Between heat and war, Saudi Arabia seeks incident-free Hajj Mecca's temperature reached a high of 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday and is expected to hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia
Interview As Sudan war drags on, US-Iran conflict compounds humanitarian crisis in Darfur Save the Children US President and CEO Janti Soeripto said delivering aid in Sudan remains extremely difficult, with supply trucks often delayed for weeks or months even after entering the country. Janti Soeripto President and CEO of Save the Children US
Kuwait blacklists eight Lebanon hospitals over alleged Hezbollah ties: What to know The affected hospitals, located in areas where Hezbollah has a heavy presence, are believed to be run by Hezbollah-affiliated institutions. Lebanon
Culture Why Lebanon now leads the world in rising cancer rates A recent study found that Lebanon has the world’s fastest-rising cases of cancer and cancer-related deaths. Ali Mokdad, co-author of the study, says tobacco is the main culprit. Lebanon
Interview International Red Cross chief says Gaza conflict goes beyond anything he has ever seen Pierre Krahenbuhl Director-General of the International Committee
Coronavirus fears hover over Israel’s Knesset swearing-in The Knesset's traditional swearing-in ceremony is being scaled down, as Israel closes schools through the Passover holiday. Israel
Is Netanyahu really the coronavirus savior? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is staging himself in the role of savior rescuing the people of Israel from the coronavirus, but how much of all this is true? Israel
Iran requests multibillion IMF loan as coronavirus cases reach 10,000 Iran has officially registered 10,000 cases of coronavirus, with the government requesting a multibillion-dollar emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund. Iran
Lebanon latest country to restrict travel over coronavirus fears Lebanon has banned flights to and from countries hardest hit by the coronavirus. Lebanon
Pakistan seeks to control spread of virus from Iran Pakistan kept its border open with Iran, a COVID-19 hotspot, perhaps longer than it should have and is now screening thousands of its citizens returning from pilgrimages for the new coronavirus. Iran
Some Iraqis rejecting coronavirus warnings The Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq has imposed a ban on communal worship in mosques because of the new coronavirus, but some people are ignoring the danger. Iraq
Iran's top security body rejects lockdown of epidemic areas Iran said its death toll from the coronavirus epidemic will not stop rising until around the second week of April, while insisting that a lockdown on the hardest-hit provinces is not an option. Iran
Netanyahu, Gantz must return to Cairo 2016 Blue and White leader Benny Gantz should agree to a unity government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, not just to fight the coronavirus, but to resume the Cairo talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestine
Israel dreads coronavirus outbreak in Gaza So far, the closure has protected the Gaza Strip from the coronavirus, but Israeli specialists estimate that a COVID-19 outbreak there is just a matter of time. Palestine
Iran’s Khamenei cancels new year address over coronavirus Iran’s supreme leader canceled his annual public address in the holy city of Mashhad amid the coronavirus epidemic, which continues to claim lives nationwide. Iran
Does Moscow’s withdrawal from OPEC-plus deal end Russia-Saudi honeymoon? Russia’s decision to break off from the Saudis in the OPEC-plus agreement has some merits. Saudi Arabia
Is COVID-19 lurking in Syria's Kurdish northeast? Residents of the Kurdish autonomous administration in Syria are complaining about the lack of sufficient precautionary measures to stop the spread of coronavirus. Syria
