Canada reaches an agreement of $4B with provinces & territories to boost essential workers' pay
May 08, 2020, at 12:10 pm
Ottawa, May 7 (Canadian-Media): A $4 billion deal reached by Canada with its provinces and territories to boost low-wage essential workers' pay was announced May 7 by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, media reports said.
-1588918880.jpg "African artists take creative approach to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic")
African artists take creative approach to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic
May 08, 2020, at 11:51 am
New York/IBNS: Top artists from across Africa and throughout the African Diaspora have joined forces with the UN cultural agency, UNESCO, to save lives and counter misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Migrants stranded ‘all over the world’ and at risk from coronavirus
May 08, 2020, at 11:33 am
New York/IBNS: Thousands of migrants have been stranded “all over the world” where they face a heightened risk of COVID-19 infection, the head of UN migration agency, IOM, said on Thursday.
‘Timeless message of unity’ resonates on holy day celebrating Buddhism, amidst pandemic
May 08, 2020, at 11:06 am
New York/IBNS: To the millions around the world who celebrate the birth, enlightenment and passing of Lord Buddha, the UN chief sent warm wishes on Thursday, officially marked as the Day of Vesak, noting that “we can all be inspired by his teachings”.
COVID-19: UN and partners launch $6.7 billion appeal for vulnerable countries
May 08, 2020, at 10:55 am
New York/IBNS: Humanitarians are seeking nearly $7 billion to protect millions of lives and halt the spread of COVID-19 in more than 60 of the world’s most fragile countries.
Coronavirus cases rise to 18,890 in Qatar
May 07, 2020, at 09:52 pm
Doha/UNI: Qatar's Covid-19 confirmed cases have reached 18,890 as 918 new cases were registered over the past 24 hours, confirmed the country’s Health Ministry on Thursday.
Pakistan: Missing Persons Commission receives 33 fresh complaints in April
May 07, 2020, at 06:18 pm
Islamabad/IBNS: It seems that Pakistan is seeing more missing persons in recent times as the country's commission on missing people received 33 new cases in April, media reports said.
Kabul: Afghanistan security forces destroy joint ISIS, Haqqani network centre
May 07, 2020, at 06:05 pm
Kabul/IBNS: At least five terrorists were killed as Afghan Special Forces busted a major network of militants-led by ISIS and Haqqani Network- in Kabul during an operation conducted in the country's capital city, media reports said.
Political activists criticise Pakistan SC's decision to hold polls in Gilgit-Baltistan
May 07, 2020, at 05:56 pm
Quetta/IBNS: Several political activists have protested the decision announced by the Pakistan Supreme Court to hold elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and form an interim government in the region.
-1588845485.jpg "Amid COVID-19 pandemic, thousands stranded in Bay of Bengal ‘unable to come ashore'")
Amid COVID-19 pandemic, thousands stranded in Bay of Bengal ‘unable to come ashore'
May 07, 2020, at 03:28 pm
New York/IBNS: In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,United Nations agencies called on Wednesday for South-East Asian governments to show compassion to boats full of vulnerable people adrift in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea.
Venezuelans ‘teetering on the brink of survival’ warn UN human rights experts
May 07, 2020, at 03:27 pm
New York/IBNS: United Nations independent experts demanded on Wednesday that the Venezuelan Government take concrete actions to tackle the devastating impact on basic human rights of the country’s economic crisis.
COVID-19 crisis putting human trafficking victims at risk of further exploitation, experts warn
May 07, 2020, at 03:25 pm
New York/IBNS: Lockdowns, travel restrictions, resource cutbacks and other measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus are putting victims of human trafficking at risk of further exploitation, while organized crime networks could further profit from the pandemic, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Senior UN official calls for universal basic income to tackle
May 07, 2020, at 03:23 pm
New York/IBNS: The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a health crisis, but it is also proving to be an economic disaster for huge numbers of people worldwide. A senior UN official with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) is calling for countries to provide citizens with a universal basic income, to help the millions who have lost their jobs, because of measures to curb the virus, combined with increasing levels of inequality.
-1588845148.jpg "Coronavirus and human rights: New UN report calls for disability-inclusive recovery")
Coronavirus and human rights: New UN report calls for disability-inclusive recovery
May 07, 2020, at 03:22 pm
New York/IBNS: The COVID-19 pandemic is intensifying inequalities experienced by the world’s one billion people with disabilities, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in launching a report issued on Wednesday that calls for a disability-inclusive recovery and response to the crisis.
Covid-19: Brazil's death toll reaches 8,536
May 07, 2020, at 01:47 pm
Rio de Janeiro/UNI: Brazil's death toll from Covid-19 has reached 8,536 as 615 more fatalities were recorded over the past 24 hours, the country's Health Ministry informed on Thursday.
