The start of the Confederations Cup in Brazil was marked by protests, whose participants were outraged by the size of the budget spent by the country's authorities on organizing the 2014 World Cup. About 1 thousand protesters staged a rally near the national stadium before the Brazil-Japan match. They held signs in their hands: “We don’t need the World Cup” and “We need money for hospitals and education.” Police reportedly fired tear gas as demonstrators moved toward the stadium's main entrance.

The United States is ready for direct negotiations with Iran on the nuclear program, said US Presidential Press Secretary Jay Carney, commenting on the election of Hassan Rouhani as Iranian President. "The United States stands ready to engage directly with the Iranian government to reach a diplomatic solution that fully addresses the international community's concerns about Iran's nuclear program," Mr. Carney said. Based on materials from RIA Novosti

In Iraq, at least 20 people were killed as a result of shooting and a series of explosions, Reuters reports, citing police and doctors. The shootout took place in the northern city of Mosul. The car bomb explosions occurred primarily in provinces with a high concentration of Shiite Muslims. According to a UN report, various acts of violence and terrorism in Iraq in May killed more than 1,000 people and injured approximately 2,400 others. Based on materials from RBC-Ukraine

The Italian government has decided to allocate about $4 billion to support the national economy. As Prime Minister Enrico Letta said, with the help of allocated funds, about 30 thousand jobs can be created. Measures to support the economy recommended by the European Commission also include tax breaks and a reduction in taxes on yachts and boats. Based on materials from the BBC

The ex-wife of Sergei Vlasenko, Natalya Okunskaya, achieved the renewal of the criminal case against him in the case of alimony. On her social network page, Ms. Okunskaya posted copies of the resolution of the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv, according to which Sergei Vlasenko faces up to three years in prison or a fine of UAH 286 thousand to UAH 573 thousand for failure to comply with a court decision (Part 1 of Article 382 of the Criminal Code). In 2011, Mrs.

The management of the Tavriya sports club terminated the contract with the team's senior coach Oleg Luzhny. The general director of IC "Tavriya" Alexander Boytsan informed the club press service about this. Oleg Luzhny's assistants, Vladimir Zhuravchak, Valery Zuev and Andrey Chikh, are also leaving their positions. The name of the new team coach will be announced after signing a contract with him. Oleg Luzhny was appointed head coach of Tavriya on June 4, 2012.

The Egyptian authorities decided to sever diplomatic relations with Syria. Egypt intends to recall its ambassador from Damascus and close the Syrian embassy in Cairo. “We have decided to completely break off relations with Syria and the regime operating in Syria,” the Egyptian president said at a meeting with Sunni representatives in Cairo. Based on materials from kommersant.ru

Pope Francis has appointed trusted prelate Battista Mario Salvatore Ricca to head the Vatican Bank. Until now he has managed part of the property of the Roman Catholic Church. This is the first step by the newly elected pope to reform the Bank, which is at the center of a major scandal. In May 2012, the director of the Vatican Bank, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, was removed from his post. The Vatican explained this decision by “improper performance of duties” on the part of Mr. Tedeschi.

The opposition council will vote for a single candidate in the mayoral elections online, Ekho Moskvy reported on June 16. Users will have to choose between Alexei Navalny and the leader of the “Left Front” Sergei Udaltsov.

The Grand Prix of the VII International Film Festival named after Andrei Tarkovsky “Mirror” held in the Ivanovo region and a prize of $50 thousand was won by the autobiographical drama “Egg and Stone” (China) by female director Huang Ji, RIA Novosti reported on June 16. Director Huang Ji, who won the festival's Grand Prix, said she was very happy to receive the award at the Tarkovsky Festival. “I’m so happy, I really love Tarkovsky’s films,” said the winner.

A strong explosion occurred on the evening of June 16 in the Mezza area of ​​Damascus, where a strategically important military airport is located, Syrian state television reported. According to a RIA Novosti correspondent, the explosion was heard in other areas of the city.

The inauguration ceremony of the newly elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, which consists of two stages, will be held on August 3 and 5, respectively. The inauguration of the Iranian President consists of two stages and is held on different days.

Kommersant correspondent at the center of events in Istanbul On Saturday evening, Gezi Park in Istanbul was stormed by riot police using tear gas and water cannons. At night, while bulldozers cleared the park from the tent camp, thousands of protesters tried to break through to Taksim Square. At the scene of the events, Anastasia Gorshkova, the largest street clashes since the beginning of the protests, was observed by Kommersant correspondent in Istanbul.

Russian forward Alexander Ovechkin won the Hart Memorial Trophy for the third time, a prize awarded to the most valuable player (MVP) of the NHL regular season, as reported on June 16 on the official website of the league . Ovechkin played 48 matches in the regular season, in which he scored 56 (32+24) points for performance, becoming the best sniper and sharing third place in the list of scorers with Sidney Crosby, who also claimed this trophy.

An explosion occurred at a Ford plant in the United States, after which a fire broke out in the building. The incident occurred in Claycomo, Missouri. Firefighters confirmed the explosion, adding that it occurred in the paint shop. According to the head of the city fire department, Ron Stewart, the cause of the explosion and fire was most likely a violation of safety rules by workers. Two plant workers suffered burns. They were taken to the hospital for medical care and further examination.