Five terrorists are killed in Peshawar, Khyber Paktunkhwa, Pakistan, by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in a heavy exchange of fire during a search operation. (Geo News)
Voters in Togo head to the polls to elect the country's president. Incumbent president Faure Gnassingbé, accused of an authoritarian rule, seeks to run for a fourth term which was made possible by a constitutional amendment in 2019. (DW)
58 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number of cases to 79. (Open)
COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq The first coronavirus case is confirmed in Iraq. (Anadolu Agency)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy Italy confirms that a 78-year-old man in Padua, Veneto, and a woman in her 70s in Codogno, Lombardy, have died after contracting the virus. They are the first two coronavirus deaths in Italy. (Tgcom24) 58 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number of cases to 79. (Open)
COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania Samoa bans all cruise ships from visiting the country amid growing efforts to keep the virus away. (RNZ)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea South Korea confirms that 229 more people have contracted the coronavirus in the country, raising the total number to 433. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The United States reports 34 confirmed cases of the illness and expects more. (The New York Times)
France shuts down its first nuclear power reactor, at the Fessenheim Nuclear Power Plant. (Deutsche Welle)
Italy confirms that a 78-year-old man in Padua, Veneto, and a woman in her 70s in Codogno, Lombardy, have died after contracting the virus. They are the first two coronavirus deaths in Italy. (Tgcom24)
Kashmir conflict Two Kashmiri civilians alleged to be Lashkar-e-Taiba militants are killed by Indian soldiers at Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, in a counter-terrorism operation. (DNA India) (ARY News)
Lesotho PM Tom Thabane is granted sick leave until 27 February when he is due to appear in court for the murder of his former wife. (Reuters)
Nine people are killed and five injured after a vehicle fell into a deep gorge in Kathua District, India. (Xinhua)
Samoa bans all cruise ships from visiting the country amid growing efforts to keep the virus away. (RNZ)
Senator Bernie Sanders wins the Nevada Caucus. (CNN)
South Korea confirms that 229 more people have contracted the coronavirus in the country, raising the total number to 433. (BBC News)
The first coronavirus case is confirmed in Iraq. (Anadolu Agency)
Two Kashmiri civilians alleged to be Lashkar-e-Taiba militants are killed by Indian soldiers at Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, in a counter-terrorism operation. (DNA India) (ARY News)
2020 Comorian legislative election The second round of the latest election in Comoros takes place. The election is still boycotted by the political opposition. (RFI)
2020 Iran–Turkey earthquakes An earthquake in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran, kills at least nine people and injures more than a hundred others. (Daily Sabah)
An earthquake in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran, kills at least nine people and injures more than a hundred others. (Daily Sabah)
Israel kills two members of Islamic Jihad in an aerial attack near Damascus, Syria. (Al Jazeera)
The second round of the latest election in Comoros takes place. The election is still boycotted by the political opposition. (RFI)
A 68-year-old woman dies of coronavirus in Crema, Italy, bringing the number of deaths in the country to three. (Tgcom24)
Afghanistan suspends travel between it and Iran and reported three suspected virus cases in Herat. (TRT World)
COVID-19 pandemic in Iran Pakistan closes its border from Taftan with Iran due to increasing cases of coronavirus in Iran. (Geo News) Turkey closes its border with Iran and halted incoming flights due to more cases of coronavirus in Iran. (Reuters) Afghanistan suspends travel between it and Iran and reported three suspected virus cases in Herat. (TRT World)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy Seventy-six more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number of the cases in the country to 155. (La Repubblica) A 68-year-old woman dies of coronavirus in Crema, Italy, bringing the number of deaths in the country to three. (Tgcom24)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea South Korea confirms that 169 more people have contracted the coronavirus in the country, raising the total number to 602. (BBC News)
Protestors demand the Central Electoral Board resign. (Dominican Today)
Seventy-six more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number of the cases in the country to 155. (La Repubblica)
South Korea confirms that 169 more people have contracted the coronavirus in the country, raising the total number to 602. (BBC News)
The Carnival of Aalst in Belgium goes ahead despite UNESCO withdrawing its recognition of the event as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity because of Jewish caricatures. (Reuters) (newsmonkey)
Gaza–Israel conflict, Israeli–Palestinian conflict Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatens the leadership of the Gaza Strip with war if rocket attacks continue. (News AU)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatens the leadership of the Gaza Strip with war if rocket attacks continue. (News AU)
Second Libyan Civil War, Libyan peace process Both of Libya's rival governments, the Government of National Accord and Tobruk-based House of Representatives, pull out of UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva. (Al Jazeera)
2020 Toronto machete attack A 17-year-old boy is arrested and charged with first-degree murder after stabbing two women, one of them fatally, at a massage parlor in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Global News)
A 300-bed isolation ward has been set up in Islamabad for Chinese citizens returning to Pakistan after vacations. (ARY News)
Volkmarsen ramming attack Nearly 60 people are injured when a car rams civilians at a carnival parade in Volkmarsen, Hesse, Germany. A 29-year-old German national is arrested by police. (BBC News)
2020 Malaysian constitutional crisis Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigns. (CNN)
