USA

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 24 (APP): Thousands of relatives of suspected foreign ISIL/Da’esh fighters should be repatriated, the U.N. human rights chief said Monday, adding that children in particular have suffered “grievous violations” of their rights.

“Foreign family members should be repatriated, unless they are to be prosecuted for crimes in accordance with international standards,” Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in her opening speech at the UN Human Rights Council, which started its annual summer session in Geneva.

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 25 (APP): Pakistan proposed a six point plan to address the new manifestations of racism and faith-based hatred especially Islamophobia at a largely-attended forum at UN Headquarters organized by Pakistan with Turkey, the Holy See and the United Nations on Monday.

Other speakers too called for effective steps to counter the challenge posed by the growing phenomenon of faith-based hatred and violence so as to promote peaceful, inclusive and just societies around the world.

UNITED NATIONS, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The members of the United Nations Security Council on Monday urged parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint in the Gulf region.

"The Council members urge concerned parties and all countries in the region to exercise maximum restraint and take measures and actions to reduce escalation and end tension," said Kuwaiti UN ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, who was authorized by the council members to read a statement to reporters.

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — Jurors deliberated less than 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict Monday in the federal death-penalty trial of a former University of Illinois doctoral student who abducted a visiting Chinese scholar from a bus stop and killed her at his apartment.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday targeting Iran’s supreme leader and his associates with financial sanctions, the latest action the U.S. has taken to discourage Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and supporting militant groups.

The sanctions follow Iran’s downing of a more than $100 million U.S. surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump pulled back from the brink of retaliatory military strikes on Iran last week but is continuing his pressure campaign against the nation.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Federal officials have released their review on removing or changing vegetation over a huge swath of the U.S. West to stop wildfires on land used for cattle ranching, recreation and habitat for imperiled sage grouse.

The work would occur on strips of land up to 165 yards (150 meters) wide and up to 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) long in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Utah, according to an environmental analysis released Friday. It didn’t give specific details on what the impact to the land could be.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A man charged with killing a rookie California police officer made his first brief court appearance Monday wearing a four-inch gauze pad covering what officials said was a self-inflicted head injury.

Adel Sambrano Ramos was appointed a public defender during a five-minute court hearing, and spoke only to acknowledge his name.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A pathologist testified Monday at a Navy SEAL’s murder trial that a wounded Islamic State militant in Iraq could have died from a stabbing described by other witnesses.

Dr. Frank Sheridan said he couldn’t determine a cause of death because of a lack of evidence. There was no body, no photos of a knife wound and only photos and video shot by other SEALs — not investigators.

NEW YORK (AP) — The shadow of Helsinki lingers. Uncertainties about Russia’s past and future election interference continue. And tensions are high over hot spots from Iran to Venezuela.

When President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet this week on the sidelines of an international summit in Japan, it will mark a new chapter in a much scrutinized relationship that crackles with questions and contradictions. Even as Trump places a premium on establishing close personal ties with Putin, his government has increased sanctions and other pressures on Moscow.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Iran’s U.N. ambassador warned Monday that the situation in the Persian Gulf is “very dangerous” and called talks with the U.S. impossible in the face of escalating sanctions and intimidation, while the U.S. envoy said the Trump administration’s aim is to get Tehran back to negotiations.