Vietnam to close border gates with Laos, Cambodia to prevent spread of COVID-19

Mar 31, 2020, at 03:46 pm

Hanoi/Xinhua/UNI: Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday that it will close its border gates and border crossings with Laos and Cambodia starting from Wednesday in an effort to limit the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.

UN helps Pacific prepare for COVID-19 pandemic, warns that children are ‘hidden victims’

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:43 pm

New York/IBNS: United Nations agencies are working together to provide vital support to Pacific Island countries as they rally to combat COVID-19 outbreaks across the region.

China's GDP growth to decline to 2.3 pc in baseline scenario in 2020, warns World Bank

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:43 pm

Washington/Sputnik/UNI/IBNS: China's GDP growth is expected to decline to 2.3 per cent in the baseline scenario in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the World Bank said in a report.

COVID-19 stoking xenophobia, hate and exclusion, minority rights expert warns

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:22 pm

Combatting the COVID-19 pandemic must also include stamping out what one independent human rights expert has called the “darker sides” of the disease: verbal and physical attacks against Chinese and other minority communities, and excluding them from access to healthcare.

S.Korea to begin new school year with online classes from April 9

Mar 31, 2020, at 12:20 pm

Seoul/Xinhua/UNI: South Korea decided Tuesday to begin this year's new school year with online classes from April 9 in a gradual manner amid lingering concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak.

China's GDP growth to decline to 2.3 pc in baseline scenario in 2020: World Bank

Mar 31, 2020, at 12:14 pm

Washington/Sputnik/UNI: China's GDP growth is expected to decline to 2.3 per cent in the baseline scenario in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the World Bank said in a report.

Amid COVID 19 outbreak, Van Gogh's painting Spring Garden stolen from Dutch museum

Mar 31, 2020, at 10:46 am

Laren/IBNS: An iconic painting- Spring Garden- by Van Gogh has been stolen from a museum in Dutch town of Laren which was shuttered in the wake of coronavirus spread.

Over 2,000 sent to put out forest fire in China's Sichuan

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:43 pm

Chengdu/Xinhua/UNI:  Over 2,000 people were dispatched to put out a forest fire in southwest China's Sichuan Province, a local fire department said.

Chinese yuan weakens to 7.0447 against USD Monday

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:40 pm

Beijing/Xinhua/UNI: The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, weakened 20 pips to 7.0447 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

Passenger train derails in China, zero casualties

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:38 pm

Beijing/UNI: A passenger train on Monday derailed in central China's Hunan Province due to landslide that was triggered due to heavy rains in the region, however, so far no death was reported.

UNGA president supports UN $2bln COVID-19 response plan

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:31 pm

United Nations/Sputnik/UNI:  The United Nations' $2 billion appeal to fight the coronavirus in some of the most vulnerable countries is a "good, timely call," UNGA President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande told Sputnik.

Thailand's Phuket on lockdown until April 30 to curb COVID-19 spread : reports

Mar 30, 2020, at 12:39 pm

Moscow/Sputnik.UNI: Phuket, Thailand’s biggest island and major tourist destination, was put on lockdown on Monday in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus, national media reported, citing the governor’s order.

North Korea tests 'super-large’ rocket launcher, test appears successful - Reports

Mar 30, 2020, at 12:30 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI:  The two short-range projectiles fired by North Korea on Sunday were a test of a ‘super-large’ multiple rocket launcher, the South Korean Yonhap News Agency reports.

Saudi authorities impose curfew in Jeddah amid coronavirus pandemic - Interior Ministry

Mar 29, 2020, at 08:06 pm

Beirut/Sputnik/UNI: Saudi Arabia has imposed a curfew in the western Jeddah province starting from Sunday at 15:00 local time (12:00 PM GMT) due to the spread of COVID-19, the Interior Ministry said.

Iran plans to use plasma of recovered people for new COVID-19 patients

Mar 29, 2020, at 07:33 pm

Tehran/Xinhua/UNI: Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Iran's capital Tehran is considering the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in the newly affected patients, Press TV reported on Sunday.

