This roundup summarises the most important news stories around the world in the last month (June 2024).

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Multilaterally, in the European Union (EU), centrist groups retained their majority in the EU parliament, though a few nationalist-populist countries made gains. In France, for instance, following his coalition’s poor election results, president Emmanuel Macron called for snap parliamentary elections. Separately, the outgoing Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte was confirmed as the next secretary-general of the intergovernmental military alliance, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation).

Bilaterally, Russian president Vladimir Putin’s first visit to North Korea, both countries signed a defence partnership to provide mutual aid if either is attacked. Later, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for the country’s defence minister and a general in the context of the situation in Ukraine.

Separately, in Yemen, Houthi rebels reportedly detained a group of international aid workers, including United Nations (UN) staffers.

Israel’s deadly Gaza invasion grinds on

Within Israel, politician Benny Gantz first resigned from the country’s emergency government over the prime minister’s handling of the ongoing Gaza invasion, and the move preceded the later disbanding of the war cabinet was later disbanded. In Gaza, a special forces operation retrieved four living hostages, though more than 200 Palestinians were killed in the process. And, more broadly, the UN Security Council (SC) endorsed a ceasefire and hostage-release plan – backed by the United States (US) – for Gaza. This was the first resolution related to the ongoing invasion to be endorsed by the UNSC.

In Israel, the supreme court ruled that ultra-Orthodox Jews must do compulsory military service.

Electoral victories, with asterisks

In India, prime minister Narendra Modi claimed a third time, but won a far narrower than expected victory. In South Africa, despite presiding over his African National Congress’s worst election result since the end of apartheid, president Cyril Ramaphosa will be re-elected after he struck a deal with the opposition for a government of national unity.

Separately, Mexico elected its first female and Jewish president, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City. And in Malawi, the vice president was killed in a military plane crash.

In other news

• Bolivia: Soldiers attempted a coup by storming the presidential palace. The leading general was arrested after the attempt failed.
• Brazil: The supreme court decriminalised the possession of marijuana for personal use.
• Kenya: Demonstrators stormed the parliament to protest the passage of a controversial finance bill that would raise taxes. Following the death of 13 protestors, the president withdrew the bill.
• Saudi Arabia: The death toll from heat in Mecca, during the Hajj pilgrimage, exceeded 1,300.
• Thailand became the first South East Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage after the senate approved a marriage equality bill.
• United Kingdom: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was released from a British prison to a remote Pacific island, as part of a plea deal with the US Department of Justice. He is expected to return to Australia following all proceedings.