China penalises over 300 officials in Huanggang for poor fight against coronavirus

Feb 02, 2020, at 03:32 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: The Huanggang city authorities in China's virus-hit Hubei province have penalized 337 officials for their poor efforts to contain the new coronavirus epidemic, the city's mayor, Qiu Lixin, said on Saturday.

Bangladesh suspends on arrival visa for Chinese nationals

Feb 02, 2020, at 02:56 pm

Dhaka/UNI: Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Sunday said the visa on arrival for Chinese nationals has been suspended for one month following the outbreak of coronavirus.

IDF says another rocket fired from gaza as anger against Trump's deal mounts

Feb 02, 2020, at 10:37 am

Tel Aviv/Sputnik: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday that another rocket had been fired from Gaza toward Israel amid the Arab world's mounting anger against the US' Middle East peace plan.

UN chief calls for immediate cessation of hostilities in NW Syria

Feb 02, 2020, at 10:14 am

United Nations, Feb 2 (Xinhua) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in northwest Syria.

Iran Ukraine jointly decipher black box of crashed Ukrainian plane: Iranian minister

Feb 02, 2020, at 09:53 am

Tehran/Xinhua: Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami said on Saturday that Iran and Ukraine are jointly investigating the black box of the downed Ukrainian plane in Iran, Tehran Times daily reported.

Two dead, two injured in Florida church shooting: Police

Feb 02, 2020, at 08:57 am

Washington/Xinhua: Four people were shot, two of them fatally, after a funeral Saturday afternoon at a church in Riviera Beach, Florida, said police.

Novosibirsk cafe roof collapse leaves 1 Dead, 4 Injured - Russian Emergencies Ministry

Feb 02, 2020, at 08:48 am

Novosibirsk/Sputnik: One person has been reported dead and a further four injured following the collapse of a rood at a cafe in Russia’s Novosibirsk , a Russian Emergencies Ministry official told Sputnik early Sunday.

US arrests suspected leader of Al-Qaeda's Iraqi cell in Arizona: Department of Justice

Feb 01, 2020, at 06:02 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The US authorities arrested a resident of the state of Arizona, who was a suspected leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist group's (banned in Russia) cell in Iraq and was charged with murder in the Middle Eastern country, US Attorney’s Office District of Arizona said in a statement.

Over 300 Bangladeshi people return home from China

Feb 01, 2020, at 05:56 pm

Dhaka/UNI: As many as 316 Bangladeshi returned home from the coronavirus epicentre Hubei province of China on Saturday.

11 militants killed in Southern Afghanistan: gov't

Feb 01, 2020, at 05:54 pm

Tirin Kot, Afghanistan/Xinhua/UNI: Eleven Taliban militants were killed during an operation conducted by Afghan National Army commando forces in southern Uruzgan province during Friday night, Afghan Defence Ministry said Saturday.

US envoy arrives in Kabul to meet Afghan Prez later on Saturday: Source

Feb 01, 2020, at 05:48 pm

Kabul/Sputnik/UNI: US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Kabul where he plans to meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani later on Saturday, a source told Sputnik.

US sanctions against Hezbollah hurts Lebanon: Russian envoy

Feb 01, 2020, at 05:43 pm

Beirut/Xinhua/UNI: Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin said on Saturday that U.S. sanctions against Hezbollah is hurting Lebanon amid its current crisis, local media reported.

Three rebels killed in clash in Southern Philippines

Feb 01, 2020, at 05:40 pm

Manila/Xinhua/UNI: Three suspected rebels have been killed in a clash with Philippine security forces in Sultan Kudarat province in southern Philippines, the military said on Saturday.

Security Council renews Central African Republic arms embargo

Feb 01, 2020, at 10:25 am

New York/IBNS: The UN Security Council on Friday renewed the arms embargo against the Central African Republic (CAR) and extended the mandate of the expert panel assisting its sanctions committee for the country.

Suriname’s climate promise, for a sustainable future

Feb 01, 2020, at 10:15 am

New York/IBNS: Suriname has become the second nation globally to outline updated plans to fight climate change in the hope of ensuring that any future increase in the temperature of the planet does not exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

US Middle East peace plan ‘lopsided’, says independent UN rights expert

Feb 01, 2020, at 10:06 am

New York/IBNS: A United States plan released this week to resolve the decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is “lopsided” and will only entrench occupation, an independent UN human rights expert said on Friday.

