Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton called on June 4 for changes to election laws to make it easier to vote, and condemned several Republican rivals for backing efforts that she said keep poor, young and minority voters from the polls.

Yemen's dominant Houthis agreed on June 4 to join United Nations-backed peace talks in Geneva planned for June 14, a day after their opponents in the exiled government confirmed their attendance.

ASEAN will organise the 5th ASEAN Competition Conference (ACC) between June 4 and 5 in Ho Chi Minh City themed “Advancing Competition Policy and Law Post-2015: Progress, Opportunities and Challenges”, said the ASEAN Secretariat on June 3.

Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists on June 3 fought their first serious battles in months and Ukraine's defense minister said an attempt by rebels to take the eastern town of Maryinka had been thwarted.

Myanmar will host the 7th Summit of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) in Nay Pyi Taw late this month. 

Western and Arab states carrying out air strikes on Islamic State fighters backed on June 2 Iraq's plan to retake territory from the jihadist movement after being accused by the Iraqi premier of not doing enough to help Baghdad push back the insurgents.

President Barack Obama signed into law on June 2 legislation passed by Congress earlier in the day reforming a government surveillance program that swept up millions of Americans' telephone records.

US President Barack Obama has stated that China’s illegal construction projects in the East Sea are counter-productive and called for an end to aggressive action in the region.

Representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN-ROK Strategic Partnership and agreed to enhance cooperation and further strengthen the relationship.

Efforts to coax Yemen's warring factions into talks have made some progress, officials said on June 1, as warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition mounted more air strikes on the country's dominant Houthi militia.