Keep Turkey’s Hagia Sophia ‘a space for meeting of cultures’, UN rights experts urge
Aug 01, 2020, at 02:18 pm
New York: The historic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, designated a mosque once again earlier this month by the Turkish Government, should be maintained as an inter-cultural space “reflecting the diversity and complexity of Turkey and its history”, said two independent human rights experts on Friday.
Air Transat to cancel most winter flights from Western Canada to US, sun terminus
Aug 01, 2020, at 05:43 am
Ottawa/IBNS: Air Transat has planned to cancel most of the winter flights from Western Canada to sun destinations and the United States, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with fully refunding all en route travellers, media reports said.
Jul 31, 2020, at 09:40 pm
New York: Web-based surveillance of the global spread of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) during the first 11 weeks of the outbreak (Dec 31, 2019, to March 10, 2020), reveals that three-quarters (75/99) of affected countries outside mainland China reported their first COVID-19 case in people who had recently travelled to an affected country—with almost two-thirds of these first cases linked to travel to Italy (27%), China (22%), or Iran (11%), according to new research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.
Bangladesh registers 28 new COVID-19 deaths
Jul 31, 2020, at 09:30 pm
Dhaka: Bangladesh has reported 28 new COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, media reports said on Friday.
Afghan civilians killed in Pakistani shelling
Jul 31, 2020, at 09:26 pm
Kabul, Jul 31 (UNI) At least nine Afghan civilians were killed and 50 others injured by Pakistani artillery fire in the border province of Kandahar, Afghanistan's Defense Ministry announced on Friday.
World Day against Human Trafficking spotlights essential role of first responders
Jul 31, 2020, at 03:51 pm
The UN commemorated World Day against Human Trafficking on Thursday spotlighting the essential – but often overlooked - role of first responders who identify the millions of victims worldwide, helping them secure justice, and rebuild their lives.
Ravages of acute hunger will likely hit six in 10 in Zimbabwe: WFP
Jul 31, 2020, at 03:41 pm
New York: The World Food Programme (WFP) is urgently seeking more international support to prevent millions of Zimbabweans plunging deeper into hunger. The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated an already severe hunger crisis in Zimbabwe, UN humanitarians warned on Thursday.
COVID-19: UN chief outlines path to sustainable, inclusive recovery in Southeast Asia
Jul 31, 2020, at 03:36 pm
New York: Tackling inequality, bridging the digital divide, greening the economy, and upholding human rights and good governance will be critical for Southeast Asia to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday.
Baghdad: 2 rockets hit airport in Iraqi capital
Jul 31, 2020, at 03:33 pm
Baghdad/Xinhua: The Iraqi military said two Katyusha rockets landed at the edge of Baghdad International Airport on Thursday without causing casualties.
US directs Pakistan to act after American blasphemy accused Naseem shot dead in Peshawar court
Jul 31, 2020, at 02:39 pm
Islamabad: The United States has asked Pakistan to take action over the killing of an American national in a crowded courtroom in Peshawar city as he faced trial for blasphemy.
Afghanistan: Car bomb blast incident leaves 8 killed
Jul 31, 2020, at 02:24 pm
Kabul: The death toll due to the car bombing in central Logar province in Afghanistan on Thursday touched eight, media reports said.
Donald Trump suggests delaying 2020 US Presidential Election
Jul 31, 2020, at 05:33 am
Washington/IBNS: US President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested that the 2020 election be delayed until the Coronavirus situation improves in America to ensure safe and proper voting.
India-Chinese troops disengage in most locations: Wang Wenbin
Jul 30, 2020, at 08:28 pm
Beijing: A top Chinese official has said Indian and Chinese frontline troops have completed disengagement at most locations and the tension across the border is cooling down.
Hong Kong Conflict: China suspends extradition treaties with Canada, Australia, Britain
Jul 30, 2020, at 08:22 pm
Hong Kong/Beijing: Amid growing conflict, China on Tuesday announced a decision to suspend extradition and judiciary assistance treaties between Hong Kong and Canada, Australia and Britain.
Think tank suggests US Pentagon to focus on China in national defence strategy
Jul 30, 2020, at 08:14 pm
Washington: Keeping in mind the Chinese aggression, a US-based think tank has said that the Pentagon should start the year-long effort this winter to prepare a new National Defense Strategy (NDS) to shift Washington's official attention to the operational challenges posed by Beijing in the upcoming days.
