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  • Scientists discover oxygen ‘breathing’ crystal for clean energy tech

    Scientists discover oxygen ‘breathing’ crystal for clean energy tech

    A team of scientists has created a groundbreaking material – a metal oxide composed of strontium, iron, and cobalt – that can literally “breathe” oxygen. When heated in a simple gas environment, the crystal releases oxygen and then reabsorbs it repeatedly without breaking down, a feature that could open new avenues for clean energy technologies.

    The study, led by professor Hyoungjeen Jeen at Pusan National University in South Korea with co-author professor Hiromichi Ohta from Hokkaido University in Japan, highlights potential applications ranging from more efficient fuel cells to smart thermal devices and energy-saving windows.

    Published in Nature Communications, their findings also offer a compelling glimpse of how breakthroughs in materials science could reshape the future of energy.

    Breathing crystal opens new possibilities 

    According to Professor Hyoungjeen Jeen, the new discovery is like “giving the crystal lungs and it can inhale and exhale oxygen on command”. This ability to control oxygen in materials is key for technologies such as solid oxide fuel cells, which generate electricity from hydrogen with minimal emissions. 

    It also enables innovations like thermal transistors – devices that can channel heat like electrical switches – and smart windows that automatically adjust heat flow depending on weather conditions, promising smarter, more energy-efficient buildings and devices.

    Traditionally, materials capable of controlling oxygen were either too fragile or could only operate under extreme conditions, such as very high temperatures. This made them impractical for use in everyday technologies, from energy devices to smart building materials, the study notes.

    The new crystal overcomes these longstanding limitations, maintaining its structural integrity and consistent performance while repeatedly absorbing and releasing oxygen under much milder, more practical conditions. Unlike previous materials that could only function in extreme environments or degrade quickly, this crystal can also operate reliably over many cycles, making it highly suitable for real-world applications.

    Stable structure with selective cobalt reduction

    The scientists further point out that this discovery is notable for two reasons: only the cobalt ions in the crystal are reduced during the process, and this transformation results in the formation of a completely new yet stable crystal structure.

    Further experiments demonstrated that the material can fully revert to its original form once oxygen is reintroduced, confirming that the oxygen release and absorption process is completely reversible. This reversibility is a critical feature for practical applications, as it ensures the crystal can repeatedly perform its oxygen-breathing cycle without degrading over time.

    One of the professors and authors of the study, Hiromichi Ohta, also highlights that this discovery represents a major step toward the development of smart materials capable of adjusting themselves in real time. The potential applications are wide-ranging, spanning clean energy technologies, advanced electronics, and eco-friendly building materials, offering new ways to enhance efficiency and sustainability across multiple industries.

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  • The Microsoft Store loses the option to disable automatic updates

    The Microsoft Store loses the option to disable automatic updates

    If you’re the sort of person who likes to be in control of what happens on your computer – as much as such a thing is possible – you may have disabled automatic updates for Microsoft Store apps.

    Microsoft has, without warning or any sort of announcement, removed this option. If you have installed an app from the Microsoft Store, you are now essentially forced to keep the very latest versions of that app installed.

    There are, of course, reasons why you might not want to have your apps updated automatically. While rare, it is not unknown for app updated to remove much-loved features, or to introduce problems that break key functionality.

    As spotted by Deskmodder, Microsoft has quietly (secretly, perhaps) removed automatic update disabling. It is still possible to delay the installation of updates, but this is limited.

    Rather than disabling updates completely, the only options available now allow you to pause them for between one and five weeks.

    It is easy to understand Microsoft’s thinking here. The vast majority of updates are about adding new features and fixing bugs. From a security point of view, it makes complete sense to have the latest version of an app installed. But, as we have already mentioned, updates can also be problematic.

    Being able to postpone the installation of updates means that there is still a way to avoid being surprised by a problematic update or an update that removes a feature that you rely on. But the option to avoid an update for a maximum of five weeks means that you can merely delay the inevitable.

    And if you were hoping to hack your way to an update free future, it looks as though you are out of luck. Deskmodder’s tests show that even attempting to block app updates using registry edits do not work.

    The German site reports:

    Wer die Einstellungen aufruft, kann jetzt die Updates zwischen einer und fünf Wochen pausieren lassen. Danach werden die Updates für die Apps wieder automatisch durchgeführt. Bei meinem Test konnte ich aber einen Unterschied zu Windows Update feststellen. Startet man trotz angehaltenen Updates in der Store App den Button „Nach Updates suchen“, bleibt die Pausierung bestehen.

