If North Korea has Covid beat, why buy 1 million face masks from China?
CNN
North Korea imported more than 1 million facial masks and 15,000 pairs of rubber gloves from China in July, shortly before declaring victory over Covid-19, Chinese trade figures show.
Pyongyang last week declared victory over the coronavirus, ending a little-detailed fight against "fever" cases that had risen to 4.77 million in the country of around 26 million people. It has registered no new such cases since July 29.
Still, China exported 1.23 million facial masks to North Korea in July, worth $44,307, surging from 17,000 the previous month, according to data released by Chinese customs at the weekend.
The long rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is over, after rebels swept into the capital Damascus on Sunday. Follow the latest live news updates here.
Syria’s rebel alliance is edging closer to the capital Damascus, after anti-regime forces swept across the country in a lightning offensive. Follow the latest live news updates here.
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Iran’s parliament has enacted a harsh new modesty law, significantly tightening existing dress restrictions that have already fueled nationwide protests and posed a serious challenge to regime stability.
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Syrian and Russian jets are stepping up strikes on opposition forces in northern Syria in retaliation for the sudden offensive that has cost the regime control of the country’s second largest city, Aleppo.
Syria’s civil war is back in the spotlight after a new rebel coalition launched a surprise attack, sweeping into the country’s second largest city, Aleppo.