Proportion of women ministers all-time high, IPU/UN Women map shows

Mar 13, 2019, at 09:27 am

United Nations, Mar 13 (Xinhua/UNI) The proportion of women ministers is at an all-time high at 20.7 percent, 2.4 percentage points higher than that in 2017, according to data in the 2019 edition of the biennial IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union)-UN Women map released Tuesday.

UAE grounds Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets

Mar 13, 2019, at 09:24 am

Dubai, Mar 13 (Xinhua) The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday decided to ground Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets in the country as of Wednesday until further notice.

In South Sudan, mothers teaching daughters ‘safer’ ways to survive rape

Mar 13, 2019, at 09:21 am

New York, Mar 13 (IBNS): Sexual attacks in South Sudan are so common that mothers now teach their daughters how to survive the ordeal of being raped, in such a way as to minimize the violence. That’s according to Yasmin Sooka, chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights, who was speaking on Tuesday in front of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, during its latest session.

Europe and UN form bulwark against ‘might makes right’ worldview, EU foreign affairs chief tells Security Council

Mar 13, 2019, at 09:14 am

New York, Mar 13 (IBNS): “The concept of global governance risks being replaced by the old law that ‘might makes right’”, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, told the Security Council on Tuesday, during a meeting looking at on-going cooperation between the UN and the 28-member body.

Political power of women suffering 'serious regression', General Assembly President warns

Mar 13, 2019, at 09:09 am

New York, Mar 13 (IBNS): There has been a “serious regression” in the political power of women across the world in recent years, UN General Assembly President María Fernanda Espinosa told delegates to the annual summit of women activists at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

DR Congo: ‘New waves of violence’ likely, UN warns, unless State acts to prevent intercommunal reprisals

Mar 13, 2019, at 08:43 am

New York, Mar 13 (IBNS): "New waves of violence” could erupt "at any time" in western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN rights office warned on Tuesday, unless the Government acts to ease “tensions and resentment” between the two communities involved.

US senator seeks grounding of 738 Max 8 planes

Mar 12, 2019, at 11:27 pm

Washington, Mar 12 (Sputnik/UNI): The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needs to temporarily halt all US flights of Boeing 737 Max 8 airplane during an investigation of two recent crashes, including Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people, Senator Mitt Romney said in a statement on Tuesday.

India is the big brother in the eastern region: Thai minister

Mar 12, 2019, at 11:21 pm

Kolkata, Mar 12 (UNI): Thailand looks up to India as the big brother in the eastern region owing to India's size of economy and future market potential, commercial minister of Thailand Tharadol Thongruang said here today.

Ontario witnesses increase in employment in February by 36,900 jobs

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:41 pm

Toronto, Mar 12 (IBNS): An increase in Ontario's employment by 36,900 jobs in February has been announced by Statistics Canada.

Canada’s scientific research and collaboration to protect endangered whales

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:17 pm

Ottawa, Mar 12 (IBNS): Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard on March 8 announced that Canada would be providing $2.9 million in funding to three Canadian universities for scientific research on conservation of endangered whale populations, media reports said. 

Number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Mongolia reaches 270

Mar 12, 2019, at 06:49 pm

Ulan Bator, Mar 12 (Xinhua) The total number of HIV carriers and AIDS patients in Mongolia has reached 270 after two new HIV cases were registered in the country's capital here last month, the National Statistics Office said Tuesday.

Nepal: President in US for CSW session

Mar 12, 2019, at 03:28 pm

Kathmandu, Mar 12 (UNI) President Bidya Devi Bhandari has reached New York of the United States to attend the 63rd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, leading a Nepali delegation.

Russia's Yakutsk Airport evacuated over bomb threat - Airport's representative

Mar 12, 2019, at 10:02 am

Yakutsk (Russia), Mar 12 (Sputnik/UNI) Russia's Yakutsk Airport located in the Sakha Republic was evacuated early on Tuesday after an anonymous call warning of a bomb threat that has not been confirmed, a representative of the airport told Sputnik.

Gunman opens fire in Morocco's south, injuring over 10 people - Source

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:58 am

Nouakchott (Mauritania), Mar 12 (Sputnik/UNI) A man has opened fire in Morocco's southern city of Guelmim, causing injuries to over 10 people, a source in the Moroccan law enforcement agencies told Sputnik on Tuesday.

16 killed in Nigeria village attack

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:53 am

Lagos, Mar 12 (Xinhua/UNI): A new attack by the armed men killed 16 people on Sunday in a village in Nigeria's northern state of Kaduna, local police said Monday.

