World News Roundup: Pope gives thumbs down to Mideast peace plan; Israeli fire kills Palestinian and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Pope appears to give thumbs down to Trump's Mideast peace plan

Pope Francis on Sunday warned against "inequitable solutions" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying they would only be a prelude to new crises, in an apparent reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace proposal. Francis made his comments in the southern Italian port city of Bari, where he traveled to conclude a meeting of bishops from all countries in the Mediterranean basin.

Saudi-led coalition says it foiled Red Sea attack by Yemen's Houthis

Naval forces from the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen on Sunday foiled an "imminent terrorist" attack by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in the southern Red Sea, a major commercial shipping channel, the coalition said. The forces destroyed an unmanned boat laden with explosives that were launched from Hodeidah province in western Yemen, coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki said in a statement on Saudi state news agency SPA, without identifying the targets.

Iran says turnout in the parliamentary election was 42%: TV

Iran's interior minister said on Sunday that turnout in the country's parliamentary election on Feb. 21 was around 42%, state TV reported, the lowest participation since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution that swept the clerical rulers into power. Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said more than 24 million people out of 58 million eligible voters participated in the election on Friday.

Gandhi's former home gets facelift ahead of Trump's first India visit

India deployed more than 10,000 police and gave a facelift to the former home of independence hero Mahatma Gandhi on Sunday on the eve of a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose two-day trip aims to repair bilateral relations after a trade spat. Trump lands in the western city of Ahmedabad on Monday, where he will address a rally of more than 100,000 in a newly-built cricket stadium, before a visit to Agra's renowned Taj Mahal and a summit with Indian officials and business leaders in New Delhi.

Israeli fire kills Palestinian trying to plant the bomb at Gaza border: Israeli military

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian trying to plant explosives near Israel's border security fence with the Gaza Strip on Sunday, the Israeli military said. The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad said the man was one of its members, but it did not disclose what he was doing in the area.

Iran's enemies tried to use coronavirus to impact vote: Khamenei

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday Iran's enemies tried to put people off voting in Friday's parliamentary election by exaggerating the threat of the new coronavirus but that participation had been good. The final results announced by the Interior Ministry on state TV showed hardline loyalists close to Khamenei gained 30 seats for Tehran, with the former commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, topping the list.

South Korea raises alert to the highest level as coronavirus cases jump

South Korea raised its disease alert to the highest level on Sunday after a surge in coronavirus infections and two more deaths, while China state media warned the outbreak there had yet to reach a turning point despite some signs of easing. South Korea's president said he was putting the country on "red alert" due to the rapid rise in new cases, which are largely being traced back to church services. Health officials reported 169 new infections, bringing the total to 602, having doubled from Friday to Saturday.

Iraq extends ban on border crossings by Iranians

Iraq has extended an entry ban for any non-Iraqis coming from Iran, the prime minister said, as authorities in Tehran announced 15 more cases of coronavirus and a death toll of eight. Baghdad had banned crossings by non-Iraqis from Iran on Thursday for three days and Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Saturday night that the ban would be extended. He did not specify until when.

IMF chief, Argentina flag path to new debt deal after G20 meet in Riyadh

Argentina on Saturday agreed to start consultations with the International Monetary Fund that could lead to a new financing program, days after the global lender said the country's debt situation had become "unsustainable". Argentine Economy Minister Martin Guzman told IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva that the heavily indebted Latin American country would initiate formal consultations with the IMF that could lay the groundwork for a new program, the Argentine government and the IMF said in separate statements.

Nine dead in Turkey after quake hits rural Iran border region

Nine people died and hundreds of buildings collapsed in southeastern Turkey on Sunday after a magnitude-5.7 earthquake struck near the border with Iran, injuring dozens in villages and towns in both countries, government officials said. Three of those killed were children and 37 Turks were injured, including nine critically, Turkey's health ministry said.

(With inputs from agencies.)