Russia-Ukraine direct peace talks end with PoW swap deal | Hook News Brief

Hook News Brief | 03.06.25

Russia-Ukraine: No ceasefire as peace talks end

Russia and Ukraine have ended a second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul without a major breakthrough, and only a deal to swap more prisoners of war.

With no consensus on a ceasefire, the peace talks lasted just over an hour with the two sides only agreeing to exchange all sick and heavily wounded prisoners of war, as well those aged under 25.

South Korea goes to polls in search of new President

South Korea goes to the polls today with millions voting in a snap election triggered by former president Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his failed martial law bid.

The opposition's Lee Jae-myung is considered the frontrunner with the ruling party's Kim Moon-soo, a former member of Yoon's cabinet, trailing him. Polls are set to close at 8:00 PM local time with results expected within hours.

Gaza: UN Secretary-General slams killing of aid seekers

To the latest from Gaza and Israeli forces have reportedly opened fire again on Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid from a distribution site in Gaza even as the UN calls for an independent investigation into Sunday’s killing.

Calling for the independent investigation, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that it is “unacceptable that Palestinians are risking their lives for food”. Israel's foreign ministry responded by branding his comments a "disgrace" in a post on X, and criticised him for not mentioning Hamas.

German court rules against Merz on asylum law

To Europe now and a Berlin court has ruled that Germany violated asylum law when it deported three Somali nationals at its border with Poland in a decision that challenges Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s aggressive new migration stance.

Officials cited the asylum seekers’ arrival from a “safe third country” as grounds for their refusal. But the court determined the expulsion was illegal under European Union rules, specifically the Dublin regulation, which requires the responsible country to assess asylum claims.

Mount Etna erupts; No danger to population

In Italy, Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, has erupted. A huge plume of ash, gas and rock has spewed forth in a spectacular demonstration but authorities said there was no current danger to the population.

The full scale of the eruption is currently unclear and disruption appears to be minimal, with flights departing and arriving as usual at the island's airports.

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