SEOUL: The second nominee for South Korea's prime minister withdrew his name on Tuesday over controversial comments he made about the country's troubled past with Japan in the latest political setback for President Park Geun-hye. The decision by Moon Chang-keuk, a former journalist, to pull out follows the withdrawal of a former Supreme Court justice last month over questions about the ethics of earning a large income after leaving public service. "I wanted to help President Park Geun-hye. I have decided that I would be helping President Park by withdrawing at this time," Moon told a news conference. Moon, a devout Christian, had come under criticism after comments he made at a church gathering that it had been God's will for Korea to suffer under Japan's colonial rule in the early 20th cent-ury.

1,000 killed in June

GENEVA: At least 1,000 people, mainly civilians, have been killed and roughly the same number injured in fighting and other violence in Iraq in June as Sunni militants swept through the north, the United Nations said on Tuesday. Victims include a number of confirmed summary executions committed by forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and prisoners killed by retreating Iraqi forces. At least 757 civilians were killed and 599 injured in the northern provinces of Nineveh, Diyala and Saladdin from June 5-22, UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a news briefing. Others died in shelling and cross-fire. At least another 318 people were killed and 590 injured during the same period in Baghdad and areas to the south, many due to at least six vehicle-borne bombs, he said.

Miami shooting

WASHINGTON: An overnight shooting in Miami left two people dead and several others wounded, media reports said on Tuesday. As many as 10 people were shot in the incident at around 2:00am (0600 GMT) in an area of Miami called Liberty City, the Miami Herald and CBS news reported, quoting city officials. Police were not immediately available for comment and there were few details available about the latest shooting in the US plagued by gun violence.