National mourning for former Chancellor Berlusconi, Germany adopts National Security Strategy, New Zealand moves closer to NATO.

The World & Vietnam newspaper highlights some noteworthy world news this morning, June 15th.

Asia

KHMER TIMES. More than a month before the 2023 general election, the Cambodian National Election Committee (NEC) is urging overseas Cambodians to arrange to return home to vote in the upcoming 7th National Assembly elections.

Xinhua News Agency. The plane carrying Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos experienced a minor technical problem minutes after takeoff on the morning of June 14, forcing the pilot to turn the plane back to an air base near Manila and switch to another aircraft.

HAARETZ. The Lebanese parliament failed in its 12th vote to elect a new president, succeeding Michel Aoun, whose term expires in October 2022.

Chủ tịch Quốc hội Lebanon Nabih Berri bỏ phiếu bầu tổng thống mới trong cuộc bỏ phiếu tại thủ đô Beirut ngày 14/6. (Nguồn: AP)

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri casts his vote for a new president during a vote in Beirut on June 14. (Source: AP)

PTI. Indian police say at least nine people have died and 10 have been injured in the latest clashes between rival ethnic groups in the northeastern state of Manipur.

KYODO. The Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) confirmed that two of its members were killed in a shooting on June 14 at a training ground in Gifu; the shooter has been apprehended.

Xinhua News Agency. During talks in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two sides.

CHINA DAILY. In a phone call with his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang urged Washington to implement the agreement between the two countries and respect the commitments made to prevent tensions between the two countries from spiraling out of control.

"The two foreign ministers discussed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to responsibly manage the relationship between the United States and China in order to avoid miscalculations and potential conflict." (State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller)

Europe

TASS. The 26th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) kicked off in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, one day before its official opening.

More than 17,000 delegates from 130 countries and territories have confirmed their attendance at SPIEF 2023, themed "Sovereign Development as the Foundation of a Just World: Working Together for Future Generations".

EURO NEWS. European parliamentarians voted to approve a key document that will form the basis of future legislation to regulate AI systems like ChatGPT while also promoting innovation in the field.

AFP. EU member states and the European Parliament have agreed on a way to change the visa system towards a largely digitized system, meaning visa stickers will no longer be required in passports.

DW. The German federal government has for the first time adopted a National Security Strategy, which emphasizes the defensive, resilient, and adaptable capabilities of Europe's largest economy.

FRANCE 24. France will take a stricter approach to public finances, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire affirmed ahead of next week's conference to announce measures to cut public spending.

ANADOLU. Officials from Turkey, Sweden, Finland, and NATO have agreed to continue discussions on Sweden's membership in the military alliance, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

AL JAZEERA. According to Greek officials, at least 78 people have died and dozens more are still missing after a fishing boat carrying migrants capsized and sank in Greek waters.

REUTERS. Italy held a state funeral for former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Milan, attended by thousands of people, while all public buildings across the country flew flags at half-mast.

The funeral of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was held at the cathedral in Milan on June 15. (Source: Reuters)

America

CNN. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill to appoint an ambassador tasked with helping to normalize relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, particularly Saudi Arabia.

NBC. During their meeting in Washington, D.C., U.S. President Joe Biden and his Uruguayan counterpart Luis Lacalle Pou discussed ways to expand economic ties, strengthen joint efforts in the fight against climate change, and enhance security cooperation.

AP. Honduras has begun cutting electricity supplies nationwide amid a severe drought caused by the extreme El Niño weather phenomenon, forcing major hydroelectric power plants to reduce output.

Africa

NTV KENYA. The Kenyan government has closed at least 5,995 businesses selling alcohol in a crackdown on the country's growing illegal alcohol trade.

AFP. Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of Mali's military administration, Colonel Assimi Goita, held a phone call to discuss security and economic relations.

AFRICA NEWS. From the beginning of the year to the end of April, Nigeria recorded a total of 1,629 suspected cases of cholera, including 48 deaths, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDC).

NEWS24. The South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment will send an additional team of 200 firefighters and 13 management specialists to support ongoing firefighting operations in the Canadian province of Alberta.

Oceania

UPI. New Zealand and Fiji have signed a defense agreement aimed at enhancing military training and maritime security, as well as improving disaster response and humanitarian coordination between the two Pacific nations.

"This agreement reflects the value New Zealand places on our relationship with Fiji and is crucial for more effective cooperation between our militaries." (New Zealand Defence Minister Andrew Little)

NZ HERALD. New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the country is in talks with NATO to establish a new form of partnership that would include issues of mutual interest such as promoting a rules-based international order, climate change, and cybersecurity.

ABC. According to a newly published study by Australian scientists, posted on the website of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MRCI), human lung and heart cells react very differently to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, paving the way for more targeted Covid-19 treatments in the future.

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