170 signatories endorse UN ceasefire appeal during COVID crisis

Jun 25, 2020, at 09:55 am

New York/IBNS: UN Member States, Observers and others, sent a strong political message this week, with the announcement that 170 signatories have now endorsed the UN’s call to silence the guns, and stand united against the global threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Countries should find strategy that ceases to empower China: IPAC

Jun 24, 2020, at 06:55 pm

Washington: Stating that the Galwan standoff between Chinese and Indian Army officials has shown the return of 'major power violence' in the world, a global organisation of parliamentarians from democracies has said countries should work together to find a strategy that ceases to empower President Xi Jinping’s country.

Six killed in light aircraft crash in Mexico

Jun 24, 2020, at 04:33 pm

Mexico City/UNI: The Prosecutor's Office of Mexico's Chihuahua State said a Cessna light aircraft had crashed killing the pilot and five passengers.

Kyrgyzstan reports 207 new COVID-19 cases

Jun 24, 2020, at 04:33 pm

Bishkek/Xinhua: Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday reported 207 new COVID-19 cases, taking the nationwide tally to 3,726.

Amid COVID-19 outbreak, China's dog meat festival begins

Jun 24, 2020, at 11:01 am

Despite the government's recent classification of the animals as pets rather than livestock, the dog meat festival has opened in China which is believed to be the country from where the deadly COVID-19 disease originated.

Sexual violence against children during armed conflict, vastly under-reported

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:18 am

New York/IBNS: While warring parties agreed to more than 30 action plans, road maps, command orders and other measures to better protect children in 2019 – the highest number in any one year – rape and other forms of sexual violence remain vastly under-reported, including against boys, the leading UN advocate on the issue told the Security Council on Tuesday.

Universal, inclusive education ‘non-negotiable’

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:17 am

New York/IBNS: Inclusive education should be a “non-negotiable” right for all children, the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a new report launched on Tuesday.

UN agency assisting Palestinians working at ‘full capacity with inadequate resources’

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:15 am

New York/IBNS: Some 75 countries and non-governmental organizations have  pledged  $130 million in financial commitments to the UN agency that assists Palestinian refugees across the Middle East, UNRWA, following a  virtual conference on Tuesday.

Frontline public servants lauded for ‘remarkable acts of service to humankind’

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:14 am

New York/IBNS: As the world continues to grapple with the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday paid tribute to frontline public sector workers for their “remarkable acts of service to humankind”, marking Public Service Day.

Widows must not be left out of efforts to build back better after COVID-19

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:13 am

New York/IBNS: When countries begin building back from the COVID-19 pandemic they must also work towards dismantling laws that discriminate against women, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message for International Widow’s Day on Tuesday.

UN condemns killing of Indonesian peacekeeper in DR Congo

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:11 am

New York/IBNS: The United Nations has strongly condemned an attack believed to be carried out by rebel militia on peacekeepers serving with the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), which left one Indonesian ‘blue helmet’ dead, and another injured.

COVID-19 upends ‘entire generation’ of 600 million South Asian children

Jun 24, 2020, at 10:08 am

New York/IBNS: Without urgent action, COVID-19 will continue to unravel decades of progress across South Asia, destroying the “hopes and futures of an entire generation”, warns a new report released on Tuesday by the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.

Vote in Japan to change status of disputed islands, may escalate tension with China

Jun 23, 2020, at 11:01 pm

Tokyo: The dispute between Japan and China might reach another point of tension as a Japanese city passed a bill to change the administrative name of a group of islands under its authority to officially include the name "Senkaku" for the first time.

Japan-China may engage in bitter standoff over claim on group of islands on East China Sea

Jun 23, 2020, at 10:53 pm

Beijing/Tokyo: Away from Ladakh, a group of islands on the East China Sea can be the next hotspot for a bigger dispute between India and China as both the countries claim the region to be their own.

Somalia bombing leaves 3 dead

Jun 23, 2020, at 04:41 pm

Mogadishu/Xinhua: Three people including a suicide bomber were killed in an explosion outside a military training school in Mogadishu early on Tuesday, a government official has confirmed.

