Karen Pierce to become first woman to serve as UK Ambassador to US

Feb 07, 2020, at 07:03 pm

London/Sputnik UK: Ambassador to the United Nations Karen Pierce has been appointed as the nation's ambassador to the United States, becoming the first woman to ever hold the post, the UK Foreign Office said in a statement on Friday.

Worker killed, another injured as airplane crashes tow truck at Bangkok airport

Feb 07, 2020, at 06:54 pm

Bangkok/Xinhua: One airport worker was killed and another one was injured following a crash between a domestic airliner and its tow truck at Don Mueang international airport in Bangkok on Friday.

Toyota extends plant shutdown in China amid ongoing coronavirus outbreak

Feb 07, 2020, at 06:30 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Japanese automobile giant Toyota said it would extend its shutdown of production in China until February 17 due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, media reported Friday.

Trump promises Xi to show restraint in reacting to coronavirus threat - Beijing

Feb 07, 2020, at 06:27 pm

Beijing/Sputnik/UNI: US President Donald Trump pledged in a Friday phone call with his Chinese counterpart that Washington would show restraint in responding to the coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said.

Russia registers 25 ceasefire violations in Syria over past 24 Hours - Defense Ministry

Feb 07, 2020, at 06:24 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The Russian side of the Russian-Turkish commission monitoring the implementation of the Syrian truce has registered 25 ceasefire violations in Syria over the past 24 hours, while the Turkish side has recorded four truce breaches, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Bangladesh:11 China returnees test negative for coronavirus

Feb 07, 2020, at 05:49 pm

Dhaka/IBNS: Out of the 312 people evacuated from China's Wuhan area by Bangladesh government, 11 of them, who were having high body temperatures, tested negative for the deadly coronavirus.

Syria: ‘Massive waves of civilian displacement and loss of life must stop now’: UN Special Envoy

Feb 07, 2020, at 09:52 am

New York/IBNS: Air and ground strikes in the region of Idlib, northwest Syria, are causing “massive waves of civilian displacement and major loss of civilian life”, causing unacceptable human suffering which must stop now, Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, told the Security Council on Thursday.

‘Convergence’ over lasting Libya ceasefire, as negotiator urges against ‘provocative’ acts

Feb 07, 2020, at 09:50 am

New York/IBNS: On day four of UN-led talks to transform an uncertain truce in Libya into a permanent ceasefire, veteran negotiator Ghassan Salamé on Thursday welcomed the “progress” that had been made so far, before urging an end to any “provocative” military action that might dash the chance of a successful outcome.

Central African Republic: One year after peace deal, a ‘long, steep’ road ahead to ensure child rights protections

Feb 07, 2020, at 09:45 am

New York/IBNS: A year since the signing of a peace deal between the Government of the Central African Republic (CAR) and 14 armed groups, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Thursday that millions of children across the country remain threatened by violence and a lack of access to food, health care and other basic needs.

Pakistan: Taliban terrorist who shot Nobel prize winner Malala Yousafzai escapes from custody

Feb 07, 2020, at 09:16 am

Islamabad/IBNS:  Ehsanullah Ehsan, the Taliban terrorist who was responsible for shooting Nobel Peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai in 2012, has escaped from the custody of the Pakistani security authorities along with his family, media reports said on Friday.

Yemen: Key Al-Qaeda leader killed in US conducted counterterrorism operation

Feb 07, 2020, at 08:55 am

Washington/IBNS: A key leader of terror group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was killed during a US conducted counterterrorism operation in Yemen.

Pakistan: Police arrest man for allegedly beating up his daughter

Feb 07, 2020, at 08:45 am

Karachi/IBNS: Police have arrested a man for allegedly beating up his daughter in Pakistan's Karachi city, media reports said on Friday.

Pakistan: Woman allegedly raped by 'faith- healer'

Feb 07, 2020, at 08:27 am

Lodhran/IBNS: A woman was allegedly raped by a 'faith-healer' in Pakistan's Lodhran district, media reports said on Friday.

Chinese Ambassador Relays Xi Jinping's gratitude to Putin for support

Feb 06, 2020, at 06:49 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui, after presenting his credentials at the Kremlin on Wednesday, conveyed to the Russian President Vladimir Putin words of gratitude from Chinese President Xi Jinping for his support in connection with the new coronavirus outbreak, a diplomatic source told Sputnik.

