France, Britain to trial COVID-19 tracing apps next week

May 04, 2020, at 12:48 pm

Paris/Xinhua/UNI:  France will test its "StopCOVID" contact tracing app in the week of May 11 when the country starts to ease lockdown measures, Minister for Digital Affairs Cedric O said on Sunday.

Canada to Fund Promising Research of Coronavirus Drug - Trudeau

May 04, 2020, at 11:01 am

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Sunday that his government would give a Vancouver pharma company an equivalent of $125 million to support research of a potential coronavirus cure.

Is Pakistan using COVID-19 situation to eliminate Baloch, Pashtun leaders?

May 03, 2020, at 11:25 pm

Islamabad: At a time when the world is combating the COVID-19 outbreak, Pakistan seems to be using the situation to eliminate prominent Baloch and Pashtun people if the deaths of Sajid Hussain and Arif Wazir are any indication.

COVID-19: Bangladesh reports 665 new cases, two death in 24-hour

May 03, 2020, at 10:21 pm

Dhaka/UNI: Bangladesh on Sunday reported a record 665 new cases of coronavirus, raising the total number of such cases to 9,445.

Taliban kill 3 soldiers in attack on checkpoints in Eastern Afghanistan

May 03, 2020, at 09:13 pm

Kabul/Sputnik/UNI: Three Afghan soldiers were killed and five others injured in a gunfight with Taliban militants in the eastern Afghan province of Paktia, a spokesman for the governor said on Sunday.

COVID-19: Pakistani terror groups seem benefitting from outbreak, militants walk free from jail

May 03, 2020, at 05:39 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: Pakistani terror groups seem to be benefitting from the COVID-19 outbreak as all of their operatives, who were in jail as a condition to keep Pakistan out of Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) blacklist, have now walked free amid the spike in virus infection cases in the country, media reports said.

Bangladesh: BNP lambasts Sheikh Hasina government's role in COVID-19 situation

May 03, 2020, at 05:13 pm

Dhaka/UNI: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that the government was making fun on the people’s hunger during the COVID-19 situation.

Five Eyes intelligence accuses China of Corona cover-up

May 03, 2020, at 04:27 pm

Canberra/UNI/IBNS: "Five Eyes", which is an intelligence alliance of five countries - United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and New Zealand- has accused China of willfully concealing information about the Novel Coronavirus outbreak.

Boris Johnson names his newborn after doctors who saved him from COVID-19

May 03, 2020, at 02:51 pm

London/UNI: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds have decided to name their newborn son Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson as a tribute to the baby's grandfathers and the doctors, who treated the Prime Minister, after he tested positive for Novel Coronavirus.

Russia's Mishustin still under medical supervision over COVID-19 diagnosis, works remotely

May 03, 2020, at 02:39 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, feels good and continues to work remotely under medical supervision, his spokesman said Sunday.

Daniel Pearl murder case: Journo's parents challenge convicts' acquittal in Pak SC

May 03, 2020, at 12:09 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: The parents of slain journalist Daniel Pearl have filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking overturning of the ruling that freed the four convicted men involved in his killing, media reports said.

COVID-19 death toll in France rises by 166 to 24,760: Health Ministry

May 03, 2020, at 10:04 am

Paris/Sputnik: The number of coronavirus-related deaths in France reached 24,760 on Saturday after another 166 patients died of COVID-19, the country Health Ministry said.

China's Hubei reports no increase in COVID-19 cases for 29 consecutive days

May 03, 2020, at 09:57 am

Wuhan/Xinhua: No new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported in central China's Hubei Province, the provincial health commission said on Sunday.

US threatens to retaliate if Taliban doesn't stop violence

May 03, 2020, at 08:50 am

Kabul/UNI: The United States threatened Taliban and other conflict parties in Afghanistan with retaliatory actions if the militants do not reduce the scale of violence in the war-torn country.

Glad to see Kim Jong Un 'back and well': Donald Trump

May 03, 2020, at 08:38 am

Washington/IBNS: United States President Donald Trump has said he is glad to see North Korean leader Kim Jong Un 'back and well.'

