Canadian platform spills 3,200 gallons of oil-mix into Atlantic

54 MONTREAL, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An oil platform off the Canadian island of Newfoundland spilled nearly 3,200 gallons of an oil-water mix into the Atlantic Ocean, and efforts were underway to minimize the environmental impact, ExxonMobil said. The spill occurred a day earlier during “routine activities related toremoving water”…

ICC suspends Zimbabwe Cricket over ‘political interference’

LONDON, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — International cricket chiefs suspended Zimbabwe over a failure to keep the sport free from governmentinterference, throwing into doubt their participation in qualifiers for theT20 World Cup. The decision means International Cricket Council funding to ZimbabweCricket will be frozen and representative teams from the country will…

US sanctions four Iraqis for rights abuses, corruption

WASHINGTON, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States sanctioned two Iraqi militia leaders and two former governors for human rights abuses and corruption. The sanctions target any property they own or have an interest in that iswithin the United States or under the control of “US persons,” as well as“any…

France to lead search for European candidate to head IMF

CHANTILLY (France), July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said he will lead talks on finding a single Europeancandidate to succeed Christine Lagarde as head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The post of IMF managing director, which by convention goes to a European, became vacant after…

UN reaches agreement with Yemen rebels to resume food deliveries

UNITED NATIONS, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World FoodProgram has reached an agreement in principle with Yemen’s Houthi rebels to resume food aid to areas they control, the agency’s chief said. Malnutrition is widespread in Yemen after four years of civil war, but theUN suspended deliveries of food aid to…

US homeland security chief says migrant conditions improved

WASHINGTON, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Homeland Security chief drew the wrath of Democrats when he said conditions for detainedmigrant children on the southern border had improved after reports of squalor and abuse. During a hearing before the House Oversight Committee, acting HomelandSecurity Secretary Kevin McAleenan said there is…

Update: Gulf tensions rise as US shoots down Iranian drone

WASHINGTON, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tensions in the Gulf region mounted as US President Donald Trump said an American naval vessel shot down an Iranian drone that threatened the ship as it was entering the Strait of Hormuz. It was the first US military engagement with Iran following a series…

Over 100 killed, millions displaced from floods in India, Nepal and Bangladesh

GUWAHATI- Floods have forced more than four million people from their homes across India, Nepal and Bangladesh and killed more than 100 people as torrential rains in the initial days of monsoons wreaked havoc. The poor Indian states of Assam and Bihar have been among the worst hit. Some 4.3…

UK government seeking further information on seized foreign tanker reports: spokeswoman

LONDON, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain is seeking further information on reports Iran has seized a foreign tanker in the Gulf, the government said, urging the Iranian authorities to de-escalate tensions. Iranian state television quoted Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as saying a tanker smuggling fuel had been seized. “We’re seeking further…

Bruised but driven, Netanyahu becomes Israel’s longest-serving PM

JERUSALEM, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Benjamin Netanyahu makes history this weekend by becoming the longest-serving Israeli prime minister, surpassing a record held by the country’s founding father David Ben-Gurion. The conservative leader, who will match Ben-Gurion’s 8,475 days in office on Friday, faces an election in September after an inconclusive…