US House of Representatives opens debate to impeach President Donald Trump
Jan 14, 2021, at 02:57 am
Washington/IBNS: The Democrat-controlled US House of Representatives on Wednesday opened debate on a historic second impeachment of President Donald Trump over the attack of the Capitol by his supporters that left five dead.
Pakistan PM Imran Khan is visionless: Maulana Fazalur Rehman
Jan 14, 2021, at 12:44 am
Islamabad/UNI: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman on Wednesday called Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government a "rigged" and said Prime Minister Imran Khan has no vision.
UK seeing first signs of Covid-linked lockdown's positive effect: Prime Minister
Jan 13, 2021, at 11:48 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The first positive effects of strict lockdown measures are starting to manifest in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday.
US does not advocate interim government in Afghanistan: Diplomat
Jan 13, 2021, at 11:28 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The United States does not advocate an interim government in Afghanistan, as it believes that the outcomes of the peace talks between the government in Kabul and the Taliban radical group should reflect the aspirations of the Afghan people, Charge d'Affaires to Afghanistan Ross Wilson said on Wednesday, reaffirming commitment to a political settlement.
Afghanistan: Nangarhar court employee killed in targeted attack
Jan 13, 2021, at 10:03 pm
Nangarhar: Unknown gunmen shot dead an employee of Nangarhar’s appellate court in Afghanistan on Wednesday, media reports said.
Japanese Prime Minister halts entry of all non-resident foreign nationals: Reports
Jan 13, 2021, at 09:52 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who earlier in the day expanded the coronavirus-related state of emergency to seven more prefectures, announced that the country was halting entry of all non-resident foreign nationals amid the continuing spike in new cases, Kyodo news agency reported.
Canada: Ontario issues stay-at-home order amid spike in Covid-19 cases
Jan 13, 2021, at 06:36 pm
Ontario/IBNS: Canadian province Ontario has issued a provincial stay-at-home order and fresh restrictions in view of the surge in Covid-19 cases.
Humanitarians seek $1.3 billion to help millions in war-weary Afghanistan
Jan 13, 2021, at 05:49 pm
New York: The UN and humanitarian partners in Afghanistan are seeking $1.3 billion to assist almost 16 million people in need of life-saving assistance as a result of decades of conflict, recurrent natural disasters, and the added impact of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
Humanitarian crisis looms in Madagascar amid drought and pandemic
Jan 13, 2021, at 05:17 pm
New York: In southern Madagascar, “famine-like conditions” have doubled the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance compared with last year, to more than 1.3 million. Successive droughts and a lack of jobs linked to COVID-19 restrictions are to blame, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday.
UNICEF chief: Closing schools should be ‘measure of last resort’
Jan 13, 2021, at 05:10 pm
New York: The head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) underscored on Tuesday that “no effort should be spared” to keep children in school, as the coronavirus pandemic continues into a second year.
UN counter-terrorism chief urges continued vigilance against ‘real’ ongoing threat
Jan 13, 2021, at 04:49 pm
New York: Despite important strikes against terrorism over the past two decades, including in bringing perpetrators to justice and disrupting additional attacks, countries cannot afford to let down their guard, the UN’s counter-terrorism chief told a virtual meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday.
UN refugee agency calls for ‘new chapter for refugee protection’ across Europe
Jan 13, 2021, at 04:32 pm
New York: As Portugal assumes the presidency of the European Union (EU), to be followed by Slovenia later this year, the UN refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday called on them to lead the effort to forge a better protection system for those seeking refuge across the continent and beyond.
Peru: UN rights office decries excessive use of force in November protests
Jan 13, 2021, at 04:25 pm
New York: Police in Peru used unnecessary and excessive force during protests in the capital last November challenging the legitimacy of the interim President, a report published on Tuesday by the UN Human Rights Office, OHCHR has found.
Syrian state TV reports Israeli air strikes on Syria's southeastern regions
Jan 13, 2021, at 02:58 pm
Cairo/Sputnik: The Syrian state television reported about Israeli air strikes on Syria's southeastern regions.
Pakistan: Cop escorting polio workers shot dead
Jan 13, 2021, at 02:47 pm
Islamabad: A cop, who was escorting a team of polio health workers, has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region on Tuesday, media reports said.
