Australia cut access to parliament's IT over fears of cyber attack from abroad - Military

Mar 29, 2021, at 12:59 am

Moscow/Sputnik: Australia's Assistant Minister for Defense Andrew Hastie said on Sunday that the government cut access to the Parliament's IT and email services in a bid to thwart a cyber attack incoming from a foreign actor.

Putin says Russian Covid-19 vaccines have no serious registered side effects

Mar 28, 2021, at 11:34 pm

Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky, Russia/Sputnik: Russian COVID-19 vaccines have not had any serious registered side effects so far, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

Indonesia: Suicide blast outside Catholic church leaves 14 hurt

Mar 28, 2021, at 10:28 pm

Makassar: At least 14 people were injured as a suspected suicide blast hit outside a Catholic church in the Indonesian city of Makassar on Sunday, media reports said.

France's Emmanuel Macron says nothing decided yet on further COVID-19 restrictions

Mar 28, 2021, at 09:26 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: The French government will assess the impact of the current COVID-19 restrictions, but nothing has been decided yet on any further measures, President Emmanuel Macron said in an exclusive interview with Journal du Dimanche.

Container ship blocking Suez Canal could be relocated tonight : Source

Mar 28, 2021, at 08:54 pm

Cairo/Sputnik: The Ever Given container ship that is blocking the Suez Canal could be moved as soon as tonight, during high tide, a source in the Suez Canal administration told Sputnik.

US fines UK man $570 mln for Bitcoin fraud scheme : Regulator

Mar 27, 2021, at 11:12 pm

Washington/Sputnik: A US court ordered a UK man to pay more than $570 million after finding he operated a bitcon fraud scheme, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said in a statement.

At least 5 people killed, 24 injured in residential building collapse in Cairo

Mar 27, 2021, at 11:06 pm

Cairo/Moscow/Sputnik: At least five people died and 24 others were injured on Saturday as a result of a collapse of a 10-story residential building in Cairo, media reported, citing a statement by the Cairo province authorities.

100 million more children fail basic reading skills because of COVID-19

Mar 27, 2021, at 10:23 pm

New York: A new study released on Friday by the UN cultural agency, reveals that more than 100 million more children than expected, are falling behind the minimum proficiency level in reading, due to COVID-related school closures. 

Deep concern for thousands of Eritrean refugees ‘scattered’ in Ethiopia’s Tigray

Mar 27, 2021, at 10:16 pm

New York: In Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region there’s deep concern for thousands of Eritrean refugees whose camps have been found burned to the ground, confirming satellite imagery and testimony from those who have fled attacks.

Turkey ready to help tow giant cargo ship stranded in Suez Canal for 3 days - Minister

Mar 27, 2021, at 04:03 am

Ankara/Sputnik:  Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu on Friday expressed Ankara's readiness to provide assistance in an operation to refloat the giant container ship Ever Given grounded in the Suez Canal for three days to unblock one of the world's busiest trade routes.

Huge container ship blocks Egypt's Suez Canal after running aground

Mar 27, 2021, at 03:51 am

Cairo/UNI: Egypt's Suez Canal, one of the world's busiest trade routes found itself blocked on Tuesday, when a huge container ship ran aground.

Egypt train collision: 32 dead, 108 injured

Mar 27, 2021, at 02:56 am

Cairo/IBNS/UNI:At least 32 people were killed and 108 others suffered injuries as two trains collided in Tahta city of Egypt’s southern Sohag province, some 460 kilometres (285 miles) south of Cairo, on Friday.

UN envoy calls for more support to aid Palestinian COVID-19 response

Mar 26, 2021, at 11:39 pm

New York: COVID-19 continues to have a devastating effect on Palestinians, the Secretary-General’s envoy for the Middle East peace process told the Security Council on Thursday, urging greater support for vaccination efforts.  

Empowering women in peace operations remains top priority, says UN peacekeeping chief

Mar 26, 2021, at 11:33 pm

New York: Praising women’s fundamental contributions to peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts, the UN peacekeeping chief reiterated on Thursday that empowering women in the military remains a top priority, but to achieve this goal needs “all hands on deck”.