US Prosecution asks 4-year sentence over money laundering for Russia's Mira Terada

Feb 06, 2020, at 06:37 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: Prosecutors in the United States have requested a four-year prison sentence over alleged money laundering for Russian national Mira Terada, nee Oksana Vovk, who has been in the US custody since this past summer, Sputnik has learned from the prosecution's memo submitted to the court.

Protest in Kabul against detention of PTM leader Manzoor Pashtun offsets Pakistan's anti-India event

Feb 06, 2020, at 04:18 pm

Kabul/IBNS: Dampening the so-called Kashmir Solidarity event planned by the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul, a large protest broke out in the Afghanistan capital on Thursday against the detention of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashtun in Peshawar.

China to reduce 50 pc tariffs on some goods imported from US on Feb 14: Finance Ministry

Feb 06, 2020, at 12:09 pm

Beijing/UNI/Sputnik: China will halve the tariffs on a number of US goods starting from February 14, the Chinese Ministry of Finance said on Thursday.

US Senate votes to acquit Donald Trump of both charges in impeachment trial

Feb 06, 2020, at 12:05 pm

Washington/UNI/Sputnik: The US Senate has voted to fully acquit US President Donald Trump in the impeachment trial by finding him not guilty of obstructing Congress.

Death toll from Coronavirus outbreak in China rises to 563

Feb 06, 2020, at 11:34 am

Moscow/UNI: The death toll from the novel Coronavirus outbreak in China has risen to 563, the number of confirmed cases has reached 28,018 people, China's state health committee said on Thursday.

Death toll from Coronavirus outbreak in China rises to 563

Feb 06, 2020, at 10:54 am

Moscow/UNI: The death toll from the novel Coronavirus outbreak in China has risen to 563, the number of confirmed cases has reached 28,018 people, China's state health committee said on Thursday.

Africa’s Sahel: Act now before the crisis ‘becomes unmanageable’, urges Grandi

Feb 06, 2020, at 08:59 am

New York/IBNS: The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is stepping up response in Africa’s Sahel region where escalating violence has forced a rising number of people to flee their homes.

Half of all violent deaths involve small arms and light weapons

Feb 06, 2020, at 08:45 am

New York/IBNS: Nearly 50 per cent of all violent deaths between 2010 and 2015, more than 200,000 each year, involved small arms and light weapons, the Security Council was told on Tuesday, during a briefing by UN disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu.

Refugee resettlement: ‘Tremendous gap’ persists between needs, and spaces on offer

Feb 06, 2020, at 08:38 am

New York/IBNS: Although around 1.4 million refugees are estimated to be in urgent need of resettlement worldwide, only 63,696 were resettled through the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) last year - that's only 4.5 per cent  -  due to a continuing shortage of offers of sanctuary from governments across the world.  

Syrian army gives rebels chance to surrender in Saraqeb city

Feb 05, 2020, at 07:34 pm

Damascus/Xinhua: The Syrian army on Wednesday gave the rebels in Syria's Saraqeb city in the northwestern province of Idlib a chance to lay down their weapons and surrender, according to the state news agency.

Trump in tense State of Union speech pushes immigration overhaul, calls for ending wars

Feb 05, 2020, at 07:11 pm

Washington/Sputnik:US President Donald Trump in his annual address to Congress called for immigration reforms and ending foreign wars, although the most notable aspect of the night was the palpable tension in the air on the eve of a historic impeachment vote.

Iran to support Jerusalem as capital of Palestine

Feb 05, 2020, at 05:45 pm

Tehran/Xinhua/UNI: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the Islamic republic will continue to support the Palestinian cause, Press TV reported on Wednesday.

Afghanistan: Unknown gunmen kill female cop

Feb 05, 2020, at 04:44 pm

Kandahar/IBNS: Unkown gunmen shot dead a policewoman in Afghanistan's  Kandahar province on Tuesday, media reports said on Wednesday.

Dhaka: Suspected 'Robber' killed during gunfight

Feb 05, 2020, at 03:47 pm

Dhaka/IBNS: A shootout incident with Rapid Action Battalion in Bangladesh capital Dhaka city left at least one suspected robber dead, media reports said.

Pakistan woman cuts off man's genitals who tried to 'rape' her

Feb 05, 2020, at 03:30 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: A Pakistani woman has chopped off the genitals of a man who allegedly  attempted to rape her, media reports said.

Trump honors one of America’s first black fighter pilots at state of union address

Feb 05, 2020, at 10:26 am

Washington/Sputnik/UNI: US President Donald Trump during his State of the Union Address welcomed a 100-year-old World War II veteran who was one of America’s first black fighter pilots.