    Selbst die Einstellungen in der Registry bringen keine Änderung. Microsoft wird es sicherlich aus Sicherheitsgründen geändert haben, damit alle Apps immer mit den neuesten Updates ausgestattet werden. Einzig die Gruppenrichtlinie bleibt (vorerst). Warum dies erst jetzt passierte, kann nur Microsoft selbst beantworten. Also ist die Deaktivierung der App-Updates jetzt auch Geschichte.

    Which, as Google Translate will tell you, means:

    If you access the settings, you can now pause updates for between one and five weeks. After that, app updates will be performed automatically again. However, in my testing, I noticed a difference compared to Windows Update. If you click the “Check for Updates” button in the Store app despite the updates being paused , the pause remains.

    Even the registry settings don’t make a difference. Microsoft has likely changed it for security reasons, so that all apps are always provided with the latest updates. Only the group policy remains (for now). Why this only happened now is something only Microsoft itself can answer. So, disabling app updates is now also history.

    How do you feel about this? Are you able to understand where Microsoft is coming from, or do you resent the company taking away your autonomy? Does the change make you more or less likely to use the Microsoft Store?

    If you liked the ability to block updates, it is surely only a matter of times before someone finds a way to block them once again – so you can hang on to that dream!


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  • USA Field Hockey | Junior USWNT Advances to JPAG Final With Win Over Uruguay

    USA Field Hockey | Junior USWNT Advances to JPAG Final With Win Over Uruguay

    It was a quiet third quarter, with both sides earning a fruitless penalty corner. The final frame was a different story, seeing a goal from Maci Bradford in the 49th minute overturned after a video referral and Uruguay taking advantage with a quick transition that finished with a goal. With just a 2-1 lead, and ten minutes to play, the Junior Eagles withstood the Uruguay attack to seal a win.

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  • Airbus is about to eclipse a record that Boeing held for decades

    Airbus is about to eclipse a record that Boeing held for decades

    In 1981, the year Airbus SE announced it would build a new single-aisle jetliner to take on Boeing Co., the 737 ruled the roost. 

    The US-made narrowbody, already in use for more than a decade, had reshaped the airline industry by making shorter routes cheaper and more profitable to operate. By 1988, when Airbus began producing its upstart A320, Boeing had built a formidable lead by delivering some 1,500 of its cigar-shaped best-seller.

    It’s taken the better part of four decades, but Airbus has finally caught up: The A320 series is poised to overtake its US competitor as the most-delivered commercial airliner in history, according to aviation consultancy Cirium. As of early August, Airbus had winnowed the gap to just 20 units, with 12,155 lifetime A320-family shipments, according to the data. That difference is likely to disappear as soon as next month.

    “Did anyone back then expect it could become number one – and on such high production volumes?” Max Kingsley-Jones, head of advisory at Cirium Ascend, wrote of the A320 in a recent social-media post. “I certainly didn’t, and nor probably did Airbus.” 

    The A320’s success mirrors the European planemaker’s decades-long rise from fledgling planemaker to serious contender, and finally Boeing’s better. By the early 2000s, annual deliveries of the A320 and its derivatives had surpassed the 737 family; total orders eclipsed the Boeing jet in 2019. But the 737 stubbornly remained the most-delivered commercial aircraft of all time. 

    At the outset, Airbus faced an uphill battle. The European planemaker, an assemblage of aerospace manufacturers formed in 1970 with backing from European governments, didn’t yet offer a full aircraft lineup. Infighting hindered everything from product planning to manufacturing, and leadership decisions had to finely balance French and German commercial and political interests. 

    Yet it was clear even then that Airbus needed a presence in the narrowbody segment to firmly establish itself as Boeing’s top rival. Those aircraft are by far the most widely flown category in commercial aviation, typically connecting city pairs on shorter routes. 

    Higher fuel costs and the deregulation of the US aviation industry in the late 1970s had given the European planemaker an opening with American airline executives, who clamored for an all-new single-aisle, according to a history of Airbus written by journalist Nicola Clark.

    To set the A320 apart, Airbus took some risks. It selected digital fly-by-wire controls that saved weight over traditional hydraulic systems, and gave pilots a side-stick at their right or left hand instead of a centrally mounted yoke. The aircraft also sat higher off the ground than the 737 and came with a choice of two engines, giving customers greater flexibility. 

    Airbus’s gamble paid off. Today, the A320 and 737 make up nearly half of the global passenger jet fleet in service. And the A320’s success contrasts with strategic blunders like the A380 behemoth that proved short-lived because airlines couldn’t profitably operate the giant plane. Boeing maintained that smaller, nimbler planes like the 787 Dreamliner would have an edge — a prediction that proved right.

