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Coronavirus pandemic

First coronavirus death reported in Iraq — media

According to official data, a total of 32 coronavirus cases have been identified in Iraq so far

MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. The first death from the novel coronavirus has been recorded in Iraq, the Rudaw TV channel reported, citing local authorities.

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According to the channel, a 70-year-old man died of the virus in the Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan. He is said to have been a preacher. There is no information on whether he visited Iran before falling ill.

According to official data, a total of 32 coronavirus cases have been identified in Iraq so far, Rudaw said.

Coronavirus outbreak

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. Coronavirus cases have also been reported in more than 70 countries, including Russia.

According to the WHO, over 90,800 people have been infected with the virus across the world. The death toll has passed 2,900 in China, and over 160 people have died in other countries.

The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19.

Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger reaffirm withdrawal from ECOWAS irreversible

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Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rocks South Africa

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TASS has gathered the main information about the incident

Press review: Israel and Hamas near a truce while Zelensky drafts a new negotiation plan

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The ministry clarified that Ukraine launched a missile strike against the Kamensky Integrated Plant in the Rostov Region using six US-made ATACMS missiles and four Storm Shadow cruise missiles

Hungary wants to maintain ties with Russia under its economic neutrality policy — PM

Victor Orban also said that hopes for the development of economic cooperation with the United States after President-elect Donald Trump takes office

Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger reaffirm withdrawal from ECOWAS irreversible

"The College of national leaders considers the attempt to prolong the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS yet another attempt that would allow the French junta and its lackeys to continue planning and carrying out actions, aimed at destabilization of the Sahel Alliance," says the joint statement

Russian 'soldier of the future' combat gear tested in Syria

The Ratnik is a system of advanced protective and communication equipment, weapons and ammunition

Press review: Who benefits from Russian general's murder as Trump lacks Kremlin strategy

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, December 18th

Russia’s Battlegroup South liberates settlement of Ostrovskogo in DPR — Defense Ministry

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Trump nominates billionaire Feinberg as US Deputy Secretary of Defense

The president-elect called Feinberg an "extremely successful businessman"

Almost 20 drones downed over four Russian regions, Black Sea last night

According to Russia's Defence Ministry, attempts to conduct attacks against facilities on Russian soil were thwarted

Syria’s new government wants to build strategic relations with Turkey

Ahmed al-Sharaa also said he will not "tolerate uncontrolled arms trafficking" across the country

Response to Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rylsk to come shortly — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya warned as he denounced the attack as yet another unambiguous step by the Kiev regime toward escalation

Death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip exceeds 45,200 — health ministry

More than 107,600 people received wounds

Putin calls Oreshnik missile development ‘an historic event’ for space rocket industry

Russian President also said that he had handed down direct instructions to produce and test-fire the Oreshnik hypersonic missile

Drone attack triggers fire at fuel infrastructure facility in Russia’s Oryol Region

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Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger take armies to maximum alert — declaration

"The College of national leaders closely follows the deceiving maneuvers, initiated by the French junta, who declares the shutdown of its military bases only to replace them with another, less visible mechanism, which pursues the same neo-colonial goal," says the statement

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Oil supplies to Hungary via Druzhba pipeline resume — top Hungarian diplomat

Reuters reported earlier that oil supplies to Belarus and EU countries via Druzhba had been suspended on December 19 due to technical problems

Russian forces create bridgehead near Kupyansk-Uzlovoy in Kharkov Region — expert

Ukrainian forces have been shifting significant reserves to this settlement, including fresh recruits with little to no training, to retain Kupyansk

Ukraine loses over 300 troops, two Bradley vehicles in Kursk Region in past day

Eight motor vehicles and two electronic warfare stations were also destroyed? the ministy added

Russia to retaliate against Ukrainian strikes, just as Putin said — Kremlin

"Russia’s position is well known, it was voiced by Putin back in St. Petersburg," Dmitry Peskov stressed

Israeli minister’s suggestion of nuclear strike on Gaza raises questions — Russian MFA

Maria Zakharova stressed that such statements by Israeli officials shed light on the true reasons why Tel Aviv was opposing the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East

Putin’s talks with visiting Slovak PM over — Kremlin spokesman

Dmitry Peskov added that it is not planned to issue any joint statements

Russia continues to provide military assistance to Syria — Lavrov

"It is not our business to forecast," he said

Eight people killed in Israeli strike on school in Gaza Strip

According to the TV channel Al Jazeera, the refugees were housed at a school in the Al-Daraj neighborhood

Russia currently holds upper hand in Ukraine conflict, Indian expert says

Nandan Unnikrishnan pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has more than once spoken about Russia’s readiness to discuss an end to the conflict"

Air raid alert issued in six Ukrainian regions

Earlier, an air raid alert was declared in the Kiev, Sumy and Chernigov Regions

Father of conscript who killed 8 in Siberia asks son to cooperate with investigators

The father said that his son would like the unit where he had served to be disbanded

Putin responds to question about Russia's weakness by quoting Mark Twain

The president noted that Russia had become much stronger over the past two or three years as it became a truly sovereign country

