SARAH SILBIGER / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
US President Donald Trump has backed off from imposing a lockdown in the hard-hit New York area to limit the spread of coronavirus.
"A quarantine will not be necessary," he said on Twitter, adding that restricting non-essential domestic travel for 14 days will be adequate.
His earlier decision to implement a travel ban was faced with resistance, with several governing bodies claiming it would cause chaos.
"If you started walling off areas all across the country it would be totally bizarre, counter-productive, anti-American," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told CNN.
Meanwhile,Trump also appeared to soften his previous plans to reopen US economy by mid-April. "We'll see what happens," he said.
So far, the country has recorded more than 2,200 deaths and more than 122,000 positive cases.
Harvard University sued the Trump administration on Friday over its decision to revoke the Ivy League school's ability to enrol foreign students, ratcheting up White House efforts to conform practices in academia to President Donald Trump's policies.
Pakistan and India have extended airspace restrictions for each other's aircraft in tit-for-tat moves, both countries said on Friday, amid continuing diplomatic tensions between the neighbours after a brief military conflict this month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the leaders of France, Britain and Canada of wanting to help Hamas after they threatened to take "concrete action" if Israel did not stop its latest offensive in Gaza.
US President Donald Trump's administration revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students on Thursday, and is forcing current foreign students to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status, while also threatening to expand the crackdown to other colleges.
Bangladesh's de-facto prime minister has threatened to step down if political parties cannot agree on reforms that citizens await with growing impatience, a top student leader has said, deepening uncertainty in the wake of deadly protests last year.
The UAE has joined 80 countries in urging stronger protection for civilians in armed conflicts, following a UN Security Council debate on rising violations of international humanitarian law.
Harvard sues Trump administration for blocking foreign students' enrolment
India, Pakistan extend airspace closures for each other's airlines
Netanyahu accuses France, Britain and Canada of 'emboldening' Hamas
Trump administration blocks Harvard from enrolling foreign students
Bangladesh's Yunus threatens to quit amid growing political uncertainty
