China publishes books to explain Civil Code
Jul 06, 2020, at 05:15 pm
Beijing/Xinhua: China has published a set of books to help the public better understand the newly-adopted Civil Code, the publisher said Monday.
One killed in helicopter crash in southern Russia
Jul 06, 2020, at 04:22 pm
Moscow/Xinhua: One person died and another was injured after a Mi-2 helicopter crashed in south Russia's Rostov Region on Monday, the regional division of the Russian Emergency Ministry said in a statement.
Jul 06, 2020, at 09:49 am
Amsterdam: A committee of Dutch lawmakers have warned that several mosques in the Netherlands are being funded by foreign organisations seeking to promote a hardline, anti-democratic version of Islam.
Jul 05, 2020, at 11:18 pm
Singapore: An expert has warned that China might be using the eight-month-long “Bihai 2020” (or “Blue Sea 2020”) initiative which commenced on April 1 as another justification for the increased presence of Chinese law enforcement vessels in the disputed South China Sea.
Turkey cuts off drinking water in Syria's Hasakah
Jul 05, 2020, at 08:03 pm
Damascus/Xinhua: The Turkish forces on Sunday cut off the drinking water that feeds the Hasakah city in northeastern Syria, state news agency SANA reported.
Jul 05, 2020, at 05:40 pm
New York: A new UN report on the private sector, released by UN Global Compact, shows that progress on bringing about a sustainable future for people and the planet is patchy, and the majority of companies involved in the Compact, are not doing enough to help bring about the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
166 killed in Ethiopia riots over singer's death: Police
Jul 05, 2020, at 04:08 pm
Addis Ababa/Xinhua: At least 166 people were killed in Ethiopia after a popular singer's death sparked violent protests which resulted in riots in the country's Oromia region and capital Addis Ababa, police sources said Sunday.
Russian COVID-19 cases rise by 6,736 to 681,251
Jul 05, 2020, at 02:54 pm
Moscow/Xinhua: Russia recorded 6,736 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total to 681,251, the country's coronavirus response center said in a statement Sunday.
French extremist sentenced to 30 years in jail for IS group execution in Syria – Reports
Jul 04, 2020, at 06:34 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: A court in Paris has sentenced Tyler Vilus to 30 years in jail for his role in an Islamic State (IS, terrorist organization, banned in Russia) group execution in Syria, according to French media reports.
Five killed, 10 injured in bomb attack in southwest Somalia
Jul 04, 2020, at 04:57 pm
Mogadishu/Xinhua: At least five people were killed and ten others injured following a bomb attack in Baidoa, southwest Somalia on Saturday, officials said.
UN rights office expresses alarm at Hong Kong arrests under new security law
Jul 04, 2020, at 09:26 am
New York: The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has expressed alarm at the arrest of demonstrators in Hong Kong, following China’s adoption of a national security law for the Special Administrative Region (SAR).
Pro-democracy activist Nathan Law flees Hong Kong as mainland China's draconian new rule takes hold
Jul 03, 2020, at 07:00 pm
Hong Kong: Just days after China secretly drafted and introduced a new controversial security law for Hong Kong, a prominent democracy activist fled the region, vowing to continue the fight from foreign shores.
China names security adviser to Hong Kong's new security committee : State-run media
Jul 03, 2020, at 05:10 pm
Beijing/Sputnik: China's State Council has appointed Luo Huining as national security adviser to the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of Hong Kong set up by fresh security law, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.
Canadian man arrested after breaching PM's estate
Jul 03, 2020, at 05:06 pm
Ottawa/UNI: An Canadian military man was arrested on Friday, after he drove his pick-up truck through the gates of the estate where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lives, police said.
Strong explosion occurs at firework factory in NW Turkey
Jul 03, 2020, at 05:04 pm
Ankara/Xinhua: A powerful explosion occurred at a fireworks factory in Turkey's northwestern Sakarya province on Friday, local media reported.
Kyrgyzstan reports 506 new COVID-19 cases
Jul 03, 2020, at 04:43 pm
Bishkek/Xinhua: Kyrgyzstan reported 506 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking the total number to 6,767.
