Lee Jae-myung won South Korea's presidential by-election
Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party has been elected South Korea’s 21st president, according to the National Election Commission. With 94.4 percent of votes counted, Lee secured 48.8 percent, while Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party received 42.0 percent. Even if all remaining votes are counted for Kim, Lee’s victory is assured, Xinhua reported.
Voter turnout reached 79.4 percent, the highest in 28 years, with over 35m of 44.39m eligible voters participating, including early voters from the previous week.
Aguiar-Branco re-elected as president of Portuguese parliament
Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) was re-elected president of Portugal’s parliament on Tuesday with 202 votes, securing a strong majority in the 230-seat Assembly.
The outcome was a huge improvement over last year, when he was elected with 160 votes after four rounds.To prevent a repeat of that deadlock, the PSD built cross-party support ahead of the vote. Both Chega and the Socialist Party (PS) chose not to oppose his nomination, making the outcome widely anticipated, according to Xinhua.
In Portugal, 116 votes are needed to win the presidency under parliamentary norms.
Meloni and Macron meet in Rome to ease tensions
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met French President Emmanuel Macron in Rome on Tuesday for talks aimed at easing tensions between the two countries.
The discussions centered on trade, EU relations, and connections with the United States. Meloni wants deeper ties with US President Donald Trump, whereas Macron prefers a more independent EU posture. Both support Ukraine, but have different intentions for peacekeeping troops, according to Reuters.
No statement followed the meeting, though Italy’s foreign minister called the visit a positive step.
Vietnam drops two-child policy in population shift
The Vietnamese National Assembly has approved amendments to the Population Ordinance, removing previous limits on the number of children per family, Xinhua reported.
Under the new law, couples are now free to decide the number of children they have, as well as the timing and spacing of births.
The Ministry of Health reported a record-low fertility rate of 1.91 children per woman in 2024—below the replacement level of 2.1 which prompted the move in reaction to a persistent drop in birth rates, according to Xinhua.
India’s active COVID-19 cases cross 4,000
India’s active COVID-19 cases have grown to 4,026, with Kerala (1,416) reporting the most, followed by Maharashtra (494), Gujarat (397), and Delhi (393), according to the Union Health Ministry.
Five more deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, increasing the total to 37 this year. Cases increased from 257 on May 22 to more than 4,000 on June 3, The Hindu reported.
As stated by the officials, majority of illnesses are mild and can be treated at home. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) confirmed that the spike is caused by Omicron sub variants LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1, with no signs of increased severity.
OECD cuts global growth forecast amid US tariffs
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an international group of 38 countries promoting economic stability, has cut its global growth forecast to 2.9 percent from 3.1 percent, citing trade barriers driven by US tariffs under President Trump. The US outlook was lowered to 1.6 percent, with inflation risks noted.
UK growth was revised to 1.3 percent, with further slowing expected. The OECD warned of weak business confidence and urged stronger fiscal discipline ahead of the UK’s Spending Review, BBC reported.
UN aid trucks come under attack in Sudan
A UN aid convoy was attacked Monday night in el-Koma while en route to famine-stricken el-Fasher, killing four and injuring two, according to a UN spokesperson.
The Sudanese government blamed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while the RSF accused the army. The UN has not identified the attackers, according to BBC.
El-Koma, controlled by the RSF, was targeted by airstrikes the day before, killing or injuring 89 people. Local sources blamed the army, but no official comment has been provided.
The ongoing civil war between the army and the RSF, which began in 2023, has displaced more than four million people and caused a massive humanitarian crisis, BBC reported.
Israeli forces kill 27 near Rafah aid site, dozens injured
Israeli forces opened fire near an aid distribution center in Rafah on Tuesday, killing at least 27 Palestinians and injuring 90, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The incident occurred near the Flag Roundabout, close to a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). It marks the third such attack in the area in recent days, BBC reported.
The Israeli military claimed it targeted individuals who strayed from designated routes. Authorities in Gaza report over 100 deaths near the aid hub since GHF began operations on May 27.
The Red Cross reported 184 injured brought to its field hospital, with 27 later confirmed dead. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, according to BBC.
