First African American cardinal appointed by Pope Francis
Nov 29, 2020, at 02:42 pm
Rome/UNI: Pope Francis on Saturday confirmed the first-ever African American cardinal in the history of the Catholic church, along with with12 other new cardinals to the highest rank of the Catholic Church hierarchy.
Hassan Rouhani accuses Israel of killing nuclear physicist Fakhrizadeh
Nov 28, 2020, at 10:34 pm
Tehran/UNI: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday accused Israel of being behind the assassination of nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrijah and said his death would not slow the country's scientific development.
Iran's Supreme Leader urges firm prosecution of killers of nuclear physicist
Nov 28, 2020, at 10:31 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday called on the country's authorities to hold accountable those responsible for the killing of nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, noting the importance of continuing his scientific efforts.
Rising hunger in drought-stricken southern Madagascar forcing families to eat insects: WFP
Nov 28, 2020, at 03:51 pm
New York: Hunger is on the rise in southern Madagascar due to consecutive years of drought, affecting half the region’s population, or 1.5 million people, and forcing most families to eat insects, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Friday.
First of four UN humanitarian airlifts for Ethiopia refugees lands in Khartoum
Nov 28, 2020, at 03:37 pm
New York: An airplane loaded with humanitarian supplies for people fleeing violence in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the UN refugee agency (UNCHR) said on Friday, in an appeal for international assistance to cope with the growing numbers seeking shelter in Sudan.
UN rights experts condemn retaliatory arrests of activists in Egypt
Nov 28, 2020, at 03:03 pm
New York: A group of UN independent human rights experts have called on Egyptian authorities to “immediately and unconditionally” release activists arrested, apparently in retaliation, for discussing human rights issues with foreign ambassadors.
Belgium may open non-essential shops on December 1, ease lockdown during holidays
Nov 28, 2020, at 02:19 pm
Brussels/Sputnik: The Belgian National Security Council (NSC) is expected to reopen all non-essential shops, which have been closed since the beginning of November, on December 1, the LN24 channel reported on Friday.
Iran's Mohsen Fakhrizadeh top nuclear scientist, assassinated
Nov 28, 2020, at 02:14 pm
Tehran/UNI: Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran's most senior nuclear scientist, was assassinated near the capital Tehran, confirmed by the country's defence ministry on Friday.
At least 6 people killed by suicide terrorist attack near Mogadishu airport
Nov 28, 2020, at 02:06 pm
Mogadishu/Sputnik: At least six people have been killed and 12 more injured as a result of a powerful explosion staged by a suicide attacker near the airport of the Somali capital of Mogadishu, Somalia's media reported.
Australia rejects China's charges of wine dumping, calls new duties 'concerning' -Minister
Nov 27, 2020, at 10:43 pm
Canberra/Sputnik: Australia is concerned with China's decision to impose tariffs on its wine exports and firmly rejects Beijing's dumping accusations, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said Friday.
UK Prime Minister Boris Jonson says three-tiered system best way to avoid spike in COVID-19 cases
Nov 27, 2020, at 01:54 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The new COVID-19 alert level tier allocations, which will come into force in the UK once the country's nationwide lockdown expires on December 2, is the best way to prevent a spike in COVID-19, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at a press briefing on Thursday.
UN officials denounce bombings in northern Syria
Nov 25, 2020, at 10:42 pm
New York: Senior UN officials have strongly condemned two separate bombings, on Tuesday in northern Syria, which reportedly left at least seven civilians dead and many more wounded.
DR Congo: War crimes conviction ‘an important victory’ for justice – UN envoy
Nov 25, 2020, at 10:36 pm
New York: Two senior UN officials welcomed on Tuesday the war crimes conviction and life sentencing of an armed combatant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
‘Foundational and necessary change’ needed to heal post-COVID world
Nov 25, 2020, at 04:02 pm
New York: With the COVID-19 pandemic precipitating one of the world’s worst health, socioeconomic and humanitarian crises in over a century, the UN chief told a high-level discussion on Tuesday to seize the opportunity “to make real, foundational, and necessary change”.