    Read More: Boeing’s Struggles Give Airbus a Chance at Aviation Dominance

    Yet the longtime dominance of the two narrowbody aircraft raises questions about the vitality of a duopoly system that favors stability over innovation. Both airplane makers have repeatedly opted for incremental changes that squeeze efficiencies out of their top-selling models, rather than going the more expensive route of designing a replacement aircraft from scratch. 

    Airbus was first to introduce new engines to its A320, turning the neo variant into a huge hit with airlines seeking to cut their fuel bill. Under pressure, Boeing followed, but its approach proved calamitous. The US planemaker came up with the 737 Max, strapping more powerful engines onto the aircraft’s aging, low-slung frame. 

    It installed an automated flight-stabilizing feature called MCAS to help manage the higher thrust and balance out the plane. Regulators later found MCAS contributed to two deadly 737 Max crashes that led to a global grounding of the jet for 20 months, starting in 2019.

    More recently, Airbus has been bedeviled by issues with the fuel-efficient engines that power the A320neo. High-tech coatings that allow its Pratt & Whitney geared turbofans to run at hotter temperatures have shown flaws, forcing airline customers to send aircraft in for extra maintenance, backing up repair shops and grounding hundreds of jets waiting for inspection and repair. 

    Read More: Lost Decade of Planemaking Costs Airlines Thousands of Jets

    With both narrowbody families near the end of their evolutionary timeline, analysts and investors have begun asking about what’s next. China, for its part, is seeking to muscle into the market with its Comac C919 model that’s begun operating in the country, but hasn’t so far been certified to fly in Europe or the US. 

    Boeing Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg said in July that the company is working internally toward a next-generation plane, but is waiting for engine technology and other factors to fall into place, including restoring cash flow after years of setbacks. 

    “That’s not today and probably not tomorrow,” he said on a July 29 call. 

    Airbus’s healthier finances give it more flexibility to explore design leaps. CEO Guillaume Faury toyed with rolling out a hydrogen-powered aircraft — potentially with a radical “flying wing” design — in the mid-2030s but has since pushed back the effort to focus on a conventional A320 successor.

    The Toulouse, France-based company is considering an open-rotor engine that would save fuel through its architecture rather than the current jet turbines that push the limits of physics to eke out gains.

    Speaking at the Paris Air Show in June, Faury called the A320 “quite an old platform” and affirmed plans to launch a successor by the end of this decade, with service entry in the mid-2030s.

    “I have a lot of focus on preparing that next-generation of single aisle,” Faury said. “We are very steady and very committed to this.”

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  • ChatGPT answers humans through Telex message machine in Amberley

    ChatGPT answers humans through Telex message machine in Amberley

    Historians at a museum have connected a 50-year-old Telex machine to modern day artificial intelligence (AI), creating “a conversation spanning decades”.

    Telex was a message transfer service where text would be typed into one machine and printed out on the recipient’s.

    However, users of the machine at Amberley Museum, in West Sussex, will not get a response from another human, instead it will be ChatGPT answering their questions.

    The museum said visitors had been testing out the new machine, which was built “thanks to the ingenuity” of volunteer David Waters.

    Users can type in questions and receive a printed response from ChatGPT – an AI chatbot.

    A spokesperson for the museum said: “The experience begins by using a rotary dial to make the initial connection, creating an unforgettable meeting of communication technologies separated by half a century.”

    They said the project “perfectly captures the spirit of Amberley Museum – celebrating our technological past while engaging with the innovations of today.

    “It’s a conversation across decades.”

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  • Hubble spots a white dwarf created in a violent star collision

    Hubble spots a white dwarf created in a violent star collision

    Sometimes, a white dwarf isn’t just a white dwarf. What seems ordinary at first glance can have a much more dramatic origin. That’s what astronomers discovered when they took a closer look at a star called WD 0525+526.

    This compact, Earth-sized star appeared to be typical – but it wasn’t. Scientists found that it’s actually the aftermath of a stellar collision: two stars that crashed together and merged into one.

    White dwarf with a violent history


    White dwarfs mark the final stage of life for stars like our Sun. These stellar remnants are incredibly compact. One can pack more mass than the Sun into a body no bigger than our planet. Most white dwarfs are born when a single star burns through its fuel and collapses.

