Ferdinand Marcos Jr was headed for a stunning victory in the Philippines’ presidential election yesterday with double the votes of his nearest rival, putting the son of the notorious late dictator on the cusp of a historic political fightback.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace yesterday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “mirroring fascism”, as the country held an annual Victory Day parade on Moscow’s Red Square.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr looked on course for a huge victory in the Philippines presidential election on Monday, after an unofficial tally of two thirds of the votes showed the son of the notorious late dictator surging ahead of his nearest rival.

Russian President Vladimir Putin used a major patriotic holiday Monday to again justify his war in Ukraine but did not declare even a limited victory or signal where the conflict was headed, as his forces continued to pummel targets across the country with few signs of significant progress.

An Elon Musk tweet saying Japan would "eventually cease to exist" without a higher birthrate set off a flood of sarcasm and anger on Monday - though much of the angst was aimed at a Japanese government many said did little to address the issue.

For more than two months, Dr Farad Ali-Shakh has spent his waking hours tending wounded Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. He also treats injured Russians, albeit reluctantly, who could be part of future prisoner exchanges.

The world will do everything possible to ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin loses his war in Ukraine, including keeping Moscow under sanctions for years, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said late on Sunday.

The death toll of a powerful explosion at a luxury hotel in Cuba’s capital increased to 31 Sunday evening as search crews with dogs hunted through the rubble of the iconic, 19th century building looking for people still missing.

As many as 60 people were feared to have been killed in the Russian bombing of a village school in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, the regional governor said yesterday.

Saudi Arabia’s ageing King Salman has been admitted to hospital for unspecified tests, state media reported yesterday.

The Philippine police and military said yesterday they were on high alert as last-minute preparations continued for the country’s general election, even as the overall situation remained “relatively peaceful”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that he cannot afford to lose in Ukraine and is “doubling down” on the war, but shows no signs of planning to use tactical nuclear weapons, CIA director Bill Burns said Saturday.

The Group of Seven leaders said in a joint statement on Sunday that they will reinforce Russia's economic isolation and "elevate" a campaign against Russian elites who support President Vladimir Putin.

As many as 60 people were feared to have been killed in the Russian bombing of a village school in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, the regional governor said on Sunday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is gathering evidence for a possible war crimes investigation into attacks it says it has documented by Russia on healthcare facilities in Ukraine, it said in Kyiv on Saturday.

Emmanuel Macron was sworn in for his second term as France’s president yesterday at a ceremony at the Elysee Palace, followed by the firing of canons at the Invalides gardens.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon last month shattered the record for April, destroying more than 1,000 square kilometers of the world’s biggest rainforest, nearly double the previous high, according to official figures.

Clashes between two rival gangs in the outskirts of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince have claimed the lives of at least 75 people, including women and children, in less than two weeks, the UN said Friday.

A lawsuit filed by former US president Donald Trump seeking to reinstate his banned Twitter account was tossed out Friday by a federal judge in California.

Amid reports of more losses to Russian forces, US officials have said they shared information about Russian troops and the location of the Russian warship Moskva with Ukraine prior to its sinking last month, a fresh demonstration of the close intelligence support Kyiv is receiving from Washington.