COVID-19: New women-led UN initiative aims to save lives and protect livelihoods

Apr 28, 2020, at 01:20 pm

New York/IBNS: Against the backdrop of the unprecedented global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the deputy UN chief briefed journalists on Monday about a new women-led initiative that mobilizes support to save lives and protect livelihoods. 

Tap youth talent to tackle COVID-19 crisis and beyond, UN chief tells Security Council

Apr 28, 2020, at 01:07 pm

New York/IBNS: Even amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries must do more to harness the talents of young people to address the crisis and its aftermath, the UN Secretary-General told the Security Council on Monday during a videoconference meeting to review the five years since its adoption of a landmark resolution on youth, peace and security.

‘Toxic lockdown culture’ of repressive coronavirus measures hits most vulnerable

Apr 28, 2020, at 01:05 pm

New York/IBNS: Disturbing details have emerged from dozens of countries that a “toxic lockdown culture” against the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted drastically on society’s most vulnerable members, the UN human rights Office (OHCHR) said on Monday. The development follows UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s call last week for States not to use the COVID crisis as a pretext for repressive measures, in which he urged Governments to recognize that the threat was the “virus, not people”.

Pentagon unveils UFO videos

Apr 28, 2020, at 01:00 pm

Washington/IBNS:  The Pentagon has surely left the world shocked by releasing three declassified videos which shows US navy pilots encountering what appear to be unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

Guatemala extends coronavirus-related restrictions, including curfew, until May 4

Apr 28, 2020, at 12:15 pm

Buenos Aires/Sputnik/UNI: The Guatemalan authorities extended the disaster regime due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), including curfew, until May 4, the country's government said.

China sends medical team to Kuwait

Apr 28, 2020, at 11:59 am

Beijing/Xinhua/UNI: The Chinese government has decided to send a team of medical experts to Kuwait to help the country fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced Tuesday.

Taliban kill 7 members of Afghan public uprising forces in Takhar province

Apr 27, 2020, at 07:10 pm

Kabul,/Sputnik:At least seven members of Afghanistan’s public uprising forces, which operate under the Ministry of Interior Affairs, were killed on Monday in the northern province of Takhar during a Taliban attack, an witnesses said.

Thousands rally in protest of dire living conditions in Lebanon amid coronavirus outbreak

Apr 27, 2020, at 07:01 pm

Beirut/Xinhua: Thousands of Lebanese people on Monday took to the streets across the country to protest against dire living conditions, TV channel MTV reported.

Schools, colleges will remain closed till COVID-19 outbreak continues: Hasina

Apr 27, 2020, at 04:43 pm

Dhaka/IBNS: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said all schools and educational institutes will remain closed in the nation till COVID-19 fades away.

France sees COVID-19 deaths up by 242 to 22,856, lowest daily increase in a week

Apr 27, 2020, at 03:17 pm

Paris/Xinhua/UNI: France saw COVID-19 deaths rose by 242 to 22,856 as of Sunday, the lowest daily increase this week, bringing relief to the health system of the country which is planning to lift the lockdown on May 11, data from the Health Ministry showed.

Face masks to become mandatory in some public places in Mexico - Mexico City Mayor

Apr 27, 2020, at 03:11 pm

Mexico City/Sputnik/UNI: The wearing of face masks will be made mandatory in some public places in Mexico starting from Monday, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum announced amid the spread of COVID-19.

British PM Boris Johnson could modify COVID-19 restrictions before May 7 deadline

Apr 27, 2020, at 03:05 pm

London/UNI: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson could ease the coronavirus restrictions in the country this week, before the May 7 lockdown deadline.

RwandAir cuts salaries to reduce expenditure amid COVID-19 pandemic

Apr 27, 2020, at 03:04 pm

KigaliI/Xinhua/UNI: Rwanda's national flag carrier RwandAir on Sunday said it had resolved to reduce employees' salaries as part of measures to reduce expenditure, due to the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Gaza to reopen restaurants amid strict measures against COVID-19

Apr 27, 2020, at 03:02 pm

Gaza/Xinhua/UNI:  Restaurants in the Gaza Strip will reopen during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, while precautionary measures will be taken to protect people from the COVID-19 pandemic, said Gaza authorities on Sunday.

