Trade: US opens new trade front, citing forced labour to trigger tariffs (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) on 2 June announced the likely imposition of unilateral tariffs of 10% and 12.5% on scores of countries under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, citing their failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.

UN: 24 million in the Sahel need urgent aid amid funding collapse (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
Humanitarian needs in the Sahel have reached a breaking point, with 24.3 million people requiring urgent assistance, as hunger, conflict and climate shocks converge while funding for the region sinks to its lowest level in a decade, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Health: Afghan women complete medical studies but barred from practising (PRIV)
(IPS, Kabul)
While Afghanistan faces a serious shortage of female doctors, the country's Islamist regime has placed restrictions on female students from graduating, further exacerbating the situation.