China's airlines cancel 78,000 flights, return 13 million tickets amid COVID-19 outbreak

Feb 18, 2020, at 04:59 pm

Beijing/Sputnik/UNI: China's numerous airlines have canceled some 78,000 flights and returned about 13 million tickets due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak, deputy head of the country's state property control and management committee, Ren Hongbin, said on Tuesday.

Pakistan: Eight killed, over 100 affected in Karachi toxic gas leak

Feb 18, 2020, at 04:56 pm

Karachi/UNI: Eight people have been killed and over 100 affected after a toxic gas suspected to be Hydrogen Sulphide leaked in here, Pakistan health authorities has confirmed.

Pakistan observers sniff eyewash on Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed ahead of FATF ruling

Feb 18, 2020, at 02:00 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: In what can be seen as a golden eyewash at a time when the threat of being blacklisted by international terror financing and money laundering watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) looms large over it, Pakistan last week convicted Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, who was arrested last year, in two terror financing cases. However, the reality inside Pakistan can be different with strong beliefs by observers that Pakistan is stage-managing the episode and even claiming that another top terrorist, Masood Azhar, the mastermind of the Pulwama attack last year February in India killing 40 soldiers, has gone missing. 

Norway charges 2019 mosque shooter with terrorism, murder

Feb 18, 2020, at 10:43 am

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Norwegian prosecutors on Monday pressed terrorism and murder charges against Philip Manshaus, who attacked a mosque and killed his step-sister last August.

Iraq: Education access still a challenge in former ISIL-controlled areas

Feb 18, 2020, at 10:21 am

New York/IBNS: More than two years after the defeat of ISIL in Iraq, some children in areas formerly controlled by the terrorist group still cannot access school or get the necessary documentation required for enrollment, a UN report published on Monday finds.

As north-west Syria violence reaches ‘horrifying’ new level, UN relief chief says ceasefire is only option

Feb 18, 2020, at 10:19 am

New York/IBNS: The crisis in north-west Syria has reached a “horrifying new level”, the UN Humanitarian Affairs chief warned on Monday.

World must ‘step up’, match Pakistan’s compassion for refugees, says UN chief

Feb 18, 2020, at 10:17 am

New York/IBNS: Pakistan’s solidarity and compassion for hosting Afghan refugees is a remarkable blueprint that the rest of the world should follow.

Amid global ‘learning crisis’, Parliaments can ensure adequate resources for education, says UN Assembly President

Feb 18, 2020, at 10:07 am

New York/IBNS: Education is the “great equalizer” and Parliaments have a major role to play in scaling up action to ensure that adequate financial resources are allocated to education, girls’ education and technical and vocational training throughout in national budgetary processes, the President of the UN General Assembly said on Monday.

European council president highlights role of EU-US alliance in conversation with Pelosi

Feb 17, 2020, at 07:58 pm

Brussels/Sputnik: European Council President Charles Michel on Monday stressed the importance of the transatlantic alliance between the European Union and the United States, as well as shared EU-US values with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Three killed, 15 injured in blast in Pakistan

Feb 17, 2020, at 07:32 pm

Islamabad/Xinhua: A blast hit a busy road in Pakistan's southwest provincial capital Quetta on Monday evening, leaving three people dead and 15 others injured, local media and rescue officials said.

US-Taliban peace deal finalised:Abdullah

Feb 17, 2020, at 07:24 pm

Kabul,/UNI: Chief Executive of the Afghan Unity Government Abdullah Abdullah on Monday claimed that the peace agreement between the Taliban and US has been "finalised."

World Bank Group launches initiatives supporting women entrepreneurs

Feb 17, 2020, at 05:52 pm

Dubai/IBNS: The World Bank Group announced two new initiatives to improve access to start-up financing and e-commerce markets for women entrepreneurs, at the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Summit.

Beijing to build mask factory in 6 days

Feb 17, 2020, at 05:30 pm

Beijing/Xinhua/UNI: Beijing will convert an industrial building into a new mask factory in six days to meet the surging demand amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Over 50 Taliban militants surrender in 2 Afghan provinces: Defense Ministry

Feb 17, 2020, at 05:23 pm

Kabul/Sputnik/UNI: More than 50 members of the Taliban movement have surrendered to the Afghan security forces in the country's provinces of Herat and Ghor, the Afghan Defense Ministry said on Monday.

