Pope Leo urges ceasefire to deliver aid to town of Oleshky in call with Putin

 Pope Leo XIV expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, calling for a ceasefire to allow aid deliveries and the safe evacuation of civilians, the Vatican said.

Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores plead not guilty to new charges in the U.S.

Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in New York, entering the courtroom with shackles on their ankles. 

Cuba accuses Rubio of pressuring countries ahead of UN embargo vote

 Cuba accused US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of pressuring foreign leaders to change their positions ahead of a UN General Assembly vote on a resolution demanding an end to Washington's decades-long economic embargo against the island.

Ukraine's Law expands Native-Language Education for National Minorities; Russian is excluded

 Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law allowing national minorities and indigenous peoples to use their native languages in schools alongside Ukrainian.

China has imposed sanctions on ministers from Paraguay and Belize for supporting Taiwan

 China has imposed sanctions on Paraguay’s Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Gustavo Villate, and Belize’s Foreign Minister, Francis Fonseca, for maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan.