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Morocco Arrests over 4,300 for Breaching Emergency Rules

More than 4,300 people were arrested over the weekend in Morocco for breaching emergency rules in place to combat the novel coronavirus, according to official figures.

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Virus 'Disaster in the Making' in War-Torn Syria

As Europe and the United States struggle to contain the coronavirus pandemic, experts warn that disaster looms in war-torn Syria, where hospitals are unable to meet existing needs and hygiene conditions are dire.

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Gantz Denied Extension to Form Israel Govt.

Israel's president on Sunday rejected parliament speaker Benny Gantz's request for more time to form a government, a task that could now fall to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ex-military chief Gantz was given the mandate to form a government four weeks ago by President Reuven Rivlin following Israel's March 2 election, the country's third inconclusive vote in a year. 

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Hamas Says It Arrested Gazan after Zoom Call with Israelis

Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas said they have arrested a Palestinian man on charges of normalizing ties with Israelis online, after footage seemingly from a Zoom call was shared online.

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War-Torn Yemen Reports First Coronavirus Case

War-torn Yemen reported its first case of coronavirus Friday in a southern province under the control of the government, raising fears of an outbreak in a country with few resources left to respond.

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'Coronavirus Ceasefire' in Yemen's Long Conflict Dismissed by Rebels

The Saudi-led coalition said it began observing a unilateral ceasefire in war-wracked Yemen on Thursday to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but Huthi rebels dismissed the initiative as political maneuvering.

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Spy Chief Named Iraq's Third PM-Designate this Year

Iraqi President Barham Saleh nominated spy chief Mustafa Kadhemi on Thursday as the country's third prime minister-designate this year, moments after predecessor Adnan Zurfi ended his bid to form a government.

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Saudi-Led Coalition Declares 2-Week Coronavirus Ceasefire in Yemen

The Riyadh-led military coalition fighting Yemen's Huthi rebels has declared a two-week ceasefire in the country starting Thursday in a bid to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

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Israel Health Minister under Fire over Ultra-Orthodox COVID-19 Crisis

To some, Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is guilty of a "catastrophic failure" of leadership for not urgently conveying the coronavirus threat to the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community that elected him.

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Virus Pandemic Deals Heavy Blow to Egypt's Working Poor

Haggard and dishevelled from the stress of making ends meet, day labourers line up in Cairo for food parcels after losing their jobs to the sharp downturn caused by the coronavirus.

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