Activist urges world to question China’s genocide of Uyghurs
Jul 30, 2020, at 07:15 pm
Beijing: An Uyghur activist has said it is time for the world to question the genocide by China on his people.
Jul 30, 2020, at 06:07 am
Ottawa/IBNS: With Ontario's fewest number of new cases since March 23, and in consultation with its health officials and experts, Ontario administration gave a green signal this morning to Toronto and Peel Region to move into Stage 3 of Ontario's COVID-19 recovery plan this Friday, media reports said.
Facebook Canada joins Ontario University on 'global network' to counter online hate
Jul 30, 2020, at 06:02 am
Ottawa/IBNS: Facebook Canada has partnered with Ontario Tech University's Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism to create the Global Network Against Hate, media reports said.
Bangladesh: Schools to remain shut due to COVID-19 till Aug 31
Jul 30, 2020, at 12:23 am
Dhaka: Amid growing COVID-19 infection across Bangladesh, the country's administration has extended closing down of schools and other educational institutions till Aug 31.
Pakistan: Muslim man accused of insulting Islam shot dead in court complex
Jul 30, 2020, at 12:12 am
Islamabad: A Pakistani Muslim man, who was on trial for blasphemy, was shot dead by an unknown person in a Peshawar court on Wednesday, media reports said.
Record 212 land and environment activists killed in 2019, says independent watchdog Global Witness
Jul 29, 2020, at 11:48 pm
New York: Independent watchdog Global Witness on Wednesday revealed the highest number of land and environmental defenders were murdered on record in a single year.
Afghanistan: Uruzgan roadside mine blast leaves three cops killed
Jul 29, 2020, at 10:54 pm
Kabul: At least three policemen were killed and another person was wounded as a roadside mine blast rocked Uruzgan province in Afghanistan on Wednesday, media reports said.
French police evacuate refugee camps in Paris suburb
Jul 29, 2020, at 10:39 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Migrant camps in the Aubervilliers commune, located in the north-eastern suburb of Paris, are currently being dismantled, the French capital's police department announced on Wednesday Morning.
Turkish police detain 11 IS suspects in Istanbul
Jul 29, 2020, at 10:34 pm
Istanbul/Xinhua: Turkish police on Wednesday detained 11 people, including nine foreign nationals, in Istanbul over their suspected links to the Islamic State (IS), local media reported.
Covid-19: Death toll mounts to 3,035 in Bangladesh
Jul 29, 2020, at 10:30 pm
Dhaka/UNI: The death toll from coronavirus has reached 3,035 in Bangladesh on Wednesday as the country recorded 35 more fatalities to the disease in the last 24 hours.
Forced labour, prostitution and child marriages: rescuing victims of trafficking in Malawi
Jul 29, 2020, at 06:17 pm
New York: Human trafficking is a problem in Malawi, with teenage boys forced to work as farm labourers, and young women to sexual exploitation in nightclubs or bars. The UN is supporting the Malawian governments to end the practice and protect vulnerable people.
Yemen: Crisis reaches new low, top UN officials tell Security Council
Jul 29, 2020, at 06:16 pm
New York: The humanitarian crisis in Yemen has never been worse, with conflict escalating, famine on the horizon, the economy in tatters and COVID-19 out of control, senior UN officials told the Security Council on Tuesday as they issued a fresh call for an immediate ceasefire.
UN-African Union mission condemns recent spate of deadly attacks in Darfur
Jul 29, 2020, at 06:15 pm
New York: The joint UN-African Union Mission in Darfur, UNAMID, is calling for the Sudanese Government to arrest those responsible for the recent spike in violent attacks against peaceful protestors, civilians and displaced persons in various locations across the province.
Human rights report details ‘heartbreaking’ accounts of women detained in DPRK
Jul 29, 2020, at 06:14 pm
New York: Women forcibly returned to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are subjected to torture, ill treatment, sexual abuse, and other violations, according to a report published on Tuesday by the UN Human Rights office.
Coronavirus: Reshape the urban world to aid ‘ground zero’ pandemic cities
Jul 29, 2020, at 05:59 pm
New York: Cities have proved to be “ground zero” the world over for the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN chief said on Tuesday, encouraging leaders everywhere to “rethink and reshape the urban world” as we recover.