Independent rights expert speaks of 'anguish, stress and disempowerment' of poverty
Jul 08, 2020, at 09:27 am
New York: More than 70 million people are expected to fall into extreme poverty because of COVID-19, the UN Human Rights Council heard on Tuesday, as a leading rights expert slammed “greatly exaggerated” claims of global poverty eradication between 1990 and 2015.
Fresh evidence of war crimes committed by all sides in Syrian conflict, probe finds
Jul 08, 2020, at 09:13 am
New York: Hospitals, schools and homes have all been targeted during Syria’s brutal and long-running conflict, said UN-appointed investigators, who on Tuesday condemned likely fresh war crimes committed by all parties.
British Journalist questions Muslim nations' silence over Chinese treatment towards Uyghurs
Jul 07, 2020, at 11:16 pm
Questioning the silence of the Muslim nations over China's continuous atrocities carried out against Uyghur Muslims, a noted British journalist said these nations only use the idea of Muslim solidarity when it suits them
Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for COVID-19
Jul 07, 2020, at 10:53 pm
Brasilia/IBNS: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced on Tuesday that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus with mild symptoms.
At least 21 killed and 15 injured as bus falls into lake in Guizhou province of China
Jul 07, 2020, at 10:15 pm
Beijing/UNI: At least 21 people died when a bus carrying students plunged into a lake in South Western China on Tuesday.
Russian FSB Detains IS Supporter Who Planned Terrorist Attack in Astrakhan Region
Jul 07, 2020, at 09:46 pm
Rostov-on-Don, Russia/Sputnik: A sympathizer of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia), who planned a terrorist attack in the Astrakhan region, has been detained, the spokesman of the regional department of the Federal Security Service (FSB) told Sputnik on Tuesday.
Terrorist groups must not be allowed to exploit 'fragilities' caused by global health pandemic
Jul 07, 2020, at 06:08 pm
New York: As COVID-19 continues to disrupt the world’s health systems, economies and local communities, the UN Secretary-General on Monday highlighted how the pandemic has laid bare vulnerabilities to “new and emerging forms of terrorism”, such as cyberattacks, bioterrorism and the misuse of digital technology.
A sustainable future for all depends on ‘resolve to act together in solidarity’
Jul 07, 2020, at 05:15 pm
New York: The United Nations vision for a sustainable future for all “will depend on our policy choices today, and our resolve to act together in solidarity”, a senior UN official told delegates on Monday at a meeting to discuss post-pandemic recovery.
Restoring dignity to victims of sexual abuse and exploitation by UN personnel
Jul 07, 2020, at 04:58 pm
Projects supported by a UN trust fund for victims of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel, are helping victims to regain their dignity, learn new skills, and improve their livelihoods.
Zoom suspending processing of data requests from Hong Kong authorities : Reports
Jul 07, 2020, at 03:06 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: US virtual conferences program Zoom will suspend processing data requests from Hong Kong authorities, following the entry into force of China's national security law, the Hong Kong Free Press outlet reported Tuesday.
TikTok Social Networking Service to Exit Hong Kong Market Within Days - Reuters
Jul 07, 2020, at 10:51 am
Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Chinese video-sharing social networking service TikTok will exit the Hong Kong market within days, Reuters reported.
Jul 06, 2020, at 11:24 pm
Global Affairs analyst Michael Bociurkiw has described China's new Hong Kong security law as a tool used by Beijing to suppress the city's pro-democracy movement.
'Liberate Hong Kong' slogan ban is govt's worst mistake: Co-author
Jul 06, 2020, at 11:19 pm
Hong Kong: Showing yet another Beijing's stance of allegedly controlling democratic voices in Hong Kong, city's authorities have banned the popular slogan 'Liberate Hong Kong: the revolution of our times', media reports said.
Hong Kong: Libraries now pull out books by pro-democracy activists for review
Jul 06, 2020, at 11:05 pm
Hong Kong: In what seems to be yet another attempt by Beijing to muzzle democratic voices, Hong Kong libraries have taken at least nine titles written by localist or democracy advocates out of circulation pending a review of whether the books run afoul of the new national security law, media reports said.
Russia registers 6 ceasefire violations in Syria, Turkey records 3 breaches - Military
Jul 06, 2020, at 07:15 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The Russian side of the Russian-Turkish commission monitoring the implementation of the Syrian truce has registered six ceasefire violations in Syria over the past 24 hours, while the Turkish side registered three such incidents, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
Support measures helped prevent poverty increase in Russia amid COVID-19 - World Bank
Jul 06, 2020, at 05:18 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: The government's support measures helped Russia avoid a sudden increase in poverty amid the coronavirus pandemic, the World Bank's Country Director for Russia Renaud Seligmann told Sputnik.
Over 200 arrested over internet fraud in China
Jul 06, 2020, at 05:16 pm
Jinan/Xinhua: Police in east China's Shandong Province arrested more than 230 suspects in five major internet fraud cases from March to June.
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.