Asia

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — A Turkish fighter jet downed a Syrian regime warplane over the northwestern Idlib province Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said, in the third such downing in three days. Turkey on Sunday confirmed …

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korean President Moon Jae-in declared “war” against the coronavirus on Tuesday, as the country reported its biggest daily case increase to date, sending its total past 5,000 — the largest in the world outside …

by Sarah Benhaida BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — Protest-torn Iraq on Monday faced more political gridlock after prime minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrew overnight, accusing lawmakers of obstructing his attempt to form a government. Oil-rich but poverty-stricken Iraq has for five months …

by Laurent Thomet with Issam Ahmed in Washington PEQUIM, China (AFP) — The world has entered uncharted territory in its battle against the deadly coronavirus, the UN health agency warned, as new infections dropped dramatically in China on Tuesday but …

SOLO, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia’s most active volcano Mount Merapi erupted Tuesday, shooting a massive ash cloud some 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) in the air which coated nearby communities with grey dust and forced an airport closure. Ash mixed with …

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea’s coronavirus case total — the largest in the world outside China — approached 5,000 Tuesday as authorities reported 477 new cases. Two more people had died, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and …

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen a “long-range artillery” drill, state media said Tuesday, after Pyongyang threatened to demonstrate a new weapon. Kim “guided” the drill on Monday, KCNA said. South Korea had …

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The number of US deaths from the novel coronavirus rose to six on Monday, all in the state of Washington, officials said, signaling the contagion has taken root in the Pacific Northwest. Five of …

by Joe Dyke JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) –Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed victory in Israel’s general election Monday, with exit polls putting the indicted premier in a strong position to form the next government. The election, Israel’s third in less than …

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran said Monday that novel coronavirus had killed 12 more people in the Islamic republic, raising the country’s overall death toll to 66. The number of confirmed cases leaped by 523 from the previous day to …

ROSH HAYAAIN, Israel (AFP) — Former military chief Benny Gantz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main challenger in elections Monday, voiced hope the country would “change the tune,” after a year of political stalemate. “It’s about time that we be …

BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — A Thai man has died from complications doctors say were due to the deadly coronavirus, though health officials were reluctant Monday to conclusively confirm the cause of his death. The 35-year-old was diagnosed with dengue fever …