South Africa has recorded its first two deaths from coronavirus on Friday as its case tally breached the 1,000 mark just hours after a three-week nationwide lockdown took effect. According to the health ministry, the deaths were women aged 28 and 48 in the Western Cape province.

Zimbabwe has been forced to re-introduced the use of foreign currency for domestic transactions less than a year after it was outlawed.

29 Malian soldiers were killed in an attack in the town of Tarkint, which is about 125 km (78 miles) north of the city of Gao. Suspected Islamist militants killed 29 Malian soldiers on Thursday in an attack on a base in the country's northeast, the army said.

Iraq's president has named ex-Najaf city governor and pro-Western lawmaker Adnan Zurfi, as the next prime minister, after caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, quit in December.

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has on Monday been sworn in for a second term at the presidential palace in Kabul, however, his rival Abdullah Abdullah has refused to acknowledge the inauguration, holding his own swearing-in ceremony as president.

US officials and Taliban representatives have signed a final peace deal after months of negotiations in Doha on Saturday to end the United States's longest war, fought in Afghanistan.

United State as at Thursday 26th March 2020, became the country with the most coronavirus infections cases and reported a record in unemployment as world leaders vowed 5trillion dollars to stave off global economic collapse. In the US, more than 83,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 virus, whereby overtaking Italy, which has previously reported more death, and China, where the virus originated from in December.

The United States President, Donald Trump has insisted that the chloroquine tablet has proved to be effective in the treatment of the COVID-19 shall be approved to combat the menace.

US President Donald Trump has tested negative for the novel coronavirus, the White House physician said Saturday. Trump submitted to the test after coming in contact with several members of a Brazilian presidential delegation visiting his Florida resort who have since tested positive for the virus.

A Constitutional Court in Russia on Monday has approved a constitutional amendment that will allow country president Vladimir Putin to rule for 16 more years. Putin who became President of Russia in 2012 backed a constitutional amendment that would allow him to run again for the fourth time after his current term. This means that he will run for another six years in 2024 and 2030.

The coronavirus outbreak which began in China in late 2019 and swept across the globe has prompted the intervention of China to assist Italy to battle the deadly disease. A plane loaded of medical supplies, including masks and respirators, and medical experts have arrived in Italy from China to help address the crisis occasioned by the spread of the virus.

British MP Ms Nadine Dorries has tested positive for coronavirus and is in self-isolation at home. The Health Department is officials are now racing to trace those who have had contact with Dorries, who first showed symptoms on Thursday – the same day she attended an event hosted by the Prime Minister of UK, Boris Johnson.