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Coronavirus pandemic

Death toll from novel coronavirus in Italy grows by 368 in past day

The total number of confirmed cases in Italy increased by 2,853 in the past day and reached 20,603

© EPA-EFE/STEFANO CAVICCHI

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Number of coronavirus cases outside China exceeds that in that country

ROME, March 15. /TASS/. The death toll from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Italy has reached 368 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country to 1,809, Italy's Head of Civil Protection Angelo Borrelli said on Sunday.

The total number of confirmed cases in Italy increased by 2,853 in the past day and reached 20,603.

"We have 369 more recoveries, and the total number of recoveries across Italy is 2,335. Around half of those infected are staying at home, around 10% of those infected remain in intensive therapy units," Borrelli said. The total number of cases since the start of the outbreak is 24,747.

Officials from the northern region of Lombardy said earlier that 250 people died from the novel coronavirus in the region in the past day.

The Chinese authorities registered an outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the city of Wuhan. Cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in more than 100 countries and territories, including in Russia. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Outside of China, most cases of the new coronavirus were reported in South Korea, Iran and Italy.

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Netanyahu vows Israel will conduct operation in Rafah in any case

Israeli Prime Minister stressed that this will be done regardless of the potential agreement with the Palestinian radicals on the release of hostages

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Mortar gunners destroy about ten Ukrainian servicemen

Russian fighters occupied better positions owing to accurate mortar fire and concerted action

About 2,000 people to be evacuated in North Poland due to unexploded ordnance

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Top security official advises West to keep door open for joint research work with Russia

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Musk sees plans for ten-year security agreement for Ukraine as ‘insane’

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said earlier that Ukrainian and US officials were discussing the amount of military, financial and other aid to Kiev for the next ten years as part of talks on a bilateral security agreement

Russian drivers bought 500,000 baseball bats last year to settle road disputes — police

Only one pair of baseball gloves and one ball was sold over that year

CTBTO chief highlights Russia’s commitment to ban on nuclear testing

Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization Robert Floyd stressed that it is pleased to see the Russian Federation state that its commitment to the CTBT and its nuclear test moratorium remains unchanged

Kiev openly flaunts involvement in murder of Russian journalists — Russian mission to UN

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Republika Srpska president praises Moscow-Banja Luka relations, favors strengthening them

Milorad Dodik also touched upon the topic of sanctions mentioned by Patrushev earlier

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G7 agrees to work toward transitioning away from Russian gas imports

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According to the minister Gergely Gulyas, the North Atlantic Alliance "wants to provide financial assistance, as well as supply weapons and train Ukrainian soldiers"

US court sentences Russian national to 12 years in jail for supporting terrorism

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NATO has had no designs against Russia, will never have them, Blinken claims

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European banks’ tax payments in Russia rise four-fold in 2023 — newspaper

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Zelensky’s legitimacy to be soon called in question — Kremlin spokesman

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Russia, OPEC+ not going to inflate oil prices — Putin

Russia is not the member of the alliance but participates in the OPEC+ extended format, the head of state said

Russia to grant asylum to Kyrgyz citizen convicted of participation in special military op

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Houthis attack two commercial vessels, two US destroyers

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US defeat in Ukraine only matter of time, says North Korean Defense Ministry official

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UNRWA Chief: Number of child lives lost in Gaza is staggering

Russia to launch missile ship Taifun, patrol ship Viktor Veliky in May

A solemn ceremony will be held at the Gorky Zelenodolsk shipyard

Russian air defense forces block Ukrainian attempt to use ATACMS on Crimea — politician

The Ukrainians used several ATACMS ballistic missiles in an attempt to attack civilians on the peninsula

NATO views Russian ‘invasion’ of neighboring member as unlikely in near future — WSJ

The bloc worries that Russia "might spark conflict" in neighboring NATO member countries in the shorter term though, the newspaper wrote

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Fatah, Hamas officials express desire to achieve reconciliation at Beijing talks — envoy

The parties agreed to continue dialogue and seek Palestinian unity as soon as possible

Gazprom delivering 41.9 mln cubic meters of gas to Europe through Ukraine via Sudzha

The volume also stood at 42.4 mln cubic meters on April 28

Medvedev vows Moscow's response to US law on seizing Russia's frozen assets will sting

The Russian Security Council deputy chairman suggested enacting legislation to allow Russia to confiscate assets belonging to the citizens of unfriendly countries

Over 3,100 foreign mercenaries fight for Ukraine, most of them from US

The Russian Investigative Committee added that measures are underway to locate their whereabouts and bring them to criminal liability

Lavrov informs Tajik counterpart about terrorism-prevention measures in Russia

Tthe two top diplomats agreed that it is necessary to continue developing the time-tested Russian-Tajik allied relations of strategic partnership and strengthen their positive dynamics

Ukraine’s force in Donbass is estimated at 90,000 men — Donetsk militia

Most Ukrainian forces are on the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Eduard Basurin noted

Turkey leases Libya’s port of Khoms for 99 years to deploy military base there — TV

Turkey will reportedly station combat drones and air defense systems at a base to be built in the region

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Emmanuel Todd believes that "one of Washington's goals is to prevent a rapprochement between Russia and Germany"

Russian drone operators destroy Ukrainian positions near Semyonovka, Spornoye

Troops of the combat group "South" destroyed Ukrainian positions near two settlements

