Ease sanctions against countries fighting COVID-19: UN human rights chief

Mar 25, 2020, at 10:55 am

New York/IBNS: As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Tuesday called for an easing of sanctions against countries such as Iran to allow their medical systems to fight the disease and limit its global spread.

Greta Thunberg says she is showing symptoms of COVID 19

Mar 25, 2020, at 10:40 am

Stockholm/IBNS:  Climate change activist Greta Thunberg , who recently travelled to Europe, on Tuesday said she is self-isolating after she is suspecting that she might be suffering from COVID 19.

Enable Iran to fight pandemic, end sanctions: China to US

Mar 24, 2020, at 07:10 pm

Beijing/UNI: Chinese envoy to the United Nations Zhang Jun on Tuesday urged US to end sanctions it has imposed on Iran so as to enable them to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

UNICEF sounds alarm over water cuts in Syria as efforts ramp up to prevent COVID-19 spread

Mar 24, 2020, at 06:16 pm

New York/IBNS: The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its relief partners in Syria are warning that water disruptions in the country’s war-battered north-east could exacerbate risks posed by the global coronavirus pandemic.

New global platform to keep information networks ‘safer, stronger’ throughout COVID-19 pandemic

Mar 24, 2020, at 05:46 pm

New York/IBNS: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) launched a new platform on Monday to help global networks under increasing strain and facing rising demand during the COVID-19 crisis to remain “safer, stronger and more connected”, according to the specialized agency’s chief.

Spain's COVID-19 case count up by 6,600 over past 24 hours, death toll up by 514: ministry

Mar 24, 2020, at 05:30 pm

Madrid/Sputnik/UNI:  Spain's number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 6,600 over the past 24 hours and now nears 40,000, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

Enable Iran to fight COVID19 pandemic, end sanctions: China to US

Mar 24, 2020, at 05:12 pm

Beijing/UNI: Chinese envoy to the United Nations Zhang Jun on Tuesday urged US to end sanctions it has imposed on Iran so as to enable them to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Beijing reports 32 new confirmed COVID-19 cases including one local infection

Mar 24, 2020, at 01:15 pm

Beijing/Xinhua/UNI:  Beijing reported 32 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Monday, including one indigenous case infected by an imported patient, the local health commission said Tuesday.

UN expert raises alarm over migrant, asylum seeker ‘pushbacks’ at Turkey-Greece border

Mar 24, 2020, at 12:03 pm

New York/IBNS: Greece must take immediate action to end the violence against migrants and asylum seekers at the border between Turkey and Greece, an independent UN human rights expert said on Monday, expressing alarm at reports of violence at the hands of some Greek security officers and unidentified armed men.

Pompeo meets Ghani in Afghan; discusses peace process, security situation

Mar 23, 2020, at 07:07 pm

Kabul/UNI: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday discussed the security situation in Afghanistan and the peace process, the Afghan President's office said in a statement here.

Coronavirus fatalities cross 15000 worldwide

Mar 23, 2020, at 06:38 pm

Paris/IBNS: Total deaths from coronavirus pandemic crossed 15000, according to an AFP report.

Russian Defense Ministry says brought 25.5 million medical masks from China

Mar 23, 2020, at 05:22 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI:  An aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces has landed in Moscow with a cargo of 25.5 million medical masks brought from China to be distributed among responsible federal agencies and volunteer organizations, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday. "An-124 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces delivered 25.5 million individual protective masks from the People's Republic of China to the Chkalovsky airfield," the statement read.

South Korea reports 64 new COVID-19 cases in past 24 hours, total death toll at 111 - KCDC

Mar 23, 2020, at 05:19 pm

Seoul/Sputnik/UNI:  South Korea registered 64 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours; 250 people have recovered in the same period, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

Australian COVID-19 cases soar to 1,709

Mar 23, 2020, at 05:18 pm

Canberra/Xinhua/uni: The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia soared in the past 24 hours from 1,098 on Sunday morning to 1,479 on Monday morning and then to 1,709 by afternoon.

Fiji confirms third case of COVID-19

Mar 23, 2020, at 05:16 pm

Suva/Xinhua/UNI: Fiji on Monday confirmed its third case of COVID-19 when a 27-year-old Fiji Airways attendant tested positive last Thursday.

