COVID-19 stoking xenophobia, hate and exclusion, minority rights expert warns

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:22 pm

Combatting the COVID-19 pandemic must also include stamping out what one independent human rights expert has called the “darker sides” of the disease: verbal and physical attacks against Chinese and other minority communities, and excluding them from access to healthcare.

Covid-19: Hindus, Christians denied food supplies in Pakistan

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:13 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: The world is unitedly trying to beat the COVID-19 outbreak and the disease has even extended its killer arms in Pakistan but for the administration in the South Asian nation religious discrimination still remains a top priority with reports emerging that Hindus were denied food supplies by the authority which they said were meant for the Muslims, media reports said.

S.Korea to begin new school year with online classes from April 9

Mar 31, 2020, at 12:20 pm

Seoul/Xinhua/UNI: South Korea decided Tuesday to begin this year's new school year with online classes from April 9 in a gradual manner amid lingering concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak.

Taliban prisoner release postponed: Afghan National Security Council Spokesman

Mar 31, 2020, at 12:15 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI:  The release of Taliban prisoners, expected to begin Tuesday, has been delayed, Afghan National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal said.

China's GDP growth to decline to 2.3 pc in baseline scenario in 2020: World Bank

Mar 31, 2020, at 12:14 pm

Washington/Sputnik/UNI: China's GDP growth is expected to decline to 2.3 per cent in the baseline scenario in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the World Bank said in a report.

Amid COVID 19 outbreak, Van Gogh's painting Spring Garden stolen from Dutch museum

Mar 31, 2020, at 10:46 am

Laren/IBNS: An iconic painting- Spring Garden- by Van Gogh has been stolen from a museum in Dutch town of Laren which was shuttered in the wake of coronavirus spread.

Baloch journalist goes missing in Sweden, Baloch National Movement doubts ISI's role

Mar 30, 2020, at 07:47 pm

Upsalla/IBNS: Baloch journalist Sajid Hussain Baloch, who had fled Pakistan for life in 2012 and has been living in self-exile for several years, has gone missing from Swedish city Upsalla for nearly a month now, media reports said.

Imran Khan government's slow approach exposed as COVID 19 grips Pakistan

Mar 30, 2020, at 07:32 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: Pakistani government is failing to implement proper measures to curb the spread of the deadly disease and with clerics refusing to close their mosques, the situation of COVID-19 outbreak in the South Asian country is escalating further every day.

COVID-19: Bangladesh reports one more Coronavirus infection case in past 23 hours

Mar 30, 2020, at 06:59 pm

Dhaka/UNI: One more person has been infected with coronavirus or COVID-19 in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours, officials said on Monday.

Over 2,000 sent to put out forest fire in China's Sichuan

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:43 pm

Chengdu/Xinhua/UNI:  Over 2,000 people were dispatched to put out a forest fire in southwest China's Sichuan Province, a local fire department said.

Chinese yuan weakens to 7.0447 against USD Monday

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:40 pm

Beijing/Xinhua/UNI: The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, weakened 20 pips to 7.0447 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

Passenger train derails in China, zero casualties

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:38 pm

Beijing/UNI: A passenger train on Monday derailed in central China's Hunan Province due to landslide that was triggered due to heavy rains in the region, however, so far no death was reported.

UNGA president supports UN $2bln COVID-19 response plan

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:31 pm

United Nations/Sputnik/UNI:  The United Nations' $2 billion appeal to fight the coronavirus in some of the most vulnerable countries is a "good, timely call," UNGA President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande told Sputnik.

Bomb blast in Afghanistan's Kandahar leaves 1 civilian killed, 1 soldier wounded: Source

Mar 30, 2020, at 12:46 pm

Kabul/Sputnik/UNI: A bomb blast in the village of Nave Mazri, in the Arghandab district of Kandahar Province, left one civilian killed and one Afghan National Army soldier injured, a source told Sputnik.

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.

Twelve IS inmates escape prison in NE Syria

Mar 30, 2020, at 12:26 pm

Damascus/Xinhua/UNI:  A total of 12 inmates of the Islamic State (IS) militant group escaped a prison run by Kurdish militia in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah on Sunday, state TV reported.

COVID 19 death rate likely to hit its peak in 2 weeks: Trump

Mar 30, 2020, at 10:08 am

Washington/IBNS: US President Donald Trump on Sunday said the highest peak of the death rate due to COVID 19 outbreak in the country is likely to hit in the next two weeks.

JKPJF condemns Kabul terror attack, demands action against perpetrators

Mar 29, 2020, at 10:46 pm

Srinagar 25/03/20:  The Chairman the newly launched JK People's Justice Front, Aga Syed Abbas Razvi, has condemned the Kabul terror attack saying targeting of a religious place in the midst of the Covid-19 is against Islam and against the teachings of Holy Prophet Mohammad.

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.

Pakistan: Five docs, one cop test positive for COVID 19 in Karachi

Mar 29, 2020, at 06:04 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: Pakistan, which is seeing a spike in the number of COVID 19 patients, now reported that five doctors and one policeman have tested positive for the virus in Karachi city of the country, media reports said.

Bangladesh: Suspected COVID 19 patient dies in Barisal

Mar 29, 2020, at 05:51 pm

Barisal/IBNS: A suspected COVID 19 patient, who was undergoing treatment at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, has died, media reports said on Sunday.

Canada: PM Justin Trudeau's wife Sophie recovers from COVID 19

Mar 29, 2020, at 05:30 pm

Ottawa/IBNS: Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's wife  Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, who was one of the earliest celebrities since the outbreak occurred to have tested positive for the COVID 19, on Sunday said she has recovered from it.

Baloch leader claims Pakistan Army using COVID 19 outbreak as a ground to expand occupation in Balochistan

Mar 29, 2020, at 03:20 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: A Baloch leader has claimed that the Pakistani military is using the Coronavirus outbreak in the nation to expand its occupation and grip in Balochistan, media reports said.

In rare case, infant in US dies of Coronavirus

Mar 29, 2020, at 01:00 pm

Washington/IBNS: In a very rare case, an infant in the United States died of the Coronavirus pandemic which has crippled several developed nations and claimed over 30,000 lives worldwide.

Thailand reports 109 new COVID-19 cases, one more fatality

Mar 28, 2020, at 08:26 pm

Bangok/Xinhua: Thailand on Saturday reported 109 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 1,245.

Balochistan National Party (Mengal) Chairman condemns arrest of Jang-Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman

Mar 28, 2020, at 07:42 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: Balochistan National Party (Mengal) Chairman Sardar Akhtar Mengal has condemned the arrest of Jang-Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman by Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB).  

At least 6 dead after Taliban clash with Afghan police in Kandahar : Source

Mar 28, 2020, at 05:33 pm

Kabul/Sputni/UNI: Clashes occurred between the Afghan National Police and the Taliban radical group overnight Saturday in the Spin Buldak district of the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan, Sputnik has learned from local sources.

Peacekeeping radio stations provide COVID-19 information to vulnerable communities in conflict-affected countries

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.