A 17-year-old boy is arrested and charged with first-degree murder after stabbing two women, one of them fatally, at a massage parlor in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Global News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Iran Armenia has closed its border from Meghri with Iran and suspended all flights from Armenia to Iran for the next two weeks due to increasing cases of coronavirus in Iran. (Prime Minister of Armenia's Facebook page) The General Authority of Oman's Civil Aviation announced the suspension of all flights between the sultanate and the Islamic Republic of Iran until further notice. (CNN)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy Seventy-four more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number to 229. Four more virus-related deaths are confirmed, bringing the death toll to seven. (La Repubblica)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea Vietnamese airline Bamboo Airways suspends flights to South Korea starting February 26. (CNN)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The total number of infected in the United States is now 53 people, up from 34 two days ago. (CNN)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic The Dow Jones Industrial Average drops more than 3% as the coronavirus pandemic spreads outside China. This follows benchmark indices falling sharply in Europe after steep declines across Asia. (Barrons) (Wall Street Journal)
Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Oman and Bahrain confirm their first cases of coronavirus. (Gulf News) (Straits Times) (Fox News)
Nearly 60 people are injured when a car rams civilians at a carnival parade in Volkmarsen, Hesse, Germany. A 29-year-old German national is arrested by police. (BBC News)
Pakistan International Airlines suspends flights to China until March 15. (Geo News)
Prime Minister of Lesotho Tom Thabane appears in court and hears the charges against him in a pre-trial hearing. He denies involvement in the murder of his former wife and requests immunity from the higher court. (Reuters)
Protests in Santo Domingo continue for the fifth day. (Dominican Today)
Seventy-four more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number to 229. Four more virus-related deaths are confirmed, bringing the death toll to seven. (La Repubblica)
Spain confirms its third case in Tenerife, Canary Islands, from an Italian tourist. (El Periódico)
The Dow Jones Industrial Average drops more than 3% as the coronavirus pandemic spreads outside China. This follows benchmark indices falling sharply in Europe after steep declines across Asia. (Barrons) (Wall Street Journal)
The General Authority of Oman's Civil Aviation announced the suspension of all flights between the sultanate and the Islamic Republic of Iran until further notice. (CNN)
Vietnamese airline Bamboo Airways suspends flights to South Korea starting February 26. (CNN)
Turkish military intervention in the Second Libyan Civil War Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirms the first Turkish Armed Forces casualties in Libya since beginning a military operation in support of the GNA government after two troops are killed. (BBC News)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirms the first Turkish Armed Forces casualties in Libya since beginning a military operation in support of the GNA government after two troops are killed. (BBC News)
China–Sweden relations The Swedish Foreign Ministry summons the Chinese ambassador after the Chinese government sentences bookseller and Swedish citizen Gui Minhai to ten years in prison for espionage. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Iran Iran's deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, tests positive for coronavirus. (CNA) A member of the Iranian Parliament, Mahmoud Sadeghi, states on Twitter that he has been infected with the virus. (New York Times via MSN News)
German Health Minister Jens Spahn declines to run for leadership of the ruling Christian Democratic Union party, and endorses North Rhine-Westphalia Minister-President Armin Laschet for the position. (Reuters)
Somali Civil War (2009–present) A U.S. airstrike kills an employee of the telecoms Hormuud Telecom. It was aimed at Al-Shabaab in Jilib, Middle Juba. (Reuters)
The Saudi government appoints former energy minister Khalid A. Al-Falih to head a new investment ministry replacing the General Investment Authority, and sacks the media minister, among other changes to the cabinet. (Reuters)
The Swedish Foreign Ministry summons the Chinese ambassador after the Chinese government sentences bookseller and Swedish citizen Gui Minhai to ten years in prison for espionage. (Reuters)
93 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number to 322. Four more virus-related deaths are confirmed, bringing the death toll to eleven. (Agenzia ANSA)
A man was revealed to have been arrested the previous day for attempting to blow up a car in The Pentagon parking lot. (NBC)
Aimee Anne Duffy, a Welsh singer who goes by Duffy, reveals she was raped, drugged and held hostage over some days resulting in her disappearance from the limelight in recent years. (The Guardian)
Algeria confirms its first case of the coronavirus. The patient is an Italian man who arrived in the country a week ago. (Africa Times)
As fighting continues in the Idlib Governorate, the Syrian Army takes control of rebel-stronghold Kafranbel for the first time since 2012, and 18 nearby villages including Sheikh Dames and Sheikh Mustafa. (RFI)
Bob Iger steps down as CEO of The Walt Disney Company, and is succeeded by Bob Chapek, former chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. Iger will continue to serve the company's "creative endeavors" as executive chairman. (Reuters)
Canada's largest airline Air Canada suspends all flights to China until April in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (CBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Austria Two people from Lombardy, Italy, living in Austria's state of Tyrol, test positive for coronavirus. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia Croatia confirms its first case of coronavirus. The patient had stayed in Milan, Italy, from 19 to 21 February, and was hospitalised in Zagreb, Croatia. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy 93 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number to 322. Four more virus-related deaths are confirmed, bringing the death toll to eleven. (Agenzia ANSA)
COVID-19 pandemic in Spain Hundreds of guests are locked down in a hotel in Tenerife, Spain, after a visiting Italian doctor tested positive for the virus. (BBC News) The first case on the peninsula and the fourth in the country is confirmed in Barcelona, Catalonia. The wife of the Italian doctor becomes the fifth infected in Spain. A sixth case is reported in Villarreal. (La Vanguardia)
COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland Switzerland confirms its first case of coronavirus: a case in Ticino, on the border with Italy. (The Guardian)
