Europe: COVID must spark rethink to prioritize ‘human lives’ over economic policies
May 01, 2021, at 06:42 pm
New York: The devastating impact of COVID-19 serves as a stark reminder that the European Union must “put human lives” above economic policy considerations, that privilege competition between EU Member States, an independent UN human rights expert said on Friday.
Conflict with China: Australia unveils plans to upgrade military
May 01, 2021, at 04:20 am
Canberra: Australia on Wednesday unveiled plans to spend A$747 million (US$581 million) in a bid to upgrade its military bases and expand joint exercises with the United States.
44 killed, 103 injured in stampede at Israeli religious festival
May 01, 2021, at 04:17 am
Jerusalem/UNI: At least 44 people were killed and 103 injured on Thursday night when a stampede broke out at a religious bonfire festival attended by tens of thousands people in northern Israel.
Illegal rare earth mining escalates near Chinese border since Myanmar coup
Apr 30, 2021, at 11:32 pm
Naypyitaw: Illegal rare earth mining has spiked in northern Kachin State, which is located near to the Chinese border, following Myanmar’s Feb. 1 coup in areas controlled by a junta-sponsored militia, media reports said.
More uniformed women in peace operations, ‘key priority’
Apr 30, 2021, at 06:13 pm
New York: Increasing the participation of uniformed women in peace operations is a “key priority” for the United Nations, the head of peacekeeping told a High-Level Launch Event on Wednesday.
Emmanuel Macron to unveil phased plan to ease France's COVID-19 restrictions
Apr 29, 2021, at 05:53 pm
Paris/Xinhua: French President Emmanuel Macron will unveil a "progressive and phased" plan to relax the country's coronavirus rules on Friday, Prime Minister Jean Castex said here on Wednesday.
Experts raise red flags over Nigeria's $3.3 billion debts to China
Apr 29, 2021, at 05:47 pm
Flagging the economic managers of the African nation, experts have expressed concern over Nigeria’s increasing indebtedness to China, media reports said.
UN helping India fight COVID-19: spokesman
Apr 29, 2021, at 03:09 pm
United Nations/Xinhua: The United Nations is helping India in its uphill battle against COVID-19, said a UN spokesman on Wednesday.
Govts on high alert after several countries detect Indian variant of coronavirus
Apr 28, 2021, at 04:00 am
New Delhi/IBNS: The authorities in Italy sounded alarm after Indian variant of coronavirus was discovered in a father and daughter who returned from India and similar cases have been reported from other parts of the world, including U.K., Japan, Fiji, media reports said.
Iraq: UN representative calls for ‘stronger protection measures’ after fatal fire in COVID hospital
Apr 27, 2021, at 05:44 pm
New York: The UN Special Representative in Iraq expressed “shock and pain” on Sunday over a deadly accident that befell a COVID-19 hospital in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq.
Gunmen kill 2 more kidnapped students in Nigeria: official
Apr 27, 2021, at 05:19 pm
Lagos/Xinhua: Gunmen killed two more students abducted from a university in the northwest Nigerian state of Kaduna, local authorities said Monday.
China’s soft power has ‘collapsed globally’ due to ‘anger and hysteria’: Expert
Apr 26, 2021, at 12:47 am
Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Michael Shoebridge has said he feels China’s reaction to the cancelling of the dangerous Belt and Road agreement in a “wolf warrior fashion” will end up being a large “own goal” for Beijing.
21 people killed in fire at hospital for Covid-19 patients in Baghdad: Reports
Apr 25, 2021, at 02:42 pm
Cairo/Sputnik: A fire broke out at a hospital for treating coronavirus patients in Baghdad, leaving 21 people dead and 40 more injured, news portal Baghdad Al Youm reported citing sources.
ECOSOC chief calls for financial support for small island developing states
Apr 25, 2021, at 06:42 am
New York: Small island developing states (SIDS) must receive financial and international support if they are to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, the President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Munir Akram, said on Friday.
Libya shipwreck claims 130 lives despite SOS calls, as UN agencies call for urgent action
Apr 25, 2021, at 05:47 am
New York: A shipwreck off the Libyan coast has reportedly claimed the lives of 130 people, despite SOS calls for help, the UN migration agency IOM said on Friday.