Slovak PM to visit Moscow for talks with Putin, Serbian president says

"Robert Fico will travel to visit Putin as a European countries leader," Aleksandar Vucic said

Russian missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov to become world’s strongest warship after upgrade

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov has been under repairs at the Sevmash Shipyard since 1999; real work on the warship has been carried out since 2013

An-2 plane missing in Kamchatka located, survivors found — regional emergencies ministry

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Proposal to duel with West response to claims of Oreshnik missile vulnerability — Kremlin

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin thus meant that the Oreshnik missile is a generation ahead of all existing weapons, while not being a nuclear weapon itself

Hungarian PM highlights need to lift sanctions on Russia once Ukraine conflict is resolved

Viktor Obran added, however, that only a couple of EU countries shared Hungary’s position

Baltic states threaten mass deportation of Russians, take lead in Russophobia — statement

The Foreign Ministry noted that the facts of discrimination and persecution of Russians are often ignored by the official leadership of countries and international human rights agencies, leading many victims to remain silent

US Navy cruiser mistakenly downs F/A-18 fighter over Red Sea

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ISS orbit raised ahead of launching Soyuz manned spacecraft

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Press review: South Korean president impeached as Ukraine turns to foreign mercenaries

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Aleppo taken by 350 militants while 30,000 gov’t troops retreated without fight — Putin

The Russian president recalled that no Russian land troops had been deployed to Syria, with Russia having only an airbase and a naval base

Trump warns dollar to be displaced as number one world currency over Biden’s policy

It is noted that China is trying to displace the US dollar as the number one currency throughout the world

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According to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin has several closed-door meetings slated for December 22

Ukraine to halt Russian gas transit on January 1, 2025 — Ukrainian PM

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Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine ready to join Russian Navy — Sevmash Shipyard CEO

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NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

Alexander Stepanov emphasized that both Kiev and its Western allies are closely scrutinizing the consequences of the strike on the plant

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Three of eight drones that attacked Kazan targeted defense industry facilities — head

The Tatarstan head Rustam Minnikhanov also noted that all operational services worked well when dealing with the aftermath of the drone attack

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Salome Zourabichvili also promised to announce her further plans on Monday

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Ukraine’s General Staff admits tense situation along entire frontline

The Ukrainian military also admitted the Russian army’s supremacy in terms of military equipment and the size of personnel

Ukrainian troops struggling to escape being trapped in Lozovaya in Kharkov region — expert

In general, "quite active hostilities" are taking place near Dvurechnaya and Lozovaya in the Kupyansk sector of the line of engagement, Andrey Marochko noted

Kiev to face more destruction after its UAV attack on Kazan, Putin warns

"We will not only restore the damage that some attempt to cause to us but will also move forward even at a faster pace as we are doing now," Russian President said

Russia calls Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights unacceptable — MFA

"Israel must return to the full compliance with the well-known 1974 agreement with Syria," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stressed

Israeli delegation discussing in Doha ways of reaching deal om Gaza — TV

The Al Arabiya television channel said that, citing a source

Latest nuclear-powered sub Arkhangelsk to join Russian Navy by yearend

The Arkhangelsk submarine was rolled out from the slipway of the Sevmash Shipyard on November 29, 2023 for completing its construction afloat

Serbia will never joint anti-Russian sanctions, deputy prime minister vows

Aleksandar Vulin noted that he is "not optimistic about prospects for the United States changing its policy toward Serbia" after the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump

Key rate, inflation and criticism of Central Bank: statements by regulator’s chief

The Bank of Russia has taken a pause in raising the key rate, though a long period of tough monetary policy will be required to bring inflation back to the target

Russian forces destroy two Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jets in 24 hours — defense ministry

The Russian Aerospace Forces downed two Su-27 fighter jets of Ukraine’s air forces in 24 hours

Oreshnik’s launch is sudden, undetectable by satellites — analyst

The range of the Oreshnik system is up to 5,500 kilometers

Russia declassifies intel about France’s plans to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine

SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin said on March 19 that Paris was already preparing to send some 2,000 troops to Ukraine

Gazprom to replace European sales market with new export destinations, says Italian expert

Demostenes Floros also drew attention to the growing potential of the ever-expanding domestic market and mentioned new ways of using natural gas in the future - for example, for the production of hydrogen and ammonia, necessary for the energy transition and agriculture (in production of fertilizers)

Putin holding talks with visiting Slovak PM

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Ukraine's refusal to transit Russian gas will hit EU economies hard — French expert

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Top Turkish diplomat calls for listing anti-Syrian sanctions

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Both freight trains loaded with coal collided at the Bushulei-Zhireken railway section

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Trump appoints TV producer Burnett as special envoy to UK

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Kiev takes out its anger for military defeats on Russian people — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also emphasized that Moscow is outraged by the hypocritical silence of the West and its media on the terrorist attacks in Russia

Zelensky actually flips the bird to Trump by insulting Putin, Medvedev says

The politician emphasized that "the president of a major country should be extremely polite and amiable"

Trump to rely on forces that brought him to power — Russian presidential aide

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