UN human rights chief: racism and xenophobia are ‘contagious killers’ too

Mar 14, 2020, at 08:25 am

New York/IBNS: The coronavirus outbreak may have forced millions around the world already into “social distancing”, keeping a metre apart to prevent its spread, but it will not stop them from uniting to combat racism, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights declared in Geneva on Friday.

US airstrikes hit Iraqi paramilitary headquarters

Mar 13, 2020, at 07:35 pm

Baghdad/Xinhua/UNI:  The US military carried out overnight airstrikes on paramilitary Hashd Shaabi headquarters south of Baghdad, the Iraqi military said on Friday.

On high alert of COVID-19, Myanmar to restrict public events until late April

Mar 13, 2020, at 07:29 pm

Yangon, /Xinhua/UNI: Myanmar government Friday announced the restriction of mass gatherings and public events including the traditional Thingyan water festival until the end of April, according to an announcement issued by the President's Office.

De-escalate now, to steer Yemen off ‘precarious path’, UN Security Council hears

Mar 13, 2020, at 09:36 am

New York/IBNS: Yemen is at a “critical juncture”, the UN Special Envoy for the country told the Security Council on Thursday. Speaking via video-link, Martin Griffiths said that the combatants will either move towards de-escalation or greater violence, which would make “the path to the negotiating table more arduous”.

Iraq: UN mission urges ‘maximum restraint' following deadly attack on foreign troops

Mar 13, 2020, at 09:20 am

New York/IBNS: The UN mission in Iraq has called for ‘maximum restraint’ following a deadly attack on foreign forces serving under the United States-led coalition against the militant group ISIL.

War in Syria: 'Carnage', flouting of rights and international law, must stop: Guterres

Mar 13, 2020, at 09:15 am

New York/IBNS: UN agencies have underscored their commitment to continue supporting civilians affected by the war in Syria, which this month enters its tenth year. The Secretary-General issued a statement on Thursday, declaring that "we cannot allow the tenth year to result in the same carnage, the same flouting of human rights and international humanitarian law."

South Africa reports four more confirmed cases of COVID-19

Mar 12, 2020, at 04:19 pm

Cape Town/Xinhua: The South African government on Thursday reported four more confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number to 17.

Israel Prez receives official election results

Mar 11, 2020, at 06:55 pm

Jerusalem/UNI: Israel President Reuven Rivlin issued a call for a unity government after the official results of the March 2 elections were submitted to him on Wednesday.

UK to withdraw over 300 troops from Afghanistan following US-Taliban Peace Deal

Mar 11, 2020, at 06:44 pm

London/UNI: United Kingdom has decided to pull out more than 300 of its troops stationed in Afghanistan by the middle of July following the peace agreement between the Taliban and the United States.

Two more Disneyland Paris employees reportedly contract Coronavirus

Mar 11, 2020, at 05:05 pm

Paris/Sputnik/UNI:  The number of Disneyland amusement park employees in Paris who tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has risen to three, French media reported.

Erdogan accuses Damascus of violating Idlib ceasefire, warns of possible new attacks

Mar 11, 2020, at 04:55 pm

Ankara/Sputnik/UNI:  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Damascus on Wednesday of violating the Idlib ceasefire, agreed upon by Russia and Turkey, warning that Ankara could strike even a heavier blow if the truce breaches continue.

UN programme to help spare millions from child marriage, extended to 2023

Mar 11, 2020, at 04:51 pm

New York/IBNS: Millions of girls have been able to avoid “an unwanted marriage and an unwelcome end to their childhood”, since the launch four years ago, of a joint UN agency programme, the head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.

Burundi election countdown amid ‘deteriorating’ human rights situation

Mar 11, 2020, at 04:42 pm

New York/IBNS: Two months ahead of Burundi’s planned local and presidential elections, senior UN-appointed independent rights investigators have urged the Government to reopen the “democratic, civil and political space” there.

Drone strike kills 5 al-Shabab terrorists in Somalia: US-Africa Command

Mar 11, 2020, at 04:41 pm

Mogadishu/Xinhua/UNI: Five al-Shabab terrorists were killed on Tuesday in a joint US-Somali airstrike in southern Somalia, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said.

