German lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in favor of a law that legalizes same-sex marriage. The chancellor, Angela Merkel, voted against the bill because she believes "marriage is between a man and woman". “It was a long, intensive, and for many also emotional discussion, that goes for me personally too, and I’m hopeful not only that there will be respect for either side’s opinions, but that it will also bring about more peace and cohesion in society,” she said. The bill allows same-sex couples to marry and jointly adopt children. Germany would become one of 20 or so countries where same-sex marriage is legal when the law takes effect later this year. – GUARDIAN

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will meet for the first time next week, at the G-20 summit in Germany. The White House did not say whether Trump will ask Putin about the investigation into Russia’s meddling in last year’s election. National security adviser H.R. McMaster said that "there's no specific agenda. It's really going to be whatever the president wants to talk about." But he said Trump wants to talk about the ways in which the countries could cooperate to de-escalate the conflict in Syria, tackle North Korea's nuclear threat and confront transnational terrorist threats. – NYT

New satellite images show that China is building missile shelters, as well as radar and communications facilities, on islands in the South China Sea, a US think tank says. The military facilities are being built on the Fiery Cross, Mischief and Subi Reefs in the Spratly Islands, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI). China has built four new missile shelters on Fiery Cross Reef in addition to the eight already on the artificial island, AMTI said. Mischief and Subi each have eight shelters, the think tank said in a previous report. China denies US charges that it is militarizing the sea, which also is claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. – REUTERS

Widely-used neuro-active insecticides known as neonics are harming bees, according to the largest field study ever into the relationship between the chemicals and bee mortality. For the study published in the journal Science, scientists monitored honeybees and wild bees at 33 sites across Europe, comparing bees that were placed near fields growing canola seeds treated with neonicotinoid pesticides with fields growing standard canola. Although the results varied, bees feeding on neonic-treated canola fared worse. Bees are particularly vulnerable to neonic exposure when they depend on pesticide-treated crops for food, and when they are weakened by disease, says Richard Pywell, from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in the UK and the study’s lead author. Although several research papers have linked bee mortality with neonics, a spokesman for Bayer, a leading producer of the pesticides, said the latest study "shows that when hives are healthy and relatively disease free and when bees have access to diverse forage, neonics do not pose a danger to colony health." – NPR

The US plans to sell $1.42 billion in arms to Taiwan, a decision that could anger China amid escalating tensions with North Korea. The deal includes high speed anti-radiation missiles, torpedoes and missile components, the State Department said. It would be the first arms deal with Taiwan under Trump and the first since a $1.83 billion sale announced by former President Barack Obama in December 2015. The deal does not imply a change in the US’s long standing “one China policy”, but it could anger China at a time when Trump has asked Beijing to cut ties with Pyongyang over Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. – REUTERS

A Twitter rant by US President Donald Trump against two TV hosts drew wide condemnation. Trump called "Morning Joe" host Mika Brzezinski "crazy," and referred to her partner and co-host Joe Scarborough as "psycho". He said they both "speak badly of me" and that Brzezinski was once "bleeding badly" from a facelift during a visit to his Florida club, Mar-a-Lago. Some GOP lawmakers were upset by the tweets, which come at a time in which Republican Senate leaders are trying to rally support for a controversial health care reform. Susan Collins, one of four Republican women in the Senate, called for "respect and civility" and said "this has to stop." And Republican Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted: "Mr. President, your tweet was beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America." But Melania Trump stood by her husband, with the first lady's spokesman saying the President "will punch back 10 times harder" when insulted. – CNN

The US birth rate has dropped to a record low, with fewer than 4 million births last year, according to a government report. The decrease is largely the result of a 9% year-on-year dropped in teen births. The birth rate among teens has drop 67% since 1991. "Data [from previous years] really suggests it is access to contraceptives and use of contraceptives that has really led to these kind of changes," said Dr. Elise Berlan, a physician who specializes in adolescent medicine at Nationwide Children's Hospital. She noted that most teens are using birth control and the top method is the condom, followed by withdrawal and the pill. The data also shows that there's been an uptick in births to older moms, with 4% more babies born last year to women ages 40 to 44. – CNN

The United States has imposed sanctions on a Chinese bank in a bid to crack down on North Korea’s financing and development of weapons of mass destruction. Treasury officials say the Bank of Dandong acts as a conduit for illicit North Korean financial activity and money laundering. The US government also imposed new sanctions on a Chinese shipping company and two Chinese citizens blacklisting them from doing business with US-tied companies and people. "The Department of the Treasury is committed to protecting the US financial system from North Korean abuse and maximizing pressure on the government of North Korea until it abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. – NYT

Hundreds of residents have been forced to flee their homes as gusty winds and high temperatures stoke wildfires across the Southwest. Six states including Arizona, California and New Mexico are dealing with "multiple large fires," with more than 8,000 firefighters battling the blazes. The wildfires follow from a heat wave that brought temperatures of up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to the Southwest. In the days ahead, "we are still going to see higher temperatures and windy conditions, so all of that plays a part in how crews handle the fire," said Tiffany Davila with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. – NPR

Three civil society groups have filed a lawsuit accusing French bank BNP Paribas of complicity in the 1994 Rwandan genocide that killed some 800,000 people. The groups Sherpa, the Collectif des Parties Civiles pour le Rwanda and Ibuka France claim the bank broke a UN arms embargo when it transferred $1.3 million to a Swiss account controlled by a South African arms dealer. BNP Paribas agreed to pay a $9 billion penalty in 2014 after pleading guilty to evading US trade embargoes in order to help clients in Sudan, Cuba and Iran. – NPR

Tennis star Venus Williams was at a fault in a car crash in which a 78-year-old man died. The accident took place on June 9 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, when William's car crashed against a vehicle transporting Jerome Barson and his wife Linda, who suffered moderate injuries. The police report says Williams, who was driving at an estimated speed of 5 miles per hour, was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. "(Williams) is at fault for violating the right of way of (the Barsons)," the report said. – CNN

A federal judge has blocked a California law that bans most residents from owning a firearm magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The preliminary injunction follows from a complaint filed last month by five California residents backed by the California Rifle & Pistol Association, a lobby group. Legal battles over gun regulations in California are part of a fierce debate over gun ownership in the wake of deadly mass shootings across the United States. The California law was due to take effect on July 1. – REUTERS