by arabnews.com — LONDON: Lebanese superstar Fairuz released a video on Friday of her praying in her home for humanity to be saved from the coronavirus pandemic. The video, which was published on her Fairuz Productions YouTube page, shows the singer seated in the corner of a room in what is presumed to be her home, reading Psalm 10:1 from the Bible. “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” she reads. Lebanon is currently on lockdown with security forces issuing fines for everyone that violates the rules. As of Friday, the country’s total number of coronavirus cases stood at 508, with the death toll at 17.

by France24 — Rami Adwan Lebanese Ambassador in France said Lebanese authorities had so far succeeded in containing the spread of the virus by taking swift action, such as closing the country’s airports and ports “as soon as the global pandemic was declared”. “This has resulted in a lot of Lebanese nationals being stuck outside the country,” he acknowledged, adding that the country would start repatriating its citizens in France and elsewhere on Sunday, in coordination with the national carrier Middle East Airlines. Lebanon has recorded just over 500 confirmed infections and 17 deaths from the coronavirus, prompting the government last month to introduce a nighttime curfew.