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Middle East region reports more coronavirus cases as global numbers soar

The virus has infected over a half-million worldwide so far. (File/AFP)
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Updated 29 March 2020
Arab News
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Middle East region reports more coronavirus cases as global numbers soar

  • Cases in Saudi Arabia have reached over 1,100 on Friday
  • Global infections toll has reached nearly 600,000 with more than 27,000 fatalities
Updated 29 March 2020
Arab News

DUBAI: More COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in the Middle East, with cases in Saudi Arabia reaching over 1,100 on Friday.

Global infections toll has reached nearly 600,000 with more than 27,000 fatalities.

Saturday, March 28 (All times in GMT)

20:27 – Egypt says anyone spreading fake news about the coronavirus could face two years in prison and a fine of 300,000 EGP

20:01 – Coronavirus has now spread to dozens of the 47 countries of the WHO Africa region, with 2,650 infected and 49 dead, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday.

19:00 – France on Saturday reported 319 more deaths in hospital caused by the coronavirus, bringing the total toll of the epidemic in the country to 2,314.

17:19 – Total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy rises to 92,472 from 86,498 on Friday, with death toll rising by 889 to 10,023.

16:59 – Turkey’s health minister announced that the coronavirus death roll rose by 16 to 108, total number of cases rose by 1,704 to 7,402.

16:55 – Qatari Health Ministry announces 28 new cases of coronavirus infections, bringing the total to 590 , as well as the country's first coronavirus-related death.

16:29 – Bahrain announces 11 new coronavirus cases recovered, bringing the number of people recovering to 265

16:20 – Algeria's Health Ministry announces 45 new cases of coronavirus infections, bringing the total to 454.

16:14 – European Union gives Tunisia 250 million euros in effort to counter the social and economic effects of coronavirus.  

15:23 – Egypt announces that the export of legumes will be halted for 3 months due to coronavirus.

14:40 – Russia announces it will close the border to slow coronavirus spread.

14:10 – Another 260 people have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total death toll to more than 1,000.

13:30 – The UAE says a disinfection campaign will continue for another week. At the same time, the health ministry  said 63 new cases had been detected, taking the total tally up to 468

13:07 –  Confirmed coronavirus infections in Netherlands rise by 1,159 to 9,762, with 93 new deaths.

12:45 – Saudi Arabia says a fourth person has died after being infected with coronavirus and the total number of cases has reached 1,203.

12:30 – Britain’s Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack has developed mild symptoms consistent with coronavirus and is self-isolating, a spokeswoman for his ministry said on Saturday.

12:29 – The Swiss death toll from coronavirus has reached 235, the country’s public health ministry said on Saturday, rising from 197 people on Friday.

11:36 – Vietnam said the country has 174 confirmed cases of coranvirus with no deaths.

10:59 – 48 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Iraq with two new deaths.

10:51 – Spain has confirmed 832 coronavirus fatalities in the last 24 hours, a record daily toll in the country.

10:50 – The Lebanese health ministry has reported 21 new cases of the virus, bringing toll to 412.

10:05 – The first flight to the UK for British nationals in Saudi Arabia will take place on Sunday from Riyadh, additional Riyadh flight may happen later this week, British embassy in Saudi Arabia announced in a twitter post.

09:29 – The Philippine health ministry has reported 14 new coronavirus deaths and 272 new cases.

09:14 – Malaysia has reported 159 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 2,320.

09:11 – Kuwait health ministry has reported 10 new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 235.

08:50 – The health ministry of Iraq's Kurdistan has reported seven new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 122.

08:45 – In Germany, the number of coronavirus cases have reached 48,582 with 325 fatalities.

08:16 – Bahrain has confirmed 19 new coronavirus recoveries, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 254.

08:15 – Morocco has reported 13 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infected patients to 358.

08:14 – The Palestinian government has reported six new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 97.

07:06 – Oman confirmed 21 new cases of coronavirus, bringing total to 92.

05:56 – Kuwait has reported seven new recovered cases of COVID-19, raising total recoveries to 64.

04:22 – Thailand has reported 109 new cases of COVID-19, bringing total number of infections to 1,245. The country has also announced one new death from the virus – it now has six total fatalities.

01:28 – South Korea has reported 146 new coronavirus cases, making its total 9,478.

01:13 – Brunei has reported its first death from the virus.

01:05 – The Mexican health ministry has recorded 717 total cases of coronavirus, dozens higher than earlier tally of 585. A total of 12 people has died in the country due to the illness.