Foreign military helicopter crashes in Afghanistan because of Taliban attack: statement

Feb 17, 2020, at 05:18 pm

Kabul/Sputnik/UNI: A foreign military helicopter crashed in Afghanistan on Monday in a Taliban attack, according to the movement's statement.

Bizzare coincidence: Dean Koontz 1981 fictional novel predicted coronavirus, internet users debate

Feb 17, 2020, at 05:09 pm

London/IBNS: At a time when China is witnessing a massive coronavirus outbreak, an excerpt of a novel, which was written by Dean Koontz in 1981, has suddenly set the social media on fire with its content.

First plane carrying evacuated Americans from coronavirus-stricken cruise ship lands in US

Feb 17, 2020, at 05:04 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The first of two planes chartered by the United States to bring its nationals home from a quarantined cruise ship in Japan has landed at a military base in the state of California, media said Monday.

Two people injured in shooting in school in Turkish capital: Ankara Governor's Office

Feb 17, 2020, at 04:37 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Two people have been injured in a shooting at a lyceum in the Turkish capital of Ankara, the Ankara Governor's Office said on Monday, adding that students had been evacuated from the school.

Forest fire breaks out at major national park in northeastern Thailand

Feb 17, 2020, at 04:36 pm

Bangkok/Xinhua/UNI: A forest fire suspected to have been caused by nearby burning activities broke out on Sunday inside a major national park in northeastern Thailand, a senior government official said on Monday.

Coronavirus suspicion: China returnee admitted to Bangladesh hospital

Feb 17, 2020, at 04:00 pm

Dhaka/IBNS: A student, who recently returned from China, was admitted to a government hospital in Bangladesh city of Habiganj on suspicion of the novel coronavirus, media reports said on Monday.

Unknown gunmen kill nine drug addicts in Kabul

Feb 17, 2020, at 09:41 am

Kabul/IBNS: Unknown gunmen shot dead nine drug addicts in Kabul city, media reports said on Monday.

Four civilians killed in roadside bombing in Yemen's Hodeidah

Feb 17, 2020, at 09:07 am

Aden, Yemen/Xinhua/UNI: Four civilians were killed on Sunday as a roadside bomb exploded in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, a military official told Xinhua.

Pakistan: Six people die following gas chemical leakage in Karachi

Feb 17, 2020, at 09:04 am

Karachi/IBNS: At least six people died due to alleged chemical leakage in Pakistan' Karachi city, media reports said on Monday.

Chinese firms achieve 'little success' in Karachi expo, says The Economist report

Feb 16, 2020, at 10:46 pm

Beijing/IBNS: Despite sharing strong bonds among themselves as all-weather alliance partners, several Chinese firms recently faced troubles in a Karachi expo, hinting the underlying difference shared by the two nations.

Canada to evacuate citizens from Coronavirus-hit cruise ship off Japan's coast : gov't

Feb 16, 2020, at 07:33 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Canadian authorities are preparing an aircraft for evacuation of Canadian nationals from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which is quarantined off the Japanese port of Yokohama over the outbreak of a new coronavirus (COVID-19) on board, the Canadian government said.

Iraqi Security Services confirm 3 rockets landed in Baghdad's Green Zone

Feb 16, 2020, at 07:29 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The Iraqi security services on Sunday confirmed earlier reports on a rocket attack on Baghdad's so-called green zone, adding that three projectiles landed in the area.

Syrian military shoots down 5 drones targeting oil refinery in homs - reports

Feb 16, 2020, at 07:26 pm

Cairo/Sputnik/UNI: The Syrian armed forces has shot down five unmanned aircraft attempting to attack an oil-processing plant in Syria's western province of Homs‎, Sham FM radio station reported on Sunday.

Two injured in knife attack in Moscow church - Interior Ministry

Feb 16, 2020, at 07:22 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Two people were injured in a knife attack on Sunday in the Moscow church of St. Nicholas, Russia’s Interior Ministry said.

Four killed,14 injured in car crash in eastern Myanmar

Feb 16, 2020, at 07:10 pm

Yangon/Xinhua/UNI: Four people were killed with 14 others injured in a car crash in Myanmar's Shan State, according to a release from the Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday.

Coronavirus: Nepali citizens evacuated from China, sent to quarantine at Bhaktapur

Feb 16, 2020, at 05:33 pm

Kathmandu/IBNS: Amid coronavirus outbreak in the neighbouring nation, the Nepal government has evacuated 175 Nepalis people from Hubei Province of China, media reports said on Sunday.