Istanbul: Russians and Ukrainians in talks but with no guarantee of a direct meeting
Moscow and Kiev sent delegations to Istanbul to participate on Friday in what was expected to be the first direct negotiations since spring 2022. But hopes of progress are slim in the absence of Vladimir Putin and the bilateral meeting has yet to be confirmed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that he did not have “high expectations” about the meeting, recognizing that Russian representation is “not at the level we expected”.

Maternity closures: MEPs approve a moratorium

MEPs approved by a large majority at first reading a three-year moratorium on maternity closures, accused of contributing to the rise in child mortality. This bill is supported by Deputy Paul-André Colombani as part of the parliamentary “niche” of his group, obtained almost unanimity, with 97 votes in favour against 4 (from the Ensemble pour la République group).
According to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), the text intends to respond to the increase in infant mortality, whose rate fell from 3.5 deaths per 1,000 children born alive in 2011, to 4.1 in 2024.

Cannes: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, competing on Friday

The first international stars, Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler... arrive in competition at Cannes Friday in “Eddington”, a modern western by American director Ari Aster, competing with another 30-year-old, French actress Hafsia Herzi, for “La Petite Dernière”.

Assault: Singer Chris Brown indicted

Suspected of an “assault” in a London nightclub in 2023, American R&B singer Chris Brown was charged Thursday in the United Kingdom with “voluntary assault and battery”, according to information from the London police. Arrested Thursday in a hotel in Manchester (northern England), the 36-year-old singer remains in custody and will appear on Friday at 10:00am local (09:00 GMT) in front of a Manchester court. According to the police, his charge is linked to “an assault, which allegedly took place at an establishment in Hanover Square in London on 19 February 2023

Violent fighting in Tripoli: the UN very worried

After three days of violent fighting in Tripoli between forces loyal to the government and powerful armed groups that the government is trying to dismantle, the United Nations said it was very worried on Thursday about a fragile truce in Libya. On Thursday, the capital was experiencing a lull but schools remained closed as was the airport serving the capital. Many businesses kept their curtains down except for a few grocery stores and bakeries. “Alarmed by the escalation of violence in Tripoli”, the UN Migration Agency (IOM) said it feared “a serious risk of mass displacement and danger for civilians

IN SHORT

Iran is holding nuclear talks with the United Kingdom in Turkey on Friday in Turkey, while France is holding negotiations on this issue with Washington on its side.

This Friday, Donald Trump is completing a tour in the United Arab Emirates in the United Arab Emirates marked by impressive investment promises and historic openness towards Syria and optimism on the nuclear issue.

In an environment marked by persistent inflation and the strong uncertainties weighing on its exports due to American tariffs, Japan saw its economy contract by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2025.

After impressing millions of viewers with powerful performances in very different genres, Austrian artist JJ, Israeli competitor Yuval Raphael and leather-clad Finnish Erika Vikman from Finland managed to qualify for the Eurovision Song Contest final on Thursday.

FC Barcelona won its 28th Spanish championship title on Thursday ahead of its eternal rival, Real Madrid. He is the winner (2-0) in the Catalan derby against Espanyol