UN-led aid convoy brings 23 tonnes of humanitarian goods across contact line in east Ukraine
Apr 25, 2021, at 05:26 am
New York: Twenty-three tonnes of urgently needed aid items have reached the eastern Ukrainian province around Donetsk, after a humanitarian convoy crossed the contact line into non-Government-controlled territory, the UN said on Friday.
Despite Covid-19, countries like China ruthlessly pursued death sentences and executions: Report
Apr 24, 2021, at 01:09 am
Beijing: The unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic were not enough to deter 18 countries, including China, from carrying out executions in 2020, Amnesty International said today in its annual global review of the death penalty.
China conflict: Australia tearing up formal Belt and Road deal
Apr 24, 2021, at 12:48 am
Queensland: Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Wednesday said the federal government would override the Victorian state government's decision to sign up to the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), media reports said.
Uyghur issue: British House of Commons says China carrying out genocide
Apr 24, 2021, at 12:12 am
London/UNI: The British House of Commons has declared that genocide is taking place against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in north-west China.
Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan to meet in Istanbul
Apr 23, 2021, at 11:31 pm
Ankara/UNI: A trilateral meeting between foreign ministers of Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan will take place in Istanbul on Friday.
‘Careers have no gender’, connect girls to tech, for a brighter future UN urges
Apr 23, 2021, at 11:05 pm
New York: Despite information and communication technology playing such a key role throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN chief said that half the world remains offline, in his message marking International Girls in ICT Day, on Thursday – most of whom are women and girls in developing countries.
French Prime Minister says 3rd COVID-19 wave 'seems to be behind,' but risk remains high
Apr 23, 2021, at 07:10 am
Moscow/Sputnik: France appears to have descended the peak of the third coronavirus wave, Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday, adding that vigilance must prevail as COVID-19 variants were still spreading.
Pakistan postpones debate expelling French envoy till Friday
Apr 22, 2021, at 11:32 pm
Islamabad: Pakistan parliament has postponed a debate on the expelling French envoy till Friday, media reports said.
Russia: Rights experts call for immediate medical evacuation of Alexei Navalny
Apr 22, 2021, at 10:47 pm
New York: Experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council called on Wednesday for the urgent medical evacuation of detained Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, fearing he is in “serious danger” due to deteriorating health and harsh prison conditions.
USA: Shackling of aged and infirmed inmate, Mumia Abu-Jamal, ‘deplorable’ say UN rights experts
Apr 21, 2021, at 06:40 pm
New York: A group of UN human rights experts expressed serious concerns on Tuesday over the treatment and wellbeing of an African American prisoner who has been reportedly shackled to his hospital bed, and denied visits from his family, or access to lawyers.
UNICEF reports sharp rise in migrant children in Mexico
Apr 21, 2021, at 05:28 pm
New York: The number of migrant children reported in Mexico has increased sharply, jumping from 380 to nearly 3,500 since the beginning of the year: a nine-fold rise, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, reported on Tuesday.
World Food Programme reaches deal to supply food to 185,000 children in Venezuela
Apr 21, 2021, at 05:23 pm
New York: The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has signed an agreement with the Government of Venezuela to begin operations to provide the most vulnerable children in the South American country with nutritious school meals, it announced on Tuesday.
‘No end’ to conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, warns UNICEF
Apr 21, 2021, at 05:11 pm
New York: Disturbing reports have continued to emerge of widespread abuse of civilians in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, nearly six months since conflict erupted, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
Human rights experts demand UAE provide ‘meaningful information’ on Sheikha Latifa
Apr 21, 2021, at 05:04 pm
New York: United Nations independent human rights experts on Tuesday demanded that the United Arab Emirates provide “meaningful information” on the fate of Sheikha Latifa Mohammed Al Maktoum as well as assurances regarding her safety and well-being, “without delay”.
Thousands flee fresh clashes in Central African Republic: UN agency
Apr 21, 2021, at 04:56 pm
New York: Recent fighting between government forces and rebels in northern Central African Republic (CAR) has forced more than 2,000 refugees into neighboring Chad over the past week, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday.