Dozens of Kurdish families fled to the northeast Syrian village of Tal Tamr last fall, escaping a Turkish invasion. U.S. forces help provide some security, but the families face an uncertain future.
Turkey is one of the hardest-hit countries in the Middle East, often reporting 4,000 or more new COVID-19 cases per day. The government hopes short-term stay-home measures will curb the outbreak.
The order was announced shortly before it took effect midnight Friday, drawing crowds of last-minute shoppers in cities such as Istanbul. Turkey has reported over 47,000 confirmed cases of the virus.
Five years of fighting has left the country in ruins. "We are bracing for the worst," a U.N. official said. The country is already dealing with war, poverty and malnutrition.
When Rumi wandered onto a military base in Syria, 1st Lt. Shelby Koontz took her in. She didn't want to abandon Rumi when her deployment ended, so Koontz used social media to find her a forever home.
Iran is among the countries hard hit hit by the coronavirus pandemic. As Iranians head back to work after their New Year's holiday, fears are growing that the rate of infection could surge.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin are at the center of the devastating oil price war. President Trump has inserted himself into the fray.
Although people fleeing war or humanitarian crises know about the dangers of COVID-19, many are also worried about being persecuted if the disease spreads in their communities.