Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday backed a suggestion by US counterpart Donald Trump for Russia, the United States and China to all cut their defence budgets in half

French President Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump sought to smooth over a transatlantic rift on Ukraine yesterday, with the US president eyeing a deal to end Russia’s invasion “within weeks” backed by European peacekeepers.

An elderly British couple have been arrested by Taliban authorities in Afghanistan, their daughter said yesterday, urging UK diplomats to do “everything in their power” to secure their release.

The international system is in upheaval with human rights being “suffocated”, the United Nations said yesterday, warning that an era of “dictators” could return.

Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday hailed Moscow’s “positive efforts to defuse” the Ukraine crisis in a call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, state media said.

Germany’s conservative election winner Friedrich Merz said yesterday that the surge of the far-right AfD to 20 percent voter support was “the last warning” to the country’s mainstream parties.

The UN chief yesterday voiced alarm at rising violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and calls for annexation after Israel announced expanded military operations in the occupied Palestinian territory.

President Donald Trump’s administration said on Sunday it was placing all personnel at the foreign assistance agency USAID, except leaders and critical staff, on paid administrative leave and eliminating 1,600 positions in the United States.

A lawmaker suspended from Britain’s ruling Labour party was jailed for 10 weeks yesterday after pleading guilty to punching a man, potentially triggering an election test for Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

A New Zealand government minister said yesterday he has resigned from his post for putting his hand on a staff member’s upper arm during an “animated” discussion.

Gunmen shot dead eight people in Mexico’s most violent state, authorities said Sunday.

The European Union yesterday eased sanctions on Syria’s energy, transport and banking sectors in a bid to help the country’s reconstruction after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Russia said yesterday it was ready for talks on the three-year old war in Ukraine but would only stop fighting when a peace settlement “suits” Moscow.

The European Union yesterday eased sanctions on Syria’s energy, transport and banking sectors in a bid to help the country’s reconstruction after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

The 69-year-old faces lengthy coalition negotiations after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to a historic second place in a fractured vote following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's unloved three-way alliance.

The gains have been boosted since the Hangzhou-based firm announced robust sales growth last week

The country's regions facing the Sea of Japan experience heavy snowfall every year

The first phase of the Gaza truce is due to expire in early March

All other staff directly hired by USAID will be placed on administrative leave globally

President Donald Trump’s administration on Sunday said it was placing all but a handful of USAID personnel around the world on paid administrative leave and eliminating some 2,000 of those positions in the US, according to a notice sent to agency workers reviewed by Reuters