Sri Lanka elects ex-Defence Chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa as its 7th President; swearing-in tomorrow

Nov 17, 2019, at 08:55 pm

Colombo/IBNS: Almost seven months after a series of bomb-blasts shook Sri Lanka, the island nation on Sunday elected former war-time defence chief Gotabaya Rajpaksa as its President. He will be sworn in as the seventh executive President of Sri Lanka on Monday.

UN calls for action to tackle 'ubiquitous but invisible' global road safety crisis

Nov 17, 2019, at 06:16 pm

New York/IBNS: Saving lives by improving road safety is “one of the many objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, the United Nations chief said in his message for the global day set aside for remembering the victims of traffick accidents.

Repression, use of force risk worsening Bolivia crisis: UN human rights chief

Nov 17, 2019, at 05:57 pm

New York/IBNS: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is urging authorities in Bolivia to ensure security forces comply with international standards on the use of force following the deaths of at least five protestors on Friday.

Gas pipeline explosion in Chittagong leaves 7 dead

Nov 17, 2019, at 05:42 pm

Chittagong/IBNS:  A gas pipeline exploded in Chittagong city of Bangladesh and left at least seven people killed and 15 others hurt, media reports said on Sunday.

Ex-Defence Chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins Sri Lanka presidential poll

Nov 17, 2019, at 03:28 pm

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s former Defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Sunday won the Presidential election, according to the preliminary results from the country’s Election Commission.  

China, US trade negotiators discuss phase one of trade deal: Ministry

Nov 17, 2019, at 09:03 am

Beijing/Sputnik: The chief trade negotiators from China and the United States, Vice Premier Liu He, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have had a phone conversation regarding the first phase of a new trade agreement, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said.

Two people die in explosion in Ukraine's Kiev dormitory: Police

Nov 17, 2019, at 08:46 am

Moscow/Sputnik: Two people have died in an explosion in a dormitory in Kiev in Ukraine, the city's police announced.

US slams Iran for allegedly trying to shut down internet amid protests: Spokeswoman

Nov 17, 2019, at 08:42 am

Washington/Sputnik: The United States has condemned alleged attempts by the Iranian authorities to shut down the internet, as the country is being rocked by protests, Morgan Ortagus, the spokeswoman for the US State Department, said.

Bangladesh: RAB officials arrest six Ansar al-Islam terrorists 

Nov 16, 2019, at 10:39 pm

Dhaka/IBNS:  Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested six alleged terrorists belonging to banned group Ansar al-Islam from Dhaka, Gazipur, and Satkhira areas of Bangladesh, media reports said.

One killed in Southern Iran during protests against gasoline price hike: Reports

Nov 16, 2019, at 06:14 pm

Tehran/Sputnik/UNI: One person has been killed in the city of Sirjan, southern Iran, during protests against the recent surprise surge in gasoline prices, media reported on Saturday, citing the local authorities.

Bihar: Seven illegal mini gun factories busted, four arrested

Nov 16, 2019, at 05:03 pm

Munger, Nov 16 (UNI) Police busted seven illegal mini gun factories and arrested four of their owners under Mufassil police station area in the district today.

Police deploy tear gas, smoke bombs against yellow vest protesters on outskirts of Paris

Nov 16, 2019, at 04:57 pm

Paris/Sputnik/UNI: Police in Paris have deployed tear gas and smoke bombs against yellow vest protesters who are demonstrating on the outskirts of the French capital, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene.

Ankara confirms will activate Russia's S-400s despite threats of US sanctions

Nov 16, 2019, at 04:52 pm

Anakara/Sputnik/UNI: Ankara intends to activate the Russian-made S-400s despite the threat of US sanctions, with only Turkish personnel planned to be involved in operating these air defense systems, the head of the country’s Defense Industries Directorate told СNN Turk after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Washington.

Free broadband internet for all, UK's labour promises

Nov 16, 2019, at 07:30 am

London/UNI: The Labour Party has promised to deliver free and fast full-fiber broadband internet to everyone in the United Kingdom.

Russian consulate general says requested to meet Russian citizen shot in Arizona

Nov 16, 2019, at 07:26 am

Washington/Sputnik/UNI: Consular access to a Russian national shot by a US Border Patrol agent when allegedly trying to cross into the United States from Mexico has been requested, Russian Consulate-General in Houston press attache told Sputnik.

