… Talks between the opposition and government were held in recent days and continued on Friday, encouraged by foreign diplomats led by teams from Britain and the United States, but failed to lead to a compromise. …
… Members of the France-based rights body include the European Union's 27 countries but also key European states from outside the bloc such as Turkey, Britain and Ukraine. …
… Rising crude futures were also pushing up government bond rates, including in Britain, where political uncertainty soared as Prime Minister Keir Starmer clings to power, analysts said. …
UK's Keir Starmer defies calls to quit, says he's getting on with governing By Reuters May 13, 2026 05:25 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives to make a statement fr …
… Britain and France are sending vessels to the region and are leading efforts to create an international coalition to secure the strait after a peace deal is reached. …
The U.S. and Iran have signed an interim agreement to end their war, with President Trump warning he will "bomb the hell out of them if they violate the agreement" and threatening to resume attacks and kill Iranian officials if commitments are not honoured. Trump said he hopes the agreement, with permanent negotiations to follow within 60 days, will bring Middle East peace and lower oil prices.
The U.S. and Iran have signed an interim agreement to end their war, with President Trump warning he will "bomb the hell out of them if they violate the agreement" and threatening to resume attacks and kill Iranian officials if commitments are not honoured. Trump said he hopes the agreement, with permanent negotiations to follow within 60 days, will bring Middle East peace and lower oil prices.
G7 leaders at a three-day summit hailed newly-found unity on increasing pressure on Russia to end its war against Ukraine, sensing a shift by President Donald Trump to take a tougher line against Moscow. The leaders agreed on a final statement involving key geopolitical issues and committed to increasing supplies of air defence equipment to Ukraine.
The vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane is expected to reopen on Friday after nearly four months following a US-Iran agreement to end the Middle East war. While stranded ships could theoretically move through almost immediately once formal approval is given, some vessels may require underwater hull cleaning, and a return to normal operations is likely to take time.
After her 12-year-old daughter died by suicide in 2024, Irene Roggero Ugues discovered the girl had been exposed to self-harm content on social media platforms, including a secret Instagram profile, and is now taking legal action against Meta and TikTok.
Young people from 19 countries gathered ahead of a G7 meeting in France to urge world leaders to protect children's education, mental health and social well-being from generative artificial intelligence. The campaigners, organized by the International Research-driven Alliance for AI Serving Every child, argue that AI safeguards cannot be left solely to companies or adults unfamiliar with the technology.
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, facing rape trial charges in Britain, lost a court challenge seeking to enter Canada for Ghana's World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto. Ottawa denied him a visa over the British charges.
G7 leaders hailed the US-Iran memorandum of understanding as a "historic opportunity" to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and addressed regional threats, while agreeing to increase air defence supplies to Ukraine and pressure Russia on peace negotiations.
President William Ruto arrived in Evian, France, to represent Africa at the G7 Leaders' Summit, invited by French President Emmanuel Macron. Ruto, accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto and Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, will participate in discussions on the economy, international trade, climate action, security, and artificial intelligence.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to "call time" on a social media system failing children, reportedly proposing measures including a total ban for those under 16 and restrictions on late-night use for older teenagers — stricter than Australia's December 2024 under-16 ban.
Demonstrators in Geneva threw stones and firecrackers at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons, during protests against the G7 summit set to begin Monday in nearby Evian, France. Thousands from a coalition of over 60 associations, unions and left-wing groups turned out to protest against the gathering of top world leaders.
Thousands of protesters from a coalition of more than 60 associations, unions, and left-wing groups are expected to rally in Geneva on Sunday to denounce "fascism and imperialism" ahead of the Group of Seven leaders' three-day meeting in nearby Evian, France. Swiss authorities are deploying heavy police presence, wary of repeating 2003 violence when anti-G7 riots caused millions of dollars in damage.
Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, and Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador are running to succeed Antonio Guterres as UN secretary-general at the end of the year. All three candidates argued during a Geneva debate that it is time for a woman to lead the UN for the first time in its 80-year history.
The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency governing board approved a resolution demanding Iran immediately provide complete information on its uranium stockpile and production facilities, after Iran suspended inspector access to its nuclear sites. The resolution passed 21 to 3 with 10 abstentions; the IAEA estimates Iran holds 440 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 percent, unseen by inspectors since June 10 last year.
