UN approves Turkey’s request to change name to Türkiye

UNITED NATIONS, June 2 (NNN-XINHUA) — The United Nations granted Turkey’s request to change its name from Turkey to Türkiye, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters. The change came into force immediately at the time when the world body received a letter from Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut…

OPEC debates oil output boost amid Russian isolation

VIENNA, June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Major oil producers led by Saudi Arabia and Russia hold talks Thursday on whether to adjust output, hard on the heels of an EU ban on Russian oil imports. Analysts had expected OPEC+ producers to likely stick to their policy of only increasing output modestly,…

Rider killed in Isle of Man TT qualifying; another rider in serious condition after crashing in separate incident

DOUGLAS (Isle of Man), June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British motorcycle rider Mark Purslow died in qualifying for the Isle of Man TT races on Wednesday, organisers said in a statement. The 29-year-old from Wales, in his second TT, had been on his third lap of the fourth qualifying session when…

El Salvador’s popular millennial president waging war on gangs

SAN SALVADOR, June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s controversial war on gangs has led to tens of thousands of arrests and sparked criticism from rights groups, but helped win him sky-high popularity three years into his term. First seen as a young challenger to the status quo but…

US is ready to implement ban on Xinjiang goods on June 21

WASHINGTON, June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US authorities are ready to implement a ban on imports from China’s Xinjiang region when a law requiring it becomes enforceable later in June, a US Customs official said, adding that a “very high” level of evidence would be required for an exemption. US President Joe Biden in…

US, Taiwan launch trade talks in challenge to China

The US doesn’t have official relations with Taiwan, a major producer of semiconductors WASHINGTON, June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States and Taiwan launched talks on Wednesday aimed at deepening their trade ties, in a clear challenge to Beijing. The process, labeled the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, follows an agreement…

Covid-19: North Korea outbreak likely ‘getting worse’, says WHO

GENEVA, June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization (WHO) lamented that it had no access to data about North Korea’s COVID-19 outbreak, but assumed the crisis was deepening, contrary to Pyongyang’s reports of “progress”. North Korea, which announced its first ever coronavirus cases on May 12, said last week…

UK: Health agency confirms community spread of monkeypox in England, mainly among gay, bisexual men

LONDON, June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Monkeypox appears to be spreading from person to person in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. The usually mild viral disease, which is endemic in west and central Africa, is understood to spread through close contact. Until early May, cases rarely cropped up…

US lifts Cuba flight restrictions imposed under Trump

WASHINGTON, June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The administration of President Joe Biden on Wednesday revoked a series of restrictions on flights to Cuba imposed by his predecessor, including ending a prohibition on US airline flights to Cuban airports other than Havana. The US Transportation Department (USDOT) issued the order at the request of…

US violence: Buffalo suspect indicted in mass killing, district attorney says

BUFFALO (New York, US), June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An 18-year-old suspect has been indicted on charges he gunned down 10 black residents in a Buffalo, New York supermarket, and will make a court appearance on Thursday, the office of the local county’s district attorney said. The district attorney’s office declined…