South Korea in the UN Security Council.

Today's headlines: China "concerned" about humanitarian and ecological consequences of Kakhovka dam destruction; In India government program for students to visit elementary school where Modi studied in Gujarat; Pro-junta singer killed in Yangon; Iran claims to have its own hypersonic missile; Election campaign kicks off in Uzbekistan.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year term. Seoul was chosen in a vote at the UN General Assembly in New York garnering 180 votes out of 192 member countries. Seoul's last presence on the Security Council was from 2013-2014. Among the ten nonpermanent members, the other country currently representing Asia is Japan.

CHINA-RUSSIA-UKRAINE

China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun expressed grave concern over the destruction of the dam at the Kakhovka hydropower plant in southern Ukraine. "The protection of civilians and critical civilian facilities in armed conflicts is an important principle enshrined in international humanitarian law," he said. "We are deeply concerned about the resulting humanitarian, economic and ecological consequences.

INDIA

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's elementary school in his hometown of Vadnagar in Gujarat will become a model school called "Prerna" that will host two students from each Indian district each week as part of a study tour. The students will visit the school in groups of 30, with the Union Ministry of Culture bearing the transportation and accommodation costs. The late 19th-century school, which was in operation until 2018, is being restored by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as part of a mega redevelopment plan for Vadnagar.

MYANMAR

Singer Lily Naing Kyaw, 58, has died in a Yangon hospital a week after she was shot in the head, allegedly by gunmen opposed to the army of which she was a supporter. She was close to the top leadership of the junta that took power in 2021 and was also accused of being an informant. Two men were arrested and charged with her killing.

IRAN

Iran said it has created a hypersonic missile capable of traveling at 15 times the speed of sound, adding a new weapon to its arsenal as tensions remain high with the United States and Israel over Tehran's nuclear program. According to a statement by Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guard's paramilitary aerospace program, the missile -- called Fattah, "conqueror" in Farsi -- could reach a range of 1,400 kilometers.

RUSSIA-AFGHANISTAN

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said during a conference at the Russian-Afghan University in Dushanbe that Russia will continue to maintain a channel of dialogue with Afghanistan's Taliban, but may not recognize the Kabul government until it meets demands for inclusiveness toward all ethnic components of the country.

UZBEKISTAN

The campaign to choose Uzbekistan's president has kicked off ahead of a vote on July 9 next year. Running alongside outgoing President Šavkat Mirziyoyev, who is more than certain of reelection, are Ulugbek Inojatov for the People's Democratic Party, Robakhon Makhmudov for the Social Democrats of "Adolat," and Abdušukur Khamzaev for the Ecologists' Party.

• AsiaToday