Ukraine, Russia make modest progress in Istanbul peace talks, agree on largest prisoner swap

Ukrainian and Russian delegations made modest but concrete progress in renewed peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, raising cautious hopes for a potential easing of hostilities through expanded humanitarian measures, including the largest prisoner exchange since the onset of the conflict.

The roughly 90-minute session marked the second round of direct talks between the two sides in recent weeks. Turkish officials described the outcome as "cautiously optimistic."

"The talks did not end negatively," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said, characterising the tone as constructive despite persistent divisions over the broader conflict.

Former German FM Baerbock elected president of UN General Assembly

Former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was elected on Monday president of the upcoming 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

Baerbock's election was through secret balloting. She won 167 votes in favor out of 188 ballots cast. Fourteen member states abstained.

She will take up the new post in September 2025 to succeed current General Assembly President Philemon Yang of Cameroon.

In her speech to the General Assembly after her election, Baerbock reiterated her promise to serve all 193 member states as an honest broker and as a unifier. "As president of the General Assembly, I will engage in a trust-based dialogue with all member states," she said.

Karol Nawrocki wins Poland's presidential election

Karol Nawrocki, an independent candidate backed by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, won Poland's presidential runoff election, the Polish National Electoral Commission (PKW) announced in a press conference Monday morning.

The final result, reading "Elected in the second round," was written next to Nawrocki's name on the public website of the PKW on Monday.

Nawrocki, a historian and head of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance, received 50.89 percent of the vote in the presidential runoff, ahead of Rafal Trzaskowski, the ruling Civic Coalition (KO) candidate and mayor of Warsaw, who garnered 49.11 percent.

S. Koreans go to polls to pick new president

Polls began early Tuesday nationwide to pick South Korea's new president.

The election is scheduled to last from 6:00 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Monday) to 8:00 p.m. (1100 GMT Tuesday) at 14,295 polling stations across the country.

The presidential race was triggered by the removal of former conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol from office over his botched martial law bid.

Nigerian military airstrikes kill 20 suspected bandits in anti-terror raid

At least 20 suspected armed bandits were killed in anti-terror airstrikes by the Nigerian military in the northern state of Zamfara over the weekend, an official said Monday.

Ehimen Ejodame, the spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force, said in a statement sent to Xinhua in Abuja, the nation's capital, that more than 21 motorcycles belonging to the suspected bandits were destroyed during the airstrikes in the Maru local government area on Saturday.

The operation was aimed at "halting a planned large-scale attack on vulnerable communities by armed bandits," the statement said, noting that intelligence received by the military indicated that a significant number of criminals were massing and preparing to strike unsuspecting settlements.

Chinese delegation visits Uzbekistan, attends Uzbek-Chinese forum

Shen Yueyue, vice chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, visited Uzbekistan on Sunday and Monday and attended the Second Chinese-Uzbek Interregional Forum.

During her visit, Shen met with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva, Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev, and had friendly exchanges with Deputy Prime Minister Zulaykho Makhkamova.

Shen noted that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Uzbekistan in the new era has entered a fast track of development.