*) Casualties soar as Afghanistan reels from deadliest earthquake in decades

A powerful earthquake devastated a rural, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 1,150 people and injuring 1,600 more.

The magnitude 6.1 temblor hit near the Pakistan border, but quakes of that strength can cause severe damage in areas where buildings are poorly constructed.

Rescue workers continue clearing the rubble to release the injured and recover bodies.

*) Ukraine crisis sounds alarm for humanity — China

The conflict in Ukraine has “sounded an alarm for humanity,” Chinese leader Xi Jinping said, as China continues to assume a position of neutrality while backing its ally Russia.

“Countries will surely end up in security hardships if they place blind faith in their positions of strength, expand military alliances, and seek their own safety at the expense of others," Xi said.

In other comments, Xi said imposing sanctions could act as a “boomerang” and a “double-edged sword,” and that the global community would suffer from “politicising, mechanising and weaponising” global economic trends and financial flows.

*) Türkiye, Saudi Arabia stress 'new era of cooperation' in boost to ties

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared their determination to launch a new era of cooperation in bilateral ties, including in the political, economic, military, security and cultural spheres.

According to a joint declaration, the leaders emphasised the countries' determination to start a new era of comprehensive cooperation in many areas.

Ankara and Riyadh decided to deepen consultation and cooperation in regional issues to strengthen stability and peace, it said.

*) UN: Greece creates 'atmosphere of fear' for migrants, rights organisations

Human rights defenders in Greece are “under severe pressure” while trying to protect the refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in the country, the UN human rights body said.

“Geopolitical circumstances and a lack of support by the EU have led to questions being posed of Greece that many other States have not been asked concerning migration,”

Commenting on the difficulties faced by the human rights defenders in Greece, UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor said that the government's current approach creates an “atmosphere of fear – particularly a fear of criminalisation.”

And finally…

*) Musk 'losing billions of dollars' in Berlin, Austin Tesla factories

Tesla’s new car factories in Texas and Berlin are "losing billions of dollars" as they struggle to increase production because of a shortage of batteries and China port issues.

Chief Executive Elon Musk said "Both Berlin and Austin factories are gigantic money furnaces right now.” adding, “It's really like a giant roaring sound, which is the sound of money on fire,"

Musk also said he expected Tesla would start production of its Cybertruck electric pickup trucks in mid-2023.

*) East Ukraine weathers bombardment

Russian attacks have laid down a curtain of fire across areas of eastern Ukraine where pockets of resistance are denying Moscow full military control of the region.

The governor of Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region described the situation saying “everything that can burn is on fire.”

The Russian military currently controls about 95 percent of the Luhansk region, but Moscow has struggled for weeks to overrun it completely.

*) East Afghanistan earthquake

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has shaken parts of densely populated Afghanistan.

The country's state-run news agency reported that at least 255 people have been killed in the east.

The quake struck about 44 kilometres from the city of Khost in eastern Afghanistan at a depth of 51 kilometres.

*) Saudi crown prince to meet President Erdogan

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is visiting Türkiye for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to further strengthen ties between the regional powers.

Erdogan has told reporters that Crown Prince bin Salman’s visit to the capital Ankara would see discussions on taking bilateral relations to a much higher level.

Energy, economy, trade, defence cooperation and tourism are expected to be at the top of the agenda and new agreements are also expected to be signed.

Relations between Ankara and Riyadh had seen a drop in recent years due to political tensions, but both countries are now seeking to revive ties.

*) US landmark gun safety bill

US Senate negotiators on gun legislation have released a landmark gun safety bill to address mass shootings.

The 80-page bill will be encouraging state red flag laws, enhancing mental health services, and adding juvenile records to background checks on gun buyers.

The measure does not go as far as Democrats including President Joe Biden had sought.

But, if passed, it would still be the most significant action to combat gun violence to emerge from the US Congress in years.

And finally…

*) Conflicts push millions of children out of school

The number of children forced out of school or who have seen their education disrupted in conflict-torn countries has nearly tripled in six years to 222 million.

That is up from 75 million children estimated to be in the same situation in 2016, the United Nations global fund for education found in a fresh report.

A full 78.2 million of the children are estimated to be completely out of school due to often protracted conflicts and emergencies.