President William Ruto has pushed for fair access to capital rather than aid, proposing the New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD) as a coordination mechanism to reduce African countries' borrowing costs by addressing the "Africa Premium"—the higher interest rates (around 10%) African nations pay compared to developed economies (around 3%).
US Vice President JD Vance blamed Britain's handling of 18-year-old Henry Nowak's murder—stabbed by Vickrum Digwa in Southampton in December—on what he called civilizational decline from an "invasion" of migrants, drawing swift rebuke from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office for attempting to interfere in British democracy.
Russian drone strikes killed a 56-year-old minibus driver in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region and a 59-year-old man in the Dnipropetrovsk region on Sunday, as world leaders met in London to discuss pressure on Moscow over its four-year war. Ukrainian President Zelensky is meeting leaders of France, Germany and Britain to discuss the way forward.
French authorities have arrested the Russian captain of the Tagor, a seized oil tanker believed to be part of Moscow's shadow fleet, who faces up to one year in prison and a 150,000-euro fine. The French navy detained the ship on Sunday in international waters on suspicion it was flying a false flag and suspected of carrying Russian or Iranian oil despite international sanctions.
Pop star Dua Lipa and Fantastic Beasts actor Callum Turner married in London on Sunday in a civil ceremony with a handful of family and friends, according to media reports. The couple reportedly plans a three-day celebration in Sicily.
Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Yemen's former president who fled Houthi house arrest and spent his final years in Saudi Arabia, has died following a sudden health crisis. The Yemeni presidency declared three days of mourning and praised his leadership during a period marked by Houthi seizure of territory, civil war, and humanitarian crises.
An energy shock from the Iran war is weighing on European growth and pushing prices higher, with eurozone activity shrinking at its sharpest rate in over two-and-a-half years in May as a surge in living costs hammered demand and pushed input price inflation to its highest in three-and-a-half years.
Britain will extend a 5 pence per litre cut in motor fuel duty until the end of the year to ease cost-of-living pressures following the Middle East conflict and rising global oil prices. The government also announced a 12-month road tax holiday for hauliers and a cut to red diesel duty.
Somalia's government declared the country in a "transition period" after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term ended Friday without an agreement with the opposition on holding elections. Talks between government and opposition, facilitated by British and U.S. diplomats, failed to reach a compromise.
Thirty-four European states plus Australia, Costa Rica, and the EU expressed intention to join a special tribunal to prosecute Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an accord with the Council of Europe last year to create a legal body to prosecute the "crime of aggression" in the invasion Russia launched in 2022.
Ten countries advanced from the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, with five countries eliminated following viewer and national jury votes. Ten more countries will compete in Thursday's second semi-final, with another 10 qualifying for Saturday's grand final alongside guaranteed spots for Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and hosts Austria.
Oil prices rallied and stock markets fell as talks stalled on ending the Middle East war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Rising crude futures pushed up government bond rates globally, including in Britain where political uncertainty also weighed on markets.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would continue governing despite mounting pressure to set a timetable for his departure following poor results in local elections. Starmer, who took office less than two years ago, told his cabinet that he takes responsibility for Labour's losses but sees no official move to trigger a leadership contest.
A deadly hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius has prompted WHO to recommend quarantining and isolating nearly 150 people classified as "high-risk" contacts for six weeks to limit transmission of the rare virus, for which there is no vaccine or treatment.
US President Trump branded Iran's terms for ending the Middle East war "totally unacceptable," prompting Tehran to warn it would retaliate against new US strikes and restrict foreign warships in the Strait of Hormuz. The standoff sent oil prices sharply higher, with Brent crude rising 4.65 percent and WTI surging over 4 percent as investors feared further supply disruptions.
The Eurovision Song Contest kicked off in Vienna on Sunday with thousands of fans attending events and an opening ceremony welcoming 35 participating delegations, ahead of the grand final on May 16. The contest has faced renewed calls for a boycott over Israel's participation.
The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, carrying nearly 150 people and hit by a hantavirus outbreak that has killed three passengers, is expected to reach the Canary Islands, where most aboard will be evacuated and flown home. The Andes virus, the only hantavirus type that can transmit person-to-person, has been confirmed among those who tested positive.