US special envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to St Petersburg on Wednesday to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about proposals to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting follows a day of discussions in Oslo between Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which a US official described as "constructive".

Zelensky said on Tuesday that intelligence sharing with the United States on Russian missile attacks "works now", reflecting a shift after Kyiv had previously accused Washington of withholding key information. He added that Ukraine was "ready for negotiations" and that strong security guarantees and an energy ceasefire were discussed in Oslo.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who also attended the Oslo talks, said "genuine progress" was made on peace proposals but offered no specifics and cautioned that patience would be required. Witkoff did not attend the joint press conference after the talks; instead, Jared Kushner, Trump’s son‑in‑law and another US envoy, joined via video link. A US official later called the discussions "very productive and constructive", noting a "strong alignment at the working level" among the United States, Ukraine and Europe on next steps.

Putin has not yet publicly commented on the proposals, but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin would listen to what Witkoff offers while rejecting any political concessions. Relations between Ukraine and the United States have grown strained in recent weeks, with former President Donald Trump suggesting it is time for Ukraine to have a new president and to let someone else negotiate on Kyiv’s behalf.

Trump has repeatedly urged Ukraine to "make a deal" and said Russia wants to "get it done". He has also linked US military aid to Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil facilities, which he says have contributed to rising fuel prices ahead of the US midterm elections.

Zelensky highlighted the importance of early warning systems, stating that improved intelligence allows civilians to hear incoming ballistic missiles and seek shelter. He also expressed hope for uninterrupted access to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service, which Ukraine uses for communications and drone operations.

European leaders have voiced concern over mixed messages from the United States. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he is trying to convince Washington that the conflict must be resolved jointly, emphasizing the EU’s substantial financial support for Ukraine. US Vice‑President JD Vance described Ukraine as "a partner in some ways" but noted divergent interests, adding that the United States does not have a formal alliance with Kyiv and that the two sides sometimes disagree, such as on the bombing of Russian energy infrastructure.

Ukrainian officials reported that Russian drone attacks this week killed at least ten people: four in the Kyiv region, four in Donetsk, and two in Dnipro. Additional strikes overnight on Wednesday killed two more near Kharkiv. Russia currently controls about 20 % of Ukrainian territory following its full‑scale invasion launched in 2022.

Sudan's military carried out drone strikes on Sunday evening that killed more than 300 people across two locations in West Kordofan state, according to the Sudan War Observatory, a conflict monitoring group. The attacks targeted a fuel market in Abyei and a funeral convoy traveling to Al-Dabab, with the death toll rising to 153 in Abyei after initial reports of 73 fatalities. South Sudan summoned Sudan's ambassador on Monday to protest the strikes, which occurred in a region jointly administered by the two nations. The strikes have intensified regional tensions, with South Sudanese officials warning of potential cross-border spillover.

Satellite imagery verified by BBC Verify shows extensive damage at Amiet Market, also known as Al-Na'am Market, where a fuel supply hub was struck. Traders reported the market was completely destroyed, with fires spreading to nearby homes after a petrol tanker ignited. Market vendor Fadlallah Adam Hamouda described the scene as 'a horrible and shocking situation' that violated the area's UN-designated weapons-free status. The United Nations has maintained a peacekeeping presence in Abyei since 2011, with over 2,800 personnel deployed to protect the region.

Médecins Sans Frontières confirmed receiving over 20 wounded patients at Ameth Bek Hospital in Abyei, including critical burn cases. The attacks follow a pattern of drone usage that has escalated since the conflict between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in 2023. The war has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, displacing more than 14 million people and leaving 20 million facing acute hunger.

A separate drone strike near Khartoum's airport on Monday killed four people, including three children, according to AFP. Military sources reported Sudanese air defenses intercepted additional RSF-launched drones targeting the capital. The conflict's strategic focus on Kordofan, a region rich in gold and oil, has intensified since the army regained control of Khartoum from the RSF.

The attacks underscore the growing role of armed drones in the conflict, with foreign suppliers providing both sides with drone technology despite a partial arms embargo. The Sudan War Observatory attributes the strikes to army-controlled Kadugli in South Kordofan, though Sudan's military has not publicly acknowledged responsibility. The incident has drawn international concern as the conflict's humanitarian toll continues to mount.

The Kremlin has described the Trump administration's recent policy changes toward Ukraine as a significant victory and a sign that Western support for Kyiv may be weakening. Within ten days of a telephone conversation between President Vladimir Putin and former President Donald Trump, the White House announced a sanctions waiver for Russian diesel exports, restricted Ukraine's access to satellite systems used for battlefield targeting, delayed new sanctions against Moscow, and publicly called for President Volodymyr Zelensky's removal. On Monday, Trump reiterated criticism of Zelensky, stating it was time for another party to negotiate on Ukraine's behalf.

