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Russia’s Lavrov Discusses Alaska Summit’s Outcome with Turkish, Hungarian Counterparts

Russia's President Vladimir Putin, right, sits next to his delegation, including Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov while meeting with President Donald Trump, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (AP)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin, right, sits next to his delegation, including Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov while meeting with President Donald Trump, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (AP)
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Russia’s Lavrov Discusses Alaska Summit’s Outcome with Turkish, Hungarian Counterparts

Russia's President Vladimir Putin, right, sits next to his delegation, including Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov while meeting with President Donald Trump, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (AP)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin, right, sits next to his delegation, including Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov while meeting with President Donald Trump, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (AP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held calls on Saturday with his Turkish and Hungarian counterparts, the Russian foreign ministry said, hours after a summit between the US and Russian presidents yielded no deal on ending the war in Ukraine.

President Donald Trump, who hosted President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday for bilateral talks aimed at ending the war that Russia launched with a full-scale invasion on Ukraine in early 2022, said that Kyiv should make a deal with Moscow because "Russia is a very big power, and they're not."

The phone call between Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan took place at Türkiye's initiative, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.

"The foreign ministers exchanged views on the outcomes of the high-level Russia-US meeting held in Alaska on August 15," the ministry said in its short statement.

Türkiye has tried to keep diplomatic channels open to both sides during the war, acting as a NATO member, a partner for both Russia and Ukraine, and a potential mediator.

Lavrov also held a call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, the Russian foreign ministry said, in which "the parties discussed issues related to the Ukrainian crisis in the context of the outcomes of the Russia-US summit."

Hungary has maintained close ties with Russia throughout the war, often opposing EU sanctions and continuing energy cooperation with Moscow, and drawing criticism from Western allies of Kyiv.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday after the Putin-Trump meeting that "the world is a safer place than it was yesterday," while other European leaders reiterated in their joint statement that "it will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory."

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World

Israel Approves Plan to Buy F-35 and F-15IA Jets from Lockheed, Boeing

FILE PHOTO: Lockheed Martin's logo is seen during Japan Aerospace 2016 air show in Tokyo, Japan, October 12, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Lockheed Martin's logo is seen during Japan Aerospace 2016 air show in Tokyo, Japan, October 12, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
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Israel Approves Plan to Buy F-35 and F-15IA Jets from Lockheed, Boeing

FILE PHOTO: Lockheed Martin's logo is seen during Japan Aerospace 2016 air show in Tokyo, Japan, October 12, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Lockheed Martin's logo is seen during Japan Aerospace 2016 air show in Tokyo, Japan, October 12, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

Israel gave final approval for a plan to purchase two new combat squadrons of F-35 and F-15IA advanced fighter aircraft from Lockheed Martin and Boeing in a deal worth tens of billions of dollars, the defense ministry said on Sunday.

The deal, approved by Israel's Ministerial Committee on Procurement, is a first step in a 350 billion shekel ($119 billion) plan to bolster Israel's military and "strengthen readiness ahead of a demanding decade for Israeli security," it said.

It added that the new squadrons will serve as a ⁠cornerstone of the military's ⁠long-term force development, addressing regional threats and preserving Israel’s strategic air superiority.

"Alongside immediate wartime procurement needs, we have a responsibility to act now to secure the IDF’s military edge ten years from now and beyond," said ministry director general Amir Baram, referring to the Israel Defense Forces.

The recent war with Iran "reinforced just how critical the US-Israel strategic relationship is, and how essential advanced air power ⁠remains," he added.

Under the deal, Israel would buy a fourth F-35 squadron from Lockheed Martin and a second squadron of F-15IA fighter jets from Boeing, Reuters reported.

In December, Boeing was given an $8.6 billion contract for Israel including 25 new F-15IAs and an option for 25 more.

Baram said the next step would be to move forward with finalizing the agreements with the US government and military counterparts.

The US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28, but a ceasefire has been in place since April 8. The US Navy maintains a blockade of Iranian ports.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Iranian conflict demonstrated ⁠the air ⁠force's power and its decisive role in protecting Israel.

"The lessons of that campaign require us to keep pressing forward on force buildup, to ensure air superiority for decades to come," he said.

Israeli aircraft have also attacked Iranian-backed Hamas militants in Gaza and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.

Katz said the new aircraft would lead to a significant technological leap in integrating autonomous flight capabilities, next-generation defense systems, and establishing Israeli military dominance in space.

