Kuwait and Bahrain have both confirmed the first cases of coronavirus.
Health ministries of both countries confirmed that the infections - four people, including a Saudi and Bahraini national - were linked to recent travels to Iran, where the death toll from the COVID-19 has risen to 12.
Meanwhile, Iraq has shut its Safwan border crossing with Kuwait, amidst fears over the spread of coronavirus.
Bangladesh leader considered PM frontrunner returns from exile
Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting Chairman Tarique Rahman returned from nearly 17 years in exile on Thursday, a homecoming the party hopes will energise supporters with Rahman poised to be the top contender for prime minister in February.
Syria to start currency swap on January 1
Syria will start swapping old banknotes for new ones from January 1, 2026, Central Bank Governor Abdelkader Husrieh said on Thursday, under a plan to replace Assad-era notes to try to strengthen the currency's value.
Five killed in Nigeria mosque attack, police say
At least 5 were killed and 35 others injured when a bomber detonated an explosive inside a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria's Borno state, during evening prayers, police said.
Helicopter crash on Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro kills five, aviation authority says
A helicopter has crashed on Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro, killing five people, the civil aviation authority said on Thursday, while local media reported that the aircraft was on a medical rescue mission.
UK, Canada, Germany and others condemn Israel's West Bank settlement plan
Fourteen countries including Britain, Canada, and Germany have condemned the Israeli security cabinet's approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, saying they violated international law and risked fuelling instability.
