EU countries try to thrash out refugee burden-sharing

LUXEMBOURG, June 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — EU interior ministers meeting Thursday will seek agreement on a long-stalled revision of the bloc’s asylum and migration rules that is aimed at making burden-sharing fairer. But diplomats cautioned the odds of a deal were still “50-50”, with increasing numbers of European Union members adopting…

Rwandan genocide suspect Kabuga declared ‘unfit’ to stand trial: UN war crimes court

THE HAGUE, June 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Felicien Kabuga, a Rwandan genocide suspect, is unfit to stand trial, judges at a United Nations war crimes court at The Hague have ruled. Kabuga, who is 88 according to officials but claims to be 90, had been living under a false identity and evaded capture…

30 herders kidnapped in northeast Nigeria: sources

KANO (Nigeria), June 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Boko Haram militants have kidnapped 30 ethnic Fulani herders near northeast Nigeria’s Lake Chad, demanding ransom for their release, fishermen and the head of an anti-jihadist militia said. The militants in eight boats stormed the fishing and herding villages of Tudun Kwastan, Kwatar Turare…

US gun violence: 2 dead, 5 injured in school graduation shooting

RICHMOND (Virginia, US), June 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two people were killed and five injured during a shooting near a high school graduation in the US state of Virginia, police said, the latest in an epidemic of mass shootings plaguing the country. The shooting took place around 5 pm outside a…

UK PM in Washington to meet Biden and talk tech, Ukraine

WASHINGTON, June 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak flew in to Washington late Tuesday lobbying for Britain to take a lead role in regulating artificial intelligence, after a dire warning of the technology’s existential dangers. Sunak will meet President Joe Biden on Thursday for a White House summit, pledging…

Quebec the new epicenter of Canada’s raging wildfires

MONTREAL, June 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Canada’s Quebec province, not used to the huge number, scale and strength of wildfires ravaging the rest of the country, has become the latest hotspot with about 160 fires burning on Tuesday, most of those out of control. In the hardest-hit Abitibi-Temiscamingue region of the…

Four dead, several dozen injured in Haiti quake

PORT-AU-PRINCE, June 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An earthquake shook parts of western Haiti on Tuesday, killing at least four people and injuring three dozen others, authorities said, with more victims feared trapped under the rubble. The magnitude 4.9 quake occurred just after 5 am around 9 kilometers off the coast of…

Mexico’s foreign minister resigns to pursue presidential bid

MEXICO CITY, June 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexican foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard announced he will resign in order to seek the nomination of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s ruling party in next year’s presidential election. Ebrard announced his intent to “present my resignation… with the purpose of fully dedicating myself, with…

Discussions on grain deal continue: UN

UNITED NATIONS, June 6 (NNN-TASS) — The United Nations continues negotiations with Russia and Ukraine to extend the grain deal, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary General Stephane Dujarric said. “The discussions are going on. We keep constant discussions with our partners within the framework of the JCC (Joint Coordination Centre),…

Haitian-Chilean national gets life sentence for President Moïse’s murder

MIAMI (Florida, US), June 6 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Haitian-Chilean businessman Rodolphe Jaar was sentenced to life in prison by a Miami court for his role in the July 7, 2021, murder of President Jovenel Moïse in Port au Prince when a group of armed men – mostly Colombian mercenaries – stormed…