ISTANBUL

Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Monday, including the US and Ukraine saying talks in Geneva produced an “updated and refined” peace framework for ending the Russia-Ukraine war, Hezbollah confirming that its top military commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, and Türkiye’s president telling his French counterpart that all diplomatic tools should be used to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

• US, Ukraine say Geneva talks produced 'updated and refined' peace framework

The US and Ukraine drafted an “updated and refined” peace framework following talks in Geneva, according to a joint statement released by the White House.

“The discussions showed meaningful progress toward aligning positions and identifying clear next steps.

“They reaffirmed that any future agreement must fully uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty and deliver a sustainable and just peace,” said the statement released in the aftermath of the talks, where delegations met to discuss Washington’s latest peace proposal aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

The statement described the talks as “constructive, focused, and respectful,” underscoring what both sides called a shared commitment to securing a lasting settlement. The delegations agreed that the consultations were “highly productive” and said the updated framework reflects progress made in recent weeks.

• Hezbollah confirms top commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai killed in Israeli strike in Beirut

Hezbollah confirmed that its senior commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

In a statement, Hezbollah mourned Tabatabai as “a key military commander.”

The group also reported that four of its members were killed in the Israeli airstrike.

The Israeli army said early Sunday that it had eliminated Tabatabai in a strike targeting a southern suburb of Beirut despite a ceasefire deal that has been in place since November 2024.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the strike on the recommendation of Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, accusing Tabatabai of leading “the buildup and armament” of Hezbollah.

The Lebanese Health Ministry said that five people were killed and 28 others injured in the attack.

• All diplomatic tools should be used to end Russia-Ukraine war, Turkish president tells Macron

All diplomatic tools should be utilized to end the war between Russia and Ukraine through a just and lasting peace, the Turkish president said as he met his French counterpart on the margins of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

The meeting between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Emmanuel Macron addressed bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues, Türkiye's Communications Directorate said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

Türkiye will continue its efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine together "for peaceful negotiations," Erdogan said.

Stressing the importance of maintaining the Gaza ceasefire and delivering humanitarian aid to the region, the Turkish president said the formula for lasting peace lies in a two-state solution and that Ankara is making efforts in this regard.

He also said that mutual steps toward developing relations between Türkiye and France are “important.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The Israeli army rounded up 11 Palestinians, including a child, in military raids across the occupied West Bank, local media reported.
• Myanmar arrested as many as 1,590 foreign nationals during operations targeting centers involved in online fraud activities along the Myanmar-Thailand border, the junta-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported.
• Russia and Ukraine exchanged accusations of overnight airstrikes as key officials from Washington, Kyiv and European capitals met in Geneva to discuss a 28-point US plan to end the over three-and-a-half-year war.
• Malaysia aims to implement a social media ban for children under 16 from 2026, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.
• The Indonesian city of Jakarta has become the world’s most populated capital with 42 million people, according to a new UN report.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned deadly attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces armed group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Israeli forces crossed into Syrian territory, setting up a checkpoint and inspecting passing vehicles near the Ain al-Bayda junction in northern Quneitra, in the latest violation of the country’s sovereignty, official media reported.
• Sinisa Karan, widely considered a close ally and handpicked successor of former president Milorad Dodik, who was stripped of office over his separatist policies, won snap presidential elections in Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina, preliminary results showed.