Pandemic threatens lost decade for development, UN report reveals

Mar 26, 2021, at 11:24 pm

New York: The COVID-19 pandemic has reversed development gains for millions in poor countries, creating an even more sharply unequal world, according to a new UN report released on Thursday. 

UN staff must be protected, as they undertake life-saving work, Guterres says on International Day

Mar 26, 2021, at 10:58 pm

New York: The United Nations Secretary-General has called on all countries to support the international treaty protecting UN staff and associated personnel, to ensure all those who carry out the vital work of the Organization have the safety they need to fulfill their mission.

Libya: UN envoy hails new national government after years of ‘paralysis and internal divisions’

Mar 26, 2021, at 06:10 pm

New York: After years of “paralysis and internal divisions”, progress towards a lasting peace through stable national government and dialogue, is being made in Libya, the top UN envoy for the country said on Wednesday.

Young people help draw up UN digital protection recommendations

Mar 26, 2021, at 06:06 pm

New York: Over 30 years after the invention of the world wide web, The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has laid out the ways that young people and children should be treated in the digital world, and how their rights should be protected.

UN chief reaffirms solidarity with Niger, as second deadly attack rocks country

Mar 26, 2021, at 05:46 pm

New York: The United Nations Secretary-General has reaffirmed the Organization’s support and solidarity with Niger, as the second deadly attacks against civilians in less than a week rocked the west African nation.

Poland to receive 7Mln COVID-19 vaccine doses in coming 4 weeks

Mar 25, 2021, at 12:46 am

Warsaw/Sputnik: Poland will receive 7 million doses of coronavirus vaccines in the coming four weeks, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday.

Tesla cars can now be bought with Bitcoin

Mar 24, 2021, at 11:48 pm

Washington/Sputnik: Electric car manufacturer Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Wednesday that Tesla vehicles can now be bought using Bitcoin.

Poland to receive 7Mln COVID-19 vaccine doses in coming 4 weeks

Mar 24, 2021, at 11:42 pm

Warsaw/Sputnik: Poland will receive 7 million doses of coronavirus vaccines in the coming four weeks, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday.

Israeli army strikes Hamas military facilities in Gaza Strip in response to rocket attack

Mar 24, 2021, at 10:53 pm

Tel Aviv/Sputnik: The Israeli air forces have hit military targets of Palestine's Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip in a tit-for-tat rocket attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday.

Turkey’s withdrawal from women’s protection treaty, ‘worrying step backwards’

Mar 24, 2021, at 09:51 pm

New York: Turkey’s decision to withdraw from an important treaty on protecting women is “a very worrying step backwards”, a group of independent UN human rights experts said on Tuesday.

UN agencies call for urgent action to avert famine risk in 20 ‘hunger hotspots’

Mar 24, 2021, at 09:41 pm

New York: Famine is already on the doorstep of millions of families in 20 countries, two UN agencies warned on Tuesday in a report that calls for urgent action to avert rising hunger due to factors such as conflict, climate extremes and the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Seize the moment’ to recover and rebuild better, UN deputy chief urges Asia-Pacific nations

Mar 24, 2021, at 07:17 pm

New York: Confronting major setbacks due to the coronavirus pandemic, countries in Asia and the Pacific “must now seize the moment” to rebuild and recover better together, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General said on Tuesday.

US to hold China accountable for alleged human rights violations: Pelosi

Mar 24, 2021, at 05:05 pm

Washington/Sputnik: The United States will hold China accountable for human rights violations against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, but also against people in Tibet and Hong Kong, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday.

IMF chief backs $650Bln allocation for global recovery: Statement

Mar 24, 2021, at 03:36 pm

Washington/Sputnik: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement that she supports discussions about a possible new Special Drawing Rights allocation of $650 billion to support the global recovery from the novel coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-related restrictions extended in the Netherlands until April 20

Mar 24, 2021, at 03:24 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: The restrictive measures introduced in the Netherlands in connection with the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been extended until April 20, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.

UN chief ‘profoundly concerned’ over rise in violence against Asians

Mar 24, 2021, at 01:07 am

New York: The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a statement expressing his profound concern over the rise in violence against Asians, and people of Asian descent, during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.