Main News of June 16

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron said on Sunday Moscow and London can overcome differences on Syria and should focus on the common aim of ending the conflict

* Iran has decided to deploy 4,000 troops to Syria to aid Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces in war against rebels, The Independent reported

* Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has announced the decision to sever of diplomatic relations with and to recall Egypt's charge d'affaires from Damascus

* Syria’s authorities have condemned Egypt’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with Damascus and support the uprising against President Bashar Assad

* Turkish riot police has used tear gas and water cannons to empty the Gezi Park in Istanbul of anti-government protesters, CNN reported

* North Korea proposed high-level regional security talks with the United States on Sunday, following the recent failure to resume direct talks with rival South Korea, the Yonhap news agency reported

* At least twenty people were killed in a series of car bombings that rocked central and southern Iraq, the BBC reported on Sunday, referring to police and medics

* Any demonstrations in the center of Ankara, the scene of fierce clashes between protesters and police in the past three weeks, will be prohibited from June 16, the Ankara governor’s office reported on its website

* Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Sunday Damascus plans to bolster relations with its strategic ally Tehran after Hassan Rouhani’s victory as Iran’s president, the SANA news agency has reported

* The United States will discuss North Korea's offer to hold high-level talks at a meeting with South Korean and Japanese officials in Washington this week

* French actor and new Russian national Gerard Depardieu said he wants to gain citizenship of seven countries and is now applying to get an Algerian passport, Le Journal du Dimanche has reported

RUSSIA

* President Vladimir Putin on Sunday defended Russia’s weapons supplies to Syria saying they are in the framework of the international law

* Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson denied Sunday that the Russian president stole a Super Bowl ring belonging to New England Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft and added that Putin is prepared to send Kraft a replacement worth the same amount of money

* Russia’s President Vladimir Putin arrived in London on Sunday to discuss Syria crisis with British PM David Cameron ahead of the G8 summit

* Russian military inspectors will start on Sunday a series of monitoring flights over the United States under the international Open Skies Treaty, Russia’s Defense Ministry has said

* Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport is planning to sign a number of export contracts on the delivery of advanced Su-35S fighter aircraft as well as Ka-52 helicopter gunships and Yak-130 combat trainers at the Paris Air Show, the company said

* An unidentified person stole a purse with money and documents from the Israeli ambassador to Russia, the Interior Ministry reported

* Israeli’s embassy in Russia denied reports on Sunday that the Israeli ambassador was robbed in St. Petersburg

* Russian reporter Arkady Babchenko who was detained by Turkish police on Friday during anti-government protests has returned to Russia after his release

* Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Hassan Rouhani with his election as Iran’s new president and confirmed Russia’s readiness to develop bilateral cooperation, the Kremlin press office reported

* The victory of reformist candidate Hassan Rouhani in Iran's presidential election will make it harder for the United States to opt for a military action against Tehran, a senior Russian lawmaker said

SPORT

* Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin has won Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player for the third time during his eight-season career in the league, the NHL said on its website

* Latvian police confirmed on Sunday that 20-year-old Edmonton Oilers prospect Kristians Pelss drowned after leaping from a bridge into a river in the capital Riga

* Russia pulled off a commanding 29-12 Cup win over France at the women’s rugby sevens Grand Prix Series in Marbella, Spain