The developments have raised concerns among European leaders and Ukrainian officials that U.S. policy is tilting toward Moscow. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, participated in a video call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store during a meeting in Oslo on Tuesday. Finnish President Stubb described the purpose of the discussion as creating a more constructive diplomatic path forward.

Zelensky told NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday that continued U.S. alignment with Russia would make Ukraine's survival impossible. "If the United States will support Putin — it's unbelievable, it's a tragedy," he said. "If these two countries will be together, of course we will not prevail."

Kremlin officials have publicly celebrated the policy shifts. Russian presidential aide Dmitry Peskov indicated that Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, would brief Putin following the Oslo talks. Earlier, Peskov suggested that Ukraine's renewed attacks on Russian oil refineries — which defied U.S. requests — signaled the Kyiv government's diminishing capacity. "Some final signs of agony are being observed," Peskov said. "The Kyiv regime is resisting. But this cannot change the course of events." Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev posted on social media that the situation represented "Checkmate."

Russian political analysts and officials have argued that Putin successfully leveraged Trump's political vulnerabilities to secure concessions. According to a Russian academic familiar with diplomatic circles, Putin capitalized on Trump's concerns about low approval ratings and rising energy costs ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, offering a limited diesel fuel arrangement that would affect only a small portion of American consumption. The agreement contributed to a continued rise in U.S. diesel prices, which reached $6.33 per gallon the following week.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former Russian oligarch and current opposition figure, observed that the sequence of events mirrored Putin's historical approach to engaging with Trump. "I am absolutely convinced that they believe that they managed to take advantage, as they always do; they are opportunists," Khodorkovsky said.

The White House's policy shift has included both concessions and reversals. In July, Trump had praised Zelensky's leadership and acknowledged the strategic value of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. However, after a meeting between Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at a G20 gathering in Asheville, North Carolina, the administration attributed rising fuel prices to Ukraine's refinery attacks rather than broader energy market conditions. This narrative was later used to justify easing sanctions on Russian energy exports.

U.S. officials have offered differing explanations for the policy evolution. Former State Department official Daniel Fried suggested that Trump's focus on diesel pricing was partly motivated by political considerations ahead of the midterms. "The simplest explanation is that Trump was simply interested in having a talking point for the midterms on diesel, that he has a deal to lower it," Fried said.

Analysts have noted that Trump's expressed preference for authoritarian leaders and skepticism about Ukraine's ability to prevail have created an opening for Russian influence. Andrew Weiss, a Russia expert at the Carnegie Endowment, suggested that the administration's actions may be tied to preparations for a potential G20 summit in Miami, where Trump had invited Putin. "The only way I can explain it is that it’s connected to the milestones leading up to the meeting of the G-20 in December," Weiss said. "What’s going on here is not really about diesel or refinery strikes. It’s really about Trump thinking that he can push the Ukrainians into some sort of political settlement."

The situation remains fluid, with Russian officials continuing to frame Western support for Ukraine as unsustainable. At the same time, U.S. diplomatic efforts continue to seek a negotiated resolution, though the administration's approach has drawn criticism for appearing to prioritize political messaging over consistent support for Ukrainian sovereignty.

Italy announced on Tuesday that it will station an additional 500 soldiers in Milan through the end of the year in response to violent protests that erupted over the weekend. The unrest saw groups of young people, some as young as 14, loot stores and set fire to property in the city’s central shopping district.

The government issued a decree that expands police powers and introduces new penalties for violent participation in demonstrations. Offenders who cover their faces or cause injury could face up to five years in prison and fines of up to 20,000 euros. Parents will be held financially responsible for damage caused by minors, and anyone over 14 will be presumed to understand the consequences of their actions unless a judge rules otherwise.

Premier Giorgia Meloni described the scenes as “painful and frightening,” saying that the presence of so many youths intent on destruction was a phenomenon that needed to be addressed seriously. The decree also calls for additional detention beds and more juvenile justice judges.

Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowds, and more than 100 officers were injured over the two days of clashes. Authorities reported that roughly 2,000 youths took part in the Saturday night disturbances, including many who were naturalised Italians born to foreign parents as well as foreign nationals. About 50 people were arrested, and more than 30 of those were minors.

The unrest coincided with protests in neighbouring France against rising living costs and in support of high‑school students’ grievances. French police also deployed tear gas and water cannons to break up violent demonstrators who joined those rallies.

