The Taliban accuse the government of spreading COVID-19 in prisons and warn of revenge if their prisoners are harmed. With prisoners on both sides at risk, peace efforts have become more complicated. ( read original story ...)
Afghanistan drawdown proceeds even as tenuous peace deal continues to crack
Reuters reported the Taliban launched 4,500 attacks in the 45 days since signing the agreement —a nearly 70 percent increase in attacks between March 1 and April 15. ( read original story ...)
South Korea Says Kim Jong Un Did Not Have Heart Surgery, Laid Low Due to Coronavirus
Experts previously told Newsweek they believed North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un may be steering clear of crowds to avoid the novel coronavirus disease. ( read original story ...)
Switzerland seeks medical furlough extension of American detained by Iran: Pompeo
Switzerland, which represents the United States in Iran, has asked Tehran to extend the medical furlough from detention of U.S. Navy veteran Michael White, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on ... ( read original story ...)
Turkey to sample test 150,000 to gauge scope of outbreak
Turkey is preparing to test 150,000 citizens to determine how widely the novel coronavirus has spread among the population, the country's health minister said ... ( read original story ...)
Turkey says starting new phase in battle against coronavirus: minister
Turkey has entered a new phase in the battle against coronavirus in which it aims to eliminate the disease, reopen businesses and set new social behaviour guidelines to prevent any resurgence of the ... ( read original story ...)
Turkey’s Coronavirus Death Toll Rises by 64 to 3,584: Minister
The overall number of cases rose by 2,253 to 131,744, the data showed, the highest total outside Western Europe, the United States and Russia. Both the number of deaths and new cases were slightly ... ( read original story ...)
Turkey’s lira rips toward all-time low after regulator moves to stop currency speculation
The currency has been under mounting pressure amid rising inflation, growing unemployment and slow growth — and now, the highest number of coronavirus cases in the region. ( read original story ...)
Pressure on Turkey’s Economy Builds as Lira Nears Record Low
Turkey’s central bank has run short of foreign-currency reserves and has turned to the U.S. for possible help, but analysts say Washington is unlikely to oblige. ( read original story ...)
Russian ship being towed from Falmouth to Turkey for scrap
A Russian cargo ship that grounded off a Cornish beach 17 months ago is being towed away so it can be scrapped. The 16,000-tonne Kuzma Minin has been moored off Falmouth since it ran aground in a ... ( read original story ...)