Reuters World News Summary

US-Iran talks planned for Friday at a Swiss resort have been postponed, with Switzerland remaining ready to facilitate the talks once they are rescheduled.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Switzerland says US-Iran talks planned for Friday are off

Talks that had been planned for Friday between the United States and Iran at the Burgenstock mountaintop resort in Switzerland have been postponed, according to a Swiss foreign ministry statement. Switzerland remains ready to facilitate these talks and the relevant ​preparatory work at Burgenstock is continuing, the statement added.

Netherlands redirects frigate to Strait of Hormuz for possible mission

The Netherlands said on Friday it had redirected a frigate towards the Strait of Hormuz, in order to ​be able to join a possible international mission there. The air defence frigate is currently in the Indo-Pacific region, and would take several weeks to arrive in ‌the region of ​the Strait of Hormuz, defence minister Dilan Yesilgoz said in a letter to parliament.

Exclusive-White House delays release of US voting machine study as midterms near

White House officials have for months delayed the release of a U.S. government report that outlines what it describes as significant vulnerabilities in the nation's voting machines ahead of the November midterms, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The report, produced by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, concludes that voting machines could be further safeguarded by, for example, updating their software, the sources said. It does not say the vulnerabilities have led to votes flipping, but examines security gaps in how the machines are used during U.S. elections.

Pakistani Kashmir faces shutdown as protests leave ‌more than 20 dead

A territory-wide shutdown in Pakistan-administered Kashmir has brought daily life to a standstill after the region's deadliest unrest in years left at least 24 people dead in nearly two weeks of protests. The confrontation between local authorities and supporters of the recently banned Joint Awami Action Committee, or JAAC, poses a sensitive challenge for Islamabad, which frequently criticises Delhi's handling of dissent in Indian-administered Kashmir but is now facing anger in the territory under its own control.

Israeli, Hezbollah agree to ceasefire starting on Friday -U.S. official

Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire set to begin at 4 p.m. local time on Friday, a senior U.S. official told Reuters. “Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire,” the official said on background, adding that negotiators for the U.S. and Qataris worked out the deal with help from Iran. “We understand that after the exchange of fire earlier today, Israel and Hezbollah are now in a ceasefire.”

Sri Lanka battles surge in dengue fever, with more than 44,000 cases so far this year

Sri Lanka is ‌battling the worst outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue fever in years, with more than 44,000 cases and 28 deaths recorded since January, an official said on Friday, putting public hospitals under strain. Dengue is common during Sri Lanka's monsoon season, but unplanned urbanisation coupled with damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which hit the island nation in late November, has worsened the outbreak this year, authorities said.

Ukrainian drone makers target Asia as Taiwan tensions spur demand

The CEO of UFORCE, a Ukrainian producer ‌of attack drones, flew to Tokyo in April with a pitch for Japanese officials and defense contractors: build thousands of our drones to defend yourself and allies. Days earlier, U.S. troops had used waterborne UFORCE drones to sink a ship during a secretive exercise held where the South China Sea meets the Pacific. And for years, the firm’s Magura surface vessel has helped turn parts of the Black Sea into no-go zones for the Russian navy.

African lawmakers back push for tougher anti-LGBT laws after Ghana conference

Lawmakers from more than a dozen African countries have pledged to push new bills restricting LGBT rights, after a conference in Ghana that brought together self-described "pro-family" activists from across Africa and Europe, participants said. The African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty took place in Accra on June 3–6, a week after Ghana's parliament passed one of the continent's toughest anti-LGBT measures, a bill criminalising LGBT promotion.

Russia tells Europe: Yes to talks, no to ultimatums

Russia said on Friday it was open to dialogue with European countries but would not accept ultimatums, as signs increase that the EU may seek talks with Moscow after largely shunning contacts since the start of the war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said common sense dictated ⁠the need for such contacts ​because of the "enormous number" of complex issues on the agenda, but he said the Europeans needed to change their approach to Russia.

