France delays national school exams as heatwave begins

PARIS, June 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The French government said it was taking the unusual step of delaying national school exams scheduled for this week to protect pupils during a heatwave. Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said the Brevet national diploma exam – a key test for children aged around 14 that was set…

Mexico vows to identify thousands of remains, ‘worst legacy’ of violence – Pres Obrador

MEXICO CITY, June 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexico’s government vowed to identify thousands of human remains that have accumulated in morgues and mass graves during more than a decade of gang violence and stirred anger among bereaved families. The government said it would initially commit 400 million pesos to work through…

Parents of girl from India who died in US desert ‘desperate’ for asylum

TUCSON (Arizona, US), June 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The parents of a six-year-old migrant girl from India who died of heat stroke in an Arizona desert said they sought asylum in the United States because they were “desperate.” “We wanted a safer and better life for our daughter and we made…

UN Security Council urges dialogue, end to US-Iran tensions

UNITED NATIONS, June 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN Security Council called for dialogue and measures to end tensions in the Gulf, but Iran rejected talks with the United States after President Donald Trump imposed fresh sanctions. In a unanimous press statement drafted by Kuwait, the council condemned recent attacks on oil tankers,…

Zimbabwe declares interim RTGS dollar its sole legal currency

HARARE, June 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Zimbabwe has declared its interim currency, the RTGS dollar, the country’s sole legal tender with effect from Monday, according to a government notice. “The British pound, United States dollar, South African rand, Botswana pula and any other foreign currency whatsoever shall no longer be legal…

Ethiopia Amhara ‘coup ringleader killed’

The renegade general was released from prison last year  ADDIS ABABA, June 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) —The suspected ringleader of Saturday’s failed coup attempt in Ethiopia’s Amhara region has been shot dead, police say. Brig-Gen Asaminew Tsige was killed as he attempted to escape from his hideout in Amhara’s capital, police added. Ethiopia’s…

Mexico cracks down at US border with 15,000 troops

MEXICO CITY, June 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexico has deployed nearly 15,000 soldiers and National Guardsmen to its border with the United States, the army chief said — admitting they are detaining migrants who try to cross, after the policy triggered backlash. Under pressure from US President Donald Trump to slow…

US-China trade negotiators hold talks ahead of Xi-Trump meeting

BEIJING/WASHINGTON, June 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Top Chinese and US trade negotiators have held telephone talks ahead of a crunch meeting between presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump at the G20 summit this week, Chinese state media said. Vice Premier Liu He — Xi’s pointman in the trade war — spoke…

Peru: Southern regions see increase in tourist arrivals

LIMA, June 25 (NNN-ANDINA) — Peru’s southern regions received 4,825,069 domestic and foreign tourists in 2018, up 6.7% compared to 2017, private-run Perucamaras‘ Business Research Centre (CIE) said. The number of domestic visits, which accounted for 29.7% of all arrivals, increased 2.7%, while the number of international tourists, which made up…

Update: Late Minister Huerta receives funeral honors upon arrival in Lima

LIMA, June 25 (NNN-ANDINA) — The late Defense Minister Jose Huerta received funeral honors upon arrival at Las Palmas Air Base in Lima’s Surco district on Monday afternoon. His body arrived onboard a Peruvian Air Force (FAP) plane shortly after 3 PM and received the honors by the Armed Forces and National Police.The coffin…