Pyongyang pledged to bolster its military capabilities (AP) to counter U.S. threats two years after a summit between U.S. President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
 
North Korea’s foreign minister said the country would “never again” agree to high-profile meetings with Trump that could be used for political gain (Yonhap). Trump and Kim signed a vague statement (NYT) committing to denuclearization when they met in Singapore in 2018, but the relationship has since deteriorated and a second meeting last year ended without agreement. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Yonhap that the United States remained committed to negotiations with North Korea.

Twitter said it removed tens of thousands of Chinese accounts that were spreading misinformation (NYT). The company also took down 1,152 Russian and 7,340 Turkish accounts.

The Trump administration warned that International Criminal Court investigators looking into charges of war crimes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan will face sanctions (NYT), including economic penalties and travel restrictions. The ICC called the move an attack on the court that undermined the rule of law.

CFR’s David J. Scheffer writes for Just Security that Trump’s executive order against the ICC is self-defeating.

India: Cemeteries and crematoriums in New Delhi have been overwhelmed (AP) by those who have died of the coronavirus, curtailing traditional funeral rites. India now has the fourth highest number of confirmed cases in the world.

This CFR project shows how people around the world are grieving during the pandemic.

Protests broke out across Lebanon after the value of its currency plunged (NYT), wiping out citizens’ wealth. Prime Minister Hassan Diab called for an emergency cabinet session on Friday.

Iraq: The United States reaffirmed its commitment to continue withdrawing troops from Iraq (WaPo) during ongoing talks about the two countries’ future relationship.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) top official in Africa said the coronavirus pandemic is clearly “accelerating” across the continent (Al Jazeera), though Africa’s share of global cases remains low. Matshidiso Moeti said community transmission of the virus has begun in more than half of African countries.

CFR’s Michelle Gavin discusses how the pandemic is affecting African countries on The President’s Inbox podcast.

Gambia: A Gambian man living in the United States was charged in the city of Denver (Denver Post) with torturing people in his home country in 2006 at the direction of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh.

Moscow welcomed a reported plan by the Trump administration to withdraw more than a quarter of U.S. troops (AP) in Germany. A foreign ministry spokesperson said the move would “help reduce confrontational potential” and ease tensions in the region.

European Union: Leaders of EU countries remain divided over a proposed economic recovery plan (Politico), warned European Council President Charles Michel. The bloc’s member states are considering proposals for a pandemic fund and the overall budget.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro extended a presidential decree allowing the deployment of troops to prevent deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest (Reuters). Thousands of troops were deployed last month.

Argentina: The government is facing nationwide opposition to its plan to nationalize (Bloomberg) the company Vicentin, one of the world’s largest exporters of soy meal and oil.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark A. Milley apologized for accompanying President Trump (WaPo) on a June 1 walk from the White House to a nearby church after peaceful protesters were forcefully removed from the area. Milley said his presence “created the perception of the military involved in domestic politics.”