Guterres condemns killing of journalists, following beheading of Mexican crime reporter
Sep 12, 2020, at 03:48 pm
New York: Following the gruesome death of a Mexican journalist specializing in crime reporting, who was found beheaded on Wednesday, UN chief António Guterres has issued a statement condemning the increasing number of attacks made on media workers worldwide.
Belarus: UN chief deeply concerned over use of force against peaceful protesters
Sep 12, 2020, at 03:43 pm
New York: Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday expressed deep concern over the continued use of force against peaceful protestors in Belarus and detention of those exercising their legitimate democratic rights
Switzerland: Draft anti-terrorism law sets ‘dangerous precedent’, rights experts warn
Sep 12, 2020, at 03:39 pm
New York: A proposed new anti-terrorism law in Switzerland could set a dangerous precedent for the suppression of political dissent worldwide, a group of five independent UN human rights experts warned on Friday.
New fires at Greek island refugee camp destroy last remaining shelters
Sep 12, 2020, at 03:23 pm
New York: Fresh fires at a Greek island centre for thousands of refugees and migrants, have destroyed all remaining accommodation for those affected by the initial blaze on Tuesday evening.
Al-Qaeda threatens with new attack on Charlie Hebdo over Prophet Cartoons reprint: Reports
Sep 12, 2020, at 01:53 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Al-Qaeda terror group (outlawed in Russia) has threatened with a new attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo after the latter’s decision to reprint the caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, French media reported.
Security Council demands an end to attacks on schools worldwide
Sep 11, 2020, at 11:08 pm
New York: The Security Council on Thursday demanded a halt to attacks on schools, together with students and teachers in conflict zones around the world, in a presidential statement coinciding with the first International Day to Protect Education from Attack.
Issues surrounding Syria’s chemical weapons programme must be resolved, to restore global confidence
Sep 11, 2020, at 11:04 pm
New York: Until outstanding issues related to Syria’s initial declaration of its chemical weapons stockpile and programme are resolved, the international community cannot have full confidence that its activities have ended, the UN’s top disarmament expert told the Security Council on Thursday.
Man crashes into police car in center of Amsterdam
Sep 11, 2020, at 10:22 pm
The Hague/Xinhua: A man in a van drove into a police car several times in the center of Amsterdam on Friday morning, with one police officer injured, the Amsterdam police said on Twitter.
Uyghur Genocide: Activists slam Disney for filming Mulan in Xinjiang
Sep 11, 2020, at 08:19 pm
Washington: Activists and netizens have been outraged after Disney shot several portions of the action movie Mulan in parts of China where it is believed that authorities have placed countless people, mostly Uyghur Muslims, in concentration camps, subjecting them to human rights abuses. Campaign for Uyghurs Executive Director Rushan Abbas in a video message said she was horrified by the choice of Disney to shoot there ignoring the genocide of people by communist China.
Work to achieve a culture of peace amid COVID-19 upheaval: UN Secretary-General
Sep 11, 2020, at 07:00 pm
New York: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend economies and societies, while also threatening to erode trust in public institutions and democracy, it is critical that people everywhere continue to pursue peace.
Belarus: Ensure ‘full respect’ for workers’ rights during protests, ILO urges President Lukashenko
Sep 11, 2020, at 06:40 pm
New York: Voicing deep concern over detention and arrests of trade unionists in Belarus, the head of the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) called on President Alexander Lukashenko to ensure a climate free from violence and intimidation against peacefully protesting workers
No casualties as result of blast at ammunition depot in Jordan’s Zarqa: State Media
Sep 11, 2020, at 06:27 pm
Cairo/Sputnik: No one was killed or injured in the result of a powerful explosion that occurred in the early hours of Friday at an ammunition depot in the Jordanian city of Zarqa, northeast of the Amman capital, the state-run Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported, citing a senior military source in the country's Armed Forces.
Sep 11, 2020, at 06:23 pm
New York: The erosion of trust in public institutions, unequal access to health care and tensions around delicate peace negotiations, are among the risks amplified by COVID-19, which if not mitigated, could push more countries into violence, the UN political affairs chief told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Fresh war crimes fears highlighted in new Yemen report
Sep 11, 2020, at 06:12 pm
New York: The war in Yemen continues to ravage the country and its people, senior UN-appointed rights investigators said on Wednesday, in a call for an international probe into suspected war crimes, and sanctions against the perpetrators.
