Headline
LIVE UPDATES: Ukraine-Russia Talks Start In Belarus

“We’re watching those events very carefully,” said a White House official, when asked about Belarus’ preparation to join the Russian invasion.
Talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations are underway.
Russian President Putin has ordered his country’s deterrence forces — including nuclear arms — be placed on high alert.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said it was demanding an immediate cease-fire.
Talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Belarus began just before 1 p.m. Ukrainian time (6 a.m. ET) on Monday.
According to CNN, Ukraine’s delegation includes several high-ranking officials, but not Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky himself.
The country demanded an “immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops” in the lead-up to the meeting.
Meanwhile, CNN reports that Belarusian minister welcomes Ukrainian and Russian delegations for talks, saying they should feel “completely safe”
“Dear friends, the President of Belarus asked me to welcome you and to provide everything for your work, as agreed with President Zelensky and President Putin. You may feel completely safe here. This is our sacred duty,” Makei said.
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“President Lukashenko sincerely hopes that, during today’s talks, it will be possible to find solutions to all the questions of this crisis. All Belarusians are praying for this. Any proposals, in terms of organizing today’s meeting, will be considered and absolutely fulfilled,” he added. “We look forward to the results.”
The exact location of the talks between Russia and Ukraine on Monday has been kept secret for security reasons.
The talks are in Belarus, but the only location that has been announced is that they are on the banks of the Pripyat River in the Gomel region of Belarus.
Headline
Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.
Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.
Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.
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He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.
According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.
The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.
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“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.
Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.
The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.
Headline
Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.
Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.
The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.
READ ALSO:Strait Of Hormuz: Pakistan Thanks Trump For Pausing ‘Project Freedom’
“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.
“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.
Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.
Headline
US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.
The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.
A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.
READ ALSO:US Restricts Entry Routes For Travellers From DRC, Uganda, South Sudan Over Ebola Outbreak
The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.
Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.
Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
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