Boris Johnson wants higher black representation in UK police in bid to fight injustice
Jul 03, 2020, at 04:35 pm
London/Sputnik: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that he wanted a higher percentage of black people to serve on the country's police force and more "success stories" of young black people to help rectify racial injustice.
Japan protests after Chinese vessels enter waters near disputed Senkaku islands
Jul 03, 2020, at 04:28 pm
Tokyo/Sputnik: Tokyo protested to Beijing after Chinese Coast Guard ships entered waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Friday.
China forcing birth control on Uyghurs to suppress their population, claims report
Jul 03, 2020, at 10:49 am
There seems to be no respite for minorities in China as Beijing, even at this time of COVID-19 crisis, is forcing women to be sterilised or fitted with contraceptive devices in Xinjiang in an apparent attempt to limit the population of Muslim Uyghurs.
COVID-19 fast becoming protection crisis, Guterres warns Security Council
Jul 03, 2020, at 10:31 am
The COVID-19 pandemic is “profoundly affecting” peace and security across the globe, the Secretary-General told the Security Council on Thursday, pressing the 15-member body to use its collective influence to protect the millions of people either trapped in, or fleeing conflict, and already facing acute vulnerabilities.
Helping youth enterprise take off, will bring sustainable returns, say UN economists
Jul 03, 2020, at 09:58 am
New York/IBNS: Young entrepreneurs who want their work to have a positive impact on their communities, urgently need more help from governments if they’re to succeed and resist the COVID-19-fuelled economic downturn, UN economists said on Thursday.
Iran's Atomic Energy body reports incident during construction work at Natanz facility
Jul 02, 2020, at 03:09 pm
Tehran/Sputnik: The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) on Thursday reported an incident during construction work at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant, which damaged one of the awnings under construction.
Jul 02, 2020, at 12:33 am
New Delhi/IBNS: Australia has increased its defence budget by a whopping 40 per cent to 270 billion dollars for a ten-year period, the country's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said while he launched the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and the 2024 Structure Plan on Wednesday.
China Leverages Tibetan Plateau’s Water Wealth
Jul 02, 2020, at 12:12 am
While the international attention remains on China’s recidivist activities in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, where it continues to incrementally expand its strategic footprint, Beijing is also quietly focusing its attention on the waters of rivers that originate in the resource-rich, Chinese-controlled territory of Tibet.
Jul 01, 2020, at 11:38 pm
As China imposes law on national security in Hong Kong, city's pro-democracy group Demosisto has announced it will disband, media reports said.
Kenyan court rejects China's BRI rail project
Jul 01, 2020, at 11:25 pm
In a big blow to China, a Kenyan court has ruled that the contract between the Kenyan government and China Road Bridge Corporation(CRBC) did not comply with the law.
Iran nuclear deal still best way to ensure peace, DiCarlo tells Security Council
Jul 01, 2020, at 05:34 pm
New York/IBNS: The UN regrets that the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is in doubt, but notwithstanding current challenges, that landmark deal is still the best way to ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme proceeds along a peaceful path, the UN’s top political official said on Tuesday.
Impacts of COVID-19 disproportionately affect poor and vulnerable: UN chief
Jul 01, 2020, at 05:33 pm
Addressing poverty eradication on Tuesday in front of the General Assembly, UN chief António Guterres warned that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are falling “disproportionately on the most vulnerable: people living in poverty, the working poor, women and children, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups”.
Syria: Top UN officials appeal to donors to help end ‘shocking’ scale of suffering
Jul 01, 2020, at 05:29 pm
New York/IBNS: The UN chief called on the world to step up “financial, humanitarian and political commitments”, to help end nearly a decade of brutal conflict and suffering across Syria, in a video message delivered to the fourth Brussels Donor Conference on Tuesday.
Bachelet renews call for accountability in Philippines war on illegal drugs
Jul 01, 2020, at 05:27 pm
New York/IBNS: The Human Rights Council should consider supporting new accountability measures against perpetrators of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines’ so-called war on illegal drugs, the UN’s top rights official said on Tuesday.