Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for May 11th , covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. India and Pakistan agree to a ceasefire in US-mediated talks
India and Pakistan have agreed to a full, immediate ceasefire following days of cross-border violence, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social, citing “high-level negotiations mediated by Washington.” Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed Islamabad’s commitment to peace, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said both sides will begin formal talks on broader issues. Rubio praised Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif for their “wisdom and statesmanship,” noting he and JD Vance spent 48 hours in closed-door meetings with senior officials from both nations.
The truce comes after one of the most dangerous escalations in years—missile strikes, drone incursions and artillery fire that have killed at least 48 people, mostly on the Pakistani side. Pakistan launched “Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos” in retaliation for India’s “Operation Sindoor” on May 6, which New Delhi says targeted militant bases but which Pakistan claims killed 33 civilians. Both sides have already accused each other of ceasefire violations.
2. Azerbaijan welcomes ceasefire between India and Pakistan
Azerbaijan on Saturday hailed the newly declared ceasefire between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
In a statement, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said it “welcomes any initiative that eases regional tensions and lays the groundwork for enduring peace and stability. We urge both sides to pursue constructive dialogue to resolve remaining disputes and strengthen mutual confidence.”
3. European leaders in Ukraine’s Kyiv press Russia for 30-day ceasefire
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled together by train from Poland to Kyiv on Saturday, where they and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk joined President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to demand a 30-day ceasefire as a first step toward ending the three-year war. They warned that if Russian President Vladimir Putin did not agree to halt fighting on land, sea and in the air by Monday, Moscow would face “massive sanctions,” potentially targeting its energy and banking sectors. Macron also proposed deploying a “reassurance” force of foreign troops and said the United States, backed by European partners, would lead monitoring of any ceasefire.
4. Putin proposes direct peace talks with Ukraine after three years of war
President Vladimir Putin invited Kyiv to resume talks without preconditions in Istanbul, with details to be worked out with President Erdoğan. U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the initiative, while European leaders had urged a 30-day ceasefire. Despite the offer, Russia launched a drone strike on Kyiv overnight. Putin pointed to a 2022 draft agreement calling for Ukrainian neutrality and said Russia remains ready to negotiate.
5. Pope Leo XIV visits the Sanctuary of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano
During a surprise visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano, Rome, Pope Leo XIV knelt in prayer before the remains of Blessed Stefano Bellesini, the Augustinian friar.
6. Trump orders 20,000 new officers to enforce deportations
The plan aims to incentivize undocumented immigrants to leave the U.S. voluntarily, offering paid travel and a $1,000 “exit bonus” through a new federal program.
In a video statement Friday, Trump said he was making it “as easy as possible” for undocumented immigrants to self-deport, while warning those who stay could face “significant jail time,” wage garnishment, and confiscation of property.
The executive order instructs DHS to expand staffing through new hires, as well as by deputizing local and state law enforcement and contracting former federal officers. However, it does not specify how the expansion will be funded. Immigration and Customs Enforcement currently employs over 21,000 people, including about 6,100 deportation officers.
The administration's harsher deportation measures have faced setbacks in federal court. Judges in Texas and New York recently ruled Trump's use of the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act to expel certain migrants unlawful.
Despite legal challenges, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced this week that bonuses and government-funded travel would be offered to encourage voluntary departures via the CPB Home app.
Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, underscoring Moscow and Pyongyang’s ongoing militar...
Protests against Serbia’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) intensified on Thursday, with demonstrators demolishing party offices in Novi Sad a...
Talks at the United Nations in Geneva to establish a global legally binding treaty on plastic pollution went into overtime on Thursday, with discussio...
The Panama Canal Authority will begin consultations with companies in the first quarter of next year to launch a competitive tender for the constructi...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan defends the U.S.-brokered peace accord, calling it “not a zero-sum game” and a step toward regional cooper...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan defends the U.S.-brokered peace accord, calling it “not a zero-sum game” and a step toward regional cooperation benefiting all, including Russia and Iran.
In a Fox News interview, President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s transit deal with Armenia is “not against anyone” and marks the “final step toward peace,” while also addressing the 2024 downing of AZAL Flight 8243, demanding accountability and full compensation.
At least 34 people have been confirmed dead and more than 200 remain missing after sudden, heavy rainfall triggered flooding in Indian-administered Kashmir, officials said on Thursday — the second such disaster to hit the Himalayan region in just over a week.
Ukraine’s allies say U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated a willingness to support security guarantees for Kyiv in a Germany-hosted virtual meeting on Wednesday, a potentially significant, though still vague, commitment one day before a high-stakes U.S.-Russia summit on ending the war.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 56 kilometres east of Gorgan in northern Iran early Sunday morning, according to preliminary seismic data.
In recent months, the U.S. and Russia have engaged in crucial diplomatic talks, despite rising tensions over Ukraine, nuclear arms, and cybersecurity. What’s behind these meetings, and why do they matter?
Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, underscoring Moscow and Pyongyang’s ongoing military and diplomatic cooperation amid the Ukraine conflict.
Protests against Serbia’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) intensified on Thursday, with demonstrators demolishing party offices in Novi Sad and clashing with police and party supporters in Belgrade.
The Panama Canal Authority will begin consultations with companies in the first quarter of next year to launch a competitive tender for the construction and operation of two new ports within its zone, a source involved in the preparations said Thursday.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) urged the UK government to immediately recognise a Palestinian state after Israel’s far-right finance minister announced plans to expand settlements in the West Bank, undermining the prospect of a two-state solution.
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