    But there’s another, rarer path. Sometimes two stars – often in a close binary system – collide and merge. The result is an ultra-massive white dwarf. That’s what happened with WD 0525+526, and this is the first time scientists have confirmed a merger origin based on ultraviolet evidence.

    “It’s a discovery that underlines things may be different from what they appear to us at first glance,” said Boris Gaensicke, principal investigator of the Hubble program at the University of Warwick.

    “Until now, this appeared as a normal white dwarf, but Hubble’s ultraviolet vision revealed that it had a very different history from what we would have guessed.”

    White dwarf transformed by a merger

    Located 128 light-years from Earth, WD 0525+526 is 20% more massive than the Sun. Visually, it looks like any other white dwarf. But scientists used NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and its ultraviolet capabilities to peer deeper into the star’s composition.

    Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have found a rare ultra massive white dwarf formed from a stellar merger.

    The ultraviolet spectrum revealed something unexpected: carbon in the star’s atmosphere. Normally, white dwarfs formed from a single star have atmospheres made up of hydrogen and helium. Their carbon and oxygen are buried in the core, hidden under thick atmospheric layers.

    Mergers, however, change the outcome. When two white dwarfs – or one and another type of star – crash into each other, the resulting explosion can strip away much of that outer hydrogen and helium. What’s left is a thinner atmosphere, where carbon can leak up from the core and become visible.

    Detecting carbon in the star’s atmosphere

    WD 0525+526 is hotter and more massive than the handful of other known merger-born white dwarfs. At nearly 21,000 kelvins (around 37,000 degrees Fahrenheit), it’s too hot for convection – the usual process that stirs carbon up into a white dwarf’s outer layers.

    So how did the carbon get there? The researchers think a more subtle mechanism called semi-convection is at play. It’s a gentler process, but still powerful enough to pull a small trace of carbon to the surface.

    What’s truly remarkable is how little carbon is in this star’s atmosphere – about 100,000 times less than what’s been observed in other merger remnants. This made it nearly impossible to spot without the right tools.

    “Hubble’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph is the only instrument that can obtain the superb quality ultraviolet spectroscopy that was required to detect the carbon in the atmosphere of this white dwarf,” said study lead author Snehalata Sahu from the University of Warwick.

    Hidden white dwarf mergers

    The discovery builds on a 2019 study using ESA’s Gaia mission, which identified a group of unusually blue white dwarfs. Some of those were later confirmed as the products of mergers. WD 0525+526 is now the hottest and most massive member of that group.

    Because carbon in ultra-hot white dwarfs is easier to detect in ultraviolet than visible light, it’s possible many more of these cosmic collision survivors are out there – hiding in the data, waiting to be found.

    “We would like to extend our research on this topic by exploring how common carbon white dwarfs are among similar white dwarfs, and how many stellar mergers are hiding among the normal white dwarf family,” said study co-author Antoine Bedrad.

    “That will be an important contribution to our understanding of white dwarf binaries, and the pathways to supernova explosions.”

    The research is published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

    Image Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, Ralf Crawford (STScI)

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  • MiHoYo’s Zenless Zone Zero teams up with Aston Martin for Gamescom 2025 · TechNode

    MiHoYo’s Zenless Zone Zero teams up with Aston Martin for Gamescom 2025 · TechNode

    MiHoYo’s action game Zenless Zone Zero today announced a major collaboration with British luxury sports car brand Aston Martin. From August 20 to 24, the two companies will set up a real-life Aston Martin exhibition area at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. A collaboration PV (Preview Video) has been released, showcasing a futuristic sports car design that blends the game’s mechanical aesthetics with cyberpunk city style. Players who join the collaboration campaign on X (formerly Twitter) will have the chance to win a limited-edition 2024 Aston Martin Vantage model car and special in-game badges. [IThome, in Chinese]

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  • iPhone 17 Pro Case Leak Reveals a Big Camera Upgrade

    iPhone 17 Pro Case Leak Reveals a Big Camera Upgrade

    Apple has not yet announced the iPhone 17 Pro. But a rugged case from dbrand may have given us a first real look at its redesigned rear camera. And this subtle change tells us a lot about what to expect from Apple’s next leap in mobile cinematography.

    iPhone 17 Pro Case

    The leak comes from dbrand’s Tank Case, which is built using official schematics from supply chain sources. These case makers need precise dimensions to make their products fit perfectly. That is why leaks of this kind are often accurate. At first glance, the case looks similar to recent iPhones. But look closer and the cutout for the cameras is different. Instead of a compact square in the corner, the design stretches horizontally across the top of the phone. This change hints at much more than a cosmetic tweak.

