Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Pope Francis apologized to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan for postponing his July visits to the two countries indefinitely for health reasons.
- AMERICAS: A bipartisan group of US senators announced an agreement on gun safety legislation which includes “needed mental health resources, improved school safety and support for students, and ensures dangerous criminals can’t purchase weapons.”
- ASIA: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his top deputies are pushing for a crackdown on officials who abuse their power and commit other “unsound and non-revolutionary acts.”
- EUROPE: The UK Court of Appeal and the High Court are hearing arguments against the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
- MIDDLE EAST: US President Joe Biden will travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel next month and the White House is planning to announce the trip this week.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Two small NASA satellites that were meant to study hurricane development failed to enter orbit when their Astra rocket shut off before reaching the necessary altitude.
Top Story
- Global: UN Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet Will Not Seek a Second Term.
- U.N. human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet will not seek a new four-year term after the current one that has been overshadowed by criticism of her response to China’s treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in western Xinjiang.
- Bachelet used her opening address to the summer session of the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council to say that her comments on Monday “will be the last which I brief” the 47-member-state body.
- Bachelet has faced mounting criticism from countries and NGOs for not speaking out more forcefully against allegations of widespread rights abuses in some countries, most notably in China.
- Some diplomats expected Bachelet to stay on after her term expires later this year.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres affirmed his support for Bachelet after she came under heavy criticism from the US for not doing enough to raise concerns about rights abuses in Xinjiang during her trip to China last month.
- In her address to the Geneva-based council, Bachelet expressed concerns about inflation, food security, and climate change.
- AP, AlJazeera, AFP, Reuters, RFE/RL, DW
Africa
- Region: Pope Francis apologized to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan for postponing his July visits to the two countries indefinitely for health reasons. (BBC)
- Burkina Faso: Attacks by Islamic extremists are on the rise five months after mutinous soldiers overthrew the country’s democratically elected president. (AP)
- Nigeria: Police said gunmen abducted at least 29 people in the northwestern state of Zamfara. (BBC)
- Somalia: Heavy taxes imposed by al-Shabab in parts of the country are making it impossible for farmers to cultivate crops amid a severe drought. (BBC)
- Uganda: Dozens of soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo have crossed into the country after the M23 rebels blocked the main road to Rutshuru. (BBC)
Americas
- Argentina: Authorities grounded an Iran-linked Venezuelan Boeing 747 cargo plane in an unfolding drama that is throwing a spotlight on political undercurrents in Latin America. (Reuters)
- Brazil: Authorities found a backpack and personal effects of a British journalist and an Indigenous expert who disappeared in the Amazon last week, with the Briton’s mother-in-law saying she has lost hope that they will emerge alive. (AFP)
- Canada: Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said It was “unacceptable” for an official to have attended Russia Day celebrations at the country’s embassy. (Reuters)
- Mexico: Local authorities said a mob attacked a young political advisor and then set him on fire over child trafficking accusations shared on chat groups. (AFP)
- United States: A bipartisan group of senators announced an agreement on gun safety legislation which includes “needed mental health resources, improved school safety and support for students, and ensures dangerous criminals can’t purchase weapons.” (NYT)
Asia
- China: Beijing’s ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said relations between the two countries are at a “new juncture” with the election of a new Australian government and the first minister-to-minister talks in more than two years. (AP)
- Indonesia: Tens of thousands of people filled streets in the city of Bandung to mourn the governor’s son, who was found dead in a Swiss river last week. (AFP)
- North Korea: Kim Jong Un and his top deputies are pushing for a crackdown on officials who abuse their power and commit other “unsound and non-revolutionary acts.” (AP)
- South Korea: Truckers on strike are considering blocking shipments of coal to a power plant if the government rejects their demands for minimum pay guarantees. (Reuters)
- Thailand: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, in an effort to strengthen Washington’s “unparalleled network of alliances” in the region. (AP)
Europe
- France: President Emmanuel Macron and his allies began a crucial week of campaigning to secure a parliamentary majority after a first round of voting that has galvanized a newly formed leftwing alliance. (AFP)
- Italy: Voters snubbed a weekend referendum on changes to the justice system, dealing a blow to League party leader Matteo Salvini, who championed the plebiscite. (Reuters)
- Spain: Officials said 22 people have been hospitalized after a regional passenger train and a locomotive collided head-on in the northeast. (AP)
- Ukraine: The country’s forces have been pushed back from the center of the eastern city of Severodonetsk, where fighting with Russia has raged for weeks. (AFP)
- United Kingdom: The Court of Appeal and the High Court are hearing arguments against the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. (AlJazeera)
Middle East
- Region: US President Joe Biden will travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel next month and the White House is planning to announce the trip this week. (Reuters)
- Iran: Two members of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s aerospace division died as “martyrs” in separate incidents over the weekend. (AP)
- Iraq: Lawmakers from the Sadrist bloc in parliament resigned after powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, asked them to step down amid a prolonged stalemate over forming a government. (Reuters)
- Israel: The country’s fragile coalition government is teetering on the edge of collapse, raising the prospect of a snap election in the coming months. (Reuters)
- Lebanon: The UN’s mission called for the country’s military to guarantee the security of its peacekeepers, alleging personnel were “threatened” by armed men the day before. (AFP)
Tech & Communications
- Technology: Two small NASA satellites that were meant to study hurricane development failed to enter orbit when their Astra rocket shut off before reaching the necessary altitude. (AFP)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to Report.
- Hurricanes: Nothing to Report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to Report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to Report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 13JUN22)
- Confirmed cases: 535,316,609
- Deaths: 6,309,612
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 13JUN22)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (14JUN22)
- Global: Buddha Purnima.
- Global: UN disability conference.
- Global: UN Trade Forum Opens. (to 15JUN)
- Austria: World Summit hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Europe: Environmental and economic committees of the European Parliament to vote on new criteria for “green label” of energy.
- Indonesia: Labor Party to lead protests outside government offices against Job Creation Law.
- Kuwait: Special parliamentary session on financial rights of some citizens, including retirees.
- Middle East: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visit to Israel, Palestine, Egypt, and Jordan. (to 15JUN)
- Russia: The government will remove all remaining COVID-19-related travel restrictions for air and sea travelers.
- United Kingdom: The government to deport the first group of migrants to Rwanda via plane.
- United States: Flag Day.
- United States: President Biden addresses AFL-CIO Convention
- United States: Primary elections held in Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, and South Carolina.
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