UN urges WTO not to impose food export restrictions

  GENEVA, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations on Monday begged world trade ministers meeting at the WTO not to impose export restrictions on food for humanitarian purposes, amid a food security crisis.   The UN’s human rights chief Michelle Bachelet and its trade and development head Rebeca Grynspan…

US: Wildfire tears through California forest as temperatures rocket

 LOS ANGELES, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A wildfire was burning out of control Monday in forest outside Los Angeles after a weekend of record-breaking temperatures, and as forecasters warn of fire danger across the parched US West. Almost 400 hectares had been charred by the Sheep fire since it erupted…

Togo declares state of emergency in north after attack

 LOME, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Togo’s government declared a “state of security emergency” in its northern border region to give the armed forces more flexibility to deal with the threat of jihadist attacks. Eight Togolese were killed in May in a northern town near the border with Burkina Faso, in…

15 dead, half million impacted by heavy rains in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 15 people have died in a dozen mudslides caused by heavy rains that have fallen since early May in Guatemala, where more than 500,000 people have been affected, officials said Monday. Among the 15 fatalities were a woman and her six children,…

El Salvador minister says Bitcoin crash poses ‘extremely minimal’ fiscal risk

SAN SALVADOR, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — El Salvador’s Finance Minister Alejandro Zelaya dismissed concerns that a sharp drop in the value of bitcoin could hurt the Central American nation’s fiscal health. El Salvador last September became the first country to make bitcoin a legal tender, alongside the U.S. dollar, despite…

UK court allows first migrant deportation flight to Rwanda

LONDON, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Judges in London have thrown out last-ditch bids by human rights groups and campaigners to stop Britain sending its first flight of asylum seekers to Rwanda on Tuesday, a plan the United Nations’ refugee chief described as “catastrophic”. As part of an initial £120-million (US$148…

Top US, Chinese national security figures hold ‘candid’ talks

Jake Sullivan, White House national security adviser WASHINGTON, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has raised concerns with China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi over Beijing’s veto at the United Nations of a US-led push to impose more sanctions on North Korea, a senior US official said. Washington has warned…

Canada: Toronto van attacker sentenced to life in prison

These are 10 of the 11 people killed in the van attack TORONTO, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A man who plowed a rented van into dozens of people on a busy Toronto street in 2018, killing 11, was sentenced to life in prison. Alek Minassian, 29, was found guilty last…

US gun control: Cautious welcome to bipartisan deal on new safety measures

Tens of thousands of protesters rallied across the US on Saturday to call for stricter gun laws WASHINGTON, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US campaigners have welcomed a potential cross-party deal on gun safety reforms but stressed the proposals do not go far enough. “This is progress even if small,” said David…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Former British soldier Jordan Gatley killed in fighting

Jordan Gatley’s family shared a picture of him in Ukraine  KYIV, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A former British soldier has been killed fighting for the Ukrainian armed forces, his family has said. Jordan Gatley, who left the British army in March and travelled to Ukraine, was described as “a hero”…