World News Rundown: Democracy Talks, Peace Efforts, and Conflict Updates

A comprehensive summary of global news, including President Biden and Kenya's Ruto pledging democracy protection in Africa, Brazil and China advocating for Ukraine peace talks, Putin's visit to Belarus for nuclear exercises, Macron's delayed voting reform in New Caledonia, and various conflict updates in Gaza, Ukraine, and Syria.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Biden, Kenya's Ruto pledge to protect democracy in Africa

U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed Kenyan President William Ruto to the White House on Thursday for a state visit, pledging a new era of partnership on technology, security and debt relief to the leader of one of Africa's strongest democracies. Ruto's is the first state visit by an African president to the White House since 2008, as Washington seeks to deepen relations with the continent. The U.S. recently has been focused on wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and China has become Africa's biggest bi-lateral trading partner.

Brazil, China call for Russia-Ukraine peace talks with both countries

Brazil and China signed on Thursday a joint statement calling for peace talks in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine with the participation of both countries, a document seen by Reuters showed on Thursday. The document, signed by Celso Amorim, a special advisor to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, said the countries believe negotiation is the only viable solution for the "Ukraine crisis."

Putin in Belarus to discuss security, tactical nuclear weapon exercises

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived on Thursday in Belarus, Moscow's closest ally, for talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko expected to focus on security and exercises with tactical nuclear weapons. Minsk is set to take part in the exercises, aimed at simulating preparations for the launch of the weapons, which are smaller nuclear warheads meant for use on battlefields.

In riot-scarred New Caledonia, France's Macron delays voting reform

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday after a day of talks in New Caledonia that he would delay a voting reform that had triggered deadly riots on the French-ruled Pacific island, and try to seek a new political agreement. Speaking in the capital Noumea after meeting local political leaders, Macron said his ultimate aim was still to sign the measure into law, but only if peace returned and a broader pact on the island's future could be forged.

Israeli forces kill dozens of Palestinians in Gaza strikes, battle Hamas in Rafah

Israeli forces killed at least 60 Palestinians in aerial and ground bombardments across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and battled in close combat with Hamas-led militants in areas of the southern city of Rafah, health officials and Hamas media said. Israeli tanks advanced in Rafah's southeast, edged towards the city's western district of Yibna and continued to operate in three eastern suburbs, residents said.

Three US troops have non-combat injuries during Gaza pier operation

Three U.S. troops suffered non-combat injuries in the effort to make a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza into a conduit for humanitarian aid, with one in critical condition at an Israeli hospital, U.S. officials said on Thursday. The injuries were the first for U.S. forces during the latest operation to bring humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

Seven dead in Russian strikes on Kharkiv as Kyiv pleads for weapons

Russia pounded Kharkiv with missiles on Thursday, killing seven people in a printing house, as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called out his western allies for not providing enough military support to rebuff Russian attacks. Moscow's forces have hammered the northeastern city for months and launched a ground assault into the north of the surrounding region on May 10, an offensive that Kyiv says has stalled on two lines of attack for now.

Analysis-Divisions, elections and Assad lay bare Europe's Syrian quagmire

The European Union will convene donors next week to keep Syria on the global agenda, but as the economic and social burden of refugees on neighbouring countries mounts the bloc is divided and unable to find solutions to tackle the issue, diplomats say. Syria has become a forgotten crisis that nobody wants to stir amid the war raging between Israel and Islamist Palestinian militants Hamas and tensions growing between Iran and Western powers over its regional activities.

Sunak and Starmer hit UK campaign trail after shock election call

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Labour Party rival Keir Starmer kicked off their election campaigns on Thursday, each arguing that only they can snap the country out of its economic and political malaise. Sunak, whose Conservatives have trailed Labour by more than 15 points in polls since he became prime minister in October 2022, shocked and angered many in his party when he gambled by calling a July 4 election, months earlier than expected.

Ukraine's long-range glide bomb blunted by Russian jamming

Russian jamming has kept many of Ukraine's relatively new long-range GLSDB bombs from hitting their intended targets, three people familiar with the challenges told Reuters. Ukraine over the last year sought weapons with longer ranges than the 43 miles (69 km) of U.S.-provided GMLRS rockets so Kyiv could attack and disrupt Russian supply lines and muster points.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)