Swiss government calls on voters to reject burqa, niqab ban in upcoming referendum
Jan 20, 2021, at 03:08 pm
Bern/Sputnik: The Swiss government on Tuesday urged the country's voters to reject a proposal to ban full facial coverings, such as the Islamic burqa and niqab, in an upcoming March referendum.
Canada to lobby Biden administration at the highest level in a bid to save Keystone XL
Jan 20, 2021, at 02:50 pm
Ottawa/Sputnik: The Canadian government will lobby the "highest levels" of the incoming Biden administration in a bid to salvage the Keystone XL oil pipeline extension, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Tuesday.
US Senate leader says Biden's inauguration will be 'safe and successful'
Jan 20, 2021, at 02:35 pm
Washington/Sputnik: US Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in a speech on Tuesday said President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration will be safe and successful.
US government accuses China of 'committing genocide against Uighurs
Jan 20, 2021, at 02:23 pm
Washington/UNI: The outgoing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday accused China of committing genocide in its repression of the Uighurs and other mainly Muslim people of China.
New Covid-19 variants in Canada could evade vaccination efforts, warn scientists
Jan 20, 2021, at 05:19 am
Canada/IBNS: Canadian scientists are concerned about the new variants of Covid-19 in Canada and are worried about their ability to infect people more easily as well as their ability to potentially destroy antibodies created in these patients after being infected or vaccinated, media reports said.
996 work culture: Death of 22-year-old techie exposes toxicity of the Chinese industry
Jan 20, 2021, at 03:05 am
Beijing: The death of a 22-year-old Chinese woman tech worker has exposed the industry's toxic '996' work culture, media reports said.
Uyghur woman Gulbahar Haitiwaji reveals her days of torment in Chinese camps
Jan 20, 2021, at 02:45 am
Beijing: An Uyghur woman, who was lured back to China from France only to be arrested, interrogated and abused, has penned down her experiences in a book where she said in the camps run by Beijing the thought of life and death do not remain the same as it is in the normal world.
Pak, Turkey are two countries 'but one nation': PAF chief
Jan 19, 2021, at 11:44 pm
Istanbul: Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan has said Pakistan and Turkey are "two countries, one nation", highlighting the growing bond between the two.
Pakistan: Peshawar's Bus Rapid Transit system lacks functional washrooms
Jan 19, 2021, at 11:42 pm
Islamabad: Pakistan PM Imran Khan inaugurated the Bus Rapid Transit in Peshawar in August but in only a gap of five months passengers are yet to be provided working bathrooms in the facility.
Imran Khan under immense pressure to resign, says PML-N leader
Jan 19, 2021, at 11:40 pm
Islamabad: Pakistan's key opposition party Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) has said PM Imran Khan is under "immense pressure" to resign from his post by Jan 31.
Think tank says China's revisions to defense law push Beijing closer to war
Jan 19, 2021, at 11:36 pm
Beijing: A think-tank in Taiwan has said a recent amendments to its National Defense Law indicates that Beijing has shifted its defense strategy to a more pre-emptive posture, making it more likely that it wages war, media reports said.
Jan 19, 2021, at 11:32 pm
Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan has suspended the membership of 154 federal and provincial lawmakers after they failed to submit assets and liabilities statements.
Afghanistan: Five civilians injured in central Uruzgan province blast
Jan 19, 2021, at 10:41 pm
Kabul: Five civilians and two policemen were hurt as a bomb-rigged motorcycle blasted in Afghanistan's central Uruzgan province on Tuesday, media reports said.
Two UN peacekeepers killed in an ambush in Central African Republic
Jan 19, 2021, at 10:33 pm
Bangui/New York/New Delhi/Two United Nations peacekeepers were killed after their convoy was ambushed by members of the UPC and anti-Balaka armed groups in southern Central African Republic (CAR), the UN Mission in the country said on Monday.
PDM announces new round of anti-government rallies against Imran Khan govt across Pakistan
Jan 19, 2021, at 05:15 pm
Islamabad: Pakistan's key opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday announced the second round of rallies against Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government across the country.
