World News Roundup: Iran says 60% enrichment meant to show nuclear process; ASEAN calls summit on Myanmar crisis and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

China's Xi calls for fairer world order as rivalry with U.S. deepens

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for a rejection of hegemonic power structures in global governance, amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over a widening range of issues including alleged human rights abuses. Speaking at the annual Boao Forum for Asia, Xi criticized efforts by some countries to "build barriers" and "decouple", which he said would harm others and benefit no one.

Iran says 60% enrichment meant to show nuclear process, is reversible

Iran began enriching uranium to 60% purity in order to show its technical capacity after a sabotage attack at a nuclear plant, and the move is quickly reversible if the United States lifts sanctions, the Iranian government said on Tuesday. Talks in Vienna aimed at bringing the United States and Iran back to full compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal have been further complicated by an explosion at Iran's main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz.

Analysis-Friendly fire threatens ex-PMs' bid to rebuild Italy centre-left

Giuseppe Conte, the new head of Italy's 5-Star Movement, and Enrico Letta, who has just taken charge of the Democratic Party (PD), want to join forces to rebuild the country's fractured center-left. Their problem will be taking their reluctant parties with them.

German conservatives choose Laschet as chancellor candidate, rival concedes

Bavarian premier Markus Soeder conceded defeat on Tuesday in his battle with Christian Democrat chairman Armin Laschet to lead their conservative alliance into Germany's federal election in September. As chancellor candidate for the alliance of the Christian Democrats and their Bavarian CSU sister party, Laschet faces an uphill battle to impress voters turning away from their bloc by the government's chaotic handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Britain concerned about Russia military build-up on Ukraine border

Britain has significant concerns over the buildup of Russian forces on the Ukraine border and wants to de-escalate the situation, foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Tuesday. More than 100,000 Russian troops have massed on Ukraine's border and in annexed Crimea, the office of the EU's top diplomat has said.

ASEAN calls summit on Myanmar crisis as EU imposes sanctions

Southeast Asian countries will discuss the crisis in Myanmar at a summit in Jakarta on Saturday, the ASEAN bloc's secretariat said on Tuesday, but Thailand's prime minister said several will be represented only by their foreign ministers. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said he would not be attending and that Thailand would be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Don Pramudwinai, who is also a foreign minister.

Russia to reach over 120,000 troops on Ukraine's border in a week, Ukraine says

Russia is massing more than 120,000 troops on Ukraine's borders, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday, calling for more Western economic sanctions on Moscow. "Russian troops continue to arrive in close proximity to our borders in the northeast, in the east, and in the south. In about a week, they are expected to reach a combined force of over 120,000 troops," Kuleba told an online news conference with international media.

Russia detains Navalny allies, raids offices on eve of protest

Russian police detained several allies of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Tuesday and raided two of his regional offices, a protest monitoring group said, a day before his supporters plan to stage mass protests over his deteriorating health in jail. Navalny, 44, President Vladimir Putin's staunchest critic, declared a hunger strike three weeks ago to demand access to better medical care. He was moved on Sunday to a prison with a hospital. His supporters say they fear for his life.

Chad President Idriss Deby killed on frontline, son to take over

Chad's President Idriss Deby, who ruled his country for more than 30 years and was an important Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants in Africa, has been killed on the frontline against rebels in the north. Deby's son, Mahamat Kaka, was named interim president by a transitional council of military officers, spokesman Azem Bermendao Agouna said in a broadcast on state television.

At least 12 EU countries confident of July vaccine target -EU's Breton

At least 12 of the European Union's 27 member states have said they are confident of being able to vaccinate 70% of their adult population by mid-July, the EU executive's vaccine task force chief said on Tuesday. The European Commission has set a target of inoculating 70% of the EU's adult population by the end of this summer, banking on a big increase in vaccine deliveries to accelerate its vaccination drive.