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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.

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.

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 24 (APP): United Nations Secretary-General Antonios Guterres has condemned the assassination of the chief of staff of Ethiopia’s army and killing of a regional governor in what the Ethiopian government has described as a regional coup attempt.

In a statement released on Sunday, he said he was “deeply concerned by the weekend’s deadly incidents”.

NEW YORK (AP) — Fifty years after humans first visited, businesses are still trying to make a buck off the moon.

Hundreds of millions of people were riveted when Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. Naturally, marketers jumped at the chance to sell products from cars and televisions, to cereal and a once-obscure powdered drink called Tang.

They are at it again in 2019, as the 50th anniversary of the giant leap for mankind approaches.

NEW YORK (AP) — The unwritten rules that have so far prevented the Democratic presidential contest from devolving into all-out conflict are about to be tested.

The early front-runner, former Vice President Joe Biden, has so far fended off the relatively gentle wrath of his rivals. The shortcomings of his most ambitious opponents like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren have been largely overshadowed. And the fiery concerns of lesser-known candidates, such as former Maryland Rep. John Delaney and entrepreneur Andrew Yang, have been all but ignored.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Greek Orthodox church of the United States, a far-flung denomination of 1.5-million members, on Saturday installed its first new leader in 20 years — a lifelong European whose top priority is completing construction of a shrine in New York City linked to the Sept. 11 attacks.

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 21 (APP): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed a landmark international agreement banning violence and harassment in the workplace which was adopted on Friday at the International Labour Organization’s Centenary Conference in Geneva.

In his speech to delegates in the Swiss city, Guterres congratulated member states for “building upon a legacy of achievement, guided by that age-old vision of social justice through social dialogue and international cooperation”.