54 percent of them are girls, while 17 percent are children with disabilities, the report found.

*) Russian journalist auctions Nobel Peace Prize

Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize gold medal for 103 million dollars to benefit children displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.

Muratov donated all of the proceeds from the sale of the medal to UNICEF's Humanitarian Response for Ukrainian Children Displaced by War.

The Nobel prize was snapped up by an as yet unidentified phone bidder according to Heritage Auctions, which handled the sale.

*) Russian television broadcasting in southern Ukraine

Television towers in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson have been reconfigured to broadcast Russian television as Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine enters its 118th day.

The Russian armed forces said they had "reconfigured the last of the seven television towers to broadcast Russian television channels" for free.

In Ukraine's southern Kherson region, the Russian army has already introduced the rouble and begun distributing Russian passports as well.

*) Macron to host French opposition party leaders

French President Emmanuel Macron will host political party chiefs in a bid to break the impasse created by the failure of his coalition to win a majority in parliamentary elections.

In a rare encounter, Macron will host Marine Le Pen, his rival in presidential elections and leader of the far-right National Rally.

He will also meet with right-wing, Socialist and Communist party chiefs, while the far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon is not scheduled to do so.

The meetings are the first attempts by Macron to extract himself from a situation that risks wrecking his second-term reform plans.

*) PKK supporters hold demonstration in Sweden

A group of supporters of the PKK terror group has held a demonstration in the Swedish city of Gothenburg, calling on Sweden to impose an arms embargo on Türkiye.

Reacting to the development, Mikail Yuksel, chairman of the Party of Different Colors in Sweden, said "the Swedish government says it considers the PKK a terrorist organisation, but implements a two-faced policy."

The protest came as negotiations about Finland and Sweden's NATO bids and Türkiye's security concerns continued.

Türkiye objects to the membership bids, criticising Finland and Sweden for supporting the PKK terror group, which has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people across the country.

*) Biggest rail strike in 30 years brings UK to standstill

UK's biggest rail strike in three decades kicks off as tens of thousands of staff walk out in a dispute over pay and jobs.

Picket lines appeared at dawn and will be lined by some of the more than 40,000 rail workers who are due to strike on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, bringing the network to a standstill.

Unions have said the rail strikes could mark the start of a "summer of discontent", with teachers, medics, waste disposal workers and even barristers moving towards industrial action over surging prices.

*) Zelenskyy warns of Russian 'hostile activity'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is likely to intensify its offensive this week.

"Obviously, this week we should expect from Russia an intensification of its hostile activities," Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine applied to join the EU four days after Russian troops poured across its border in February.

The European Commission recommended last Friday that Ukraine receive candidate status. Leaders of the 27-nation union will consider the question at a summit this week.

*) China's oil imports from Russia soar to a record

China's crude oil imports from Russia have soared 55 percent from a year earlier to a record level in May, displacing Saudi Arabia as the top supplier.

Imports of Russian oil totalled nearly 8.42 million tonnes, data from the Chinese General Administration of Customs showed.

Russia took back the top ranking after a gap of 19 months as refiners of the world's biggest crude oil importer cashed in on discounted supplies amid sanctions on Moscow.

*) Macron’s alliance loses majority

French President Emmanuel Macron's Together alliance has lost its majority in the French parliament, winning 245 seats in the 577-member chamber in elections.

The outcome, well short of the 289 seats needed for an overall majority, severely tarnished Macron's April presidential election victory.

The setback for the French president could throw the country into political paralysis unless Macron is able to negotiate alliances with other parties.

*) Colombia elects Petro as new president

Ex-guerrilla Gustavo Petro has been elected the first ever left-wing president of Colombia, after beating millionaire businessman Rodolfo Hernandez.

With all votes counted, Petro beat Hernandez with an unexpectedly wide margin of more than 700,000 votes.

Petro has pledged to fight inequality with free university education, pension reforms and high taxes on unproductive land.

And finally…

*) Russian journalist sells Nobel Prize for Ukrainian children

Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov is set to auction off his Nobel Peace Prize medal to help children displaced by the Ukraine conflict.

Muratov said the idea of the donation “is to give the children refugees a chance for a future.”

