Six In The Morning Tuesday 15 June 2021

 

'It was our children they killed'

Russian mercenaries implicated in the torture and killing of civilians in Central African Republic

By Tim Lister, Sebastian Shukla and Clarissa Ward, CNN

Updated 0545 GMT (1345 HKT) June 15, 2021

Fatouma was at home with her children in the town of Bambari when the firing began, on the afternoon of February 15.

Terrified, she gathered them up and fled to the nearby mosque, thinking it would be a safe refuge in the Central African Republic (CAR) market town.

But instead of finding sanctuary within its walls, she and dozens of others -- men, women and children -- became targets. Both her children were shot but survived. At least a dozen people didn't.

"It was the Russians and the FACA [the CAR army]," Fatouma said.

Hungary passes law banning LGBT content in schools or kids’ TV

New legislation outlaws sharing information seen as promoting homosexuality with under-18s

Jennifer Rankin in Brussels

Tue 15 Jun 2021 16.06 BST

Hungary’s parliament has passed a law banning gay people from featuring in school educational materials or TV shows for under-18s, as Viktor Orbán’s ruling party intensified its campaign against LGBT rights.

The national assembly passed the legislation by 157 votes to one, after MPs in the ruling Fidesz party ignored a last-minute plea by one of Europe’s leading human rights officials to abandon the plan as “an affront against the rights and identities of LGBTI persons”.

Despite a boycott of the vote by some opposition politicians, the outcome was never in doubt, as Fidesz has a healthy majority and the plans were supported by the far-right Jobbik party.

China says it is a force for peace as it hits back at Nato

Nato has declared for the first time that China is a security challenge

Mayank Aggarwal@journomayank

China on Tuesday slammed Nato for calling it a security challenge and said it will never give up its “right to uphold peace”.

The Chinese mission to the European Union also urged Nato to view China’s development in a “rational manner”.

On Monday, the leaders of Nato declared China as a challenge to the rules-based international order. It said China’s stated ambitions and assertive behaviour present “systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to alliance security”.

Teflon and 'forever chemicals:' The hidden toxins in your body 

They're everywhere, are harmful to our health and do not biodegrade. Has DW reporter Tim Schauenberg also unknowingly ingested 'forever chemicals'?

What do raincoats, pizza boxes, frozen vegetable packaging and nonstick frying pans have in common? They all contain perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS). Known as "forever chemicals" by experts, they could be damaging human health.

Roland Weber, an environmental consultant with the United Nations, describes them as "one of the most threatening chemicals ever invented." 

Four reasons why Iran’s election matters to Europe

The result may affect a range of issues from the future of the 2015 nuclear agreement to the fate of dual-national prisoners held in Iran.

By David Child

15 Jun 2021

The outcome of Iran’s presidential election on Friday could reshape the country’s political balance of power – and Tehran’s relations with its allies and rivals.

Conservative candidate Ebrahim Raisi is widely seen as the frontrunner to succeed Hassan Rouhani, the reformist president whose second term is ending.

Raisi, Iran’s judiciary chief, is one of five hardliners in the race.

Japan to provide greater COVID vaccine support to foreign residents

The Japanese government adopted a policy Tuesday to strengthen support for foreign residents who may face hurdles in getting coronavirus vaccinations, together with local municipalities.

Under the policy, the government will boost assistance to foreigners who have difficulty in understanding what to do with vaccination coupons sent to them by municipalities in charge of inoculation campaigns and those who do not know how to contact the municipalities.

The government will also promote the sharing of multilingual information about measures against the spread of the coronavirus.