North Korea sets up loudspeakers along border

Jun 23, 2020, at 04:29 pm

Seoul/UNI:  North Korea has set up around 20 loudspeakers in its border with South Korea for the purpose of voicing its propaganda.

Turkey arrests four people for Spying for France - Daily Sabah

Jun 23, 2020, at 10:02 am

Moscow/Sputnik: Turkey's authorities have arrested four people for spying in favor of France, the Daily Sabah reported.

New Assembly president pledges to serve UN ‘as a whole’, building consensus

Jun 23, 2020, at 09:44 am

New York/IBNS: The expectations and views of each of the world’s regional groups and its members “will be equally important and valuable to me”, the newly elected president of what will be the 75th UN General Assembly, told an informal meeting of the world body on Monday.

COVID ‘exacerbating existing vulnerabilities’ in Central African Republic: Lacroix

Jun 23, 2020, at 09:42 am

New York/IBNS: The Central African Republic (CAR) is making progress as it prepares for presidential and legislative elections in December, but the political situation is still fragile - and security conditions volatile - amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said on Monday.

First Person: Ending violence against women - ‘men and boys — I am talking to you’, says UN Deputy Chief

Jun 23, 2020, at 09:38 am

New York/IBNS: Men and boys who “turn a blind eye” to violence against women, must accept that they are “accomplices to violence” according to the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.

Kung fu shrine Shaolin Temple reopens to public

Jun 22, 2020, at 05:13 pm

Zhengzhou/Xinhua: China's kung fu shrine Shaolin Temple reopened to the public on Monday, ending a months-long closure amid the COVID-19 epidemic.

Black, minority representation in UK senior-level jobs remains vanishingly small - Report

Jun 22, 2020, at 05:08 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: The proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in leadership positions in United Kingdom businesses have hardly budged since 2014, a report found.

North Korea has 12 Million leaflets ready to be Spread in South Korea - Reports

Jun 22, 2020, at 09:29 am

Moscow/Sputnik: North Korea has printed 12 million leaflets intended to be distributed in South Korea as part of an information campaign against Seoul, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reports.

National security law will trigger fresh protests in Hong Kong: Joshua Wong

Jun 21, 2020, at 10:35 pm

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong has said implementation of the new legislation by the Chinese government on the city may trigger protests.

Over 10 policemen wounded during unrest in Germany's Stuttgart

Jun 21, 2020, at 07:02 pm

Berlin/Sputnik: More than ten police officers were injured and over 20 people detained during the unrest that took place on Saturday night in the center of Germany's Stuttgart, the local police said in a press release on Sunday.

UK Police declare Reading attack 'terrorrist incident'

Jun 21, 2020, at 06:31 pm

London/UNI: Police on Sunday confirmed the stabbing attack in Reading, in which three people died a "terrorist incident".

Shooting in uptown Minneapolis leaves one dead, 11 wounded

Jun 21, 2020, at 04:42 pm

Washington/Sputnik: At least one man was killed and 11 injured in a shooting incident in the US city of Minneapolis, police said on Sunday.

Donald Trump may announce visa restrictions in 2 days: Report

Jun 21, 2020, at 11:58 am

Washington/IBNS: US President Donald Trump on Saturday said he will make major announcements related to new restrictions on visas to certain foreign workers within two days.

National security legislation will bring Chinese system to Hong Kong: Report

Jun 20, 2020, at 10:47 pm

Beijing: The implementation of the Hong Kong national security legislation will make the mainland China's legal system effective on the city that has witnessed violent protests against the law in recent times.

China took aggressive stance as it felt threatened by India's infrastructure building in Ladakh: Gilgit Baltistan activist

Jun 20, 2020, at 10:41 pm

Washington: A  Gilgit Baltistan activist feels that India building the infrastructure projects in Ladakh region has made China feel threatened and it resorted to aggressive stance in recent times.