Russia records 71 new COVID-19 cases, total now 438

Mar 23, 2020, at 05:15 pm

Moscow/Xinhua/UNI: Russian authorities have said that it has registered 71 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the country's total to 438, official data showed on Monday.

Nigeria reports first COVID-19 death

Mar 23, 2020, at 05:10 pm

Lagos/Xinhua/UNI: Health authorities in Nigeria on Monday said the first COVID-19 death has been recorded in the west African nation.

Iran reports 127 more deaths in single day, death toll touches 1812

Mar 23, 2020, at 05:07 pm

Tehran/UNI: Iran on Monday confirmed 127 fresh deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to 1812 due to the outbreak of Novel Coronavirus, a senior official said.

UN welcomes response by Libyan parties to calls for humanitarian pause

Mar 22, 2020, at 06:43 pm

New York/IBNS: The United Nations on Saturday welcomed the “positive responses” of Libya’s Tripoli-based government and the Libyan National Army (LNA) to calls for a pause to stop the fighting, in the hopes that this would allow humanitarian access throughout the crisis-torn country and head off the potential threat of COVID-19.

COVID 19 scare: Chinese students escaping UK amid racist attacks

Mar 22, 2020, at 05:45 pm

Beijing/London/IBNS: Amid reports of racist attacks triggered by so-called 'maskaphobia', several Chinese students are attempting to 'flee' the United Kingdom to reach their home country, media reports said.

Coronavirus infects 22000 people in Germany, death toll reaches 76: Reports

Mar 22, 2020, at 10:24 am

Moscow/Sputnik: The number of people infected with the novel coronavirus in Germany has increased beyond 22,100 cases and the number of fatalities has reached 76, German media reported.

Amid tightened lockdown, Italy records over 4825 deaths from COVID-19

Mar 22, 2020, at 09:30 am

Rome/IBNS: Even as Italy ordered a complete lockdown, the number of deaths in the country from the spread of novel Coronavirus took a gigantic leap on Saturday to reach 4,825, a number which surpassed China's death toll from where the virus outbreak commenced.

Israel reports 178 new coronavirus cases, 883 in total

Mar 21, 2020, at 07:33 pm

Tel Aviv/Xinhua/UNI: 178 more people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Israel, bringing the total number of the cases to 883 in the country on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Health.

Malaysia reports 4th death due to COVID-19, 153 new cases

Mar 21, 2020, at 06:32 pm

Kuala Lumpur/Xinhua/UNI: Malaysia on Saturday announced the fourth death due to COVID-19, besides 153 newly confirmed cases to bring the total in the country to 1,183, according to the Health Ministry.

Bangkok orders malls, markets closure as COVID-19 cases total 411

Mar 21, 2020, at 06:23 pm

Bangkok/Xinhua/UNI:  Bangkok's governor Asawin Kwanmuang on Saturday announced a 22-day closure of shopping malls, markets and beauty salons in the capital from March 22 to April 12 amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

US Firms' revenue to fall by $4Trln over COVID-19, global losses to reach $12Trln – Report

Mar 21, 2020, at 10:38 am

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: US companies may lose up to $4 trillion in revenue over the pandemic of COVID-19, while the global losses may reach $12 trillion, Bridgewater Associates, the world's biggest hedge fund, said in a report.

UN chief congratulates Uzbekistan on decision to end statelessness for 50,000 people

Mar 21, 2020, at 10:19 am

New York/IBNS: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has congratulated Uzbekistan on the passage this week of legislation set to end statelessness for some 50,000 people in the Central Asian country.

UN campaign to tap into personal connections in bid to protect religious sites

Mar 21, 2020, at 10:16 am

New York/IBNS: The United Nations will soon launch a campaign highlighting the personal connections of individuals with religious sites as part of its efforts to protect places of worship around the world.

UNHCR delivers much-needed aid to Sudanese refugees in Chad

Mar 21, 2020, at 10:10 am

New York/IBNS: Nearly 94 tonnes of emergency aid has been airlifted into Chad to support thousands of people who have fled ongoing violence in Sudan’s West Darfur state, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reported on Friday.

UN aid teams work round the clock amid COVID-19 pandemic to ensure humanitarian support to millions

Mar 21, 2020, at 10:05 am

New York/IBNS: As the global humanitarian response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues at breakneck speed, UN assistance remains critical for some 100 hundred million people living in emergency situations, and life-saving food aid is essential for 87 million people across the world.