Magnitude 5.8 quake occurs near Crete: Seismologists

May 03, 2020, at 08:30 am

Athens/Sputnik: A magnitude 5.8 earthquake has occurred near the Greek island of Crete, 78.9 miles south of its capital Heraklion, according to the seismological laboratory of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Syrian Forces Demine 4.9 Acres of Land Over Past 24 Hours - Russian Defense Ministry

May 03, 2020, at 08:15 am

MOSCOW/Sputnik: Syrian military engineers have diffused 60 explosive devices over the past 24 hours, thereby demining 2 hectares (4.9 acres) of territory, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides said on Saturday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces ban on assault-style firearms

May 02, 2020, at 11:42 pm

Ottawa/IBNS: Weeks after the country's worst mass shooting by a gunman in Nova Scotia claiming 22 lives, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced the ban of over 1,500 models and variants of assault-style firearms.

Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leader assassinated outside residence in South Waziristan in Pakistan

May 02, 2020, at 07:48 pm

Wana/IBNS: A Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader who was vocal about the rights of Pashtun people was killed by unidentified assailants outside his home in Wana, South Waziristan, in Pakistan, media reports said.

5 missing CAF members following helicopter crash presumed dead

May 02, 2020, at 06:23 pm

Ottawa/IBNS: The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has confirmed that five missing CAF members following Wednesday’s tragic accident involving a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CH-148 Cyclone helicopter in the Mediterranean Sea, are now presumed dead, media reports said.

Mongolia reports one more COVID-19 case

May 02, 2020, at 05:27 pm

Ulan Bator/Xinhua: Mongolia's National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) on Saturday reported one newly confirmed COVID-19 case, taking the tally of all confirmed cases in the country to 39.

Iran-Turkey bilateral trade declines by 70 pct in 3 months

May 02, 2020, at 05:25 pm

Tehran/Xinhua/UNI:  Iran's trade with Turkey reached 645.44 million U.S. dollars in value during the first three months of the current year, Financial Tribune daily reported on Saturday.

Dozens of Taliban militants killed in southern Afghanistan in past 24 hours - Police

May 02, 2020, at 05:13 pm

Kabul/Sputnik/UNI:   Dozens of Taliban militants have been killed in Afghanistan’s southern provinces of Zabul and Helmand in the past 24 hours, the police said Saturday.

COVID-19: Philippines reports 156 new cases

May 02, 2020, at 05:11 pm

Manila/Xinhua/UNI:  The Philippines on Saturday reported 156 new COVID-19 cases, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 8,928.

Russia: Construction Minister now tests positive for COVID-19

May 02, 2020, at 05:04 pm

Moscow/UNI:  Construction, Housing and Utilities Minister of Russia Vladimir Yakushev and his deputy Dmitry Volkov have tested positive for COVID-19.

COVID-19: Bangladesh government likely to extend shutdown by 10 days

May 02, 2020, at 04:59 pm

Dhaka/IBNS: Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases, the Bangladesh government is planning to extend the nationwide shutdown of offices and workplaces by 10 days from May 15, media reports said.

Pakistan Religious Affairs Minister opposes inclusion of Ahmadis in minority commission

May 02, 2020, at 03:36 pm

Islamabad: Pakistan's Religious Affairs Ministry has decided to approach the federal cabinet seeking a review of a decision that pertained to the inclusion of a member of the Ahmadiyya community in the National Commission for Minorities, media reports said.

Weakest segments of society invisible, unheard: Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

May 02, 2020, at 02:59 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) notes that widespread social and economic marginalisation have left the weakest segments of society invisible and unheard.

Millions of missing airmiles: How the UN civil aviation agency is helping airlines take off again

May 02, 2020, at 01:41 pm

New York/IBNS: In normal times, the world’s airlines would be carrying nearly 2 billion international passengers this year. That’s 5.7 million a day. But with the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the planet, these are not normal times. In its latest analysis of the economic impact of novel coronavirus on global commercial aviation, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) warns of a potential overall reduction of 872 million to just over 1.3 billion international passengers – if signs of recovery emerge in late May.

‘Rights and dignity’ of older people must be respected during COVID-19 and beyond

May 02, 2020, at 01:30 pm

New York/IBNS: The COVID-19 fatality rate for people over 80-years-old, is five times the global average, the UN Secretary-General said on Friday, launching a new policy initiative to address this and many other challenges faced by the elderly, during and after the biggest public health crisis to hit the world in a century.