Mosques in Sri Lanka were shut indefinitely from Friday, and the island is set to impose a countrywide curfew over the weekend, as South Asian countries step up efforts to check the spread of COVID-19 cases.
Finland's national health authority questioned on Friday the World Health Organization's call on countries to test as many patients as possible for coronavirus, after the country ran out of testing capacity this week.
Truckmaker AB Volvo said on Friday it would put all its 20,000 staff in Sweden on short-term temporary lay off-scheme starting next week as it plans to close it's whole production system in the country.
Air Canada will temporarily lay off more than 5,100 employees as it attempts to check the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the union representing the Canadian airline's flight attendants said on Friday.
An Olympic cauldron was ignited in Japan on Friday with a flame carried from Greece, with officials again pledging the Tokyo 2020 Games will proceed despite mounting pressure to halt the world's biggest sporting event due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The world's richest nations poured unprecedented aid into the global economy as coronavirus cases ballooned in the new epicentre Europe, with the number of deaths in Italy outstripping those in mainland China, where the virus originated.
President Donald Trump ordered the IRS federal income tax filing extension to help deal with the coronavirus pandemic's economic fallout, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.
Iranians will overcome a coronavirus outbreak with unity, President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech on Friday, praising doctors and nurses for their courage in fighting the disease that has killed 1,284 in the Middle East country.
Malaysia will deploy the army from Sunday to assist police in enforcing a restricted movement order aimed at reining in the spread of a coronavirus, the government said.
The foreign ministers of South Korea, China and Japan will hold a video conference on Friday to foster cooperation on the coronavirus pandemic, Seoul's foreign ministry said.
Oil prices recovered further on Friday, following steep gains in the previous session after U.S. President Donald Trump hinted he may intervene in the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia at an "appropriate time".
Supply restraint by core-OPEC producers could push second-quarter Brent oil prices up to $30 a barrel, while U.S. measures to support the market could underpin prices in the near term, Goldman Sachs said in a research note.
New York City businesses are struggling to make money and retain workers as the coronavirus continues to inflict economic pain.
Small business owners are sending food deliveries, hiring spouses and more to support their workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Can you imagine what it means for this country to just have three retailers?" CNBC's Jim Cramer said.