Peacekeeping radio stations provide COVID-19 information to vulnerable communities in conflict-affected countries

Mar 28, 2020, at 04:57 pm

New York/IBNS: UN Peacekeeping radio stations have in recent decades helped build support for peace process in a dozen countries around the world including Cambodia, Croatia, Namibia and Timor-Leste.

OneWeb blames COVID 19 for collapse

Mar 28, 2020, at 04:42 pm

New York/IBNS: Blaming Coronavirus for the collapse, OneWeb, the global communications company, on Saturday announced that the company and certain of its controlled affiliates have voluntarily filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

Violence erupts in China as people attempt to leave COVID19-hit Hubei province

Mar 28, 2020, at 03:34 pm

Beijing/IBNS: The Chinese government's decision to relax an epidemic lockdown, which was triggered following the spread of Coronavirus in Wuhan region seems to have backfired as violent protests occurred on a bridge between China’s virus-stricken Hubei province and neighbouring Jiangxi province recently, media reports said.

UAE records 72 new COVID-19 cases, 405 in total

Mar 28, 2020, at 11:35 am

Dubai/Xinhua/UNI:  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday reported 72 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 405, the Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a statement.

Global economy has clearly entered recession: IMF chief

Mar 28, 2020, at 10:12 am

Washington/IBNS:  International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva on Friday said the growing COVID 19 outbreak across the globe has led the world to enter the state of financial recession.

IMF approves first emergency COVID-19 aid for Kyrgyzstan

Mar 27, 2020, at 06:29 pm

Bishkek/Xinhua/UNI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday approved a disbursement of 120.9 million U.S. dollars to address Kyrgyzstan's COVID-19 outbreak, its first offer of emergency financial assistance since the pandemic started.

Malaysia unveils new stimulus package to counter COVID-19 impact

Mar 27, 2020, at 05:34 pm

Kuala Lumpur/Xinhua/UNI: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced an economic stimulus package worth 250 billion ringgit (about 57.54 billion U.S. dollars) on Friday to fight the economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Uganda registers four new cases of COVID-19, 18 in total

Mar 27, 2020, at 05:23 pm

Kampala/Xinhua/UNI: Uganda has registered four new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 18, according to the ministry of health.

After Prince Charles, now British PM Boris Johnson tests positive for COVID 19

Mar 27, 2020, at 05:05 pm

London/IBNS: British PM Boris Johnson on Friday tested positive for COVID 19.

After accusing WHO of siding with China over COVID-19, Donald Trump talks to Xi Jinping

Mar 27, 2020, at 12:21 pm

Washington/IBNS: After accusing the World Health Organisation (WHO) of siding with China over COVID-19, US President Donald Trump on Friday held a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping and stated the two countries were working closely to fight the deadly Novel Coronavirus.

A sustainable global economy must arise once COVID-19 pandemic is reversed, UN chief tells G-20 summit

Mar 27, 2020, at 11:58 am

New York/IBNS: World leaders at the G-20 virtual summit held on Thursday committed to inject over $5 trillion into the global economy to counteract the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iraq: Top UN official calls on political leaders to confront COVID-19 pandemic and unite

Mar 27, 2020, at 11:55 am

New York/IBNS: While the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the political, security, social and economic crises roiling Iraq, the top UN official in the country hopes it will spur leaders to put aside their differences and unite for the common good.

‘Rapid deterioration’ in global investment flows as Coronavirus spreads: UN trade body

Mar 27, 2020, at 11:54 am

New York/IBNS: Foreign direct investment flows are liable to drop by 30 to 40 per cent during 2020, into next year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a far more severe economic blow that initially projected, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said on Thursday in its latest Investment Trends Monitor report.

Human rights must be maintained in beating back the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘without exception’ – UN experts

Mar 27, 2020, at 11:49 am

New York/IBNS: Dozens of independent UN human rights experts stressed on Thursday that in addition to public health and emergency measures, battling the COVID-19 pandemic, must respect the fundamental human rights of every individual.

UK Chancellor to unveil financial package for freelancers affected by COVID-19 : reports

Mar 26, 2020, at 04:45 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak will provide details of a financial support package for self-employed people and freelancers affected by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak during a joint press briefing with Prime Minister Boris Johnson later on Thursday, according to the Sky News broadcaster.