Jihadist fighters launched a fresh wave of deadly attacks in central Mali that killed dozens of people, local and security sources said on Saturday. One local official said the latest attacks brought the death toll to more than 70 in recent days, as Islamist armed groups intensify assaults on villages across the region.

A cruise ship struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak arrived in Spain's Canary Islands early on Sunday as Spanish authorities prepared a tightly controlled evacuation of hundreds of passengers, all deemed high-risk contacts after three people died and several others fell ill during the voyage.

Iran on Saturday questioned the seriousness of US diplomacy while keeping Washington waiting for a response to its latest negotiating position in the wake of renewed naval clashes in the Gulf. A parallel ceasefire on the war's Lebanon front is also under strain amid daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Russia and Ukraine on Saturday accused the other of violating a a three-day US-brokered ceasefire, which coincides with Russia's World War II victory celebrations. Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, asserted at a press conference later that evening that the war was "heading to an end."

A temporary ceasefire takes effect between Russia and Ukraine as President Putin oversees a military parade in Red Square, notably absent of the military hardware and technological might usually on display.

As a temporary ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia comes into effect, residents across Ukraine reflect on the enduring toll of war and the uncertainty of peace. In Zaporizhzhia, mourners at a World War II memorial drew parallels between past and present suffering, while others in Kharkiv and Kyiv expressed cautious hope mixed with deep scepticism that the brief pause in fighting could lead to meaningful negotiations.

Hungary may be entering a new political phase as the European Union flag appeared alongside the national flag outside parliament, symbolising a potential shift in the country’s long-standing confrontation with Brussels. FRANCE 24 International Affairs Editor Shirley Sippon said the change comes after years in which Viktor Orban positioned Hungary as a key challenger within the EU, particularly on issues ranging from veto power to Ukraine policy and rule-of-law disputes.

Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands will send planes to evacuate their citizens aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship ​hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, Spain's interior minister said on Saturday, adding that transport will also be arranged by the European Union, the US and the UK for the remaining passengers. 

It is one of France's most beautiful and most embattled castles. The Chateau de Chambord in central France is crumbling. The renaissance structure is rife with holes, cracks and moisture. Renovation works are underway in the Francois I Wing but the massive project to restore the chateau is estimated to cost €37 million.

Health authorities have launched international contact tracing efforts following three deaths aboard a cruise ship linked to suspected hantavirus exposure. Officials are monitoring passengers who disembarked in St. Helena, while suspected cases in Alicante and Barcelona remain under observation pending test results. FRANCE 24's Sarah Morris reports from Madrid.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday voiced confidence of victory in Ukraine as he oversaw a military parade on Red Square commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II – a show that didn't include heavy weapons for the first time in nearly two decades. Security was tight in Moscow as Putin and several foreign leaders attended the parade, which was scaled down even as a US-brokered three-day ceasefire eased concerns about possible Ukrainian attempts to disrupt the festivities.

Russia’s scaled-down Victory Day celebrations highlighted mounting security concerns and the strain of the war in Ukraine, according to Chatham House analyst Grégoire Roos. Speaking to FRANCE 24, Roos said tighter security, internet shutdowns and fears of Ukrainian drone strikes created an atmosphere “closer to wartime protection” than national triumph, even as President Vladimir Putin continues to retain broad public support.