Friday, March 27 (All times in GMT)

21:00 – Egypt has reported 41 new coronavirus cases and six deaths, bringing the total number of infected patients to 536 and deaths to 30, UAE state news agency WAM reported.
Out of the 41 cases, one is a US national and the others are Egyptian nationals.
The health ministry has also reported the recovery of 14 cases, including 11 Egyptians and three French after receiving the necessary treatment. The total number of recovered cases in the country are 116.

20:31 – Morocco said it has two new coronavirus deaths and 12 new infections.

22:00 – Jordan has reported first coronavirus death.

19:52 – The number of coronavirus deaths in Tunisia has reached 7.

18:00 – The UAE has announced 72 new cases of coronavirus in the country, raising toll to 405. Three new recoveries from the virus have also been reported.

Topics: Coronavirus

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‘Foreign interference’ not behind Syria flareup: Turkiye

Updated 02 December 2024
AFP
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‘Foreign interference’ not behind Syria flareup: Turkiye

Updated 02 December 2024
AFP

ANKARA: Turkiye, which backs militant factions in Syria, rejected Monday any suggestion that “foreign interference” was behind the offensive launched by Islamists in the country’s north.
“It would be a mistake at this time to try to explain the events in Syria by any foreign interference,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a joint press conference in Ankara with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.
The recent flareup which saw Damascus losing swathes of territory in northwestern Syria, including Aleppo, during a lightning offensive by militants, was due to the government’s failure to engage in dialogue with armed opposition groups, he said.
“The lack of talks between [Damascus] and the opposition has brought the problem to this point,” he said, describing it as “a mistake to ignore the legitimate demands of the opposition.”
“Damascus must reconcile with its own people and the legitimate opposition,” he added.
Turkiye did “not want an escalation of the civil war,” said the minister who told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call Sunday that Ankara would support moves “to reduce tension” in Syria.
Araghchi said it was crucial “to protect the achievements of the Astana process” to end Syria’s civil war, which groups Ankara, Moscow and Tehran, and pledged to convene fresh ministerial talks in the Kazakh capital “soon.”
The last such meeting took place in mid-November.
“Syria must not become a center for terrorist groups,” warned Araghchi in reference to the militant factions that staged last week’s attack.
Fidan also said it was “important that terror organizations do not take advantage of the instability” although he was referring to Kurdish-led rebels that Ankara sees as an offshoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK has led a led a decades-long insurgency against Turkiye.
Turkish troops and Turkiye-backed militant factions control much of northern Syria, and Ankara is concerned that the recent outbreak of fighting could swell the flow of people fleeing across the border.
“We don’t want civilians to be killed or cities bombarded or people being displaced. We want these displaced people to be able to go back. The flow of refugees must be reversed,” he said.
Turkiye is already hosting some 3.2 million Syrian refugees, according to UN data.
Syria’s Bashar Assad on Monday branded the Islamist-led offensive as a bid to redraw the map of the region in line with US interests in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian.
Both Iran and Russia, which have backed Assad since Syria’s civil war broke out in 2011, have said they will help Damascus fight back after losing Aleppo, with Tehran confirming it would keep its military advisers in Syria.

Topics: Syria Turkiye Iran

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Two dead in attack on Sudan displacement camp: activists

Updated 02 December 2024
AFP
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Two dead in attack on Sudan displacement camp: activists

  • The Zamzam camp, south of the regional capital El-Fasher, was hit by heavy rocket and artillery fire from the RSF on Sunday morning
  • Both sides face accusations of war crimes, including targeting civilians, shelling residential areas, and blocking or looting aid
Updated 02 December 2024
AFP

Port Sudan, Sudan: At least two people were killed when Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces attacked a camp for displaced people in the North Darfur region, activists said on Monday.
The Zamzam camp, south of the regional capital El-Fasher, was hit by heavy rocket and artillery fire from the RSF on Sunday morning, said the local resistance committee in El-Fasher.
The “indiscriminate” attack killed at least two people and wounded a dozen others, said the committee, one of hundreds of volunteer groups coordinating aid in Sudan.
The northeast African country has been gripped by a war between the regular army and RSF that has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 11 million since April last year.
Both sides face accusations of war crimes, including targeting civilians, shelling residential areas, and blocking or looting aid.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher, after visiting Sudan and neighboring Chad last week, called for immediate international action to address the crisis.
“It is a tough situation out there, the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world. And I’ve been talking to local people to host communities,” Fletcher said in a weekend statement.
Nearly 26 million people — about half the population — face the threat of mass starvation in Sudan as both warring sides have been accused of using hunger as a weapon of war.
“These numbers are staggering, and we cannot turn our backs,” Fletcher said.

