Three French soldiers killed by explosive device during operation in Mali: Elysee Palace
Dec 29, 2020, at 02:46 pm
Paris/Sputnik: Three French soldiers have been killed after their armored vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Mali on Monday morning, the Elysee Palace's press department said.
Turkey expects delay in delivery of Chinese COVID-19 vaccine shipment : Health Minister
Dec 28, 2020, at 04:02 pm
Ankara/Sputnik: The first shipment of Sinovac Biotech's vaccine against COVID-19 from China to Turkey has been delayed due to an outbreak of COVID-19 at Beijing customs, Turkish Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca said on Sunday.
Vaccination with Russia’s Sputnik V to start in Argentina from Tuesday: Authorities
Dec 27, 2020, at 02:43 pm
Buenos Aires/Sputnik: The delivery of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine doses to Argentina is expected to be completed by Monday and vaccination will start on Dec 29, the press service of Argentina’s president informed in a statement.
More pandemics likely to come, countries must invest in preparedness: WHO chief
Dec 27, 2020, at 02:04 pm
Geneva/Sputnik: World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the world should get prepared for future pandemics that are inevitable.
Gunmen killed 3 UN peacekeepers in Central African Republic : Office of Secretary-General
Dec 26, 2020, at 11:15 pm
United Nations/Sputnik: Unidentified gunmen have attacked UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic, leaving three of them killed and two more injured, the spokesperson for the UN secretary-general said.
First concert held on Christmas eve in Paris Notre-Dame Cathedral since fire: Reports
Dec 26, 2020, at 01:04 am
Moscow/UNI: A live concert of classical music was broadcast on Christmas eve from the Paris Notre-Dame Cathedral for the first time since a major fire engulfed and severely damaged the building about a year ago.
Emmanuel Macron leaves residence in Versailles after coronavirus quarantine – Reports
Dec 25, 2020, at 06:42 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: French President Emmanuel Macron has left his residence in Versailles where he underwent a quarantine after having tested positive for COVID-19, French media reported.
Iran builds up air defense systems near nuclear sites over possible US strikes - Reports
Dec 25, 2020, at 06:36 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Iran is strengthening air defense systems located near its nuclear facilities as a precaution against possible US missile strikes, the Kuwaiti Al-Qabas newspaper reported on Thursday, citing informed sources from Iran.
US govt to study China's crackdown on Uyghurs
Dec 25, 2020, at 05:57 pm
Washington/UNI: U.S. administration would closely study the Chinese government's crackdown on its Uyghur ethnic minority and may consider labeling it "genocide," said a government official.
'Deal is done,' announces Boris Johnson on finalising post-Brexit trade agreement
Dec 25, 2020, at 06:00 am
London/IBNS: Britain and the European Union on Thursday struck a post-Brexit trade deal having a free trade agreement based on zero tariffs and zero quotas.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Thousands of migrants lose shelter, after camp destroyed in fire
Dec 25, 2020, at 02:04 am
New York: The closure and subsequent fire, on Wednesday, at a migrant camp in Bosnia and Herzegovina has left thousands of migrants without shelter and protection, amid plummeting winter temperatures, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported.
Hate speech on Facebook poses ‘acute challenges to human dignity’: UN expert
Dec 25, 2020, at 01:51 am
New York: An independent UN human rights expert called on Wednesday for Facebook’s Oversight Board to give greater consideration to the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities before making decisions over controversial content, particularly involving hate speech.
Press freedom more important than ever, as UN condemns killing of 59 media workers
Dec 25, 2020, at 01:18 am
New York: At least 59 media workers have been killed this year, four of them women, the UN said on Wednesday, in a call to stand up for access to information and factual reporting “as a public good”.
Uganda: UN food assistance programme hit as COVID-19 dries up funding
Dec 25, 2020, at 01:05 am
New York: The UN World Food Programme (WFP) will have to further reduce food rations and cash assistance for more than 1.2 million refugees in Uganda due to a funding shortfall, the agency has said, calling for urgent resources to sustain aid efforts.
Central African Republic: UN rights office warns of ‘escalating violence’ ahead of Sunday poll
Dec 25, 2020, at 12:54 am
New York: Just days before elections in the Central African Republic (CAR), an uptick in armed violence is threatening the safety of civilians and their right to vote, according to the UN human rights office.
