Sunday, June 19th, 2022 

Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Russia would only use nuclear weapons if the sovereignty of the country is threatened. (Ukrinform) 

Ukrainian delegate Davyd Arakhamia says that Ukraine is planning to resume ceasefire negotiations with Russia this August. (Finger Lake Times) 

The European Commission recommends that the European Council grant Ukraine candidate status for accession to the European Union. (The Washington Post) 

The U.S. CDC unanimously votes to approve COVID-19 vaccines for children under the age of five, including babies. (NBC News) 

Lithuania bans the transit of goods that are under EU sanctions through their territory to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. (Reuters) 

Ukraine says that Russian forces are advancing on the city of Kharkiv. (Reuters) 

Russia says that its forces captured a district in the outskirts of Sieverodonetsk and that it launched Kalibr cruise missiles against a command centre in Dnipro, killing several Ukrainian generals and officers. (Reuters) 

Russian tennis player Natela Dzalamidze changes her nationality to Georgian and will participate in the upcoming Wimbledon tournament after Wimbledon banned Russian and Belarusian players from participating in the tournament. (Eurosport) 

The UK’s Home Office approves the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States. Assange’s lawyers announce that they will appeal the decision. (BBC News) 

The Czech Republic records its highest temperature for the month of June, 39.0 °C (102.2 °F), in Řež. Parts of Austria, Germany and Poland also report record high temperatures. (Axios)

The European Union condemns the “structurally deficient” justice system in Bolivia and lack of “due process” in the trial of Jeanine Áñez and asks for her release. (RPP) 

Citizens go to the polls to vote in the second round of the Colombian presidential election. (elDiario.es) 

Left-wing candidate Gustavo Petro wins the presidential election with 50.44% of the vote, beating his opponent Rodolfo Hernández who received 47.31% of the vote, according to preliminary results. (elDiario.es) 

Former state commissioner Abiodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress defeats former Governor Olusegun Oni of the Social Democratic Party in the gubernatorial election. Oyebanji’s win means that the APC has become the first party ever to win consecutive Ekiti gubernatorial elections. (Daily Trust) 

Ruling People’s Party of Andalusia wins a historic absolute majority, the first for a conservative party in Andalusia. Citizens, whose leader was the vice-president of the region, loses all the 21 deputies it had. (The Guardian) 

French voters head to the polls to vote in the second round of the latest legislative election. (Euronews) 

It is announced that French President Emmanuel Macron’s party Renaissance and its allies will not repeat an absolute majority in the National Assembly. (elDiario.es) 

Four civilians and three soldiers were wounded in protest over gasoline shortage when the army opened fire for the first time to quell unrest, as Sri Lanka is suffering its worst economic crisis since independence. (News.am) 

FINA, during its general congress, votes to disallow trans women swimmers from competing in high-level competitions. However, the body will convene a working group to develop a separate “open” category for them in select competitions. (CNN) 

Saturday, June 18th, 2022 

Donetsk People’s Republic authorities accuse Ukrainian forces of shelling the Zasyadko coal mine and trapping 77 miners. (Al Arabiya) 

At least 20 people die in an attack in Anchawadi commune, Mali. (Voice of America) 

Wildfires spread across northeastern Spain amid a heatwave, with the highest temperatures expected to be between 40 to 42 °C (104 to 108 °F) in the region of Zaragoza. (NDTV) 

President of Ecuador Guillermo Lasso declares a state of exception in Quito and other parts of the country amid ongoing protests. (Reuters via SwissInfo) 

Voters in Ekiti State, Nigeria, head to the polls to vote for their next governor. (BBC Pidgin) 

France sees several June all-time temperature records beaten by over 1 °C (1.8 °F) in an exceptionally strong heat wave. Biarritz’s temperature rises to 42.9 °C (109.2 °F), the absolute record for the seaside resort and 2.3 °C (4.1 °F) above the previous all-time record set in August. (L’Indépendant)

A Congolese soldier crosses the border into Western Province, Rwanda, and is shot dead by a Rwandan Police officer. Rwandan officials say that the soldier had been attacking people and had injured two officers before he was killed. (AP) 

The DRC closes its border with Rwanda in response to the killing of its soldier. (Al Jazeera) 

M23 movement militants seize the town of Tshengerero, North Kivu. (The National Post) 

Israel intercepts a rocket fired by suspected Hamas militants over Ashkelon. The Israel Defense Forces respond by launching airstrikes on military targets in Gaza. (AP) 

Security forces and armed locals kill 70 al-Shabaab members in Bahdo, Somalia. Two local children and a cleric are also killed in the fighting. (Reuters) 

The United Kingdom is asked to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after its organisers concluded that Ukraine is not capable of hosting the competition. (The Guardian) 

WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon voluntarily steps down from his executive roles while WWE’s Board of Directors investigates alleged misconduct over a $3 million “hush pact” with a former employee. McMahon’s daughter Stephanie is appointed to serve as interim CEO and Chairwoman, with Vince retaining his roles related to WWE creative content. (The Wall Street Journal) 

Estonia removes all of its COVID-19 entry restrictions for non-EU travellers after the Estonian Health Board concluded that the situation is under control and that third-country nationals are unlikely to affect the epidemiological situation in the country. (Schengenvisa Info) 

The End