live WUF13 opening ceremony held in Baku as global forum advances sustainable urban development
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the of...
Russia and Ukraine have swapped prisoners of war, according to officials on both sides. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 193 prisoners, including soldiers and border guards, had been returned from Russia, some injured and facing criminal charges.
Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that the same number had been handed back by Ukraine. The exchange was mediated by the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the country is in its “strongest” frontline position in the past year. He credited Kyiv’s drone warfare and air defences, claiming they can intercept up to 90% of Russian aerial attacks.
The Kremlin has suggested President Vladimir Putin may attend the G20 summit in Miami, U.S., later this year. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comments after U.S. President Donald Trump said it would be “very helpful” for him to attend.
At least 13 people have been killed in Ukraine in overnight strikes, according to the State Emergency Service, including a married couple aged 75.
Ukraine also said it had killed 12 Russian officers and wounded 15 others in strikes in the Donetsk region, according to military drone commander Robert Brovdi.
European leaders are discussing a further round of sanctions on Russia. The 20th package is due to take effect on Saturday 25 April, banning EU firms from providing financial or brokering services to Russian-flagged icebreakers and LNG tankers.
Russia said on Friday that new European Union sanctions on its oil and gas sector would harm developing countries as well as the EU, and vowed to retaliate.
The EU is also expected to approve a €90 billion loan to support Ukraine during the war.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Saudi Arabia to strengthen co-operation on security and energy infrastructure, marking his second visit to the Kingdom in a month.
"Yesterday, at a meeting with European leaders, we secured financial guarantees for our resilience. Today, we are advancing our agreements with Saudi Arabia in the areas of security, energy, and infrastructure," he said on the social media platform X upon arrival.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least eight Palestinians on Sunday, according to local health officials, as the Israel Defense Forces intensified operations targeting Hamas commanders and infrastructure across the enclave.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
Russia carried out overnight drone strikes, air raids and shelling across Ukraine, hitting cities including Odesa and Dnipro, killing one person and injuring more than 30, according to Ukrainian officials on Monday (18 May).
Iran and Pakistan reviewed bilateral ties and the latest developments in the stalled Iran-U.S. peace negotiations mediated by Islamabad, as Tehran and Washington continue to refuse tangible concessions amid a fragile ceasefire and escalating verbal threats.
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