Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been shunned internationally for over a decade, due to the brutal repression of anti-government protesters and the use of chemical weapons by his regime during the country's civil war. Despite numerous reported atrocities, the leader has clung onto power with the sole support of two major powers: Iran and Russia.

Extra tuition costs take a large bite out of family finances and are a contributing factor to families choosing to have only one child.

Griner returned to the basketball court after being detained in Russia for narcotics possession and trafficking. She was released during a high profile prisoner swap.

The Cannes Film Festival kicks off and while seven out of the 21 directors nominated this year are female, there's anger over the opening movie starring Johnny Depp who's staging a comeback after winning a defamation trial against his former wife, Amber Heard, who accused him of abuse.

The US president said Washington was doing all it can to strengthen support for Ukraine to fight back against Russia's aggression. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy called on G7 leaders to his peace plan.

The former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has refused to allow police to search his home, saying that they must be supervised. Khan earlier appeared in court to seek protection from arrest.