Kabul and Islamabad engage in blame game over border fencing, says report
Dec 24, 2020, at 06:27 pm
Islamabad: The border fencing between Afghanistan and Pakistan has emerged as the main sources of the blame game between Kabul and Islamabad.
Belgium hopes trade with Russia to return to Pre-COVID levels soon : Ambassador
Dec 23, 2020, at 09:54 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Andrei Savenkov Belgium hopes that bilateral trade with Russia will rebound to the pre-COVID-19 levels after experiencing a contraction this year due to the pandemic, new Belgian Ambassador to Russia Marc Michielsen told Sputnik in his first interview since the appointment.
COVID-19: Support to frontline workers part of UN response in Brazil
Dec 23, 2020, at 04:18 pm
New York: UN agencies in Brazil are supporting national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by providing thousands of protective items for health workers, the global organization reported on Tuesday.
Iran nuclear deal: ‘Heated rhetoric and the heightened risk of miscalculation’ widen differences
Dec 23, 2020, at 04:16 pm
New York: Although the landmark Iran nuclear deal could improve regional stability if fully implemented, increased tensions have highlighted the risks posed by escalation, the UN’s Political and Peacebuilding Affairs chief told the Security Council on Tuesday.
UN independent expert asks outgoing US president: Pardon Wikileaks’ Assange
Dec 23, 2020, at 04:12 pm
New York: In an open letter to Donald Trump on Tuesday, an independent UN human rights expert asked the departing United States President to pardon Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.
Mozambique: 250,000 displaced children facing deadly disease threat
Dec 23, 2020, at 04:08 pm
New York: A lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene services have put approximately 250,000 children, displaced by escalating crises in a northern province of Mozambique, at risk from deadly diseases, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned.
Tigray: Hundreds of civilians reported killed in artillery strikes, warns UN rights chief
Dec 23, 2020, at 04:03 pm
New York: Reports of artillery strikes on civilians and mass killings of non-combatants in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, must be investigated and full access granted to independent investigators, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Tuesday.
Culture in crisis: Arts fighting to survive COVID-19 impact
Dec 23, 2020, at 03:52 pm
New York: The culture sector, which employs more than 30 million people globally, has been hit much harder than expected by the coronavirus pandemic and its fallout, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has said, urging targeted policies and actions to help it weather the crisis.
Ireland to begin vaccination on December 30: Reports
Dec 23, 2020, at 03:17 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Ireland will begin immunization against the coronavirus disease on December 30, the public broadcaster RTE reported Tuesday, citing Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
Paris announces resumption of trips from UK for certain groups of EU nations' citizens
Dec 23, 2020, at 02:20 pm
Paris/Sputnik: The French government on Tuesday announced the resumption of travel from the UK for certain categories of citizens, including for the French and citizens of the European Union, provided they tested negative for the coronavirus.
Sharp declines in trade and FDI but Asia-Pacific performs better than rest of the world in 2020
Dec 22, 2020, at 11:16 pm
Bangkok/ESCAPnews:The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with increasing trade tensions and an already slowing global economy, have paved the way for the world’s worst economic performance since the Great Depression.
Turkey quarantines more than 4,600 passengers from UK amid coronavirus mutation concerns
Dec 22, 2020, at 11:05 pm
Ankara/Sputnik: Turkish authorities have quarantined 4,603 passengers from the United Kingdom, where a new mutation of the coronavirus has been detected, Turkish Heath Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Tuesday.
Iran strongly denies alleged involvement in most recent Baghdad green zone attack
Dec 22, 2020, at 10:53 pm
Tehran/Sputnik: Iran refutes the alleged involvement of Iran-backed groups in the Sunday rocket attack on the Green Zone in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said.
UK Royal Mail deliveries affected by travel bans resulting from new virus strain discovery
Dec 22, 2020, at 09:58 pm
London/Sputnik: The British Royal Mail says it is halting deliveries to most of Europe and is suspending special delivery guarantees for some items as countries across the world are closing their borders to the UK because of the new strain of the coronavirus.
Uighur persecution: Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis flays China
Dec 22, 2020, at 05:19 pm
London: Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has emerged as a key religious figure in the UK who slammed China over the persecution of its Uighur Muslims.