Reuters World News Summary

The "organic material" is being sent for forensic analysis, federal police said, along with blood found on a suspect's boat that will be compared with genetic material from journalist Dom Phillips and travel companion, indigenous expert Bruno Pereira. EU unity must not be compromised for Ukraine candidate status, French official says A decision to give Ukraine candidate status to the European Union has to be done without weakening the bloc and to ensure Kyiv is not left in limbo for years, a French presidential official said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Brazil search teams find possible human remains in river where journalist vanished

Brazilian search teams found "apparently human" organic material in a river where British journalist Dom Phillips disappeared on Sunday along with a Brazilian indigenous tribes expert, federal police said on Friday. Police also said in a statement that they had collected genetic material from the missing journalist and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira to compare with blood found on the boat of a fisherman who is being held as a suspect in the investigation.

Brazil police find apparent human remains in river where reporter vanished

Brazilian search teams have found "apparently human" remains in the river where a British journalist was last seen in the Amazon rainforest, police said on Friday, in what may be the biggest break yet for the five-day investigation. The "organic material" is being sent for forensic analysis, federal police said, along with blood found on a suspect's boat that will be compared with genetic material from journalist Dom Phillips and travel companion, indigenous expert Bruno Pereira.

EU unity must not be compromised for Ukraine candidate status, French official says

A decision to give Ukraine candidate status to the European Union has to be done without weakening the bloc and to ensure Kyiv is not left in limbo for years, a French presidential official said on Friday. The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, will give its opinion on Ukraine's candidacy request on June 17, with the bloc's heads of state expected to discuss it at a summit a week later. Even if approved, the process to become a full member takes several years and can be vetoed by any member state.

Britain, U.N. official condemn Donbas death sentences against British soldiers

Britain on Friday condemned Russian proxy authorities in Donbas for what it called an "egregious breach" of the Geneva convention in sentencing to death two British nationals captured in the separatist region while fighting for Ukraine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said he was talking to Ukraine rather than Russia about Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, who were convicted of "mercenary activities" by a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).

Ukraine pleads for more weapons, cholera spreads in Mariupol

Ukraine sought more help from the West on Friday, pleading for faster deliveries of weapons to hold off better-armed Russian forces and for humanitarian support to combat deadly diseases. In Sievierodonetsk, the small city that has become the focus of Russia's advance in eastern Ukraine and one of the bloodiest flashpoints in a war well into its fourth month, further heavy fighting was reported.

U.S. envoy to visit Lebanon, discuss Israel maritime talks - State Dept

The United States will send an envoy to Lebanon next week to discuss the country's energy crisis and underscore Washington's hope that Beirut and Israel can reach a decision delimiting their maritime boundary, the State Department said on Friday. Amos Hochstein, the State Department's senior advisor for energy security, will visit Lebanon June 13-14, the department said in a statement. Washington began mediating indirect talks over Israel and Lebanon's disputed maritime border in 2020.

Migration pact to cap Americas summit buffeted by discord

U.S. President Joe Biden and fellow leaders of the Americas are set to pitch a plan designed to stem illegal migration and manage record migrant numbers as a regional summit roiled by diplomatic squabbling draws to a close on Friday. Dubbed the "Los Angeles Declaration" and described by Biden as "ground-breaking", the U.S.-led pact aims to create incentives for countries taking in large numbers of migrants, and to spread responsibility for the challenge across the region.

Canada to suspend random COVID testing to reduce airport wait times

Canada is suspending random COVID-19 testing at all its airports for the rest of June to ease the long wait times that travelers have encountered in recent weeks, a government statement said on Friday. The random testing will be discontinued from Saturday and will resume "off-site" on July 1, the statement said.

Familiar faces in presidential race promise new ways to fix Nigeria

Two political veterans in their 70s are vying to be Nigeria's next president, promising pro-business policies to revamp Africa's largest economy by fixing its oil sector and curbing widespread security threats. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) this week chose Bola Tinubu to be its candidate to replace President Muhammadu Buhari in next year's vote. He will face Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and veteran politician who is the main opposition People's Democratic Party's (PDP) flagbearer.

UK's first flight taking migrants to Rwanda can go ahead, court rules

Britain's government overcame a legal challenge to its controversial policy to begin deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda as the High Court dismissed campaigners' attempts to win an injunction and said the first flight could leave next week. Charities and a trade union had launched a challenge earlier this week against the government's plan to send asylum seekers to the East African nation.

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