestinians, no matter what religion they practice. “For seven decades, the international community failed to solve the question of Palestine since the plans proposed never …

Nancy Pelosi has said that Donald Trump’s decision to take the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to prevent Covid-19 was “not a good idea”. Mr. Trump surprised commentators on Monday with the news that he was taking hydroxychloroquine pills in an attempt to prevent infection. That comes despite the US Food and …

Donald Trump has revealed he is taking hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug he has pushed for weeks as a treatment for coronavirus – even though he has tested negative, and federal health agencies have warned of serious negative side effects for its use. “I take it,” he told reporters. “All I …

Iranian epidemiologists say the symptoms associated with COVID-19 in Iran have changed from respiratory to gastrointestinal. They also believe the shift to gastrointestinal symptoms which are often accompanied with no fever or only low fever cause a delay in diagnosis and result in the further spread of the virus by …

Data published on Tuesday showed the number of people claiming unemployment benefits rose by 856,500 –– the biggest ever month-on-month jump –– to 2.1 million, a 69 percent increase from March. The number of people claiming unemployment benefits in Britain leapt in April to its highest level in nearly 24 …

Democratic Republic of Congo police killed at least 55 people in a crackdown on a separatist religious sect in April, more than double the toll reported by the interior ministry at the time, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday. New York-based HRW accused Congo authorities of using “excessive force” in …

The European Commission will present a pandemic recovery plan next week that will exceed 1 trillion euros in a mix of grants and loans, Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said on Tuesday. Dombrovskis, speaking at a press conference after a meeting of EU finance ministers, welcomed a proposal put forward …

Millions of people in India and Bangladesh are in the path of a super cyclone which is due to make landfall in less than 36 hours, bringing damaging winds and heavy rain to a region already struggling with the coronavirus pandemic. Super Cyclone Amphan became the strongest storm ever recorded …

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to permanently halt funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) if it did not commit to improvements within 30 days, and to reconsider his country’s membership of the agency. Trump suspended U.S. contributions to the WHO last month, accusing it of promoting Chinese …

The Saudi military student who killed three Americans at a US naval base in December had longstanding ties to al-Qaeda and planned an attack before he arrived in the United States, US justice officials said Monday. The December 6 attack by Mohammed Alshamrani, a Royal Saudi Air Force flight student …

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that a four-day lockdown starting on May 23 would be imposed nationwide as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus during the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday. Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdogan also said schools would not re-open this …

The chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee said on Monday the State Department inspector general may have been fired because he was investigating President Donald Trump’s declaration of an emergency to clear the way for military sales to Saudi Arabia last year. The White House and …

India and Bangladesh began evacuating hundreds of thousands of people today as a cyclone bore down on their coasts, officials said, while experts warned of coronavirus dangers in the cramped conditions. Indian forecasters said Cyclone Amphan would reach winds of up to 230 km/h at sea before hitting the coast …

Eight firefighters remained hospitalized Sunday after being hurt in an explosion at a hash oil manufacturer in downtown Los Angeles that sent crews running for their lives when a ball of flames shot out of the building and scorched a fire truck across the street. The blast Saturday evening injured …

China supports a “comprehensive evaluation” of the global response to the coronavirus pandemic after it “has been brought under control”, President Xi Jinping told the World Health Assembly on Monday. Mr. Xi told the virtual meeting via video that China has “always had an open, transparent and responsible attitude”, and …

With both countries heavily sanctioned by the US, neither seem to have anything to lose by angering the US further. Iran complained to the United Nations on Sunday and summoned the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, who represents US interests in the Islamic Republic, over possible measures Washington could take against …

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the declaration on Sunday, according to his official website. Americans will be expelled from Iraq and Syria, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday, according to his official website. Iran almost got into a full-blown conflict with the United States when …

Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami confirmed his country’s readiness to put all of its defense capabilities at the disposal of Iraq, stressing the importance of defense cooperation between the two countries in establishing security and stability in the region. In a phone call, Hatami congratulated his new Iraqi counterpart, Lieutenant …

An official at Yemen’s Hudaydah port says Saudi authorities have impounded nearly two dozen ships carrying energy derivatives and food destined for the impoverished and war-ravaged Arab country. A total of 22 ships are moored at the port city of Jizan in southwestern Saudi Arabia, the unnamed official told Arabic-language …