Hong Kong: China to bar British overseas passport holders from public office
Jan 19, 2021, at 04:59 pm
Beijing: China is planning to bar British National (Overseas) passport [BN (O)] owners from holding public office in Hong Kong, a measure believed to be taken by Beijing to control dissenting voice, media reports said.
Guterres commends Libya forum for breakthrough on interim leadership deal
Jan 19, 2021, at 03:56 pm
New York: The UN Secretary-General has praised the breakthrough made by a key committee of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum at the weekend, over an interim political leadership deal, ahead of nationwide elections at the end of the year.
UN rights office ‘deeply troubled’ by Russian activist Aleksei Navalny’s arrest
Jan 19, 2021, at 03:47 pm
New York: The UN human rights office (OHCHR) have raised alarm over the arrest of Russian opposition activist Aleksei Navalny and called for his immediate release. The office said in a tweet that they were "deeply troubled" by the arrest and called on the Government to respect his right to legal due process.
Jan 19, 2021, at 03:30 pm
New York: A group of independent UN rights experts released a statement on Monday condemning the violent storming of the United States Capitol building in Washington DC on 6 January, which they described as a shocking and incendiary attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election.
UN chief calls for protection of civilians as violence spikes in Sudan’s West Darfur
Jan 19, 2021, at 03:11 pm
New York: The United Nations Secretary-General has voiced deep concern over escalating violence in West Darfur and called on the Sudanese authorities to “expend all efforts” to end the fighting and protect civilians.
Donald Trump terminates entry restrictions for Schengen, UK, Brazil from Jan 26
Jan 19, 2021, at 03:03 pm
Washington/Sputnik: US President Donald Trump on Monday lifted COVID-19 restrictions on travel to the United States from the Schengen Area, the UK, Ireland and Brazil, according to a proclamation on the White House's website.
What does Joe Biden's plan of Keystone XL cancellation mean to Canada?
Jan 19, 2021, at 08:14 am
Canada/IBNS: U.S. president-elect Joe Biden's plan to cancel Keystone XL, after he officially becomes the U.S. President, was reacted differently by the different political parties of Canada, media reports said.
US Capitol temporarily shuts down after fire breaks nearby
Jan 19, 2021, at 04:22 am
Washington/IBNS: The US Capitol was on Monday shut down temporarily after a fire broke out near the complex, the Capitol Police said.
Ontario extending emergency orders to protect vulnerable populations
Jan 19, 2021, at 03:44 am
Ontario/IBNS: In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ontario government is extending most orders currently in force under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (ROA) for additional 30 days, with the exception of drinking water systems and sewage works.
Lease payment for seized aircraft: PIA officials to appear in UK, Malaysia courts
Jan 19, 2021, at 01:22 am
Islamabad: A day after a Pakistan International Airlines plane was impounded by Malaysian authorities due to a British court case over the aircraft’s $14 million lease dispute, country's Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Saturday said the national carrier did not pay the lease due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Maintain eternal vigilance in standing up to China: Pence urges Biden administration
Jan 19, 2021, at 01:17 am
Vice President Mike Pence has asked the Biden administration to maintain "eternal vigilance" on the US-China relationship issue.
US retains terrorist designation of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba
Jan 19, 2021, at 12:29 am
Washington: The Department of State has amended the terrorist designations of Lashkar i Jhangvi (LJ) and ISIL Sinai Peninsula (ISIL-SP) to include additional aliases.
No-trust vote is the only way to remove Imran Khan government: Bilawal Bhutto
Jan 19, 2021, at 12:25 am
Islamabad: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Saturday said the only way to remove Imran Khan from power is by tabling a no-confidence motion against the prime minister among its allies.
Woman aged 96 becomes first Spaniard to get 2nd dose of Pfizer vaccine : Health Ministry
Jan 18, 2021, at 11:58 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The first person to receive the COVID-19 vaccine developed by US company Pfizer in Spain, a 96-year-old resident of a care home, Araceli Rosario Hidalgo, has now received the second shot of the vaccine, the Spanish Health Ministry said on Monday.
Corruption scam: Samsung heir Lee Jae Yong gets 2.5-yr prison term
Jan 18, 2021, at 11:03 pm
Seoul/UNI: The de facto chief of South Korea's Samsung company Lee Jae Yong was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail over corruption charges on Monday.