France, Australia speak out about Taliban prisoners release, transfer ahead of Doha talks
Sep 11, 2020, at 06:06 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The French Foreign Ministry expressed on Friday its discontent with the Afghan government's decision to release Taliban prisoners who were convicted to sentences for murdering French citizens, and Australia's high-ranking officials condemned the decision to transfer "sensitive" prisoners to Doha.
Greece: Devasting fire compounds overcrowding and COVID-19 challenges in refugee camp
Sep 11, 2020, at 05:54 pm
New York: UN agencies have offered support to Greek authorities on Wednesday after a major fire ripped through an overcrowded refugee camp overnight, destroying dwellings and forcing thousands to flee, many reportedly suffering from smoke inhalation.
Lebanon: Fire breaks out at oils and tires warehouse in Beirut
Sep 10, 2020, at 11:46 pm
Beirut/IBNS: A major fire broke out at an oils and tires warehouse in the duty-free market of Lebanon capital Beirut's port on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2021
Sep 09, 2020, at 11:38 pm
Washington: US President Donald Trump has been nominated for the coveted 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, just weeks after he helped to broker peace between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Under ‘extraordinary circumstances’, General Assembly continues to serve the people
Sep 09, 2020, at 03:20 pm
New York: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Assembly has worked hard, under “extraordinary circumstances” to uphold its vital mandates, perform essential services, and ensure continuity in the name of the people the Organization serves, the president of the UN body said on Tuesday.
Finance Ministers meet to refine ‘single ambitious menu’ for COVID-19 recovery and beyond
Sep 09, 2020, at 03:04 pm
New York: The UN Deputy Secretary-General has reminded Finance Ministers from across the world of their duty to help countries emerge from the social and economic chaos brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overturned verdict on Khashoggi murder a ‘parody of justice’ – independent UN rights expert
Sep 09, 2020, at 02:56 pm
New York: An independent UN human rights investigator called the overturned verdict of Saudi Arabia’s prosecutor in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey a "parody of justice" that spared "high-level" plotters.
Alexei Navalny poisoning must get independent probe, says UN’s Bachelet
Sep 09, 2020, at 02:52 pm
New York: UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday urged Russia to carry out or cooperate with a rapid and transparent criminal investigation into the poisoning of opposition activist Alexei Navalny.
Burkina Faso: Over 535,000 children under five ‘acutely’ malnourished
Sep 09, 2020, at 02:43 pm
New York: New data from UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed worsening nutritional situation for children in Burkina Faso, with more than 535,000 children under the age of five suffering from acute malnutrition – an unprecedented level.
Inaction has been fatal, says UNHCR, as dozens of Rohingya refugees perish at sea
Sep 09, 2020, at 02:37 pm
New York: Dozens of Rohingya refugees are believed to have died in the Andaman sea after spending more than 200 days afloat, owing to a “collective unwillingness” of countries to take them in, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said.
Diplomatic Standoff: Two Australian journalists flown out of China
Sep 09, 2020, at 04:15 am
Beijing: Ending a five-day diplomatic stand-off, two journalists, who were working in China for Australia media, have flown home, media reports said.
Shelling kills 2 children in Yemen's Hodeidah: medics
Sep 08, 2020, at 10:37 pm
Sanaa/Xinhua: Two children were killed on Tuesday when mortar shelling hit residential houses in Yemen's southern Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, local medics told Xinhua.
Nine foreign countries to join Russia's counter-terror drills Kavkaz in September - Shoigu
Sep 08, 2020, at 10:33 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Nine foreign countries will join the Kavkaz-2020 strategic counter-terror drills in Russia later in September, while nine other nations will send their military observers, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.
Extradition hearing against WikiLeaks founder opens in London's Old Bailey
Sep 08, 2020, at 03:33 pm
London/Xinhua: An extradition hearing opened on Monday at the Old Bailey courthouse in London against WikiLeaks founder, Australian Julian Assange.
Birmingham stabbings: Police arrest one person
Sep 08, 2020, at 12:23 am
Birmingham: Police on Monday said they have arrested one person in connection with a series of stabbings that occurred in Birmingham city of London on Sunday.
WikiLeaks says about 40 activists prevented from accessing Asange's extradition hearing
Sep 07, 2020, at 11:07 pm
London/Sputnik: The WikiLeaks whistleblowing organization said Monday, citing unconfirmed reports, that about 40 activists lost their remote access to the extradition hearing of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.