Fresh Israeli missile strikes kill 3 civilians in Syria

Apr 27, 2020, at 02:56 pm

Damascus/Xinhua/UNI: Three civilians were killed and four others wounded on Monday during fresh Israeli missile strikes in the countryside of Syria's capital Damascus, state news agency SANA reported.

Australia to "significantly expand" COVID-19 testing: official

Apr 27, 2020, at 02:03 pm

Canberra/Xinhua/UNI: Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has flagged an expansion of the nation's COVID-19 testing regime.

COVID-19: Malpractice in distribution of relief reported from Gilgit-Baltistan

Apr 27, 2020, at 01:35 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: Political parties in Gilgit-Baltistan region are blaming each other for alleged malpractices in the region over distribution of relief material to the poor and people staying in quarantine in the current COVID-19 outbreak scenario.

World Sindhi Congress condemns abduction, conversion of two minor Hindu girls in Pakistan

Apr 27, 2020, at 12:55 pm

London/Islamabad/IBNS: The World Sindhi Congress (WSC), a human rights education and advocacy organizations for Sindh, has condemned the alleged abduction and forceful conversion of two minor Hindu girls to Islam in Pakistan's Sindh province, media reports said.

Pakistan International Airlines passengers protest violation of social distancing during flight

Apr 27, 2020, at 12:44 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: Pakistan's national carrier Pakistan International Airlines recently earned the wrath of passengers when people found the airline not maintaining social distancing norms, which are needed to be maintained at this time of COVID-19 outbreak, while operating one of their international flights, media reports said.

Kim Jong Un is 'alive and well': South Korea

Apr 27, 2020, at 10:49 am

Washington/IBNS: South Korea on Monday said North Korea leader Kim Jong Un is "alive and well."

Afghanistan: Terrorists destroy transmission tower in Kabul, electric supply hit

Apr 27, 2020, at 10:33 am

Kabul/IBNS: Electric supply to the Afghanistan capital was disrupted after suspected terrorists destroyed a transmission tower in Kabul, media reports said.

Afghan police arrest suspect in connection with shooting: gov't

Apr 26, 2020, at 10:22 pm

Kabul/Xinhua/UNI: One suspect had been arrested in connection with a shooting that killed seven member of a family and injured two others in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, the Afghan Interior Ministry said Sunday.

Chinese tourists urged to strengthen protection during May Day holiday

Apr 26, 2020, at 10:20 pm

Beijing/Xinhua/UNI: China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism has urged the public to strengthen epidemic prevention measures when traveling during the upcoming five-day May Day holiday.

Senegal reports 57 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, 671 in total

Apr 26, 2020, at 07:40 pm

Dakar/Xinhua/UNI: Senegalese ministry of Health and Social Action reported that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 671 on Sunday an increase of 57 in the past 24 hours.

Fight Against COVID-19: Sri Lanka to relax curfew from April 27

Apr 26, 2020, at 07:13 pm

Colombo/UNI: The curfew in Sri Lanka due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be relaxed from Monday, the President of Media Division (PMD) said on Sunday.

Pakistani religious scholar blames women for spread of COVID-19 in country

Apr 26, 2020, at 06:05 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: A popular religious scholar of Pakistan, Maulana Tariq Jameel, triggered a controversy after he blamed women of the country for the spread of Coronavirus.

Unknown gunmen kill seven members of a family in Afghanistan

Apr 26, 2020, at 05:33 pm

Kabul/IBNS: At least seven people, who were members of the same family, were shot dead by unknown gunmen in Afghanistan's  Kunduz province, media reports said.

Bangladesh: Mentally challenged woman charred to death

Apr 26, 2020, at 05:08 pm

Dhaka/IBNS: A mentally challenged woman was burned to death in a fire incident in Bangladesh Gazipur area, media reports said Sunday.

China rejects international investigation demand into the origins of coronavirus: Report

Apr 26, 2020, at 04:16 pm

London/IBNS: China has rejected demands for an independent international investigation to trace the roots of novel coronavirus, which has claimed over two lakh (two hundred thousand) lives across the globe and forced the world to go under an unprecedented lockdown, a BBC report said.

Pakistan extends suspension of flight till May 15

Apr 26, 2020, at 10:15 am

Islamabad/UNI: A day after Pakistan government extended the nationwide lockdown by 15 more days to curb the spread of COVID-19, the country has now extended the suspension of international flight till May 15, according to the country's aviation department.