Writer Moradi Kermani recommends children to read books in pandemic

TEHRAN – Iranian children’s book writer Hushang Moradi Kermani has said that reading books is the best thing for children and young adults to do during the days of coronavirus pandemic.

Teleplays viable alternatives to stage performances during pandemic: Hadi Marzban 

TEHRAN – Director Hadi Marzban has said that teleplays are viable alternatives to stage performances during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Paintings on face masks to go on view at Tehran gallery 

TEHRAN – Tehran’s CAMA – Contemporary and Modern Art Gallery will be playing host to a group exhibition of paintings on face masks to help encourage more people to wear face masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

Some 3,000 tourism workers in Kish lose job over coronavirus outbreak 

TEHRAN – Some 3,000 tourism workers in Kish Island have lost their jobs temporarily as the coronavirus has nearly closed down all travel hotspots across the Persian Gulf island, ILNA reported. 

Coronavirus cuts medical tourists in Mashhad by 95%

TEHRAN – The coronavirus pandemic has slashed the number of travelers visiting the city of Mashhad for medical purposes by 95 percent over the past few months, IRNA reported.

Why COVID-19 claims fewer lives in Iran compared to many other countries?

TEHRAN – Fortunately, compared to many countries in the world, the mortality rate of coronavirus in Iran is significantly lower than in many developed countries, Ehsan Mostafavi, director of the research center for emerging and re-emerging diseases of the Pasteur Institute of Iran has said.

World Milk Day: drink healthy milk, fight coronavirus

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Health has called on people to join celebrating the World Milk Day 2020 with the slogan “drink healthy milk, fight coronavirus”.

More borders reopening while taking preventive measures against coronavirus

TEHRAN- More borders of Iran with its neighbors, which are some major trade partners of the Islamic Republic, are being reopened, while considering the health protocols regarding the coronavirus pandemic.

Iran, Russia to enhance cooperation in fight against coronavirus

TEHRAN – Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Albertovich Murashko discussed ways to enhance cooperation in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Iranian galleries prefer to continue lockdown in pandemic 

TEHRAN – Art galleries across Iran are allowed to resume activities during the new coronavirus pandemic, however, gallery owners prefer to continue the lockdown since there are no visitors, buyers, or dealers.

By Zahra Mirzafarjouyan

Dubai Expo 2020 postponement to affect UAE economy

TEHRAN– While Expo 2020 Dubai has been postponed one year due to the coronavirus pandemic, some experts believe that the postponement will have a big impact on the UAE economy and derails at least temporarily a range of tech projects.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Coronavirus brought healthcare reforms into sharp focus

TEHRAN – The coronavirus outbreak proved that one-dimensional health systems cannot survive from health-threatening crises, which occur every few years in the form of infectious diseases, a mere view of treatment is not enough, so that the need for healthcare reforms should be brought into sharp focus.

Official warns of second, third waves of coronavirus

TEHRAN – Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz, head of the Food and Drug Administration, has warned that the nation needs to prepare for a 'second and third wave' of coronavirus in October and November until a vaccine is developed.

Iranian museums to receive free internet in bid to draw more audiences

TEHRAN – All cultural heritage museums and sites across Iran will be provided with free internet access as part of a government initiative to attract more audiences, Mehr reported on Friday.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Coronavirus crisis: a time for lasting togetherness

TEHRAN – In the wake of coronavirus, many people have faced difficulty earning income or finding self-protective products due to lock-down measures, but benefactors stood up and volunteering opportunities cropped up, which highly reflects that togetherness never ends.

Lesser-known Iranian province prepared to jumpstart tourism after coronavirus

TEHRAN – The tourism sector of Iran’s southwestern Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province is prepared to improve quickly after coronavirus crisis ends, provincial tourism chief Mohammad Hosseinzadeh said on Wednesday, ISNA reported.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Knowledge-based companies pushing for ‘surge in production’

TEHRAN – Iran has developed plans to support and empower knowledge-based companies as a step forward to materialize the goal of a surge in production, as the economy is grappling with the coronavirus predicament.

Coronavirus: Iran confirms 71,686 infections, 4,474 deaths

TEHRAN- The total number of people diagnosed with the coronavirus in Iran has reached 71,686 of whom 4,474 have died and 43,894 recovered.

By Yuram Abdullah Weiler

Iran gains upper hand over U.S. in fight against COVID-19

“Who’s going to pay for it?” The last words of a COVID-19 victim to his medical caretaker encapsulate the gangrenous infection in the body of the American healthcare system.  How is it possible that the still wealthiest country in the world, the United States of America, has created a healthcare system that compels its citizenry to fret over medical bills during their last moments on their death beds?

Owj accepts to stream “Exodus” online over coronavirus pandemic 

TEHRAN – The Owj Arts and Media Organization has given up to screen its latest production “Exodus” online due to the shutdown of the movie theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

Number of e-book readers increasing during home quarantine 

TEHRAN – FIDIBO, a major online Iranian store for audio and electronic books, has said e-book readers have significantly increased in number due to the home quarantine enforced following the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

COVID-19 crisis: washing hands for 20 seconds, not wasting water for 20 seconds

TEHRAN – These days, it is strictly recommended to wash our hands for 20 seconds as a great step to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but unfortunately many leave the tap running at the same time. This issue poses the greatest threat to the environment.

Iran warns movie theater owners not to dismiss employees during coronavirus shutdown

TEHRAN – Cinema Organization of Iran director Hossein Entezami has warned the theater owners not to dismiss their employees amid the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Iranian-made COVID-19 diagnostic system unveiled

TEHRAN – The first Iranian-made system for diagnosing the novel coronavirus with more than 97 percent accuracy was unveiled on Saturday, ISNA reported on Saturday.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Nature Day manifests national empathy against coronavirus

TEHRAN – Nature Day was another manifestation of empathy of the Iranian nation in fight against the coronavirus, as people stayed home, despite their thousand-year-old tradition.

Iranian center publishes book on social, cultural implications of coronavirus pandemic  

TEHRAN – Iran’s Institute for Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) has recently published a book on the social and cultural implications of the coronavirus pandemic in Iran.

FM Zarif urges the world not to obey immoral and illegal sanctions on Iran

Zarif: U.S. moves against Iran ‘even exceed what would be permissible on the battlefield’

TEHRAN - Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that the U.S. “economic terrorism” on Iran has been expanding to the new level of “medical terrorism” which is not even permissible on the battlefield.

By Martin Love

Trump, it seems likely, is finished politically

NORTH CAROLINA - On March 13, a “Friday the 13th” by the way, a date in the West anyway often considered to be full of bad news, bad luck and bad omens -- a superstition to be sure – U.S. President Donald Trump was ebullient and bragging that the U.S. stock markets had one of its best days ever. The U.S. equity market climbed almost 10 percent on the 13th after a previous several days of what can only be termed a serious mauling by the proverbial “bear”. No, the U.S. equity market did not make up its losses so far this winter, and in fact closed lower than the highs made just before the vicious recession of 2008-09 that affected the entire world.