Armenia Rights Crackdown: International democracy and rights figures warned the EU about political repression after Armenia’s June 7 vote, citing politically motivated arrests and pressure on opposition and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Middle East Diplomacy: Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said the country chose negotiations with Israel to avoid war’s “horrors,” as UNIFIL replacement talks loom at the Security Council. EU Security in Moldova: Maia Sandu met NATO’s Political Committee in Chisinau, focusing on resilience, anti-drone defenses, and responses to Russian drone and missile airspace violations. Hormuz Negotiations: Iran and Oman are still negotiating a Strait of Hormuz shipping framework, while Qatar joins mediation efforts to de-escalate tensions and restore freedom of navigation. US Election Fight: Washington and allies returned to court to block Trump mail-voting restrictions after a Supreme Court ruling, as a judge lifted a temporary block but new lawsuits were filed. Canada-US Trade Tension: Trump again claimed the US “doesn’t need Canada,” even as daily energy and materials flows show how intertwined the economies remain. Nigeria Local Elections: NULGE urged INEC to take over local government polls from state electoral bodies to improve credibility and accountability. Vatican Calls for Talks: Archbishop Gallagher told Russian officials the war in Ukraine “must end” and urged a serious political and diplomatic process.