Spain says joint work with Russia needed for boosting bilateral trade relations

Nov 16, 2019, at 07:15 am

Madrid/Sputnik/UNI: Moscow and Madrid need to work together for stepping up bilateral trade ties, the Spanish Foreign Ministry said after a meeting between Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Fernando Valenzuela Marzo and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko.

Donald Trump pardons two US soldiers over Afghan war crimes cases: White House

Nov 16, 2019, at 07:12 am

Washington/Sputnik/UNI: US President Donald Trump has pardoned two American soldiers for cases related to war crimes in Afghanistan, the White House said in a press release.

Donald Trump just expressing opinion, not threatening former ambassador to Ukraine: White House

Nov 16, 2019, at 06:52 am

Washington/Sputnik/UNI: President Donald Trump’s Twitter messages attacking ex-US Envoy to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch while she was testifying to the House impeachment probe was not an attempt to intimidate her, White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said on Friday.

Spanish King meets Raul Castro during royal visit to Cuba

Nov 16, 2019, at 06:23 am

Madrid/IBNS: Spanish King Felipe VI met with Raul Castro, the former president and current head of the ruling Communist Party, during his first state visit to Cuba, media said Friday.

ICC gives greenlight for probe into violent crimes against Rohingya

Nov 16, 2019, at 06:14 am

New York/IBNS: Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday authorized an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity, namely deportation, which have forced between 600,000 and one million Rohingya refugees out of Myanmar, into neighboring Bangladesh since 2016. 

University Head in Hong Kong urges protesters to leave, could seek help of government

Nov 15, 2019, at 06:19 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The president of an embattled university in Hong Kong on Friday urged protesters, some of whom are not students at the university, to leave, while not ruling out the option of seeking assistance from the local government.

Afghanistan: Takhar’s district police chief killed in Taliban ambush

Nov 15, 2019, at 05:10 pm

Kabul/IBNS: In a Taliban ambush, the Takhar’s district police chief has been killed, media reports said.

Yellow vest protests cost France $2.75Bln - Reports

Nov 15, 2019, at 03:36 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: France has lost 2.5 billion euros ($2.75 billion) over the yellow vest protests, which started exactly a year ago, French RTL radio station reported on Friday, citing the government.

Elderly man dies after being wounded in Hong Kong violence : hospital

Nov 15, 2019, at 10:29 am

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: A 70-year-old man died after being injured in clashes between government supporters and anti-government protesters in Hong Kong's Sheung Shui area, a local hospital said.

Syria's Assad hints at CIA role in death of White Helmets co-founder Le Mesurier

Nov 15, 2019, at 10:24 am

Damascus/Sputnik/UNI: Syrian President Bashar Assad has suggested that whichever intelligence agency had killed White Helmets co-founder James Le Mesurier, the US Central Intelligence Agency was the one pulling the strings.

Renewal of cross-border aid operation critical to northern Syria: UN relief chief

Nov 15, 2019, at 10:20 am

New York/IBNS: The top UN humanitarian official was in the Security Council on Wednesday to appeal for the renewal of an operation that delivers life-saving food and other aid relief to some four million civilians in northern Syria.

UN agency sounds alarm: Dwindling agrobiodiversity ‘severe threat’ to food security

Nov 15, 2019, at 10:15 am

New York/IBNS: To help ensure the most-consumed foods don’t disappear in the face of the climate crisis, farmers must cultivate crops able to resist environmental shocks and other stresses, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) highlighted in a new set of conservation guidelines published on Thursday.

Bolivia crisis: UN chief sends envoy to support peace, amidst renewed clashes

Nov 15, 2019, at 10:09 am

New York/IBNS: UN chief António Guterres announced on Thursday that he had appointed a Personal Envoy who would be travelling to Bolivia later in the day, to offer support to national leaders, following the departure of former president, Evo Morales.

Human rights experts call for ‘paradigm shift’ on arbitrary detention in Qatar

Nov 15, 2019, at 10:05 am

New York/IBNS: A group of independent UN human rights experts is calling for a “paradigm shift” in Qatar to protect people in the Gulf State from arbitrary detention.

Afghanistan: Death toll in Kabul blast touches 12

Nov 15, 2019, at 09:32 am

Kabul/IBNS: The death toll in the car bomb blast in Afghanistan's Kabul city has touched 12, media reports said on Friday.