Trump says "a lot closer" to Ukraine peace deal following talks with Zelensky

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he thinks "we're getting a lot closer, maybe very close" to a peace deal to end the Ukraine crisis after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida.

The two presidents spoke with European leaders, including leaders of NATO and the European Union, during the course of their meeting, Trump told reporters at a joint press conference with Zelensky.

Trump said that about 95 percent of the terms of the peace plan have been agreed upon by parties involved, though "one or two very thorny issues" still remain.

Zelensky said the United States, Europe and Ukraine have almost 100 percent agreed on security guarantees for Ukraine.

Trump says he had "very productive" phone call with Putin prior to meeting with Zelensky

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he had a "very productive" telephone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin prior to a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in U.S. Florida on Sunday over the latest draft of a peace plan aimed at ending the Ukraine crisis.

"I just had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to my meeting, at 1:00 P.M. today, with President Zelensky of Ukraine," said Trump on Truth Social.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the telephone conversation between Putin and Trump on Sunday.

Child, woman killed in storm in Gaza: civil defense

A child and a woman were killed in a severe storm affecting the Gaza Strip, the region's Civil Defense announced Sunday.

The authority's spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal, said in a press release that a seven-year-old child died after falling into a well, while a 30-year-old woman was killed by a collapsing wall during heavy wind and rain.

Civil Defense teams have responded to dozens of rainwater-flooded tents, assisting residents in pumping out water and clearing drains, Basal said.

Myanmar kicks off 2025 general election

Myanmar kicked off its 2025 multi-party democratic general election with the first phase held on Sunday.

The general election is scheduled to be held in three phases, with the second phase set for Jan. 11, 2026, followed by the third phase on Jan. 25.

The election will cover a total of 692 constituencies across the country. About 5,000 candidates from 57 political parties are competing for seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House), Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House), and State and Region Hluttaws (State and Region Parliaments).

5 IS terrorists nabbed across Iraq

The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service said Sunday that its forces arrested five Islamic State (IS) terrorists in a series of operations across several provinces.

As part of ongoing efforts to enhance national security and hunt terrorist elements, Iraqi security forces had arrested two terrorists working as transporters, suppliers and vendors for the IS group in the northern Kirkuk province, another two in the western Anbar province, and one in the northern Nineveh province, the agency said in a statement.

These operations were based on judicial warrants, accurate intelligence and continuous field surveillance, it added.

At least 3 killed, dozens wounded in protests in coastal Syria

At least three people were killed and 60 others wounded in protest-related violence in the coastal city of Latakia on Sunday, state media reported, as the Syrian army moved to secure the Mediterranean region.

The casualties resulted from attacks by what state media described as "remnants of the former regime," who allegedly targeted security forces and civilians with gunfire, knives, and stones, according to the state-run SANA news agency. Health authorities in Latakia said medical teams provided emergency care despite disruptions caused by attacks on two ambulances, which were put out of service.