Hospitals are being inundated with patients showing acute COVID-19 symptoms in Turkmenistan, the only country in Central Asia where no coronavirus cases have been officially registered. ( read original story ...)
U.S. envoy skips political elite in Lebanon visit, says ‘no longer business as usual’
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker concludes his two-day trip to Lebanon on Friday after choosing to only meet with opposition demonstrators rather than members ... ( read original story ...)
EXCLUSIVE-Taking power: Chinese firm to run Laos electric grid amid default warnings
The poor, small Southeast Asian country of Laos is set to cede majority control of its electric grid to a Chinese company, as it struggles to stave off a potential debt default, people with direct ... ( read original story ...)
Laos tests over 40,000 people for Covid-19 since January
A total of 40,356 people in Laos have received Covid-19 (coronavirus) tests since January, according to a report from the Lao Ministry of Health. ( read original story ...)
Tajikistan: 30-year-old unknown makes presidential run to fight police abuse
Tajikistan's presidential election is a foregone conclusion, but the appearance of a 30-year-old would-be opposition candidate is an unusual sight ... ( read original story ...)
Bahrain OKs use of its airspace for new Israel-UAE flights
The government of Bahrain says it will allow Israeli commercial carriers in its airspace to fly a new route to the United Arab Emirates. ( read original story ...)
Oil tanker towed from Sri Lanka shoreline amid spill fears
A massive oil tanker on fire off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka is being towed out to sea amid fears of a major new oil spill in the Indian Ocean. The Panamanian-registered vessel, which began burning ... ( read original story ...)
Factbox: Fully loaded supertanker catches fire off Sri Lanka
A fire broke out on a Panama-flagged supertanker carrying about 2 million barrels of oil in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Sri Lanka. One of its 23 crew is missing and presumed dead. ( read original story ...)
One dead as firefighters battle blaze aboard oil tanker off Sri Lanka
Firefighting crews from Sri Lanka and India are working to put out a large blaze aboard an oil tanker that has been burning since Thursday, off the coast of the south Asian island nation. ( read original story ...)
Crewman Killed As Oil Tanker Fire Rages For Second Day Off Sri Lanka Coast
A Panamanian-registered oil tanker burned out of control for a second day off Sri Lanka on Friday as authorities confirmed a Filipino crew member was killed in an explosion and fears grew of a major ... ( read original story ...)