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According to a report, the ukrainian president has welcomed the possibility of a Black Sea ceasefire brokered by the u.s. in separate talks towards a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Reportedly, the ceasefire will reopen a significant trade route, and Russia say they will agree if some sanctions are lifted against russian banks, chiefly the state owned Rosselhozbank (including reinstating access to the Swift international payment system); and lifting sanctions against the food and fertiliser trade.

According to reports, Russia say Kyiv launched an overnight drone attack on the Black Sea port city of Mykolaiv. Reportedly, the new russian ambassador to the u.s. will travel there today.

According to reports, the phone call between the u.s. president and the president of Russia discussed the dividing up of certain assets but Ukraine say they do not want to to lose their independence and sovereignty by ceding land, or forgo the possibility of nato membership.

Reportedly, the ukrainian president said that Russia had continued to target energy plants though the president of Russia said they would stop targeting energy infrastructure for 30 days. According to the report, for over a year the two have been targeting each other’s energy sites. Reportedly, the Kyiv school of economics estimated the damage to Ukraine’s energy sector to be $14.6 billion. According to a report, in February Russia launched a drone attack on Chernobyl causing fires in the confinement structure, a serious incident in terms of nuclear safety.

Reportedly, there was a prisoner swap of 175 ukrainian prisoners plus 23 injured for 175 russian prisoners. According to a report, It was agreed that talks towards a more complete ceasefire would begin in Saudi Arabia. Reportedly, the possible acquisition of ukrainian power stations has been refused by the ukrainian president, discussions regarding the u.s. purchase of minerals is ongoing.

According to reports, the peace process discussed in Saudi Arabia between u.s. and Ukrainian officials was the topic of conversation between the president of the u.s. and the russian president in their more than 2 hour phone call on Wednesday. Reportedly, the 30 day ceasefire plan wasn’t fully accepted but the russian president said a full ceasefire would work if the west stopped giving military aid and sharing intelligence, and he has given the order to stop attacks on energy plants. According to the report, about 80% of Ukraine’s energy facilities have been destroyed by Russia, and Kyiv have attacked Russia’s oil and gas facilities.

Reportedly, russian officials say any peace deal must prevent Ukraine from joining nato. According to the report, discussions on the war in Ukraine are scheduled for Sunday in Saudi Arabia.

Reportedly, Russia launched drone attacks on Ukraine overnight, including on a hospital in Sumy, and Ukraine launched 57 drones, including over the Kursk border region. According to a report, Ukrainian troops attempted a ground assault on the russian city of Belgorod but were defeated.

According to a report, u.s. strikes against houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday/Sunday were a response to attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. Reportedly, houthis have targeted merchant vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023 which the u.s. president said will not be tolerated. According to the report, he said that it had been more than a year since a u.s. flagged ship had sailed safely through the Suez Canal, which leads to the Red Sea. Reportedly, the Suez Canal is important for the transportation of oil and liquefied natural gas. Some say gold.

Houthis say they are acting in support of palestinians in Gaza but they have not confined their targets to israeli ships. According to reports, major shipping companies have been forced to stop using the Red Sea and use a much longer route

According to a report, the south Korean president who has been in prison since January 15 has been charged with insurrection. Reportedly, insurrection is one of the few criminal charges a south Korean president is not immune to. According to the report, President Yoon Suk Yeol imposed emergency martial law after accusing the opposition of anti state criminality and trying to overthrow free democracy by impeaching members of his cabinet and blocking his budget plans.

Reportedly, following his decision, soldiers bearing rifles entered the parliament building through windows, and after around 6 hours Mr Yoon retracted his martial law decision. According to the report, his lawyers said the decision was a warning intended to break political deadlock. Reportedly, the court will decide whether to remove the president from office or reinstate him.

According to a report, the russian president said Russia is in favour of a ceasefire but there are nuances. Reportedly, he said Russia was back in control of Russia’s Kursk region where Ukraine launched an invasion in August, and that ukrainian troops had been isolated. According to the report, he said, They are trying to leave but we are in control, their equipment has been abandoned.

Reportedly, the russian president questioned who would police the ceasefire. According to the report, Ukraine want a 2 stage process, an immediate ceasefire followed by discussions about a longer term settlement, Russia believes that you cannot separate the two and the issues should be decided straight away.

Reportedly, the u.s. president has been discussing with Ukraine land that will be kept and lost and all of the other elements of a final agreement.

According to reports, Ukraine said they are ready to accept a 30 day ceasefire following talks with the u.s. in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Reportedly, the u.s. president said they had a meeting with Russia on Thursday, and that he hoped the president of Russia would agree to the proposal. Achieving an end to the war has been one of his goals. According to the report, the u.s. secretary of state said he would present the offer to Russia and that he hoped peace was back on track, and the eu has welcomed the positive development.

Reportedly, the u.s. and Ukraine have agreed to finalise a rare earth minerals deal as soon as possible and the u.s. will restart intelligence sharing and security assistance to Ukraine. According to the report, the u.s. secretary of state said that the deal was not the subject of Tuesday’s talks but has been the subject of talks between u.s. and ukrainian treasuries.

Reportedly, a Russian spokesperson said 337 drones were intercepted over Russia, and three people were killed in the Moscow region. According to the report, Moscow currently controls about 20% of ukrainian territory.

According to reports, former canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau will resign and retire as mp when Mark Carney, previously governer of the bank of England becomes the next prime minister. Reportedly, the new leader of the liberal party said that Canada will not become the 51st state of the usa and has promised to keep retaliatory tariffs in place until the u.s. shows some respect. According to the report, Mr Carney described the situation between Canada and the u.s. as dark days brought on by a country that can no longer be trusted.

According to reports, the british based Syrian observatory for human rights said about 745 civilian alawites thought to be loyal to former president Bashar al-Assad were killed in around 30 massacres on Friday and Saturday, and a total of more than a thousand people have been killed over the past two days in the worst surge of violence since Mr Assad was removed in December. Reportedly, alawites of which Bashar al-Assad is a member are an offshoot of shia islam, they make up 10% of the population which is predominantly sunni muslim. According to the report the conflict includes troops loyal to Mr Assad, who attacked government forces which resulted in revenge killing. Reportedly, the new government has blamed individual actions for the violence, and hundreds of people have fled their homes, some going to Lebanon.

According to reports, 125 security force members of Syria’s new sunni muslim government and 148 pro-Assad troops have been killed in the conflict as the government fought for control. Reportedly, large crowds gathered outside a Russian military base in Latakia chanting, People want russian protection.

According to a report, the u.n.’s special envoy to Syria called on all sides to refrain from actions which could destabilise the country and jeopardise a credible and inclusive political transition.

According to a report, security forces in Syria have carried out executions on people belonging to the alawite faith of which former president Bashar al-Assad is a member. Reportedly, the alawite faith is an offshoot of shia islam (sunnies constitute the majority of Syria’s population).
According to the report, the Syrian observatory for human rights said 162 civilians, including 13 women and 5 children have been killed in field executions in the region.

Reportedly, Syria’s new government said a military operation is being launched in Mr Assad’s hometown of Qardaha, and that Syria would pursue the remnants of the Assad regime and bring them to trial. According to the report, the violence has left the alawite community shocked and horrified.