Russia, Ukraine conclude talks in UAE with no concrete agreements announced

Russia and Ukraine held "direct engagement" during the talks concluded Saturday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), even though no concrete agreements or joint statements were announced following the two-day meetings.

A UAE government spokesperson said that the talks included "direct engagement" between the two sides and were conducted in a "constructive and positive atmosphere."

The meetings were attended by U.S. presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Russia's military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, Kyrylo Budanov, chief of the Ukrainian President's Office, Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, as well as other senior officials from both the Russian and Ukrainian sides.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media platform X that the negotiations involved military representatives from Russia, Ukraine and the United States, with a focus on "the possible parameters for ending the war."

Meanwhile, according to media reports, further trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States are likely to be held in the UAE next week.

Man killed in 3rd Minnesota shooting by federal agents identified as U.S. citizen

Authorities confirmed Saturday that the man shot dead by U.S. federal agents earlier in the morning in Minneapolis, Minnesota was a U.S. citizen.

Minneapolis police chief Brian O'Hara said at a news conference that the victim was a 37-year-old white male and a resident of Minneapolis.

"We believe he is an American citizen," O'Hara said.

He said the man was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.

The police chief urged people to "remain peaceful."

WHO chief says U.S. reasons for withdrawal "untrue"

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief said on Saturday that the reasons given by the United States for its decision to withdraw from the WHO are "untrue."

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, made the remarks on social media platform X. He warned that the move will make the United States and the world "less safe."

Canadian PM calls for "buy Canadian" in response to Trump's new tariff threat

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Saturday called for "buy Canadian" and "build Canadian" in response to a new tariff threat from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Carney published a pre-taped video on his personal social media account about buying and building Canadian to combat economic threats from other countries.

"With our economy under threat from abroad. Canadians have made a choice: to focus on what we can control," Carney said at the beginning of the video.

Japan's opposition parties criticize PM Takaichi's lower house dissolution

Leaders of multiple Japanese opposition parties slammed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's dissolution of the lower house on Friday as lacking "justification."

Japan's House of Representatives was formally dissolved on Friday, marking the first dissolution at the start of a regular parliamentary session in 60 years.

Egyptian FM, Gaza representative discuss 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Saturday discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and efforts to support the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal in a phone call with Nikolay Mladenov, "the high representative for Gaza."

They discussed the next steps and the implementation of the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza, including the deployment of an international stabilization force, the opening of the Rafah crossing in both directions, and the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Syria extends ceasefire with Kurdish forces by 15 days to support IS detainee transfers

Syria on Saturday extended a truce with Kurdish forces by 15 days to support the transfer of Islamic State (IS) detainees from Syria to Iraq, as tensions in the country's northeast continue, the Syrian defense authority said in a statement.

"The ceasefire across all sectors of Syrian army operations" has been extended by 15 days, starting at 11:00 p.m. local time (2000 GMT) on Saturday, according to the statement.

It said that the decision was taken in support of a U.S.-led operation to relocate IS detainees from prisons previously run by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The extension came amid mutual accusations between the Syrian army and the SDF of violations and preparations for renewed fighting, underscoring the fragility of recent de-escalation efforts after weeks of clashes in northeastern Syria.

61 killed, 110 injured in heavy snowfall, rains in Afghanistan

At least 61 people were killed and 110 others injured due to heavy snowfall and rains across Afghanistan on Wednesday and Thursday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said in a statement on Saturday.

In addition to the human losses, the storms have completely or partially destroyed 458 homes, the NDMA added.

The figures are preliminary, as surveys and assessments are still underway in various regions, and changes to these numbers are possible, the statement noted.

7 killed as landslide, flash floods hit Indonesia's West Java

At least seven people have been killed after a landslide accompanied by flash floods struck Cisarua Sub-district in West Bandung Regency of Indonesia's West Java Province early Saturday, with hundreds of residents still believed to be missing, according to local media reports.

The disaster occurred at around 3:00 a.m. local time. Residents reported hearing a loud rumbling sound before soil and mud swept from Pasirkuning Village toward Pasir Kuda Village.