COVID-19 can spark new generation of social protection measures: UN chief
Dec 02, 2020, at 03:28 pm
New York: While COVID-19 has wiped out important development gains in mere months, with extreme poverty rising for the first time in decades, the pandemic could spark the transformations needed to achieve stronger social protection systems, the UN Secretary-General said on Tuesday.
UNHCR asks Ethiopia for urgent access to 96,000 Eritreans cut off without food
Dec 02, 2020, at 05:56 am
New York: The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, appealed to Ethiopia on Tuesday for urgent access to 96,000 Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, saying the month-long conflict in Tigray had left them without vital supplies.
UN appeals for $35 billion to help world’s ‘most vulnerable and fragile’ in 2021
Dec 02, 2020, at 05:21 am
New York: A record 235 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection next year, a near- 40 per cent increase on 2020 which is “almost entirely from COVID-19”, the UN’s emergency relief chief said on Tuesday.
COVID-19 worsening gender-based violence, trafficking risk, for women and girls
Dec 02, 2020, at 05:08 am
New York: With the COVID-19 pandemic heightening the dangers of gender-based violence and human trafficking, action on these two fronts is needed now more than ever, the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said on Monday.
UN human rights office worried by killings in Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua
Dec 02, 2020, at 04:33 am
New York: Violence is escalating in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, where meaningful and inclusive dialogue is urgently needed to address longstanding economic, social and political grievances, the UN human rights office said on Monday.
The pandemic is fuelling slavery and sexual exploitation, UN experts warn
Dec 01, 2020, at 09:52 pm
New York: The COVID-19 pandemic has played into the hands of slavers and traffickers and requires stronger government measures to prevent exploitation of vulnerable people, more than 50 independent UN human rights experts said in a statement on Monday.
Consign chemical weapons to history, UN chief urges, honouring victims
Dec 01, 2020, at 09:44 pm
New York: The United Nations Secretary-General has called for “renewed determination” to eliminate chemical weapons from the world.
Australia demands Chinese govt's apology for posting 'images' on social media, Beijing refuses
Dec 01, 2020, at 05:10 pm
Sydney: Australia has demanded China to apologise for allegedly posting a fake picture on a government Twitter account that depicted an Australian soldier murdering an Afghan child.
Moderna submits coronavirus vaccine data to obtain emergency use authorization
Dec 01, 2020, at 03:01 pm
Washington/Sputnik: The pharmaceutical company Moderna said that it has submitted the results of its corona vaccine trials to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to obtain emergency use authorization for the vaccine.
Drone strike kills one of Iran’s IRGC commanders in western Iraq
Dec 01, 2020, at 02:52 pm
Tehran/Sputnik: A drone strike killed one of the commanders of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Muslim Shahdan, in Iraq’s Al Anbar Province bordering Syria, Al Arabiya reported on Monday, citing Iraqi sources.
UK’s Boris Johnson hopes regulator will approve COVID-19 vaccines before Christmas
Dec 01, 2020, at 02:48 pm
London/Sputnik: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday he hoped that two promising coronavirus vaccine candidates would be approved shortly.
Anti-IS coalition deputy commander says fractioned terror group ‘down but not out’
Dec 01, 2020, at 02:45 pm
Washington/Sputnik: The Islamic State terror group has been significantly weakened but remains a threat, Operation Inherent Resolve Deputy Commander, Maj Gen Kevin Copsey, said on Monday.
France plans to build bigger, costlier aircraft carrier
Dec 01, 2020, at 02:39 pm
Paris/Sputnik: France’s plans for a next-generation aircraft carrier, PANG, to replace the obsolete Charles de Gaulle are beginning to take shape, media reported Monday.
First of four UN humanitarian airlifts for Ethiopia refugees lands in Khartoum
Nov 30, 2020, at 02:06 am
New York: An airplane loaded with humanitarian supplies for people fleeing violence in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday, in an appeal for international assistance to cope with the growing numbers seeking shelter in Sudan.
At least 40 people detained during protests in Minsk: Belarusian Rights Group
Nov 30, 2020, at 01:30 am
Minsk/Sputnik: Belarusian police have detained at least 40 people attending the Sunday anti-government rallies in the capital city of Minsk and its suburbs, the Viasna human rights center said in a news release.
