Thailand's Phuket on lockdown until April 30 to curb COVID-19 spread : reports
Mar 30, 2020, at 12:39 pm
Moscow/Sputnik.UNI: Phuket, Thailand’s biggest island and major tourist destination, was put on lockdown on Monday in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus, national media reported, citing the governor’s order.
North Korea tests 'super-large’ rocket launcher, test appears successful - Reports
Mar 30, 2020, at 12:30 pm
Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The two short-range projectiles fired by North Korea on Sunday were a test of a ‘super-large’ multiple rocket launcher, the South Korean Yonhap News Agency reports.
Saudi authorities impose curfew in Jeddah amid coronavirus pandemic - Interior Ministry
Mar 29, 2020, at 08:06 pm
Beirut/Sputnik/UNI: Saudi Arabia has imposed a curfew in the western Jeddah province starting from Sunday at 15:00 local time (12:00 PM GMT) due to the spread of COVID-19, the Interior Ministry said.
Iran plans to use plasma of recovered people for new COVID-19 patients
Mar 29, 2020, at 07:33 pm
Tehran/Xinhua/UNI: Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Iran's capital Tehran is considering the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in the newly affected patients, Press TV reported on Sunday.
Mar 28, 2020, at 04:57 pm
New York/IBNS: UN Peacekeeping radio stations have in recent decades helped build support for peace process in a dozen countries around the world including Cambodia, Croatia, Namibia and Timor-Leste.
OneWeb blames COVID 19 for collapse
Mar 28, 2020, at 04:42 pm
New York/IBNS: Blaming Coronavirus for the collapse, OneWeb, the global communications company, on Saturday announced that the company and certain of its controlled affiliates have voluntarily filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
Violence erupts in China as people attempt to leave COVID19-hit Hubei province
Mar 28, 2020, at 03:34 pm
Beijing/IBNS: The Chinese government's decision to relax an epidemic lockdown, which was triggered following the spread of Coronavirus in Wuhan region seems to have backfired as violent protests occurred on a bridge between China’s virus-stricken Hubei province and neighbouring Jiangxi province recently, media reports said.
UAE records 72 new COVID-19 cases, 405 in total
Mar 28, 2020, at 11:35 am
Dubai/Xinhua/UNI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday reported 72 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 405, the Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a statement.
Global economy has clearly entered recession: IMF chief
Mar 28, 2020, at 10:12 am
Washington/IBNS: International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva on Friday said the growing COVID 19 outbreak across the globe has led the world to enter the state of financial recession.
IMF approves first emergency COVID-19 aid for Kyrgyzstan
Mar 27, 2020, at 06:29 pm
Bishkek/Xinhua/UNI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday approved a disbursement of 120.9 million U.S. dollars to address Kyrgyzstan's COVID-19 outbreak, its first offer of emergency financial assistance since the pandemic started.
Malaysia unveils new stimulus package to counter COVID-19 impact
Mar 27, 2020, at 05:34 pm
Kuala Lumpur/Xinhua/UNI: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced an economic stimulus package worth 250 billion ringgit (about 57.54 billion U.S. dollars) on Friday to fight the economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Uganda registers four new cases of COVID-19, 18 in total
Mar 27, 2020, at 05:23 pm
Kampala/Xinhua/UNI: Uganda has registered four new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 18, according to the ministry of health.
After Prince Charles, now British PM Boris Johnson tests positive for COVID 19
Mar 27, 2020, at 05:05 pm
London/IBNS: British PM Boris Johnson on Friday tested positive for COVID 19.
After accusing WHO of siding with China over COVID-19, Donald Trump talks to Xi Jinping
Mar 27, 2020, at 12:21 pm
Washington/IBNS: After accusing the World Health Organisation (WHO) of siding with China over COVID-19, US President Donald Trump on Friday held a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping and stated the two countries were working closely to fight the deadly Novel Coronavirus.
Mar 27, 2020, at 11:58 am
New York/IBNS: World leaders at the G-20 virtual summit held on Thursday committed to inject over $5 trillion into the global economy to counteract the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iraq: Top UN official calls on political leaders to confront COVID-19 pandemic and unite
Mar 27, 2020, at 11:55 am
New York/IBNS: While the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the political, security, social and economic crises roiling Iraq, the top UN official in the country hopes it will spur leaders to put aside their differences and unite for the common good.
