World News Roundup: Russia bars media from new "extremism" case against Navalny; Xi, Blinken agree to stabilise U.S.-China relations in rare Beijing talks and more

The election commission said it had endorsed the winners of all 500 seats of the lower house, which must convene within 15 days to elect a speaker, who will then call for a joint session of the bicameral legislature to vote on a prime minister. Moldova bans pro-Russian Shor party after months of protests Moldova's Constitutional Court declared a pro-Russian party behind a wave of anti-government protests "unconstitutional" on Monday, a ruling that means the party is immediately banned.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia bars media from new "extremism" case against Navalny

The trial of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on new charges of "extremism" will take place behind closed doors, a court spokesman said on Monday. The decision means media will be excluded from proceedings against President Vladimir Putin's most prominent and vocal opponent that could extend his prison term by decades.

Xi, Blinken agree to stabilise U.S.-China relations in rare Beijing talks

China and the United States agreed on Monday to try and stabilise their intense rivalry to avoid veering into conflict, but did not announce any major breakthroughs during a rare visit to Beijing by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed "progress" after shaking hands with Blinken at the Great Hall of the People, a grand venue usually reserved for greeting heads of state.

Thai parliament to convene soon as poll body endorses election result

Thailand's poll body certified the results of last month's election on Monday, paving the way for the first session of parliament in the next few weeks ahead of the formation of a new government. The election commission said it had endorsed the winners of all 500 seats of the lower house, which must convene within 15 days to elect a speaker, who will then call for a joint session of the bicameral legislature to vote on a prime minister.

Moldova bans pro-Russian Shor party after months of protests

Moldova's Constitutional Court declared a pro-Russian party behind a wave of anti-government protests "unconstitutional" on Monday, a ruling that means the party is immediately banned. The Shor party, headed by exiled businessman Ilan Shor, has led months of protests in the tiny country bordering Ukraine. Shor, who lives in Israel, has been accused by the West and Chisinau of trying to destabilise Moldova, and the United States and European Union have imposed sanctions on him.

Scores die in northern India as heat wave scorches region

At least 54 people died in a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh over the last few days, the Times of India newspaper reported on Monday, as authorities probed if the loss of lives was due to the heat wave in the region. Another 45 people died in neighbouring Bihar state, local newspapers reported.

UN rights chief seeks to establish presence in China and India

The U.N. human rights chief called on Monday for greater support for his office as he seeks to expand its work by establishing a first-time presence in the world's two most populous countries India and China, whose rights records are drawing more scrutiny. The U.N. human rights office, established after World War Two, is present in 95 countries and its leader plays a key role in calling out suspected abusers as well as working with countries in question to bring about change.

With scores missing from shipwreck, family members flock to Greek migrant camp

Inside a fenced migrant camp near Athens, relatives hugged survivors on Monday while others refused to abandon hope of finding loved ones who were among the scores missing after one of the Mediterranean's deadliest shipping disasters last week. Only 104 people are known to have survived when an ageing fishing vessel carrying up to 750 people sank in the early hours of June 14 to the south-west of Greece.

Fed up with graft, Guatemalans face familiar names in presidential vote

Guatemala holds a presidential election on Sunday with voters clamoring for a government that can tackle corruption, inflation and violence, though no candidate is expected to secure enough votes to win outright, setting the scene for a run-off. Polling points to a close contest between former first lady Sandra Torres, conservative career diplomat Edmond Mulet and right-winger Zury Rios, daughter of the late dictator Efrain Rios Montt, after one of the favorites was barred from the race.

Israeli troops, backed by helicopter, kill 5 Palestinians in clash

Israeli commandoes backed by helicopter gunships killed five Palestinians including a teenager and wounded as many as 66 others as a raid in the West Bank led to an hours-long gunbattle with armed fighters, the military and health officials said. Seven Israeli personnel were wounded after troops came under fire during an operation in the flashpoint town of Jenin to arrest two Palestinians suspected in attacks, the military said. At least two of the Palestinians killed in the fighting belonged to the armed Islamic Jihad group.

Ukraine says eight villages retaken from Russian forces in two weeks

Ukraine said on Monday it had driven Russian forces from an eighth village in its two-week-old counteroffensive, a settlement on a heavily fortified part of the front line near the most direct route to the country's Azov Sea coast. A Russian-installed official said on Sunday that Ukraine had taken control of the village, Piatykhatky, in the southern Zaporizhzhia region. He later said Moscow had pushed them out and on Monday morning he said Ukraine was attacking again.