UN Committee urges end to impunity for enforced disappearances in Iraq
Nov 30, 2020, at 12:34 am
New York: A pattern of enforced disappearance – and impunity for such acts - persists in Iraq, according to a report published on Friday by the UN Committee charged with monitoring how well the country upholds its international obligations in dealing with the issue.
Sixty-two police personnel injured during France protests: Reports
Nov 30, 2020, at 12:10 am
Paris/UNI: As many as 60 police officers were injured in France on Saturday during nationwide protests against a bill criminalising the display of images of law enforcement officers, local media sources reported on Sunday.
France rescuers save 45 migrants attempting to cross English channel: Maritime Prefecture
Nov 29, 2020, at 11:27 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: French rescuers have saved 45 migrants who were trying to cross the English Channel on a boat, the Maritime Prefecture for the Channel and the North Sea said on Sunday.
Saudi-led coalition attacks Houthi military air base near Sanaa int'l airport: Source
Nov 29, 2020, at 10:25 pm
Cairo/Sputnik: The Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting in Yemen has launched airstrikes against a military base of the Shia rebel Houthi movement located near the international airport in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, a source from the airport's administration told Sputnik on Sunday.
US Embassy in Eritrea says capital Asmara hit with 6 explosions on Saturday
Nov 29, 2020, at 09:53 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The Eritrean capital was hit by six explosions on November 28 amid armed clashes in neighboring Ethiopia, the United States embassy in Asmara said on Sunday, and issued a security warning for US citizens.
First African American cardinal appointed by Pope Francis
Nov 29, 2020, at 02:42 pm
Rome/UNI: Pope Francis on Saturday confirmed the first-ever African American cardinal in the history of the Catholic church, along with with12 other new cardinals to the highest rank of the Catholic Church hierarchy.
Hassan Rouhani accuses Israel of killing nuclear physicist Fakhrizadeh
Nov 28, 2020, at 10:34 pm
Tehran/UNI: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday accused Israel of being behind the assassination of nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrijah and said his death would not slow the country's scientific development.
Iran's Supreme Leader urges firm prosecution of killers of nuclear physicist
Nov 28, 2020, at 10:31 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday called on the country's authorities to hold accountable those responsible for the killing of nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, noting the importance of continuing his scientific efforts.
Rising hunger in drought-stricken southern Madagascar forcing families to eat insects: WFP
Nov 28, 2020, at 03:51 pm
New York: Hunger is on the rise in southern Madagascar due to consecutive years of drought, affecting half the region’s population, or 1.5 million people, and forcing most families to eat insects, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Friday.
First of four UN humanitarian airlifts for Ethiopia refugees lands in Khartoum
Nov 28, 2020, at 03:37 pm
New York: An airplane loaded with humanitarian supplies for people fleeing violence in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the UN refugee agency (UNCHR) said on Friday, in an appeal for international assistance to cope with the growing numbers seeking shelter in Sudan.
UN rights experts condemn retaliatory arrests of activists in Egypt
Nov 28, 2020, at 03:03 pm
New York: A group of UN independent human rights experts have called on Egyptian authorities to “immediately and unconditionally” release activists arrested, apparently in retaliation, for discussing human rights issues with foreign ambassadors.
Belgium may open non-essential shops on December 1, ease lockdown during holidays
Nov 28, 2020, at 02:19 pm
Brussels/Sputnik: The Belgian National Security Council (NSC) is expected to reopen all non-essential shops, which have been closed since the beginning of November, on December 1, the LN24 channel reported on Friday.
Iran's Mohsen Fakhrizadeh top nuclear scientist, assassinated
Nov 28, 2020, at 02:14 pm
Tehran/UNI: Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran's most senior nuclear scientist, was assassinated near the capital Tehran, confirmed by the country's defence ministry on Friday.
At least 6 people killed by suicide terrorist attack near Mogadishu airport
Nov 28, 2020, at 02:06 pm
Mogadishu/Sputnik: At least six people have been killed and 12 more injured as a result of a powerful explosion staged by a suicide attacker near the airport of the Somali capital of Mogadishu, Somalia's media reported.
Australia rejects China's charges of wine dumping, calls new duties 'concerning' -Minister
Nov 27, 2020, at 10:43 pm
Canberra/Sputnik: Australia is concerned with China's decision to impose tariffs on its wine exports and firmly rejects Beijing's dumping accusations, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said Friday.