"Our mission is clear: to ensure the IDF has the tools, capabilities, and strength to operate anywhere, at any time," Katz said. "We will continue to invest, to grow stronger, and to stay ahead of our enemies - to keep Israel secure today and in the future."

World

Iran Hangs Man over Killing of Security Forces Volunteer in Protests

People drive past an anti-US billboard depicting US President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 2, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
People drive past an anti-US billboard depicting US President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 2, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
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Iran Hangs Man over Killing of Security Forces Volunteer in Protests

People drive past an anti-US billboard depicting US President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 2, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
People drive past an anti-US billboard depicting US President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 2, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iran hanged a man on Sunday who had been convicted of involvement in the killing of a security forces volunteer during anti-government protests, the judiciary said.

"Mehrab Abdollahzadeh's death sentence was carried out this morning after completing the legal formalities," said the judiciary's Mizan Online website.

It said Abdollahzadeh, along with others, was arrested at the scene of street protests in the northwestern city of Urmia, where a farmer "was severely beaten by rioters and tragically martyred".

The farmer was attending the protests "as a volunteer force to ensure the security of the people", according to Mizan, which did not say when the incident took place.

Mizan published what it said was part of a confession by Abdollahzadeh in which he admitted to "hitting the officer several times in the face".

Abdollahzadeh was sentenced to death under the capital offence "corruption on earth", while two other defendants below 18 years of age were sentenced to imprisonment of unspecified terms.

Iran has in recent weeks carried out multiple executions of people linked to mass protests which broke out before the war with the United States and Israel.

The demonstrations began in late December over rising living costs before spreading nationwide and evolving into anti-government protests that peaked on January 8 and 9.

Iranian authorities said the rallies began peacefully before turning into "foreign-instigated riots" involving killings and vandalism.

World

Russia, Ukraine Drones Kill Four, Hit Oil Tankers

02 May 2026, Ukraine, Donetsk: A woman inspects a house that has been struck by Russian drones in the Donetsk's Kiyevsky District. Photo: Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
02 May 2026, Ukraine, Donetsk: A woman inspects a house that has been struck by Russian drones in the Donetsk's Kiyevsky District. Photo: Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
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Russia, Ukraine Drones Kill Four, Hit Oil Tankers

02 May 2026, Ukraine, Donetsk: A woman inspects a house that has been struck by Russian drones in the Donetsk's Kiyevsky District. Photo: Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
02 May 2026, Ukraine, Donetsk: A woman inspects a house that has been struck by Russian drones in the Donetsk's Kiyevsky District. Photo: Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa

Russian drone strikes on Ukraine killed three people across the country, while Ukrainian attacks killed one near Moscow and targeted Russia's lucrative oil facilities, according to statements by the warring countries on Sunday.

The two neighbors have been firing hundreds of explosive-packed drones at each other on a daily basis throughout the four-year war, as talks to end the conflict have gone nowhere.

Russian attacks on Ukraine's southern Odesa region -- home to key export terminals -- killed two people, including a truck driver at a port, regional governor Oleg Kiper said on social media.

"Enemy drones hit three residential buildings, and two more were damaged.... Facilities and equipment for the port infrastructure were also damaged," AFP quoted him as saying.

The emergency services posted photos of firefighters tackling a blaze after the attacks.

Russian strikes on the frontline region of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, also killed one person, officials there said.

Russia fired 268 drones and one ballistic missile in the overnight attack, Kyiv's air force said.
Ukraine's army meanwhile launched at least 334 drones at Russia, Moscow's defense ministry said.

The northwestern Leningrad region was heavily targeted.

Oil export terminals there have been hit several times in recent weeks, knocking out billions of dollars worth of exports, according to Kyiv.

Oil and gas revenues -- boosted by the war in the Middle East -- are critical for Russia's economy and funding its army.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said two of Russia's so-called shadow tankers -- aging vessels that ferry its sanctioned oil around the world -- were struck off the southern Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.

He posted black-and-white night-vision footage of a naval drone approaching one tanker.
The damage done was unknown.

A Ukrainian drone attack also killed a 77-year-old man in the Moscow region, which surrounds the Russian capital, the regional governor said.

Kyiv calls its attacks on Russia fair retaliation for Russia's nightly barrages of its cities.
It says it only targets energy and military facilities.

Russia also denies targeting civilians.

Tens of thousands have been killed in the four-year war, unleashed by Russia's February 2022 invasion.

In April, Russia fired a record number of long-range attack drones at Ukraine -- an average of more than 200 a day -- according to AFP analysis of data from Kyiv's air force.