World News Briefs -- June 22, 2020

UPI: Coronavirus cases top 9 million worldwide as daily death toll trends down

Nearly half a year after the first coronavirus cases were confirmed in mainland China, the pandemic has spread worldwide and surpassed the 9 million cases milestone on Sunday.

The total stands at 9,044,563, according to tracking by Worldometers.info late Sunday. And about 5.2 percent of them have resulted in deaths: 470,665.

Roughly 0.12 percent of the 7.8 billion people in the world have contracted the disease. And the death toll is 60 per million people.

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MIDDLE EAST

Yemen crisis: Separatists take over 'Galapagos of Indian Ocean'. Yemen gov't, southern separatists agree on ceasefire: S Arabia .

Iran rial plunges to virus-induced lows.

Europe tells U.S.: we won't back unilateral Iran sanctions snapback.

Saudi Arabia lifts coronavirus curfew.

Israeli spyware used to target Moroccan journalist, Amnesty claims.

Syrian doctor arrested in Germany for alleged crimes against humanity.

Lebanon has detained at least 100 activists since October.

ASIA

China, India reinforcing border positions, satellite images show.

Indian, Chinese commanders parley on border, growing calls to boycott Chinese goods.

China votes to join Arms Trade Treaty that Donald Trump wants to leave.

China hopes testing will curb new coronavirus outbreak in Beijing.

Coronavirus: South Korea confirms second wave of infections. Coronavirus: South Korea closes schools again after biggest spike in weeks.

Afghan healthcare personnel were deliberately attacked during pandemic, U.N. says.

North Korea moving to install propaganda loudspeakers, reports say.

AFRICA

Egypt readies army to intervene in Libya ‘if necessary’.

Libya: GNA calls Egypt's military threat 'declaration of war'.

Gunmen kill more than dozen civilians in eastern DR Congo attacks.

Sudan warns against escalation in Nile dam dispute.

ICC judges erred by acquitting Ivory Coast's Gbagbo: prosecutors.

Tunisians protesting over lack of jobs clash with police, vow strike.

Zambians stream anti-government protest in the bush.

EUROPE

Serbian ruling party wins by landslide in Europe’s first Covid-19 election.

Belarus strongman faces mass protests after jailing of his main rivals.

EU, China summit to cool tensions over coronavirus, Hong Kong.

Spain lifts national state of emergency after 3-month coronavirus lockdown.

Germany’s coronavirus reproduction rate jumps above key containment level.

Russia's Putin says he may seek another term if constitutional changes passed.

Putin visits huge army church ahead of vote on extending his rule.

Riots in Stuttgart, Germany, leave dozens arrested and injured.

Archaeologists find ancient circle of deep shafts near Stonehenge.

AMERICAS

Russia, US hold arms control talks as key pact's expiry looms.

Trump held off sanctioning Chinese over Uighurs to pursue trade deal.

Trump says niece's book would violate nondisclosure agreement.

Brazil's Bolsonaro says armed forces exist to defend democracy.

Brazil hits 1 million COVID-19 cases.

Coronavirus: What are the numbers out of Latin America?

US demands China release Canadians detained days after Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou.

France mulls new lockdown on French Guiana as Covid-19 spreads.

Mexican city of Celaya rocked by cartel violence.

Panama exhumes victims of 1989 US invasion.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

UK police say Reading park stabbing that killed three was a terror attack.

UK media name 25-year-old Libyan Khairi Saadallah as Reading terrorist attack suspect.

Taliban says no threat to West as US troops leave Afghanistan.

Photos show devastation unleashed on terror leaders by sword-carrying ‘Ninja bomb’.

France brings home 10 children of ISIL fighters from Syria.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Global report: China suspends US poultry imports from Covid-19-affected business.

China warned to prepare for being cut off from US dollar payment system as part of sanctions like Russia.

Wirecard: Scandal-hit firm says missing €1.9bn may not exist.