Security Council resolution endorses moves towards long-sought Afghanistan peace

Mar 11, 2020, at 05:04 pm

New York/IBNS: The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Tuesday afternoon welcoming recent steps towards ending the conflict in Afghanistan. All 15 members supported the resolution, tabled by the United States, which endorses a joint US-Afghan declaration on peace and an agreement signed between Washington and the Taliban.

Erdogan accuses Damascus of violating Idlib ceasefire, warns of possible new attacks

Mar 11, 2020, at 04:55 pm

Ankara/Sputnik/UNI:  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Damascus on Wednesday of violating the Idlib ceasefire, agreed upon by Russia and Turkey, warning that Ankara could strike even a heavier blow if the truce breaches continue.

UN programme to help spare millions from child marriage, extended to 2023

Mar 11, 2020, at 04:51 pm

New York/IBNS: Millions of girls have been able to avoid “an unwanted marriage and an unwelcome end to their childhood”, since the launch four years ago, of a joint UN agency programme, the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.

Burundi election countdown amid ‘deteriorating’ human rights situation

Mar 11, 2020, at 04:42 pm

New York/IBNS: Two months ahead of Burundi’s planned local and presidential elections, senior UN-appointed independent rights investigators have urged the Government to reopen the “democratic, civil and political space” there.

Drone strike kills 5 al-Shabab terrorists in Somalia: US-Africa Command

Mar 11, 2020, at 04:41 pm

Mogadishu/Xinhua/UNI: Five al-Shabab terrorists were killed on Tuesday in a joint US-Somali airstrike in southern Somalia, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said.

Afghanistan peace prospects ‘slim’ without women’s participation: Hillary Clinton

Mar 11, 2020, at 03:56 pm

New York/IBNS: There can be no sustainable peace in Afghanistan if women are not at the negotiating table, former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told ambassadors and activists at UN Headquarters on Tuesday.

Taliban killing too many Afghans in the countryside, says US State Department

Mar 11, 2020, at 03:36 pm

Washington/IBNS: Days after a peace deal was signed between the two groups, the US State Department on Wednesday confirmed that the Taliban has taken steps to stop attacks against the coalition force in the cities but they are killing too many Afghans in the countryside.

Nicaragua: After two years of crisis, more than 100,000 have fled the country

Mar 11, 2020, at 03:26 pm

New York/IBNS: Over the past two years, more than 100,000 people in Nicaragua have sought asylum abroad, reportedly fleeing persecution and human rights abuses, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.

Pakistan: PAF jet crashes, 1 pilot killed

Mar 11, 2020, at 03:24 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: A pilot died as a Pakistan Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed in Shakarparian area in Islamabad city on Wednesday morning, media reports said.

71 Chinese workers who returned to Nepal quarantined at Pokhara Airport construction site

Mar 11, 2020, at 01:49 pm

Pokhara/IBNS: Instead of showing health consciousness over the outbreak of the deadly Novel Coronavirus, China has sent 71 workers to the Pokhara Airport construction site in Nepal. All the workers have been quarantined.

Pakistani air force aircraft crashes in Islamabad

Mar 11, 2020, at 12:51 pm

Islamabad/Xinhua/UNI/IBNS: A fighter jet of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) crashed in the capital Islamabad on Wednesday during a rehearsal for upcoming event of the Pakistan Day, spokesperson of the PAF Syed Ahmer Raza told Xinhua.

Afghanistan: Two new coronavirus cases reported

Mar 11, 2020, at 10:34 am

Kabul/IBNS: Afghanistan has reported two new Coronavirus cases in the country, media reports said.

Pakistan: Balochistan reports first coronavirus case

Mar 11, 2020, at 09:43 am

Quetta/IBNS: Quetta reported the first Coronavirus case in Pakistan's Balochistan region on Tuesday, media reports said.

British health minister Nadine Dorries tests positive for coronavirus

Mar 11, 2020, at 09:31 am

London/IBNS: British junior Health Minister and Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

Pakistan wants Taliban to rule Afghanistan, says former Afghan President's brother

Mar 10, 2020, at 11:39 pm

Geneva/IBNS: The brother of a former Afghanistan President has said that Pakistan is backing the Taliban group to topple the elected government in his nation.

