North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the nation’s air force drills on Thursday, stressing the need for intensified war readiness across all military units, said media reports.

Ukraine and Russia appear deadlocked over next steps in effort to end the war after President Vladimir Putin rejected a face-to-face meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey. 

The European Union enacts new sanctions against Russia, while warning of additional measures if Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Iran has unveiled the second phase of its banking integration with Russia.

An Iranian central bank official says Russians can now use their Mir cards for payments inside Iran.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for resuming direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, “without preconditions,” seeking a comprehensive, long-lasting peace agreement in place of an armistice that allows Ukraine to rebuild and rearm.

Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations said it regreted that Reuters persists in its habit of circulating baseless allegations against the Islamic Republic.