Worldwide

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that the country seeks to follow up on its existing physical distancing plan with a new ‘smart distancing’ initiative to curb the outbreak of COVID-19. Speaking during a meeting in the National Headquarters to Fight the Coronavirus on Saturday, Rouhani said that the first …

A man wielding a knife attacked residents venturing out to shop in a town under lockdown south of the French city of Lyon Saturday, killing two people and wounding others, prosecutors said. The anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press the attack took place at 11 a.m. in a commercial …

US President Donald Trump has claimed that “in many cases” scarves are better than masks for protection against coronavirus. Speaking at his daily press briefing on Wednesday, Mr. Trump said that amid a shortage of masks, people can use scarves as an alternative when outside. “In many cases, the scarf …

The US has been accused of redirecting 200,000 Germany-bound masks for its own use, in a move condemned as “modern piracy”. The local government in Berlin said the shipment of US-made masks was “confiscated” in Bangkok. The FFP2 masks, which were ordered by Berlin’s police force, did not reach their …

A police robot has been deployed to patrol areas of Tunisia’s capital, Tunis, to ensure that people are observing a coronavirus lockdown. If it spies anyone walking in the largely deserted streets, it approaches them and asks why they are out. They must then show their ID and other papers …

U.S. President Donald Trump notified Congress that he is firing the inspector general of the U.S. intelligence community who was involved in triggering an impeachment probe of the president last year. In a letter to key lawmakers, Trump said he planned to remove the official, Michael Atkinson, in 30 days, …

The number of confirmed new coronavirus cases in South Asia neared 6,000 on Saturday, even as authorities in some cities tightened restrictions on movement and warned lockdowns could be extended in a bid to rein in the pandemic. “If people don’t obey the rules seriously and cases continue to rise, …

Lebanon has lodged a complaint to the United Nation against the Tel Aviv regime for violating the country’s airspace after Israeli military aircraft carried out airstrikes on multiple targets in Syria’s central province of Homs. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants has filed a complaint before the UN Security Council …

Five Rwandan soldiers have been arrested after residents of a slum in the capital, Kigali, alleged that they raped women as they enforced a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the army has said. Residents of Nyarutarama have been telling the military prosecution office that the soldiers also …

On 17 March, Donald Trump told reporters he knew this coronavirus ‘was a pandemic all along’, but that is in stark contrast to many of his previous statements. Here’s a look back at how the US president has spoken about COVID-19 since January 2020

Pakistani authorities ordered on Friday four men, including a British militant, convicted of the 2002 murder of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl, to be detained for three months despite a lower court’s ruling to overturn their convictions. The High Court in the province of Sindh on Thursday acquitted the four, including …

Dozens of people are missing and feared dead after a ferry in the Solomon Islands set sail despite warnings not to embark during a cyclone. The MV Taimareho was traveling on Thursday night from the capital Honiara, on the island of Guadalcanal, to West Are’ are, on Malaita Island. The …

Italy’s national lockdown imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus will probably continue beyond the start of May, Angelo Borrelli, the head of the Civil Protection Agency, said on Friday. The government extended the lockdown this week. Severe restrictions were imposed on movement and all services and firms not deemed …

Singapore will close schools and most workplaces, except for essential services and key economic sectors, for a month, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Friday, as part of stricter measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Singapore’s infections, both imported and domestic, have been rising sharply in recent …

Iran’s health minister has said that the country’s international standing in regards to containing the coronavirus outbreak will “greatly change” in the coming days. “Due to advances in our diagnosis capability, we have been able to identify more COVID-19 cases in the country,” Saeed Namaki said late Thursday. “Signs of …

The United States is continuing threats against Iran even as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic despite Washington’s illegal sanctions. President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that Iran was about to launch an attack on US troops occupying Iraq. “Upon information and belief, Iran or its proxies are planning a sneak …

A nurse at a Tennessee care facility where more than 100 people have tested positive for coronavirus has posted a video from her hospital bed after catching the virus herself. Shareka Williams of the Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation and Healing in Nashville says she wants to convince people that the …

Australia’s top court says it will hand down its judgment next week on the appeal made by Cardinal George Pell, who is convicted of child sex abuse. On Thursday, the country’s High Court said in a statement that it would rule on the ex-Vatican treasurer’s appeal “at 10 a.m. local …

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked companies to stop selling all forms of the heartburn drug Zantac after an investigation found that potential cancer-causing contaminants can build up in the product over time. The FDA has asked manufacturers of the prescription and over-the-counter drug to pull all …

Iran’s top diplomat has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s claim that Tehran is about to launch an attack on American troops in Iraq, reaffirming the stance that the Islamic Republic will not initiate any war but it will decisively respond to aggression. “Iran starts no wars, but teaches lessons to …