June 23, 2022 (Thursday)

The first trial for rape during the war in Ukraine is set to begin in absentia against a 32-year-old Russian soldier accused of murdering a civilian and repeatedly raping the civilian's wife during the offensive in Kyiv.

A third protester is killed in Quito during clashes with police as around 10,000 people continue to protest in the city.

Turkey arrests ten alleged Iranian intelligence agents and charges them with plotting to murder Israeli tourists in hotels.

The Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Haidai, says that Russia is "just destroying" everything in Lysychansk as pro-Russian separatists say they are close to capturing both that city and Sieverodonetsk.

U.S. sportswear retailer Nike and networking firm Cisco announce that they are permanently ending their operations in Russia and Belarus.

Five people are killed and 25 others injured by a fire at an apartment building in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration orders electronic cigarette company Juul to pull all of its products from the market, blaming the company for causing an increase in youth vaping.

New York City becomes the first jurisdiction in the United States to distribute smallpox vaccines to people who are at risk of contracting the monkeypox virus.

The European Union formally awards official candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova.

In a 65–33 vote, the U.S. Senate passes gun control legislation for the first time in decades. The bill calls for tougher background checks on gun purchasers younger than 21, blocks gun sales to individuals with a history of domestic abuse against unmarried partners, and provides funding to encourage the adoption of a red flag law, among others. It is sent to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote.

Citizens of Grenada head to the polls to vote in a general election.

Scientists discover the largest known bacterium, Thiomargarita magnifica, in the mangroves of the Guadeloupe archipelago in Lesser Antilles. It is up to 2 cm (3/4 inch) long.

In basketball, the 76th NBA draft is held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., with the Orlando Magic selecting former Duke University player Paolo Banchero with the first overall pick.