UN

Experts cite ‘crimes against humanity’ in Maduro’s Venezuela

7:59 pm September 16, 2020

Geneva: Independent experts commissioned by the U.N.’s top human rights body have alleged the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro committed crimes against humanity. The experts issued a scathing, in-depth report on Wednesday that said the people responsible for crimes that include extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture must be held to account, in part to ensure […]

UN chief warns against criminal exploitation of COVID-19 recovery resources

UN warns of Yemen famine, no aid from Saudis, UAE, Kuwait

11:31 pm September 15, 2020

United Nations: The U.N. human chief warned Tuesday “the specter of famine” has returned to conflict-torn Yemen and for the first time singled out Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait for giving nothing to this year’s USD 3.4 billion appeal. Mark Lowcock told the U.N. Security Council that famine in Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest country, was averted two years ago because donors […]

CMS holds Global Interfaith Convention to promote communal harmony

Iraq’s top Shiite cleric backs early parliamentary elections

8:43 pm September 13, 2020

Baghdad: Iraq’s top Shiite cleric on Sunday threw his support behind the prime minister’s announcement to hold parliamentary elections ahead of schedule next year, saying the timing should not serve the interests of political groups. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani’s comments came in a statement released by his office after a meeting with UN envoy to Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. […]

Russian delegation in Syria to expand trade, economic ties

11:13 pm September 7, 2020

Damascus: Russia and Syria plan to sign an economic pact before the end of the year that is partly aimed at circumventing US sanctions, Russia’s deputy prime minister said Monday as he led a high-level delegation on a visit to Damascus. Yuri Borisov said the Russian side is expecting to sign the pact on his next visit in December, […]

Sudan declares state of emergency over deadly floods

6:57 pm September 5, 2020

Cairo: Sudanese authorities declared their country a natural disaster area and imposed a three-month state of emergency across the country after rising floodwaters and heavy rainfall killed around 100 people and inundated over 100,000 houses since late July. The announcement was made late Friday following a meeting of the country’s Defense and Security Council which is headed […]