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Friedrich Merz has been elected Germany’s chancellor after securing 325 votes in a second round of parliamentary voting, following an unprecedented initial defeat, BBC reported.

Merz, 69, leads the CDU/CSU alliance, which gained 28.5 percent in the February election. The conservatives formed a partnership with the SPD, which gained 16.4 percent when Olaf Scholz's cabinet collapsed.

Merz received only 310 votes in the first round, despite having 328 seats in total. He was formally appointed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and will take the oath in the Reichstag.

The new coalition claims tax cuts, lower energy prices, higher defense expenditure, and continuing support for Ukraine, all while addressing the emergence of the far right and strained US-Ukraine economic relations, according to BBC.

The US government is providing $1,000 and paid travel to illegal migrants who voluntarily leave the country, with the possibility of a future lawful return. Since taking office, President Trump has expanded efforts to combat illegal immigration, including contentious steps such as invoking an outdated wartime legislation, according to BBC.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declared that migrants who choose for the "self-deportation" program will not be prioritized for detention. The first participant has already gotten a flight to Honduras. The effort, handled through the CBP Home app, seeks to lower the exorbitant expenses of deportation, which average $17,000 per individual.

The plan has drawn criticism from some, including Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who opposed the financial incentives. While the Trump administration highlights a drop in border arrests, deportation targets remain unmet, and courts have blocked certain immigration policies, BBC reported.

King Charles and Queen Camilla unveiled their official state portraits at the National Gallery on Tuesday, marking the second anniversary of their coronation.

The portraits, now on display in the gallery’s Central Hall, will later be moved to Buckingham Palace in June, BBC reported.

King Charles is depicted wearing the Robe of State and his naval uniform, adorned with medals, with the Imperial State Crown beside him. The painting was created by Peter Kuhfeld, a longtime acquaintance of the King.

Queen Camilla’s portrait, painted by Paul S. Benney, shows her in her coronation dress, accompanied by her crown and the Robe of Estate worn as she departed Westminster Abbey.

The royal couple was applauded as they unveiled the artworks and took a moment to admire them together, as stated by BBC.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced an immediate end to US airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels, citing the group’s pledge to stop targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

“They said, ‘Please don’t bomb us anymore,’ and we’re taking them at their word,” Trump said during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, according to  Reuters.

The statement comes after weeks of escalated US strikes under Operation Rough Rider, which began in March to deter Houthi threats on international trade. The Houthis increased their strikes in retaliation to Israel's conflict in Gaza.

The group has not officially confirmed a ceasefire, Reuters reported.

Sudan has cut diplomatic ties with the UAE, accusing it of backing the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the civil war, BBC reported.

The move followed RSF strikes on Port Sudan and includes the removal of Sudan's ambassador and the closing of its missions in the UAE.

Defence Minister Yassin Ibrahim accused the UAE of violating Sudan's sovereignty by supporting the RSF, an accusation the UAE disputes. The two-year violence has killed thousands and uprooted millions, as stated by BBC.

The UK and India have signed a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and boost exports. UK goods like whisky, gin, cars, food products, and medical devices will face lower duties in India, while Indian exports of clothing, footwear, jewellery, and seafood will become cheaper in the UK, according to BBC.

The deal, expected to take effect within a year, aims to increase bilateral trade by £25.5bn annually by 2040. Tariffs on UK whisky will drop from 150 percent to 75 percent, with further cuts to follow.

It also contains bilateral exemptions from double social security contributions for personnel temporarily transferred between the two nations.

Officials hailed the pact as a significant boost to commerce and jobs, while some UK politicians expressed worries about its tax implications, BBC reported.

Elon Musk will proceed with his lawsuit against OpenAI, his lawyer Marc Toberoff confirmed Monday, despite the company’s revised plan to maintain non-profit control over its for-profit arm.

Toberoff criticized the upgrade for lacking transparency, alleging OpenAI continues to promote business interests while drastically weakening non-profit monitoring, according to Reuters.

Musk's action, which is due for trial in March 2026, contends that OpenAI abandoned its fundamental objective.  Meta and AI researcher Geoffrey Hinton have expressed support for the lawsuit.

OpenAI called it a “bad-faith attempt to slow us down”, Reuters reported.

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Paris on Wednesday, the Elysee Palace announced Tuesday.

The meeting will focus on reinforcing France's commitment to establishing a free, stable, and sovereign Syria that values all aspects of its society, according to Reuters.

President Sharaa accepted Macron's invitation to visit France in the coming weeks, which had been extended in February.