World News Roundup: UN rights chief urges ASEAN to move on Myanmar dialogue; Lithuania says Belarus is flying in migrants, plans border barrier and more

The accord, unveiled at an event in the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan attended by Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, marks the first time in 70 years the community will have control over child and family services among its members. U.S. calls Haitian leader's assassination a 'horrific crime', assessing attack The United States is assessing the "tragic attack" that killed Haiti's president overnight and President Joe Biden will be briefed on the assassination, the White House said on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

UN rights chief urges ASEAN to move on Myanmar dialogue

The top U.N. human rights official called on ASEAN countries on Wednesday to launch a political dialogue with the military junta and the democratically-elected leadership in Myanmar, with support from the international community. The United Nations must be allowed to deliver humanitarian aid to civilians in Myanmar, as agreed with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), without it being "instrumentalised" by the military, Michelle Bachelet said.

Lithuania says Belarus is flying in migrants, plans border barrier

Lithuania on Wednesday accused Belarus of flying in migrants and said it would build a barrier on the border to prevent them crossing illegaly into its territory. Belarus decided to allow migrants to cross into Lithuania in response to European Union sanctions imposed after Minsk forced a Ryanair flight to land on its territory and arrested a dissident blogger aboard.

Hungary levies fine over sale of book about 'rainbow families'

Hungary has fined the distributor of a children's book about same-sex 'rainbow families' under a law that bans unfair trade practices, a move described by its U.S. author as a "direct attack on freedom of information and the freedom to publish". The levying of the fine comes just before a new law - condemned by the European Union - is due to come into force on Thursday tightening a ban on disseminating content in Hungarian schools deemed to promote homosexuality and gender reassignment.

Canadian indigenous group takes charge of child welfare services

The Canadian indigenous group that announced last month the discovery of an estimated 751 unmarked graves near a former residential school said on Tuesday it would take charge of its own child welfare services under an agreement with the federal government. The accord, unveiled at an event in the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan attended by Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, marks the first time in 70 years the community will have control over child and family services among its members.

U.S. calls Haitian leader's assassination a 'horrific crime', assessing attack

The United States is assessing the "tragic attack" that killed Haiti's president overnight and President Joe Biden will be briefed on the assassination, the White House said on Wednesday. "We're still gathering information," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on MSNBC. "We're still assessing right now."

Haitian president assassinated at home, sparking fears of widespread turmoil

Haitian President Jovenel Moise was shot dead by unidentified attackers in his private residence overnight in a "barbaric act", the government said on Wednesday, stirring fears of escalating turmoil in the impoverished Caribbean nation. The assassination coincided with a wave of gang violence in Port-au-Prince as armed groups have battled with police and one another for control of the streets https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haiti-gang-leader-launches-revolution-violence-escalates-2021-06-24 in recent months, turning many districts of the capital into no-go zones.

Taliban fighters enter capital of northwestern Afghan province

Taliban insurgents on Wednesday stormed the capital of Afghanistan's northwestern Badghis province, officials said, briefly taking over police headquarters and sparking panic among local people. Officials said air strikes were being carried out and special forces had been deployed to push the Taliban fighters back.

Kidnappers demand food for children seized in Nigeria school raid

Kidnappers who abducted more than 100 students from a boarding school in Nigeria's Kaduna state warned that the children could starve unless parents supply them with food, parents and the head of the Kaduna Baptist conference said on Wednesday. The Baptist official said about 125 students are missing, while at least 28 were reunited with their families, after the overnight raid on the Bethel Baptist High School early this week, the 10th mass school kidnapping since December in northwest Nigeria.

Rockets hit Iraqi base housing U.S. forces, wounding two - U.S. coalition

At least 14 rockets hit an Iraqi air base hosting U.S. and other international forces on Wednesday, slightly wounding two people, the U.S.-led coalition said, as Kurdish-led forces in Syria said they thwarted a drone attack in an area where U.S. forces also operate. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attacks, part of a recent wave targeting U.S. troops or areas where they operate in Iraq and Syria, both countries where Iran-backed militias hold sway.

Hundreds of Afghan servicemen flown back from Tajikistan - Tajik security source

Almost 300 Afghan servicemen who crossed the border into Tajikistan while retreating from Taliban militants were flown home in the early hours of Wednesday, a Tajik security source told Reuters. Hundreds of Afghan security personnel retreated across the Tajik-Afghan border this month in response to Taliban advances in northern Afghanistan, underlining a rapidly deteriorating situation as foreign troops near a complete withdrawal after 20 years of war and with peace negotiations stalled.