Putin signals a ceasefire, food inflation in Iran, Macron visits Kenya, Thaksin released in Thailand, South Korea's KOSPI index surged to record high

President Donald Trump on Sunday May 10 rejected Iran's counterproposal to end the monthslong war between the two nations, declaring it "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE" via a post on Truth Social. Food inflation in war-hit Iran has reached unprecedented levels, with the prices of many essential goods more than tripling over the last year. On May 11, 2026, the evacuation of the MV Hondius cruise ship near Tenerife is nearing completion following a deadly hantavirus outbreak, with two passengers testing positive. Three people have died, and several have been hospitalized, prompting a complex international repatriation operation for over 100 passengers after a 6-week voyage. Israeli attacks on Lebanon have continued, killing two paramedics and one civilian. Hezbollah says it struck Israeli army camps with drones in Khiam and Khallat Raj in the town of Deir Siryan in Lebanon. Over 2,800 people have been killed in Lebanon since March 2, 2026. Putin has hinted that the four-year war in Ukraine may be entering its final phase. French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Kenya to launch the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on May 11, 2026, marking a strategic shift toward partnerships in English-speaking Africa. Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released on parole from Bangkok's Klong Prem Central Prison on May 11, 2026, after serving eight months of a one-year sentence. In May 2026, South Korea's financial and defense sectors are undergoing significant, technology-driven shifts. The KOSPI index has surged to record highs, breaking past 7,000 points and closing around 7,822 by May 11, 2026.