Nicaragua: After two years of crisis, more than 100,000 have fled the country

Mar 11, 2020, at 03:26 pm

New York/IBNS: Over the past two years, more than 100,000 people in Nicaragua have sought asylum abroad, reportedly fleeing persecution and human rights abuses, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.

71 Chinese workers who returned to Nepal quarantined at Pokhara Airport construction site

Mar 11, 2020, at 01:49 pm

Pokhara/IBNS: Instead of showing health consciousness over the outbreak of the deadly Novel Coronavirus, China has sent 71 workers to the Pokhara Airport construction site in Nepal. All the workers have been quarantined.

Pakistan: Balochistan reports first coronavirus case

Mar 11, 2020, at 09:43 am

Quetta/IBNS: Quetta reported the first Coronavirus case in Pakistan's Balochistan region on Tuesday, media reports said.

British health minister Nadine Dorries tests positive for coronavirus

Mar 11, 2020, at 09:31 am

London/IBNS: British junior Health Minister and Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

Seven killed in boat collision in central Indonesia

Mar 10, 2020, at 07:03 pm

Jakarta/Xinhua: Seven people were killed and six others injured after two boats collided on a river in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province, a disaster agency official said on Tuesday.

Erdogan invites Putin to participate in Syria's oil fields development

Mar 10, 2020, at 06:46 pm

Ankara/Sputnik: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to participate in Syria's oil fields development for boosting the Syrian economy.

Six al-Shabab militants killed during fight with Somalia troops

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:57 pm

Mogadishu/Xinhua/UNI: Somali security forces on Tuesday killed six al-Shabab militants after a fierce gun battle in Diff town in the Lower Juba region, an official said on Tuesday.

Somali, US drone strike kills 4 al-Shabab terrorists

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:51 pm

Mogadishu/Xinhua/UNI: Somali and US forces said they conducted an airstrike in southern Somalia on Monday, killing four terrorists in the latest strike targeting the al-Shabab extremist group in the Horn of African nation.

Turkish forces neutralize 5 senior PKK members in northern Iraq

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:42 pm

Ankara/Sputnik/UNI:  Turkish forces have neutralized five senior members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), considered to be a terror group by Ankara, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

Kazakhstan bans entry for people arriving from Italy amid Coronavirus outbreak - Official

Mar 10, 2020, at 04:37 pm

Nur-Sultan/Sputnik/UNI: Kazakhstan has banned entry for all the people arriving from Italy, except Kazakh citizens, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, the country's chief sanitary doctor, Zhandarbek Bekshin, said on Tuesday.

Israel introduces mandatory quarantine for all those coming from abroad

Mar 10, 2020, at 10:34 am

Tel Aviv/Sputnik/UNI: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday the introduction of mandatory quarantine for everyone arriving from abroad amid coronavirus fears.

Rising number of young people excluded from jobs, education and training

Mar 10, 2020, at 10:25 am

New York/IBNS: The number of young people around the world who are neither employed, studying or in some kind of training, is on the rise, according to a new report released on Monday by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Atomic agency cites concerns over Iran testing sites, offers COVID-19 assistance

Mar 10, 2020, at 10:11 am

New York/IBNS: Iran’s nuclear capabilities moved back into the international spotlight on Monday as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that it had concerns about possible “undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities” in unregistered locations there.

Sudan Prime Minister survives attempted assassination

Mar 10, 2020, at 09:57 am

New York/IBNS: Sudan’s Prime Minister survived a reported assassination attempt in the capital Khartoum on Monday, tweeting after the incident that he was “safe and in good shape”.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in UK rise to 319

Mar 09, 2020, at 08:50 pm

London/Xinhua: At least 319 people in Britain have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, up from 273 at the same point Sunday, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

Iran's coronavirus death toll mounts to 237

Mar 09, 2020, at 08:07 pm

Tehran/UNI: The death toll from the deadly coronavirus in Iran rose to 238 on Monday while the number of confirmed cases has exceeded 7,000.