As of early Monday morning, the highest bid was $550,000.

The purchase price is expected to spiral upward, possibly into the millions.

Muratov will donate proceeds directly to UNICEF.

*) EU to give fast-tracked opinion on Ukraine membership bid

The European Commission meets on Friday to give its fast-tracked opinion on Ukraine's EU bid, a step closer to membership for the country battling Russia's forces.

The meeting comes a day after French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian premier Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis visited Kiev.

They met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who later promised that Ukraine was ready to put in the work to become an EU member.

*) Israeli forces kill three Palestinians, injure eight others in raid

At least three Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli raid in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

Eight others were injured in the raid, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement.

Eyewitnesses said Israel’s forces opened fire on a vehicle with four Palestinians. After the incident, Israeli soldiers targeted protesting Palestinians with live ammunition and tear gas grenades.

*) Covid vaccines, food, fisheries figure in WTO's deals package

The World Trade Organisation has concluded hard-won deals on fishing subsidies, food insecurity and Covid-19 vaccines in a landmark bundle of agreements.

WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the trade ministers' conference had struck an "unprecedented package of deliverables" which would "make a difference".

The conference also agreed on deals on e-commerce, responding to pandemics and reforming the organisation itself.

*) Two dead, one wounded in another US shooting

A shooting at a church during a potluck dinner has left two people dead and one wounded in the US state of Alabama.

The incident took place at St Stephen's Episcopal Church in the town of Vestavia Hills and a suspect was taken in custody, the town's police department said.

The US is in the midst of a gruesome chapter of its gun violence epidemic. On May 24, a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killed 19 children and two teachers.

And finally…

*) Azteca Stadium, Los Angeles among 2026 World Cup venues

Mexico City's iconic Azteca Stadium and the Los Angeles Rams' multi-billion-dollar SoFi Stadium are among 16 venues to stage games at the 2026 World Cup.

The tournament will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It will be the first ever World Cup shared between three nations and also the first to feature 48 teams.

At a televised announcement in New York, officials confirmed 11 US cities as host venues, along with three venues in Mexico and two in Canada.

*) Biden announces $1 billion in new military aid for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden has announced a new package of arms and ammunition for Kiev after speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the phone.

The package of $1 billion includes howitzers, ammunition, anti-ship missile systems and additional rockets for new artillery systems that Ukraine will soon put in the field.

Biden said "the US will stand by Ukraine as it defends its democracy" against a Russian onslaught. Zelenskyy said he was "grateful" for the new American arms package.

*) Xi assures Putin of China's support for Russian 'sovereignty, security'

Chinese President Xi Jinping has assured his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of Beijing's support for Moscow on "sovereignty and security" during a phone call.

Xi praised the "good momentum of development" in bilateral ties since the start of the year "in the face of global turmoil and changes", state broadcaster CCTV reported.

It was the second reported call between the two leaders since Putin launched his offensive against Ukraine on February 24th.

*) Police: Amazon fisherman confesses to killing missing pair

A fisherman has confessed to killing a British journalist and an Indigenous expert in Brazil's remote Amazon, taking police to a site where human remains were recovered.

The development closes out 10 days of suspense as teams searched for the missing pair. Authorities say that more arrests would be made soon in the case.

Dom Phillips and his guide Bruno Pereira went missing June 5th in a remote part of the Amazon that is rife with crimes including illegal mining as well as drug trafficking.

*) US Fed announces biggest interest rate hike since 1994

The US Federal Reserve has announced the most aggressive interest rate increase in nearly 30 years in a battle to drive down surging inflation.

After the 0.75-percentage-point hike, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said it was "essential" to lower inflation and that the goal was to achieve that without derailing the economy.

The Fed's policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee raised the benchmark borrowing rate to a range of 1.5-1.75 percent, up from zero at the start of the year.

And finally…

*) Netflix seeks recruits for real-life 'Squid Game'

Netflix is looking for recruits to compete in a real-life "Squid Game". The worst fate for a contestant will be going home empty-handed — unlike in the original, ultra-violent show.

With the largest cast in reality TV history, 456 real players will enter the game in pursuit of a life-changing cash prize of $4.56 million, the streaming platform said.

