Trump seeks deal between Russia and Ukraine

Hello. US President Donald Trump has given his thoughts on the war in Ukraine in posts published on his social media platform Truth Social. Sarah Rainsford and Robert Greenall assess the chances of success for a deal to end the conflict. We're also covering Israel's ongoing military operation in the occupied West Bank, the forced hospitalisation of Chinese dissenters and the threat of a giant iceberg heading for a collision course with South Georgia. And finally, the content of a 200-year old mystery bottle found buried in England has been revealed - and you won’t want to drink it.

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Trump threatens sanctions on Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that at least 200,000 peacekeepers would be needed under any agreement. Credit: EPA

President Donald Trump has warned he will impose more economic penalties against Russia if the country does not end the war in Ukraine. Trump had previously said he would negotiate a settlement to Russia's full-scale invasion launched in February 2022, in a single day. Kyiv does not want to give up its territory, although President Volodymyr Zelensky has conceded he may have to cede some currently occupied land temporarily. The Kremlin said Russia is ready for a "mutually respectful" dialogue with Trump. In Moscow, some people are seeing signs that the Kremlin may be readying Russians to accept less than the "victory" once envisaged.

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Forced hospitalisation of China’s critics

Zhang Junjie held up a blank piece of paper to symbolise censorship and was sent to psychiatric hospital. Credit: BBC

There have been reports for decades that hospitalisation was being used in China as a way of detaining dissenting citizens without involving the courts. An investigation by BBC Eye has found that the issue, which legislation sought to resolve, has recently made a comeback. Many people we spoke to were given anti-psychotic drugs, and in some cases electroconvulsive therapy, without their consent.

And finally...

A mysterious old bottle has been unearthed at a building site in north-east England. Builders initially thought it was filled with rum and were planning on drinking it. Luckily, their manager thought better of it and delivered it to university researchers. They have established the bottle is around 200 years old and it contains bodily fluids - the main one being urine. The exact reason for that remains a mystery, but there are a few superstitious hypotheses.