Some 7,500 foreign troops are in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition helping local troops fight jihadist groups, but those numbers are being significantly drawn down this month.

The US has 245,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, which is twice as many as Spain, which surpassed Italy as the country with the second-highest number of cases at 117,000.

Four boats carrying 72 migrants were intercepted by Border Force on the beaches of Kent and Sussex on Easter Sunday. The 12 women and 60 men said they were from Iraq, Iran and Syria.

A group of 11 ships with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet at close range and high speed on Wednesday.

Social media star Sahar Tabar, 22, whose real name is Fatemeh Khishvand, from Tehran, shot to prominence after posting images of her eerily gaunt face.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard chief Hossein Salami boasted that 'local scientists' had invented the 'state-of-the-art' device to detect virus cases 'remotely' without the need for a blood test.

Forty years on, a gripping account of the Iranian embassy siege - minute by nerve-shredding minute...

The British-Iranian woman, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, jailed in Iran on sedition charges must wait another day to hear whether her furlough from prison will be extended.

Medics discovered the coronavirus in the lungs of a 30-year-old woman from Iran who did not display symptoms days after a relatives died with Covid-19 (pictured, CT scan showing lung markings).

Iran has acquired three bomb-carrying drones with a range of 932 miles as tensions with the US escalate following the killing of General Soleimani (pictured, Shahed 129 drone).

JONATHAN MAYO: The mood in the embassy suddenly changes. Salim has found a felt-tip pen and is writing 'Death to Khomeini' on the wall outside Room 9.

The human rights watchdog said China 'continued to execute and sentence to death thousands of people' but said the country's exact figures were 'kept secret'.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's temporary release from an Iranian jail has been extended for one month, with her husband revealing how the family have been video calling every day for several hours.

Iran has paid the deadliest price in the Middle East from the pandemic. Now another 76 fatalities have been declared amid the easing of lockdown measures - taking Iran's official death toll to 6,650.

Hackers from Russia and Iran have been attempting to gain access to British universities that are developing vaccines for the coronavirus. Pictured: Stock image of a hacker.

A report by a media analytics firm shows Facebook posts which are said to have been fabricated by Iran in an effort to boost the candidacy of Ron Paul and sabotage Mitt Romney.

The move comes after the country determined the threat from Iran that sparked an arms buildup in the region last year had waned, a Defense Department official said Thursday.

A mining company has announced it will debut the world's largest electric vehicle at one of its platinum mines in South Africa, which will use a hybrid lithium-ion and hydrogen fuel cell motor.

Ahead of their group-stage opener against South Africa at the WACA in Perth on Sunday, England were out of sorts and slumped to a heavy defeat at the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide.

The image was taken on the plains of a private wildlife estate in Mpumalanga, South Africa, by project manager and wildlife photographer Victor Soares, 46, who had been invited to the estate.

The 28-year-old from Johannesburg in South Africa started for his new team the Melbourne Rebels at home against the New South Wales Waratahs on Friday, as his  side won 24-10.

Steve Smith has admitted he had flashbacks returning to the Johannesburg hotel where his world came crashing down after confessing to ball-tampering.

The two young male giraffes engaged in the violent duel, butting each other aggressively on the neck and body, at Kruger National Park, South Africa in December last year.

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT The male lion was filmed caressing the baby kudu antelope's face with its huge paw and the female licked it in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Eugene Troskie, 34, was repairing a waterhole's wooden perimeter in the Lions Place Lodge in Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa, when the inquisitive elephant noticed him.

SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: It was a double celebration for Sarah, Duchess of York, on Prince Andrew's 60th birthday. Earlier in the day she became a great-aunt.

A source told The Sun : 'Eve has missed Jess so much, so she jumped at the chance to come back and see her before her time on the show is up.'

Warner and de Kock delivered one of the ugliest moments of a bitter Test series in 2018 when they squared off on a staircase after play in Durban.

Shaninlea Visser, 36, from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, was bitten by the mongoose at her former boss's home. Two days later she collapsed and was placed in an 11-day coma by doctors.

CHRIS FOY: England believe they are ready to reach the same performance heights on Sunday against Ireland as they did in Yokohama last November when they dismantled the All Blacks.

Biden, 77, first told the story at a campaign event in Columbia, South Carolina on February 11, as he tried to shake off defeat in New Hampshire, and has repeated it twice more.

England begin their bid for glory at the women's T20 World Cup against South Africa with captain Heather Knight claiming the tournament is wide open.

The Liverpudlian beauty, 34, sizzled in a hot pink ruffled mini dress before slipping into a LBD during a photo shoot for her new collection with Lipsy in Cape Town, South Africa earlier this month.

It had previously been reported that bosses of the ITV2 show were locked in crisis talks in the days following Flack's shocking February 15 suicide, as they discussed whether to continue with the series.

Steve Smith pulled off a 'superman' performance while fielding a ball that was destined for a six when Australia faced South Africa for the second T20 match.

In 2019 the ITV2 show's finale peaked at 3.8m viewers, showing a peak loss of 1.2m for the programme, relating to those watching ITV2 and ITV2 HD on TVs in homes

Jos Buttler is determined to prove he still belongs in Test cricket even though he accepts he is running out of time to fulfil his huge potential on the biggest red-ball stage.

In a clip captured on Sunday, the curious animal can be seen approaching the busy forecourt of an Engen service station in Saint Lucia.

The star, 20, signed for Oxford City last summer after being released by MK Dons, and the club's commercial director confirmed on Monday he would still need to complete his contract.

EXCLUSIVE BY CHRIS FOY: The Lions are poised to finalise plans on Thursday for a fixture against the Barbarians at Twickenham, prior to their tour of South Africa next summer.

Biden, 77, first told the story at a campaign event in Columbia, S.C., as he tried to shake off defeat in New Hampshire, and has repeated it twice more during outreach to black voters.

Knight became the first English player, male or female, to make hundreds in Test, one-day international and Twenty20 cricket when she powered England to an emphatic World Cup victory.

The model, 34, flaunted her incredible svelte physique in a selection of her 30 piece clothing range, which included an electric blue thigh slit dress.

The mother-of-two, 35, visited Cape Town to meet colleagues at Project Playground, which she started in 2010 with her friend, fellow model Frida Vesterberg, and shared photos on Instagram.

There are no plans to have a Love Island reunion show this year.

David Warner set the cricket ball tampering scandal in motion because he was incensed by South Africa's vulgar sledging about his wife Candice during the 2018 test series.

For a man who is likely to be out for four months owing to a freak injury suffered playing football before a Test, Rory Burns is philosophical. 'It's a positive thing for English cricket,' the opener said.

Tom Curran believes his heroics at the death in South Africa will stand him in good stead going forward with England. The 24-year-old was pivotal in helping his side win the second T20 game.

Pieter van Wyk, 34, captured the moment that a dozing leopardess was stalked by a leopard in Mala Mala Game Reserve, South Africa. She was given a 'fright' and jumped to her feet instantly.

He walked back the much-scrutinized claim on CNN , saying instead that he was separated from members of the Congressional Black Caucus by 'Afrikaners with guns.'