The decree must be converted into law by parliament within 60 days, after which the new security measures will take effect.

A federal judge in Texas imposed a 30-year prison term on Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, a 39-year-old Guatemalan national, for orchestrating a human-smuggling scheme that led to the deaths of 53 migrants in a sweltering tractor-trailer in June 2022. The sentencing, delivered by U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia on Tuesday, followed Miranda-Orozco’s guilty plea in July to charges of conspiring to bring migrants into the United States resulting in death and aiding unlawful entry that caused fatalities.

The incident unfolded when emergency responders discovered the abandoned truck on the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas, after it had traveled approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Laredo. Interior temperatures had soared to nearly 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) after the air conditioning failed, leaving 64 migrants trapped inside. Forty-eight were pronounced dead at the scene; five more succumbed to heat-related injuries while receiving medical care. Among the deceased were six children and a pregnant woman, with 21 of the victims holding Guatemalan citizenship.

Prosecutors stated that Miranda-Orozco had arranged travel and shelter for two of the victims who died and another who survived with severe injuries. He was apprehended in Guatemala in August 2024 as part of a multinational effort to dismantle the smuggling network. The operation’s leader, Felipe Orduna-Torres, received a life sentence in June 2025, while Armando Gonzales-Ortega, described as Orduna-Torres’s top aide, was sentenced to 83 years.

Investigators found evidence of desperate escape attempts, including claw marks on the trailer walls and discarded clothing. Survivors reported paying up to $15,000 for passage across the border. U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons emphasized the victims’ suffering during a press briefing, calling the case a “horrific tragedy.”

The case has reignited discussions about border security and migrant vulnerability. While the Trump administration previously cited such incidents to justify stricter immigration enforcement, critics argue that heightened border restrictions may inadvertently push migrants toward more perilous routes. The I-35 corridor, where the truck was found, remains a focal point for smuggling activity due to heavy commercial traffic.

Legal proceedings against the truck driver and additional network members remain ongoing.

Guinea-Bissau’s judicial police seized doses of hepatitis B vaccine from a research office on Monday, officials said on social media, describing the action as part of an investigation into the circumstances of the shipment.

The seizure targeted a team linked to the Bandim Health Project, which has conducted studies on newborn health in the West African nation with funding from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pershing Square Foundation and the Bluebell Foundation. The three organizations together provided $3.2 million for a project that originally aimed to enroll 7,000 infants in a trial examining the timing of the first hepatitis B vaccine dose.

According to a Facebook post translated from Portuguese, the police operation was described as “investigative procedures aimed at clarifying the circumstances related to the said batch of vaccines.” The post emphasized that confiscating the vaccines did not imply any irregularities in their quality, safety or effectiveness.

The Bandim project had previously posted a letter of approval from Guinea-Bissau’s national ethics committee, dated 14 July and signed by committee president Mouhammed Djicó Ould Ahmed, as well as clearance from a Danish research ethics board earlier in the month. Health Minister Quinhin Nantote told the Guardian that reports suggesting the trial would proceed were inaccurate.

The proposed study would have withheld the hepatitis B vaccine from newborns for the first six weeks of life in a country where roughly one in five adults is infected with the virus. Health experts note that hepatitis B can lead to chronic infection, liver failure or cancer in 15 %–25 % of cases, and that vaccination within 24 hours of birth is both safe and highly effective. WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević called the vaccination a “essential public health intervention” and said the organization had been advising the ministry on vaccine introduction.

The Bandim Health Project was founded in 1978 by anthropologist Peter Aaby and is now co‑led by his wife, epidemiologist Christine Stabell Benn. Their work has drawn praise from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who referred to them as “the deities of vaccine research” at a recent anti‑vaccine conference and cited their earlier DTP vaccine study, which produced conflicting results when repeated.

Stabell Benn served on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) working group that presented evidence to the US panel before its recommendation on universal birth dosing was temporarily halted by a federal judge. She also co‑hosted a podcast with former FDA official Tracy Beth Høeg, who has advocated for reducing “unnecessary” vaccines.

Aaby, Stabell Benn and lead researcher Frederik Schaltz‑Buchholzer did not respond to requests for comment. A report from the nonprofit Stand Up for Science (SUFS) noted that, despite its long presence, the organization has contributed limited capacity‑building to Guinea‑Bissau’s health system. SUFS founder Colette Delawalla described the country as “fragile” after a recent coup and said the research team faces public distrust, yet remains one of the few sources of medical care in a setting with weak health infrastructure.

The police raid highlights the challenges of conducting clinical trials in a nation grappling with political instability while balancing the need to protect newborns from preventable disease.