"Squid Game: The Challenge" is looking for English-speakers from around the globe, aged at least 21 and free to travel for up to a month in early 2023.

*) Ukraine's need for more weapons major focus as defence ministers meet

Defence ministers from NATO and other parts of the world will meet in Brussels on Wednesday where they are expected to discuss weapon deliveries to Ukraine.

Ukraine seeks a significant increase in arms to help hold off Russian troops. Kiev says it needs 1,000 howitzers, 500 tanks and 1,000 drones, among other heavy weapons.

Western countries have promised NATO-standard weapons, including advanced US rockets. But deploying them is taking time.

*) UK Rwanda asylum-seeker flight cancelled after European court ruling

A first flight carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda as part of a controversial UK policy has been cancelled due to a last-minute ruling from the European Court of Human Rights.

British Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was disappointed that the legal challenge meant the plane did not take off, but vowed to pursue the heavily criticised policy.

The flight cancellation is seen as an embarrassment for the government after it insisted the Kigali-bound plane would leave no matter how many people were on board.

*) WHO to assess if monkeypox an international health emergency

The World Health Organisation will hold a meeting to determine whether to classify the global monkeypox outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern.

The emergency committee will meet on June 23 to discuss the designation, which is the highest alarm. The UN agency is also working to change the name of the disease.

The announcement comes after more than 30 scientists wrote that there was an "urgent need for a non-discriminatory and non-stigmatising nomenclature for monkeypox".

*) Ethiopia sets up committee for Tigray peace negotiations

Ethiopia's federal government has formed a committee to negotiate with forces from the rebellious northern region of Tigray.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has confirmed the key step towards peace negotiations. The committee has 10 to 15 days to hammer out details of negotiations.

The nearly two-year conflict in Ethiopia has displaced more than nine million people, plunged parts of Tigray into famine conditions and killed thousands of civilians.

And finally…

*) Emotional BTS tell fans they're taking a break to 'figure things out'

Members of K-pop supergroup BTS have announced they are taking an indefinite break from one of the world's most popular acts to focus on solo pursuits.

They have cited exhaustion and the pressures of success in an emotional video appearance.

The seven members, credited with generating billions of dollars for the South Korean economy, dropped the bombshell at a group dinner. The video was posted on YouTube.

*) Fierce fighting in Ukraine's Donbass region

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the battle for the eastern Donbass will go down as one of the most brutal in European history.

The region, comprising the provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk, is claimed by Russian separatists.

Zelenskyy said "for us, the price of this battle is very high. It is just scary," adding, "we draw the attention of our partners daily to the fact that only a sufficient number of modern artillery for Ukraine will ensure our advantage."

*) Sievierodonetsk under siege

Russian forces have laid siege to the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk, destroying the last bridges into the industrial hub.

The cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk have been targeted for weeks as the last areas in the eastern Donbass region of Luhansk still under Ukrainian control.

Ukraine's forces had been pushed back from Sievierodonetsk's centre after a weeks-long Russian offensive, said regional governor Sergei Gaidai.

*) Türkiye to start transferring gas from Black Sea in early 2023

Türkiye will start transferring 10 million cubic metres of natural gas daily from the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea to the national transmission system in the first quarter of 2023, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

First gas transmission is planned to be delivered through a 150-kilometre-long subsea pipeline that Türkiye will construct to run from the field to onshore where it will be connected to the national gas grid.

Türkiye sees energy as "the key to regional cooperation, and not an area of tension and conflict," Erdogan said.

*) UK to send first refugees to Rwanda

The British government is preparing to send a first plane carrying failed asylum seekers to Rwanda despite legal bids and protests against the controversial policy.

A chartered plane was to leave one of London's airports overnight and land in Kigali on Tuesday, campaigners said on Monday, after UK judges rejected an appeal against the deportations.

Claimants had argued that a decision on the policy should have waited until a full hearing on the legality of the policy next month.

And finally…

*) Hollywood stars seek responsible on-screen gun depictions

Hollywood stars including Amy Schumer, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo have signed a letter, calling for movies and television shows to depict responsible gun ownership and to limit scenes involving children with firearms.

The open letter penned in response to recent US mass shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo, was also signed by top producers J.J. Abrams ("Lost"), Shonda Rhimes ("Bridgerton") and Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy.