Pence opposes invoking 25th amendment, warns of setting 'Terrible' precedent: Letter
Jan 13, 2021, at 02:34 pm
Washington/Sputnik: US Vice President Mike Pence in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged her to refrain from moving forward with legislation to remove President Donald Trump from office due to the risk it could further destabilize the United States.
Uighur women post: Twitter removes Chinese embassy in US’ tweet
Jan 13, 2021, at 01:41 am
Beijing: Popular micro-blogging website Twitter recently removed a post by the Chinese Embassy in the US which was about women belonging to the Muslim minority group Uighur, media reports said.
Jan 13, 2021, at 01:21 am
Hong Kong: The Hong Kong police have invoked the national security law for the first time to block a local website dedicated to publishing first-hand accounts of the anti-government protests in 2019 and the personal details of officers and pro-Beijing figures, showcasing the continuing atrocities carried out by officials in the city, media reports said.
Nepal: Students, police clash during protest against parliament dissolution
Jan 13, 2021, at 01:10 am
Kathmandu: Protesters, who were demonstrating against caretaker PrimeMinister KP Sharma Oli's decision to dissolve the lower house of NepaParliament, clashed with the police in Kathmandu on Sunday, media reports said.
PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman calls its struggle against govt ‘jihad’
Jan 12, 2021, at 11:03 pm
Islamabad/UNI: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday termed the opposition’s struggle against the government a 'jihad' and claimed that the nation is ready to offer any sacrifice for this cause.
S Korean gyms, cafes sue government over losses amid COVID-19 restrictions: Reports
Jan 12, 2021, at 10:53 pm
Moscow/ Sputnik: Hundreds of gym and cafe owners in South Korea have filed or will soon file for compensation to cover losses incurred due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday.
North Korea possibly preparing for military parade in coming days amid Party Congress
Jan 12, 2021, at 10:43 pm
Pyongyang/Sputnik: North Korea could possibly hold a military parade in the coming days, after its state media reported about invitations being sent out to distinguished guests to celebrations of the 8th congress of the ruling party, the Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday,
Pakistan Army rejects allegations of meddling in country's political affairs
Jan 12, 2021, at 10:40 pm
Islamabad/UNI: Pakistan Army has rejected the opposition’s criticism of its meddling in the country's political affairs and said there is no reason for the opposition alliance — Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — to march to Rawalpindi, where the military headquarters are located.
Second US congresswoman tests positive for COVID-19 after capitol unrest
Jan 12, 2021, at 10:16 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Pramila Jayapal, a member of the US House of Representatives, said on Monday that she contracted COVID-19 after being locked down in the same room with a number of Republican lawmakers who refused to wear masks during the unrest in the Capitol last week.
Guterres to seek second five-year term as UN Secretary-General
Jan 12, 2021, at 04:52 pm
New York: António Guterres confirmed on Monday that he will be seeking a second five-year term as UN Secretary-General, which would begin in January 2022.
Serious repercussions likely to follow US plan to designate Yemen combatants terrorists, UN warns
Jan 12, 2021, at 04:45 pm
New York: The United States government’s decision to designate Ansar Allah, more commonly known as the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, as terrorists, is likely to have “serious humanitarian and political repercussions”, the UN spokesperson said on Monday.
West Africa: Democracy ‘a constant process’ top UN official tells Security Council
Jan 12, 2021, at 04:37 pm
New York: While elections are one-time events, “democracy is a constant process of deliberation and consultation” where dialogue provides an “important arena for the building of national consensus”, the top UN official in West Africa told the Security Council on Monday.
US to start Security lockdown in downtown Washington for Biden inauguration Wednesday
Jan 12, 2021, at 04:16 pm
Washington/Sputnik: The US government will start a security lockdown in downtown Washington, DC beginning on Wednesday for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, six days earlier than previously planned, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement.
Privacy row: Whatsapp clarifies messages with friends, family remain safe
Jan 12, 2021, at 03:34 pm
Washington: Facebook-owned messaging service Whatsapp on Tuesday clarified that its privacy policy update does not affect the privacy of users' messages with friends or family.
Terrorists carry out 21 attacks on Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone: Reconciliation Center
Jan 12, 2021, at 03:24 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Members of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (banned in Russia) shelled Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone 21 times over the past 24 hours, Rear Adm. Vyacheslav Sytnik, the deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said on Monday.