UK PM ⁠Starmer vows to fight any challenge after leading rival Burnham wins big

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday he would not walk away, vowing to fight any challenge from his leading party rival Andy Burnham and potentially ushering in a new bout of political instability. Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, won a decisive victory for Labour to claim a parliamentary seat in northwest England, and has signalled that he will use it to enter any contest to replace Starmer.

US-Iran meeting in Switzerland scrapped as fighting flares in Lebanon

Planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland on Friday were cancelled as fighting flared ⁠in Lebanon, creating new uncertainty about the timing of negotiations on turning an interim agreement into a more permanent Middle East peace deal. The flareup in Lebanon, in which 18 people were killed in airstrikes and four Israeli soldiers were killed by Hezbollah militants, could weigh heavily on negotiations because ending fighting there is a condition for the broader U.S.-Iran accord.

EU leader Costa's Kremlin overture exposes divisions over contacts with Russia

A diplomatic overture to the Kremlin by European Council President Antonio Costa has exposed divisions at a summit of EU leaders over how to ​handle relations with Russia even as the war in Ukraine shows no signs of ending soon. A senior aide to Costa made "brief" contacts with the Kremlin in recent weeks "to open communication channels", according to an EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.

EU leaders set to clash over bloc's next seven-year budget

European Union leaders headed for a clash over the bloc's budget on Friday after both net contributors and beneficiaries criticised an ⁠initial proposal on what the EU should pay for from 2028 to 2034 - and where the money should come from. The EU budget is how the 27-member bloc finances all of its policies - from supporting farmers and developing new technology to student exchange programmes and equalising standards of living across member states.

Norway to open a consulate in Greenland, supporting Arctic strategy

Norway will open a consulate general in Greenland's capital Nuuk, headed by a Norwegian diplomat, Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on Friday. U.S. President Donald Trump's push to acquire or control Greenland, a semi-autonomous island under the Kingdom of Denmark, has strained relations between Washington and ⁠European NATO ​members.

Police order last-minute ban of Iranian opposition rally in Paris

French police banned the Paris-based NCRI Iranian opposition from holding a rally on Saturday, saying there was a risk of clashes between activists holding opposing views, an argument the group described as "bogus". The sudden ruling came hours after a call between France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi, where they discussed the latest developments to end the Iran war.

France's foreign ministry denies asking for ban of Iranian opposition rally

France's foreign ministry denied on Friday that it had asked for the ban of an Iranian opposition rally that had been due to take place on Saturday in Paris. The Paris-based NCRI said earlier in the day that the Paris police had banned their rally at the last minute and linked it to a call by France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi on Thursday.

UK's Starmer says he will stand in any leadership contest

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on ⁠Friday he would stand in any leadership contest, after potential rival Andy Burnham won a vote for a parliamentary seat to return to Westminster, paving the way for a challenge. Starmer told reporters that he did not think a leadership challenge would be good for the country but he added: "If there is a contest ... then yes I will run, I will stand."

Italy's Meloni says Trump 'totally invented' story that she begged him for photo

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni accused ⁠her one-time close ally Donald Trump of fabricating a story about her on Friday, after the U.S. President told an Italian TV channel ⁠that she had "begged" him to take a photo with her at a G7 summit. Meloni said she was "astonished" by his comments, which were "completely made up". She also chided him for acting with far greater deference to the enemies of the West than he does towards old, established allies.

Australia, last continent without H5 bird flu, detects first suspected case

Australia has detected its first suspected mainland case of H5N1 bird flu in a remote part of the country's southwest, authorities said on Friday. A migratory sea bird known as a brown skua found in Western Australia's Cape Le Grand National Park tested positive for avian influenza, and further testing is being conducted to confirm the strain, said state Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis.

South Korea's Lee ‌calls for overhaul of election management after flawed vote

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said ‌on Friday that the country's election management system needed a major overhaul, calling a series of controversies involving the National Election Commission (NEC) including ballot-paper shortages "absurd." Lee has ordered a probe into the ballot shortages that marred the June 3 local elections, saying prosecutors ​and police would take part. The incident triggered public anger, protests questioning fairness and the resignation of the NEC chief.