Topics: Sudan

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ICC member states must act against Israeli, US threats: HRW

Updated 02 December 2024
Arab News
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ICC member states must act against Israeli, US threats: HRW

  • International Criminal Court has faced ‘extreme pressure’ since issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant
  • Human Rights Watch: ‘Crucial work’ at The Hague must continue ‘without obstruction’
Updated 02 December 2024
Arab News

LONDON: International Criminal Court member countries must oppose Israeli and US efforts to undermine the court follows its issuing of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, Human Rights Watch said on Monday.

The organization released a 24-page report outlining recommendations to member countries ensuring that the ICC receives the “political backing, resources and cooperation” it needs to carry out its mandate.

The world’s top international court has faced “extreme pressure” since issuing the warrants on Nov. 21, HRW said.

Warrants were issued for the arrests of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Mohammed Deif, a Hamas commander.

US lawmakers renewed threats of sanctions against the court and its officials after the warrants were issued.

Liz Evenson, HRW’s international justice director, said ICC warrants “send a critical message that no one is above the law. ICC member countries should make a commitment during their annual meeting (on Dec. 2-7) to take all necessary steps to ensure that the ICC’s crucial work for justice can continue without obstruction.”

HRW warned that US sanctions against the ICC would have “wide-reaching consequences for global justice.”

Legal uncertainty and apprehension for NGOs, consultants and lawyers could arise as a result of sanctions, which are “a tool to be used against those responsible for the most serious crimes, not against those promoting justice,” HRW said.

After the issuing of the warrants, many ICC member countries voiced support for the court’s decision, yet some avoided making explicit commitments to enforcing them.

Hungary’s President Viktor Orban said he would invite Netanyahu to visit his country despite Hungary, an ICC member, being obliged to arrest anyone wanted by The Hague.

The French government last week appeared to claim that Netanyahu enjoys immunity from arrest as Israel is not an ICC member. Judges at The Hague have rejected this view.

Member countries must condemn Israeli and US threats against the court and its supporters, including civil society organizations, NGOs and human rights defenders, HRW said.

The annual meeting should result in “concrete steps” aimed at protecting the court from “coercive measures,” the organization added.

“The ICC needs the support of its member countries to fulfill its ambitious global mandate of delivering justice for the most serious crimes,” Evenson said.

“Member country support needs to be consistent over time and across situations to avoid double standards, and uphold the court’s legitimacy for victims and affected communities.”

Topics: International Criminal Court Human Rights Watch Yoav Gallant Benjamin Netanyahu

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Iran says it will keep ‘military advisers’ in Syria

Updated 02 December 2024
AFP
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Iran says it will keep ‘military advisers’ in Syria

Updated 02 December 2024
AFP

TEHRAN: Iran said on Monday that it plans to keep military advisers in Syria after its ally’s second city Aleppo was overrun by militants in a surprise offensive.
The Islamic republic, which has backed President Bashar Assad since Syria’s civil war broke out in 2011, says it only deploys military advisers in the country at the invitation of Damascus.
“We entered Syria many years ago at the official invitation of the Syrian government, when the Syrian people faced the threat of terrorism,” said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaeil.
“Our military advisers were present in Syria, and they are still present” and would remain in the country “in accordance with the wishes” of its government, he told a news conference in Tehran.
Baqaeil did not specify whether or not Iran would be increasing its forces in Syria in the wake of the lightning militant offensive.
His remarks come a day after Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Assad in Damascus to show support for the Syrian president.
Aleppo fell to an Islamist-dominated militant alliance over the course of the past week, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

Topics: Syria Iran

Syrian and Russian air forces strike Aleppo’s eastern countryside

Updated 02 December 2024
Reuters
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Syrian and Russian air forces strike Aleppo’s eastern countryside

Updated 02 December 2024
Reuters

CAIRO: Syrian and Russian air forces were striking militant-held positions in Aleppo’s eastern countryside, killing and wounding dozens of insurgents, according to a statement from the Syrian Prime Minister’s office on Monday.

Russia said it continues to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and is analysing the situation on the ground after Islamist insurgents and other rebel groups seized territory in Syria.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday Russia would form its position based on unfolding events.

Meanwhile, Kurdish YPG forces began pulling out of areas under their control in the northeastern sector of Aleppo city under a deal with militant forces, sources and a resident said on Monday.

The deal to pull out of Sheikh Maqsoud and Bustan al Basha and other areas in the city allows civilians to leave to areas in northeast Syria under Kurdish control, the sources told Reuters. 

Topics: Syria

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