Iran has asked the International Monetary Fund for financial assistance for the first time since 1962 to help it fight the coronavirus pandemic. Abdolnaser Hemmati, the head of Iran's central bank, said he had requested a $5 billion emergency loan to help fight the epidemic, which has infected at least 10,000 Iranians.  Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, said the request was made as soon as Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the IMF, announced a Rapid Financial Instrument support for affected countries."Our Central Bank requested access to this...…Iran has asked the International Monetary Fund for financial assistance for the first time since 1962 to help it fight the coronavirus pandemic. Abdolnaser Hemmati, the head of Iran's central bank, said he had requested a $5 billion emergency loan to help fight the epidemic, which has infected at least 10,000 Iranians.  Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, said the request was made as soon as Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the IMF, announced a Rapid Financial Instrument support for affected countries."Our Central Bank requested access to this...WW…

The Covid-19 epidemic could lead to a surge in wildlife poaching as the tourism industry that has long sustained conservation programmes across Africa collapses, conservationists have warned.Restrictions on international travel have already fuelled a jump in illegal hunting for bush meat as a catastrophic fall in revenue forces government wildlife agencies and NGOs to scale back anti-poaching operations.Fears are growing that organised crime syndicates involved in the ivory and rhino horn smuggling could also take advantage of the chaos. “Within the space of two weeks in...…The Covid-19 epidemic could lead to a surge in wildlife poaching as the tourism industry that has long sustained conservation programmes across Africa collapses, conservationists have warned.Restrictions on international travel have already fuelled a jump in illegal hunting for bush meat as a catastrophic fall in revenue forces government wildlife agencies and NGOs to scale back anti-poaching operations.Fears are growing that organised crime syndicates involved in the ivory and rhino horn smuggling could also take advantage of the chaos. “Within the space of two weeks in...WW…

The United States has accused Russia of deploying jet fighters to in what if confirmed would be a dramatic escalation of its military support for renegade field marshal Khalifa Haftar's war against the country's UN-recognised government. United States Africa Command said on Tuesday it had monitored several jet fighters flying from Russia to Libya via Syria, and that it expected them to be used to support Russian mercenaries fighting on the ground in support of Gen Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA). "We watched as Russia flew fourth generation jet fighters to Libya - every...…The United States has accused Russia of deploying jet fighters to in what if confirmed would be a dramatic escalation of its military support for renegade field marshal Khalifa Haftar's war against the country's UN-recognised government. United States Africa Command said on Tuesday it had monitored several jet fighters flying from Russia to Libya via Syria, and that it expected them to be used to support Russian mercenaries fighting on the ground in support of Gen Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA). "We watched as Russia flew fourth generation jet fighters to Libya - every...WW…