18 militants killed, 9 injured in South Afghan province

A file photo of unidentified gunmen LASHKAR GAH (Afghanistan), June 15 (NNN-Xinhua) — A total of 18 militants have been killed and nine others sustained injury as security forces stormed Taliban hideouts in parts of the restive Helmand province Tuesday, said a statement of provincial police. The security forces involving…

ICC prosecutor seeks full probe into Filipino president’s drug war killings

President Rodrigo Duterte THE HAGUE, June 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The outgoing prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has sought authorisation from The Hague tribunal to open a full investigation into Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s ongoing war on drugs that killed thousands of people, including innocent children.Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, whose term…

Burkina Faso army kills 10 ‘terrorists’ after massacre

OUAGADOUGOU, June 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Burkina Faso’s army said Monday that troops had killed around 10 “terrorists” in security operations following the deadliest massacre in the country’s six-year jihadist insurgency. More than 7,000 people have fled northern Burkina Faso after the attack on the village of Solhan in early June…

China ready to launch first crew to new space station

BEIJING, June 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The first crew for China’s new space station prepared to blast off this week for the latest step in Beijing’s ambitious programme to establish itself as a space power. The mission is China’s first crewed spaceflight in nearly five years, and a matter of prestige…

Nicaragua defends arrests of opposition presidential hopefuls; describing them as US-funded ‘usurpers’

MANAGUA, June 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nicaragua’s government defended the arrests of 13 opposition figures, including four presidential hopefuls, claiming they are “usurpers” funded by the United States to topple President Daniel Ortega. Five more opposition figures were detained on Sunday, including four from the Unamos opposition party. The government said…

UN rights chief urges ‘calm’ as Peru awaits vote result

LIMA, June 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet expressed concern Monday over rising tension in Peru eight days after presidential elections that have yet to yield a result, and urged all parties to “remain calm.” Rightist candidate Keiko Fujimori, 46, has challenged the validity of tens of thousands…

Covid-19: India records 60,471 new cases

NEW DELHI, June 15 (NNN-PTI) — India saw a single day rise of 60,471 new coronavirus infections, the lowest after 75 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 29,570,881, while the daily positivity rate declined to 3.45 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on…

Covid-19: Chinese scientist at centre of virus controversy denies lab leak theory

WASHINGTON, June 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Chinese scientist at the centre of theories that the coronavirus pandemic originated with a leak from her specialised lab in the city of Wuhan has denied her institution was to blame for the health disaster. “How on earth can I offer up evidence for…

Japan’s opposition parties file no-confidence motion against Suga’s Cabinet

TOKYO, June 15 (NNN-Xinhua) — The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and three other opposition parties on Tuesday jointly filed a vote of no confidence in Japanese Prime Minster Yoshihide Suga’s Cabinet. The motion was filed after the ruling coalition turned down the opposition camp’s request for…

Erdogan, Biden hold first face-to-face meeting on sidelines of NATO summit

BRUSSELS, June 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described their first face-to-face talks as heads of state as “productive” but did not announce any major breakthroughs in the relationship between the two countries.  Biden told reporters after the meeting Monday on the sidelines…