Morocco arrests 7 for suspected links to illegal immigration networks

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:48 am

Rabat, Mar 12 (Xinhua/UNI) Two Moroccans and five sub-Saharan Africans were arrested on Monday in the Moroccan city of Oujda for their suspected links to illegal immigration networks, the Moroccan police said in a statement.

Boeing postpones 777X debut after Ethiopian Airlines crash

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:41 am

San Francisco, Mar 12 (Xinhua/UNI): U.S. top aircraft manufacturer Boeing has postponed the debut of 777X airplane previously planned for this week, local media reported on Sunday night.

Algeria's Bouteflika decides to quit presidential election

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:38 am

Algiers, Mar 12 (Xinhua/UNI): Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Monday announced his decision to give up his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, official APS news agency reported.

Final decision on Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption case to be made after elections: justice ministry

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:35 am

Jerusalem, Mar 12 (Xinhua/UNI) Israel's Justice Ministry said on Monday that the decision on whether to charge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with corruption won't be made until after the general elections in April.

Donald Trump says permanent daylight saving time

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:28 am

Washington, Mar 12 (Xinhua/UNI): U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he would be fine with a permanent daylight saving time, ending an annual ritual of changing clocks twice a year.

Windstorm kills at least 3 in Ukraine

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:26 am

Kiev, Mar 11 (Xinhua/UNI): A severe windstorm hit several regions in central, southern and northern Ukraine on Sunday and Monday, claiming the lives of at least three people and injuring four others, the State Service for Emergencies said.

Pakistan: Quetta explosion leaves four policemen hurt

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:22 am

Quetta, Mar 12 (IBNS): An explosion near a police van in Pakistan's Quetta left at least four policemen injured, media reports said on Tuesday.

Dozens killed and injured by new airstrikes in western Yemen, UN coordinator condemns ‘outrageous’ toll

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:13 am

New York, Mar 12 (IBNS): Reports from Yemen’s Hajjah Governorate indicate that scores of civilians have been killed following airstrikes that hit residential areas over the past two days. Medical sources suggest that at least 22 have died, with more than 30 injured during the aerial bombardment.

UN rights expert calls for end to ‘purgatory’ of ‘international inaction’ facing Myanmar’s remaining Rohingya

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:10 am

New York, Mar 12 (IBNS): A humanitarian crisis fuelled by the suppression of basic human rights is continuing across Myanmar’s Rakhine state, a UN Human Rights Council-appointed expert said on Monday, in an appeal for alleged atrocities there to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

UN chief sends condolences to families of Malawi flood victims

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:06 am

New York, Mar 12 (IBNS): UN Secretary-General António Guterres has extended his condolences to the families of flood victims across Malawi, where at least 23 have died in recent days, and to the Government and citizens of the country.

Annual UN women activists’ summit opens with focus on services, infrastructure

Mar 12, 2019, at 09:02 am

New York, Mar 12 (IBNS): A wheelchair-bound Pakistani mother who yearned to visit a park without worrying about ramp access, and a young South Sudanese woman who dreams of having affordable health care, were among the speakers opening the United Nation’s largest annual gathering on gender equality and women’s rights on Monday.

Despite progress towards peace, Afghanistan facing ‘daunting challenges’ ahead of presidential vote

Mar 12, 2019, at 08:51 am

New York, Mar 12 (IBNS): The UN Special Representative in Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, hailed on-going efforts made towards peace and the engagement of women and youth across the country, but warned the Security Council on Monday that “daunting challenges” remain.  

Let us keep ‘their spirit of service alive’: Guterres leads tributes to UN workers who died in Ethiopia crash

Mar 12, 2019, at 08:44 am

New York, Mar 12 (IBNS): United Nations flags flew at half-mast around the world on Monday to honour the more than 150 people killed in Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines crash, including at least 21 UN workers.

Xi sends condolences to Ethiopian, Kenyan presidents over plane crash

Mar 11, 2019, at 07:37 pm

Beijing, Mar 11 (Xinhua/UNI) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent messages of condolence respectively to his Ethiopian and Kenyan counterparts, Sahle-Work Zewde and Uhuru Kenyatta, over the plane crash that killed 157 people on Sunday.

Roof of a house collapses in Afghanistan, 2 die

Mar 11, 2019, at 06:03 pm

Kabul, Mar 11 (IBNS): A roof of a house collapsed in Afghanistan's , Jalalabad area which left a mother and her eight months old daughter killed, media reports said.