*) Ukrainian, Russian forces fight for 'every metre' in Sievierodonetsk

Ukrainian and Russian forces are fighting for "literally every metre" in Sievierodonetsk, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, as fighting intensified in an eastern region where the country's top commander said the land "is covered in blood".

Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk have been targeted for weeks as the last areas in the Luhansk region still under Ukrainian control.

Russia's massed artillery in that region gave it a tenfold advantage, said Valeriy Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian military. But, "despite everything, we continue to hold positions", he said.

*) Amnesty alleges Russia killed hundreds in Kharkiv 'war crimes'

Amnesty International has accused Russia of "war crimes" in Ukraine, saying attacks on Kharkiv, many using banned cluster bombs, had killed hundreds of civilians.

The rights group said in a report on Ukraine's second biggest city: “The repeated bombardments of residential neighbourhoods in Kharkiv are indiscriminate, which killed and injured hundreds of civilians, and as such constitute war crimes."

*) US Senators announce tentative deal on gun control

A bipartisan group of US Senators has announced the outline of a deal on gun control.

The plan for legislation includes support for tougher criminal background checks for gun buyers -- but only those younger than 21 -- and a crackdown on illegal gun purchases.

Senators also want to see more funding for mental health care and school security. Calls for stricter gun control have grown after a recent string of mass shootings.

*) Macron party neck and neck with leftists in parliamentary vote

French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance appears to be slightly ahead in the first round of parliamentary elections.

The Left has been gaining on him, throwing into serious doubt whether Macron will be able to secure a majority in parliament.

If not, that would make it virtually impossible to drive through his reform agenda. And, voter abstention in this round was at an all-time high, nearly 53 percent.

And, finally…

*) Justin Bieber suffering from partial facial paralysis

Justin Bieber says a rare disorder that paralysed half of the superstar performer’s face is the reason behind his tour postponement.

The multi-Grammy winner is suffering from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, he said in video he posted on Friday on Instagram.

The syndrome causes facial paralysis and affects nerves in the face through a shingles outbreak.

*) British, Moroccan fighters captured in Ukraine sentenced to death

Pro-Moscow separatists have sentenced to death two British fighters and a Moroccan, who were captured by Russian troops while fighting for Ukraine.

A court in self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic ordered the death penalty after the three were accused of acting as mercenaries, Russian news agencies reported.

The three men will appeal the decision. Ukraine has dismissed the proceedings as "placing propaganda interests above the law".

*) US Capitol riot probe puts Trump at heart of 'attempted coup'

A House panel investigating the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol has laid the blame firmly on Donald Trump.

It said the assault was hardly spontaneous but an “attempted coup”, and a direct result of the defeated president's effort to overturn the 2020 election.

Thursday's session and five subsequent hearings will focus on Trump's role in the multi-pronged effort to return him to the Oval Office by disenfranchising millions of voters.

*) UN elects new council members including Japan, Switzerland

UN member nations have elected five countries to join the powerful UN Security Council, which focuses on matters of international peace and security.

Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland have made the cut in a secret ballot vote in the 193-member General Assembly. Their terms will start on January 1.

They will join the United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom and France — the five veto-wielding permanent members of the council. As well as five others elected last year.

*) IAEA: Iran removal of monitoring cameras may scupper nuclear talks

The UN atomic energy watchdog has said that Iran is removing 27 surveillance cameras at its nuclear facilities, warning it could be a "fatal blow" to talks to revive a 2015 deal.

Talks began last year to bring the US back into that nuclear deal, after then president Donald Trump withdrew in 2018. But dialogue has been stalled since March.

An International Atomic Energy Agency resolution has recently censured Iran over lack of cooperation. Tehran has condemned the move and removed some of the surveillance cameras.

And, finally…

*) Grammys set to introduce new award categories

The 2023 Grammy Awards will feature new honours, including for the year's best video game soundtrack and Songwriter of the Year.

In a significant change, the Songwriter of the Year prize will not be open to performing or producing artists, but rather focus on working songwriters who receive little recognition.

Artists will also be able to submit their work for Best Alternative Music Performance, Best Americana Performance and Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.