Do not confuse food charity with ‘right to food’, UN expert tells Italians, labelling food system exploitative

Feb 01, 2020, at 09:49 am

New York/IBNS: A sophisticated Italian food system is placing a heavy burden on Italy’s workers and farmers, an independent UN human rights expert said on Friday, following an 11-day visit to the country that many regard as the world’s food capital.

Afghanistan: Civilians continue to pay the price of conflict, says Amnesty International

Feb 01, 2020, at 09:03 am

Kabul: In 2019, Afghan civilians continued to pay the price of the ongoing conflict as justice proved elusive for the victims, Amnesty International said as the human rights organization released its annual report on events in the Asia-Pacific region.

Bangladesh: Freedoms remained under attack in 2019, says Amnesty International

Feb 01, 2020, at 08:45 am

Dhaka: Bangladesh had a mixed record on human rights in 2019, continuing to host nearly a million refugees and inch towards the progressive realization of economic and social rights while some freedoms remained under attack, Amnesty International said as the human rights organization released annual reports on events in the Asia-Pacific region.

UK leaves EU after 47 years together

Feb 01, 2020, at 07:26 am

London/Sputnik/UNI: The United Kingdom left the European Union on 23:00 GMT January 31, after 47 years together, including 3.5 years post-referendum.

Facebook vows to remove misinformation about outbreak of new Coronavirus

Jan 31, 2020, at 08:16 pm

Moscow/Sputnik:Facebook vowed to fight the spread of misleading information and harmful content about the outbreak of a new coronavirus.

Cambodian PM says won't exchange independence, sovereignty for aid

Jan 31, 2020, at 08:00 pm

Phnom Penh/Xinhua: Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen reiterated on Friday that the country will not exchange its independence and sovereignty for any aid.

Four Turkish nationals dead, 3 injured in gas blast in Western Russia - Authorities

Jan 31, 2020, at 07:47 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: Four Turkish nationals were killed and three others were injured in an explosion at a rubber products factory in the city of Mtsensk in Russia's western Oryol region, a representative of the regional emergency services told Sputnik on Friday.

Government to bring back 361 Bangladeshis from China tomorrow

Jan 31, 2020, at 06:07 pm

Dhaka/IBNS: The government will bring back 361 Bangladeshi nationals from Coronavirus-hit Wuhan city of China on Saturday, media reports said.

Bill Gates daughter Jennifer announces engagement, daddy feels 'thrilled'

Jan 31, 2020, at 04:16 pm

Washington/IBNS: After years of dating, IT giant Microsoft's founder Bill Gates' daughter Jennifer Gates has announced her engagement to boyfriend Nayel Nassar.

Cambodia to host 13th Asia-Europe Meeting on Nov 16-17: PM

Jan 31, 2020, at 04:01 pm

Phnom Penh/Xinhua/UNI: Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Friday that the country will host the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Phnom Penh on Nov. 16-17.

Bangladesh: Man suspected to be infected by coronavirus hospitalised

Jan 31, 2020, at 10:20 am

Beijing/IBNS: A Bangladeshi citizen, who returned from China, has been admitted Kurmitola General Hospital as he is suspected of suffering from coronavirus.

UN chief underscores value of cooperation with Southeast Asian countries

Jan 31, 2020, at 10:01 am

New York/IBNS: In a briefing to the Security Council on Thursday, Secretary-General António Guterres underlined the value of cooperation between the UN and the 10-member regional bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Coding in Namibia: UN supports young women’s computing career dreams

Jan 31, 2020, at 09:53 am

New York/IBNS: Six young women from Namibia are on the path to a career in the field of information and communications technology (ICT), with the support of the UN office in the country.

Find unity ‘to halt Libya’s senseless unraveling’, UN envoy urges Security Council

Jan 31, 2020, at 09:47 am

New York/IBNS: The top UN official in Libya on Thursday expressed his “deep anger and disappointment” over intensifying conflict in Libya despite a high-level summit held in the German capital of Berlin earlier this month, that set out measures to de-escalate fighting and put the divided country back on a path towards peace.