‘Rapid deterioration’ in global investment flows as Coronavirus spreads: UN trade body
Mar 27, 2020, at 11:54 am
New York/IBNS: Foreign direct investment flows are liable to drop by 30 to 40 per cent during 2020, into next year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a far more severe economic blow that initially projected, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said on Thursday in its latest Investment Trends Monitor report.
Mar 27, 2020, at 11:49 am
New York/IBNS: Dozens of independent UN human rights experts stressed on Thursday that in addition to public health and emergency measures, battling the COVID-19 pandemic, must respect the fundamental human rights of every individual.
UK Chancellor to unveil financial package for freelancers affected by COVID-19 : reports
Mar 26, 2020, at 04:45 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak will provide details of a financial support package for self-employed people and freelancers affected by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak during a joint press briefing with Prime Minister Boris Johnson later on Thursday, according to the Sky News broadcaster.
UN chief calls for ceasefire as Yemen braces for possible COVID-19 outbreak
Mar 26, 2020, at 01:40 pm
New York/IBNS: Echoing his 23 March appeal to warring parties across the globe for an immediate ceasefire, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on those fighting in Yemen to end hostilities and ramp up efforts to counter a potential outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mar 26, 2020, at 01:39 pm
New York/IBNS: The top United Nations official in Somalia congratulated the Horn of Africa nation on Wednesday for achieving the benchmark set by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), confirming its eligibility for debt relief.
Mar 26, 2020, at 01:37 pm
New York/IBNS: COVID-19 has begun to strike in prisons, jails and immigration detention centres, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned on Wednesday, as she urged Governments “not to forget hose behind bars” and to protect those working in closed facilities in their overall efforts to contain the pandemic
UN launches major humanitarian appeal to keep COVID-19 from ‘circling back around the globe’
Mar 26, 2020, at 01:30 pm
New York/IBNS: To confront the unprecedented worldwide challenge posed by the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, top UN officials on Wednesday, launched a massive humanitarian appeal to mitigate its impact, particularly on fragile countries with weak health systems.
Moving forward requires confronting slavery’s ‘racist legacy’: UN chief
Mar 26, 2020, at 01:26 pm
New York/IBNS: In his message for the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, observed on Wednesday, the UN Secretary-General called for the dismantling of racist structures and institutions so that the world can move forward.
‘Concerted efforts’ needed to meet 2030 Global Goals in Asia-Pacific region
Mar 26, 2020, at 01:17 pm
New York/IBNS: Action to reverse the depletion and degradation of the environment across Asia and the Pacific is a top priority if the region is to stay on course to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a new United Nations report launched online, for the first time, on Tuesday.
London court refuses to release Assange on bail amid coronavirus
Mar 25, 2020, at 07:54 pm
London/Sputnik: The Westminster Magistrates Court in London refused on Wednesday the appeal by lawyers of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to release him on bail because of the risk of contracting coronavirus while in prison.
Canadian carrier West Jet plans to lay off nearly 7,000 employees due to COVID-19 crisis
Mar 25, 2020, at 06:16 pm
Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: WestJet, Canada’s second-largest air carrier, has said that nearly 7,000 of its employees will have to leave the company due to the impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on the airline industry.
China ups support to firms to ensure employment amid COVID-19 epidemic
Mar 25, 2020, at 06:10 pm
Beijing/Xinhua/UNI: China has pledged to lend more support to companies with multi-faceted measures in a renewed commitment to protecting jobs for its workforce amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, an official said Wednesday.
East China province exports over 11 mln masks
Mar 25, 2020, at 06:07 pm
Nanchang/Xinhua/UNI: East China's Jiangxi Province had exported about 11.43 million masks and 130,000 protective suits as of March 23, according to the customs in Nanchang, capital of the province.
COVID-19 death toll in Indonesia hits 58
Mar 25, 2020, at 06:01 pm
Jakarta/Xinhua/UNI: The death toll of COVID-19 in Indonesia climbed to 58 as of noon Wednesday, according to the Indonesian government.