Battlegroup South improves frontline positions — Russian Defense Ministry

Forces of Russia’s Battlegroups East and West have moved to more advantageous positions in the special military operation zone

Musk concurs that civil war looming in West

The US businessman commented on remarks by Gad Saad, a Canadian professor of Lebanese origin, who insisted that "the path that the West is taking will result in civil war"

Number of flooded homes in Russia drops to 9,341

Most of the flooded homes are in the Orenburg, Kurgan and Tyumen regions

Israeli army identifies Lebanese attack, strikes back in border areas last night

Two anti-tank missiles were fired toward Dovev on the border with Lebanon

Ukraine’s army chief acknowledges Russia’s successes in several frontline areas

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Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list

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Russian envoy slams Israel’s smear campaign against UNRWA

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Russia’s Battlegroup East improves positions in DPR, hits roughly 100 Ukrainian troops

Ukrainians lost two pickup trucks and two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers

Hamas receives proposal to release 33 hostages in exchange to ceasefire — TV

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Russian cutting-edge missile frigate holds artillery firings in Arctic drills

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Kiev regime’s brutality: Ukrainian POWs open up about ruthless anti-retreat squads

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Press review: Belarus' new national security strategy and Russia, US butt heads at UN

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Russia’s Battlegroup East improves frontline positions — top brass

The adversary lost up to 85 troops, four pickup trucks, two self-propelled artillery systems, an electronic warfare station and a field munitions depot

Senior security official says Russia isn’t at war with Ukraine

Nikolay Patrushev said Ukrainian traditions are familiar to Russians, just like the Russian heritage is inseparable from Ukrainian culture

Medicine for Bekhterev’s disease may cause medical tourism to Russia — Health Minister

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Xi Jinping to pay official visit to Serbia on May 7-8

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US shot down five drones over Red Sea — USCENTCOM

"It was determined the UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S. coalition, and merchant vessels in the region," it said

US first caused, now purposefully drags out Ukraine conflict — Shoigu

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New secure communication system tested for Russia’s Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet

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Two police officers killed in militant attack in Russia’s North Caucasus

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More children killed in Gaza over 6 months than in all world conflicts in 4 years — UNRWA

Philippe Lazzarini pointed out that it is very difficult to get precise figures under war situation

Trump praises Putin, Xi as 'very smart' people

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Ukrainian command throws unfit soldiers to front line in Ocheretino, POW recounts

Alexander Vedernikov was mobilized for military service in the Rovno Region as "relatively fit" and had not received any special training

France denies Olympic accreditation to volunteers from Russia

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Governor says term of Russian land lease to China will be known within year

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Dollar unchanged, euro up to 99.57 rubles on Moscow Exchange

The yuan remained at 12.74 rubles

Russian air defenses down aerial target near Belgorod, governor says

There were no casualties or damage though

Panic on frontline growing on Ukrainian side — Kremlin

Russia must support the current dynamics in the special military operation zone, Dmitry Peskov said

Russia, Turkey to hold consultations on issues on UN agenda — Russian foreign ministry

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Medvedev warns that Russia’s default may entail Europe’s default

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council added that the European Union’s financial system is not very stable and people are losing confidence

Russian stocks mixed as Tuesday trading opens

The MOEX was higher at 3,479.14 points, while the RTSwas down at 1,177.03 points

Two civilians injured in Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Kursk region — governor

10 homes and a power transmission line were damaged

Russian envoy attends solemn event dedicated to liberation of Sachsenhausen death camp

Participants the mourning events laid flowers and wreaths to three memorials

Russian troops wipe out military train with Western armaments in DPR over past day

Russian troops improved their tactical position and repelled eight Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Avdeyevka area over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

France preparing contingent of 2,000 troops to be sent to Ukraine — intelligence chief

According to Sergey Naryshkin, the French military "fears that such a large military unit cannot be transferred and stationed in Ukraine unnoticed"

First group of suspected coup plotters goes on trial in Germany

Federal prosecutors filed charges in the case against a total of 27 people

Former US NSA employee sentenced for purported interaction with Russia

Jareh Sebastian admitted that "he used an encrypted email account to transmit excerpts of three classified documents to an individual he believed to be a Russian agent"

Russian forces liberate settlement of Semyonovka in Donetsk People’s Republic

Inflicting a defeat on forces of the 68th Infantry Brigade, the 23rd and 115th mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces, the 109 Territorial Defense Brigade and mercenaries from the International Legion near Novoalexandrovka, Arkhangelskoye, Tarasovka and Zavetonoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic

US undermines participation of Russian representative in UN Committee on Information

Dmitry Polyansky added that Moscow hoped that the current situation will be "cardinally corrected." He also reiterated that legally binding agreements with the host country existed

Russian troops recover first Abrams tank from special military operation zone

It will be put on public display at the Patriot Park on Poklonnaya Hill

Russia strikes major thermal power plant in western Ukraine — underground resistance

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Chinese diplomat comments on Blinken’s warning on support to Russia

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian pointed out that the US was supplying Ukraine with arms and ammunition and at the same time making unfounded accusations regarding trade between China and Russia

Tucker Carlson interviews Russian philosopher Dugin

The interview lasted over 20 minutes

Infrastructure facility suffers damage in Kiev-controlled part of Kherson Region

No details provided