'Deplorable' killing of Afro-Brazilian man shows need to address racism, discrimination
Nov 25, 2020, at 03:43 pm
New York: The killing of an Afro-Brazilian man, and the widespread outrage it has sparked, underscores the urgent need for the Government to tackle racism and racial discrimination in South America’s largest country, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.
Protect civilians uphold human rights, UN tells warring parties in Ethiopia
Nov 25, 2020, at 03:36 pm
Pope Francis describes Uighurs of China as 'persecuted' people
Nov 25, 2020, at 04:09 am
Rome: Putting more pressure on China, Pope Francis has described the Uighur people as “persecuted” people.
UK pledges up to $207mln of development funding in 2021 to Afghanistan - Minister of State
Nov 24, 2020, at 10:10 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The United Kingdom is pledging up to 155 million pounds ($207 million) of development funding to Afghanistan for the next year, UK Minister of State for South Asia and Commonwealth Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon said Tuesday.
UN ‘extremely concerned’ for safety of Tigray civilians in regional capital, as refugee numbers grow
Nov 24, 2020, at 10:06 pm
New York: The UN on Monday said it was “extremely concerned” over the safety of civilians across Ethiopia’s Tigray region, as fighting between Government troops and those loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) reportedly continued, with the Ethiopian Prime Minister having called on opposition forces to surrender the capital Mekelle, by Wednesday.
UN expert calls for urgent action to end ‘pandemic of femicide and violence against women’
Nov 24, 2020, at 09:33 pm
New York: COVID-19 is overshadowing what has become a “pandemic of femicide” and related gender-based violence against women and girls, said independent UN human rights expert Dubravka Šimonović on Monday, calling for the universal establishment of national initiatives to monitor and prevent such killings.
Somalia at a crossroad, UN envoy urges ‘deepened’ political consensus
Nov 24, 2020, at 03:46 pm
New York: The “broad political consensus” reached in September that ended a two-year stalemate in Somalia must be “preserved and indeed deepened”, the country’s UN envoy told the Security Council on Monday.
Italy announces temporary ban on Mink farming
Nov 24, 2020, at 02:27 pm
Rome/Sputnik: Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza signed a decree on Monday banning mink farming until at least March, amid fears that coronavirus mutations may affect vaccine efficacy.
WHO hopes China to facilitate trip of Int'l team probing virus origins as soon as possible
Nov 24, 2020, at 02:22 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The international expert team probing the origins of the novel coronavirus will travel to China, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s senior officials said on Monday, adding that they expect Beijing to facilitate the trip as soon as possible.
Nov 24, 2020, at 12:57 am
Canberra: Australian PM Scott Morrison has said he would not compromise his country's national security and sovereignty, amid growing bitterness in the relationship with Beijing.
France's Danone to cut up to 2,000 jobs worldwide as pandemic damage control
Nov 23, 2020, at 10:05 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Paris-based multinational food company Danone is set to slash about 2,000 jobs both at its headquarters in the French capital and abroad as part of its recovery strategy following the COVID-19 crisis, the company announced on Monday.
Shanghai Pudong Airport shut down as all staff get tested for COVID-19: Reports
Nov 23, 2020, at 02:36 pm
Beijing/Sputnik: The Shanghai Pudong International Airport has been closed for massive coronavirus testing of the staff, the Chinese Global Times newspaper reported on Monday.
Appointment of AU envoys for Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis an 'initiative for peace': UN chief
Nov 22, 2020, at 08:40 pm
New York: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the African Union’s (AU) appointment of three high-level envoys to help resolve the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, calling it an "initiative for peace.”
France 'shocked' by ‘deeply insulting’ comments made by Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister
Nov 22, 2020, at 04:41 pm
Paris/Sputnik: The French Foreign Ministry has condemned harsh statements against President Emmanuel Macron made by Pakistan’s Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari.
Turkish police detain 18 Islamic State suspects in Istanbul
Nov 21, 2020, at 11:18 pm
Istanbul/UNI: Turkish police launched simultaneous operations against suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Istanbul and detained at least 18 people, local media reported on Saturday.
Poland to open shops from November 28 despite surge in COVID-19 cases - Prime Minister
Nov 21, 2020, at 10:57 pm
Warsaw/Sputnik: Trade centers and shops in Poland will resume operations starting November 28 while complying with sanitary rules, despite a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases per day, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Saturday.