Coronavirus cases have soared in parts of Italy, Iran and South Korea. Globally, there are now more than 79,000 confirmed cases and at least 2,600 deaths.
ON IRAN, WHO'S MIKE RYAN SAYS WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN THE FIRST WAVE OF INFECTIONS, WE MAY ONLY BE DETECTING SEVERE CASES WHICH SHOW HIGHER DEATH RATE.
*European stocks tumble, Italy down over 4% after virus spread. *MSCI ex- Japan extends losses, Japan closed for public holiday. LONDON Feb 24- European shares suffered their biggest slump since mid-2016 on Monday and oil plunged almost 5%, as a jump in coronavirus cases in Italy, South Korea, Japan and Iran sent investors scrambling to the security of gold and...
*MSCI ex- Japan extends losses, Japan closed for public holiday. *China reports 2,592 die of virus. LONDON Feb 24- Europe's share markets suffered their biggest slump since mid- 2016 on Monday, as a jump in coronavirus cases in Italy, South Korea, Japan and Iran sent investors scrambling to the security of gold and government bonds.
North Korea has reportedly quarantined 380 foreigners as part of efforts to prevent the coronavirus outbreak.
ISTANBUL, Feb 23- Turkey has closed its border with Iran and halted incoming flights as a precaution to stop the potential spread of coronavirus after the neighbouring country reported 43 cases of the disease, the health minister said on Sunday. All highways and railways were closed as of 5 p.m. and flights from Iran suspended, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told...
DUBAI, Feb 23- Iran on Sunday announced a 42% turnout in its parliamentary election, the lowest rate since the 1979 Islamic revolution, while its top leader said Tehran's enemies played up the new coronavirus threat to dissuade people from voting. With Iran facing growing isolation and threats of conflict over its nuclear standoff with the United States, and...
*WHO most concerned about cases with no China link. SEOUL/ SHANGHAI Feb 23- International concern about the spread of coronavirus outside China grew on Sunday with sharp rises in infections in three countries- South Korea, Italy and Iran. In China, which has seen the vast majority of cases, authorities reported 648 new infections- higher than a day earlier- but only 18...
The final results announced by the Interior Ministry on state TV showed hardline loyalists close to Khamenei gained 30 seats for Tehran, with former commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, topping the list. Qalibaf's pedigree as the Guards' air force commander, a war veteran and a national police chief has endeared him to Iran's...
DUBAI, Feb 23- An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 struck the Turkey- Iran border region early on Sunday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said, although Turkey and Iran said there were no immediate reports of casualties. Turkish public broadcaster TRT World said it affected about 43 villages in Turkey, which has a history of powerful earthquakes.
DUBAI, Feb 23- An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 struck the Turkey- Iran border region early on Sunday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said, although Turkey and Iran said there were no immediate reports of casualties. Turkish public broadcaster TRT World said it affected about 43 villages in Turkey, which has a history of powerful earthquakes.
*WHO most concerned about cases with no China link. SHANGHAI/ SEOUL, Feb 23- China reported another fall in new coronavirus infections outside of its epicenter on Sunday, but world health officials warned it was too early to make predictions about the outbreak as new cases and fears of contagion increased elsewhere. But new infections outside of China continued...
*Infections rise in Italy, Iran. SHANGHAI/ SEOUL, Feb 23- China reported another fall in the new coronavirus infections outside of its epicentre on Sunday, but world health officials warned it was too early to make predictions about the outbreak as new infections and fears of contagion increased elsewhere. But new infections outside of China continued to worry...
*Infections rise in Italy, Iran. SHANGHAI/ SEOUL, Feb 23- China reported another fall in the new coronavirus infections outside of its epicenter on Sunday, but world health officials warned it was too early to make predictions about the outbreak as new infections and fears of contagion increased elsewhere. But new infections outside of China continued to worry...
DUBAI, Feb 22- Anti-Western hardliners are set to sweep Iran's parliamentary elections and appear favourites to clinch the presidency next year, but an economic crisis could force them to engage with the United States despite their tightening grip on power. Tehran has ruled out any talks with Washington unless it lifts crippling sanctions reimposed on Iran...
As of Friday, more than 76,700 cases of coronavirus have been reported, resulting in at least 2,249 deaths.
Many see Iran's conservatives winning Friday's election, but that's more to do with reformists losing favor than hard-liners gaining popularity, said Tan Feng Qin of the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore.
The perceived failure of a moderate governance approach by incumbent Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and his reformist backers, combined with public anger over Qasem Soleimani's death, are all paving the way for more conservative and even hardline policies, says Emily Hawthorne of Stratfor.
CAIRO, Feb 20- Kuwait Airways suspended all flights to Iran starting on Thursday on the advice of the Kuwaiti health ministry and civil aviation authority amid fears about a coronavirus outbreak in the country. Kuwait Airways is the second flagship carrier in the region to suspend flights to Iran after Iraq Airways stopped flights earlier on Thursday.
Two Iranians died from the coronavirus in a hospital in the holy Shi'ite city of Qom. The death toll from the new coronavirus in mainland China passed 2,000 on Wednesday.
Data also provided by 