Seven killed in boat collision in central Indonesia

Mar 10, 2020, at 07:03 pm

Jakarta/Xinhua: Seven people were killed and six others injured after two boats collided on a river in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province, a disaster agency official said on Tuesday.

Erdogan invites Putin to participate in Syria's oil fields development

Mar 10, 2020, at 06:46 pm

Ankara/Sputnik: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to participate in Syria's oil fields development for boosting the Syrian economy.

Taliban hand prisoner list to US Delegation – Spokesman

Mar 10, 2020, at 06:16 pm

Kabul/Sputnik/UNI: The Taliban have handed to a US delegation a list of 5,000 fighters they want released from Afghan prisons, the spokesman for the militant group’s Qatar office said on Tuesday.

Six al-Shabab militants killed during fight with Somalia troops

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:57 pm

Mogadishu/Xinhua/UNI: Somali security forces on Tuesday killed six al-Shabab militants after a fierce gun battle in Diff town in the Lower Juba region, an official said on Tuesday.

Intra-Afghan talks expected to open amid renewed Taliban violence, US airstrikes

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:55 pm

Kabul/Sputnik/UNI: Intra-Afghan negotiations are expected to open on Tuesday amid uncertainty as the Taliban are stepping up attacks on country’s forces and US warplanes are carrying out airstrikes on the group’s positions, yet hopes for long-awaited peace has became possible after President Ashraf Ghani finally agreed to a prisoner swap.

Somali, US drone strike kills 4 al-Shabab terrorists

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:51 pm

Mogadishu/Xinhua/UNI: Somali and US forces said they conducted an airstrike in southern Somalia on Monday, killing four terrorists in the latest strike targeting the al-Shabab extremist group in the Horn of African nation.

Turkish forces neutralize 5 senior PKK members in northern Iraq

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:42 pm

Ankara/Sputnik/UNI:  Turkish forces have neutralized five senior members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), considered to be a terror group by Ankara, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

Kazakhstan bans entry for people arriving from Italy amid Coronavirus outbreak - Official

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:37 pm

Nur-Sultan/Sputnik/UNI: Kazakhstan has banned entry for all the people arriving from Italy, except Kazakh citizens, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, the country's chief sanitary doctor, Zhandarbek Bekshin, said on Tuesday.

Afghanistan: Suicide bomber shot dead before reaching target in Kandahar

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:31 pm

Kandahar/IBNS: Afghanistan security forces have killed a suicide bomber who was looking to carry out an attack in Zherai district, officials said on Tuesday.

Israel introduces mandatory quarantine for all those coming from abroad

Mar 10, 2020, at 10:34 am

Tel Aviv/Sputnik/UNI: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday the introduction of mandatory quarantine for everyone arriving from abroad amid coronavirus fears.

Rising number of young people excluded from jobs, education and training

Mar 10, 2020, at 10:25 am

New York/IBNS: The number of young people around the world who are neither employed, studying or in some kind of training, is on the rise, according to a new report released on Monday by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Atomic agency cites concerns over Iran testing sites, offers COVID-19 assistance

Mar 10, 2020, at 10:11 am

New York/IBNS: Iran’s nuclear capabilities moved back into the international spotlight on Monday as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that it had concerns about possible “undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities” in unregistered locations there.

Sudan Prime Minister survives attempted assassination

Mar 10, 2020, at 09:57 am

New York/IBNS: Sudan’s Prime Minister survived a reported assassination attempt in the capital Khartoum on Monday, tweeting after the incident that he was “safe and in good shape”.

Pakistan: Confirmed coronavirus cases touch 16

Mar 10, 2020, at 09:13 am

Karachi/IBNS: With nine more cases of coronavirus infection being reported from Karachi city, the total number of the cases in Pakistan has touched 16, officials said.

Canada confirms first COVID-19 death

Mar 10, 2020, at 08:36 am

Vancouver/Xinhua/UNI: Canada reported the first COVID-19 death in Vancouver of British Columbia province.