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European leaders have agreed to strengthen joint measures against Russia after ceasefire talks with Ukraine failed to yield progress, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Friday.

Following the meeting in Istanbul, where the sides held their first direct talks in over three years, Starmer and leaders from France, Germany, and Poland spoke with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as reported by Reuters.

Although the talks led to a major prisoner exchange, no breakthrough was made on a ceasefire. “The Russian position remains unacceptable,” Starmer said from the European summit in Albania. “We are now closely aligning our responses.”

French President Emmanuel Macron added that if Russia continues to reject a ceasefire, sanctions will be escalated and are currently being revised, Reuters reported.

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have killed at least 13 Palestinians since dawn, including three from the same family. The Red Crescent has urged Israel to reopen crossings for humanitarian aid, warning that Gaza is facing starvation and suffering, according to Al Jazeera.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports at least 53,119 Palestinians killed and over 120,000 injured. The Government Media Office says the death toll may exceed 61,700, with many still missing under rubble.

The war followed Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,139 people and saw over 200 taken hostage, Al Jazeera reported.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the highest-paid athlete in the world by Forbes for the third year in a row, earning $275m (approx. £206m). His income was boosted by his move to Saudi club Al Nassr and major endorsement deals, supported by a massive social media following.

NBA star Stephen Curry ranked second with $156m (approx. £117m), while British boxer Tyson Fury came third with $146m (approx. £109m), benefiting from media projects despite a recent title loss as reported by BBC.

Ronaldo’s longtime rival Lionel Messi dropped to fifth place, falling further behind. Only Floyd Mayweather has earned more in a single year, with $300m in 2015.

The Supreme Court has blocked President Donald Trump's use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to swiftly deport Venezuelan migrants without due process.

In a 7-2 ruling, the Court halted deportations, citing insufficient notice and a lack of legal recourse for detainees, as reported by Reuters.

Trump slammed the decision, calling it "a bad and dangerous day for America," and warned that it might postpone the removal of criminals while increasing public risk.

Mexico has strongly opposed the United States proposal of imposing a 5 percent tax on remittances made by non-citizens, calling it unfair and unjustified. Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente stated that the government will take political and legal action against the initiative introduced on May 12 in the United States House of Representatives, according to Xinhua.

Following President Claudia Sheinbaum’s directive, a letter rejecting the measure was sent to US lawmakers by Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma and Foreign Ministry official Roberto Velasco.

Mexico emphasized that the tax would unfairly target migrants who already contribute to the US economy. Remittances are a key source of income for millions of Mexican families, totaling $64.7bn in 2024.

Nine people were killed and four others injured when a Russian drone struck a passenger bus in Ukraine’s Sumy region on Saturday morning, BBC reported.

The attack took place near the village of Bilopillia, as the bus was heading to Sumy, the provincial capital. Officials reported the vehicle was struck by a Russian Lancet drone around 06:17 local time.

Emergency services and police responded to the scene. The Russian military has not commented on the incident, according to BBC.

The strike came just hours after Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks since 2022.

Abdulla Ahmed Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability of the United Arab Emirates, and Ahmed bin Abdulrahman Al Ghardaqa, President of the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change (AYCCC), have attended the Sagarmatha Sambaad, which is being organized in Kathmandu.

Along with attending Sagarmatha Sambaad, the UAE delegation held a series of high-level meetings with key members of the Nepali government, including Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, the Minister for Forest and Environment, and the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.

Matters relating to advancing Nepal-UAE relations, including enhancing cooperation in renewable energy, sustainability, and climate resilience, were discussed on the occasion, said Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The delegation held talks with Abdullah Muksit, a representative of the UNFCCC and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), based in Geneva, who was attending the Sambaad as part of the international delegation.

The discussions centered on enhancing collaboration in areas such as climate change mitigation, renewable energy, sustainable water resource management, and inclusive economic development.

Balalaa has reiterated the UAE’s commitment to expanding its partnership with Nepal, underscoring the shared vision of advancing joint sustainability initiatives and fostering resilience and prosperity across both nations.

This visit marks a pivotal moment in the growing UAE–Nepal partnership, spotlighting shared commitments to addressing global environmental challenges and empowering youth-led innovation through climate diplomacy and long-term cooperation.

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each following their first direct talks in over three years, held in Istanbul on Friday. The 90-minute meeting also included discussions on possible ceasefire terms and a potential future summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, according to BBC.

Ukraine pushed for an “unconditional ceasefire” to halt the ongoing conflict, which has devastated large parts of the country and displaced millions. However, Russia did not agree to suspend hostilities, though both sides said they would present their proposals for a possible ceasefire.

Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky expressed satisfaction with the outcome and confirmed Moscow’s openness to further talks. Ukraine’s Defence Minister and chief negotiator Rustem Umerov emphasized the need for a leader-level meeting as the next step.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy welcomed the prisoner exchange, calling it a “great result” and a sign of diplomacy and events as of May 2025, BBC reported.