Reuters — A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday forecast the development of a La Nina pattern during the August-October season, which is expected to persist through the remainder of 2020. There is about 50-55 per cent chance of La Nina developing during the Northern Hemisphere fall, with a 50 per cent chance it will […] Read more			
		
	U.S. forecaster says La Nina expected to develop in fall 2020
	G4 swine flu virus not new, China says
Ag ministry says virus does not infect or sicken humans, animals easily
								Shanghai/Beijing | Reuters — China’s ministry of agriculture and rural affairs said Saturday that the so-called “G4” strain of swine flu virus is not new and does not infect or sicken humans and animals easily, rebuffing a study published last week. That study, by a team of Chinese scientists and published by the U.S. journal […] Read more			
		
	China says could take more action against Canada
Ottawa and allies 'kicking against the pricks,' foreign ministry says
								Beijing | Reuters — China said on Monday it reserved the right to take more action after Canada suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and said efforts to pressure Beijing were “doomed to fail like kicking against the pricks.” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remarks about the potential for more action […] Read more			
		
	Chinese researchers warn of new virus in pigs with human pandemic risk
								Shanghai | Reuters — A new flu virus found in Chinese pigs has become more infectious to humans and needs to be watched closely in case it becomes a potential “pandemic virus,” a study said, although experts said there is no imminent threat. A team of Chinese researchers looked at influenza viruses found in pigs […] Read more			
		
	Ontario pledges farm recruiter crackdown as COVID-19 outbreaks grow
Ford rips 'fly-by-nighters just trying to make a quick buck'
								Toronto | Reuters –– Ontario will crack down on “fly-by-night” recruitment agencies sending workers on to farms, the premier said on Monday, after a testing blitz identified a major coronavirus outbreak on a farm in southwestern Ontario. “We’re reaching out to all the farmers, we’re getting a list of these recruitment agencies. We found out […] Read more			
		
	Blast kills at least 23 at Afghanistan livestock market
Area shelled in clashes between government forces, Taliban
								Kabul | Reuters — At least 23 civilians were killed in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province and dozens were wounded when rockets hit a cattle market on Monday, Afghan government and Taliban officials said. The warring sides blamed each other for the attack on the open-air weekly cattle market in Sangin district, where hundreds of villagers […] Read more			
		
	StatsCan survey shows bump up in wheat acres, particularly durum
Farmers back off canola, soybeans; pandemic expected to cause other problems for ag
								Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian farmers planted slightly more wheat overall in 2020 than in 2019, but the coronavirus outbreak will pose “unique challenges” in the production and distribution of crops, Statistics Canada said on Monday. Farmers planted 25 million acres of wheat, up 1.5 per cent from 2019, thanks in part to a 16.2 […] Read more			
		
	U.S. court blocks California cancer label on Roundup
WHO agency's ruling alone insufficient, judge says
								Reuters — A U.S. federal appeals court on Monday blocked California from requiring that Bayer label its glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup with a cancer warning, handing the company a victory in its ongoing litigation over the product. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge William Shubb called California’s cancer warning misleading and said the state’s label is […] Read more			
		
	Pompeo urges China to release two detained Canadians
U.S. Secretary of State calls charges 'groundless'
								Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Monday for the immediate release of two Canadians charged by China with espionage, saying the United States was “extremely concerned” and that the two men’s detention was unjustified. “These charges are politically motivated and completely groundless,” Pompeo said in a statement. Chinese prosecutors […] Read more			
		
	Mexico to resume sending farmworkers to Canada after safety agreement
								Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico will resume sending temporary farmworkers to Canada after the two countries reached an agreement on improved safety protections for labourers on Canadian farms during the coronavirus pandemic, the Mexican government said Sunday. Mexico said last Tuesday it would pause sending workers to farms with coronavirus infections after at least […] Read more