Covid-19: Cases in Germany surpass 1,66,000
May 07, 2020, at 01:44 pm
Berlin/UNI: The total number of Covid-19 cases in Germany have reached 166,091 since the start of the pandemic as 1,284 new cases were registered over the past 24 hours, confirmed the Robert Koch Institute said on Thursday.
COVID-19: High Commissioner of India in Ottawa plans return of stranded Indians
May 07, 2020, at 12:17 pm
Toronto/IBNS: The phased return of nearly three lakh Indians, mainly students stranded in Canada due to COVID-19 pandemic, is being planned by the office of the High Commissioner of India in Ottawa (Canada), media reports said.
Don't let China host the 2022 Olympics without honoring human rights norms, say USCIRF members
May 06, 2020, at 05:24 pm
Washington/IBNS: Top US officials have argued that human rights activists and members of the Congress have already called on the International Olympic Committee to either demand China to respect human rights as a condition of hosting the Games or to move the 2022 Winter Olympics to another location.
Pakistan: Punjab govt ratifies army land allotment to civilian officials
May 06, 2020, at 05:12 pm
Islamabad/IBNS: The Punjab government has ratified the allotment of up to 25 acres of state land to 47 civilian government officials but they were actually meant for the families of the martyred soldiers and war veterans under the Army Welfare Scheme (AWS), media reports said.
COVID-19: Job prospect for China's fresh graduates remain bleak
May 06, 2020, at 05:06 pm
Beijing/IBNS: China might be battling to regain normal life following the horrors of COVID-19 outbreak but the nation is waiting for a bigger challenge as job prospect for the youth, who are about to graduate, looks bleak.
Pakistani forces killed four pro-freedom Baloch activists in Panjgur: FBM
May 06, 2020, at 04:56 pm
Quetta: The Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) recently alleged that Pakistani forces killed four pro-freedom Baloch activists and tied one of the dead bodies to the back of a vehicle and dragged it mercilessly in Panjgur district of Balochistan, media reports said.
Pakistan: Rights groups reject summary for formation of ‘sham commission on minorities’
May 06, 2020, at 04:45 pm
Islamabad/IBNS: Several minority rights groups and parliamentarians have vowed to resist the formation a National Commission for Minorities (NCM) by the Pakistani government, media reports said.
18 million people may lose job, says Pakistan Minister
May 06, 2020, at 04:16 pm
Islamabad/IBNS: Giving a hint that COVID-19 might leave a major burden on Pakistan's economic paradigm, country's Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said between 20 million to 70 million people could fall below the poverty line and 18 million people could also lose jobs due to the lockdown.
Pakistan may soon see shortage in petrol, diesel supply: Reports
May 06, 2020, at 04:11 pm
Islamabad/IBNS: Pakistan, which is fighting against Covid-19 outbreak, may soon be seeing a shortage of petrol and diesel in the months of May and June, media reports said.
COVID-19 makes universal digital access and cooperation essential: UN tech agency
May 06, 2020, at 04:01 pm
New York/IBNS: As the COVID-19 pandemic reshapes the way in which we work, keep in touch, go to school and shop for essentials – across the world – it has never been more important to bridge the digital divide for the 3.6 billion people who remain off-line.
Attacks on civilians, arbitrary arrests, top list of abuses in Libya: ICC Prosecutor
May 06, 2020, at 03:32 pm
New York/IBNS: Unabated violence, particularly in and around the Libyan capital, has now been raging for more than a year, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) told the Security Council in a virtual briefing on Tuesday, warning that war crimes may have been committed.
Food insecurity in West Africa could leave 43 million at risk as coronavirus hits
May 06, 2020, at 03:03 pm
New York/IBNS: Well over 40 million people across West Africa face desperate food shortages in coming months, with COVID-19 restrictions a new factor adding to people’s vulnerability, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka says efforts ongoing to assist over 11,000 tourists stranded amidst COVID-19
May 06, 2020, at 03:02 pm
Colombo/Xinhua: Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry on Wednesday said efforts were ongoing to assist over 11,000 tourists who were stranded in the country due to the closure of airports globally following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
May 06, 2020, at 03:01 pm
New York/IBNS: A UN human rights expert urged governments on Tuesday to increase protection for those millions of workers, who due to the COVID-19 pandemic, risk being pushed into exploitative jobs that are tantamount to slavery.
Afghanistan reports 168 new COVID-19 cases within 24 hours, 3,392 in total
May 06, 2020, at 02:57 pm
Kabul/Xinhua/UNI: Afghanistan on Wednesday reported 168 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing its total tally to 3,392, according to the country's Ministry of Public Health.