    iPhone 17 Pro CaseiPhone 17 Pro Case
    iPhone 17 Pro Case

    Why would Apple redesign a camera bump that has become iconic? The answer is simple: space. Rumors suggest that all three cameras in the iPhone 17 Pro may use larger 48 megapixel sensors. Bigger sensors capture more light, deliver better dynamic range, and improve performance in low light conditions. But larger sensors need more room. A stretched camera bar allows Apple to expand the footprint without making the phone thicker in just one corner.

    iPhone 17 renderingiPhone 17 rendering
    iPhone 17 rendering

    The iPhone 15 Pro Max introduced a folded periscope lens for better telephoto zoom. With the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple is expected to bring this system to both Pro models. A horizontal camera bar makes perfect sense here. The folded optics used in periscope systems require length inside the body. By spreading the module across the top, Apple can house a more advanced zoom lens while keeping the phone slim and balanced. Expect sharper telephoto images and possibly extended optical zoom capabilities.

    A wider camera bar is not only about optics. Spreading the components evenly across the top improves heat dissipation during heavy video recording. It also means the phone rests more steadily on a flat surface, instead of rocking on one raised corner. It is a practical and professional design choice.

    The iPhone 17 Pro looks set to deliver:

    • Bigger sensors for better image quality and low light performance

    • Improved zoom with periscope technology available to more users

    • Advanced video features such as 8K and beyond capture, and new pro-level tools

    These changes are not small. They represent a major step forward for Apple’s vision of the iPhone as both a personal camera and a professional cinema device.

    Apple’s design shift for the iPhone 17 Pro is not only about bigger sensors and a new layout. It also points to Apple’s deeper push into professional video. Recent patents highlight this direction clearly. One such development is explained in Apple Triple Patent: iPhone Sensor-Shift System, which details advanced stabilization methods that could bring cinema-grade smoothness to handheld footage. Another breakthrough is discussed in Apple iPhone Patents Reveal Cinema Camera Technology, showing how Apple may integrate professional-level camera mechanics into a smartphone body. Together, these innovations suggest that the iPhone 17 Pro is being designed with filmmakers in mind, elevating mobile video into a true production-ready tool.

    Apple's Latest Camera Patent: The Secret to Smoother, Sharper iPhone FilmmakingApple's Latest Camera Patent: The Secret to Smoother, Sharper iPhone Filmmaking
    Apple’s Latest Camera Patent: The Secret to Smoother, Sharper iPhone Filmmaking

    While we’re eagerly waiting for the iPhone 17’s big reveal, filmmakers and photo lovers are already grabbing a great deal on its predecessor. The iPhone 16 Pro Max—a camera powerhouse in its own right—is now available refurbished on Amazon for just $1,000. That’s a seriously compelling offer for a device known for its 48 MP Pro camera system, ProRes video capabilities, and cinematic appeal. You can read all about it in iPhone 16 Pro Max Price Drops to $1,000 on Amazon Renewed: A Filmmaker’s Dream Deal.

    Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, US Version, 256GB, Desert Titanium - Unlocked (Renewed)Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, US Version, 256GB, Desert Titanium - Unlocked (Renewed)
    Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, US Version, 256GB, Desert Titanium – Unlocked (Renewed)
    Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, US Version, 256GB, Black Titanium - Unlocked (Renewed Premium)Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, US Version, 256GB, Black Titanium - Unlocked (Renewed Premium)
    Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, US Version, 256GB, Black Titanium – Unlocked (Renewed Premium)

    A single case leak has opened a window into Apple’s strategy. The iPhone 17 Pro may be the company’s boldest move yet in mobile imaging. Bigger sensors, better zoom, and advanced video features are no longer rumors;  they are written into the design itself.

    If you purchase through the Amazon links above, Y.M.Cinema may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support our work.

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  • Carlberg claims Junior ERC gold*

    Carlberg claims Junior ERC gold*

    After finishing runner-up at his first attempt in 2024, Carlberg’s three victories and second place finish in the Hankook-supplied category were enough for the Swede to claim the title one event ahead of schedule.

    “This is the best day of my life,” said the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team driver, 25. “I got to say such a big thanks to Opel for this opportunity. It would never be possible without them and all of my sponsors. Tom Kristensson, Hankook and everyone who has been a part of this. I never thought I would come this far and call myself a European champion but that proves with hard work and dedication you can do whatever you want. It feels so good.”

    With Carlberg’s regular co-driver Jørgen Eriksen not competing on Barum Czech Rally Zlín while he waits the birth of his second daughter, Carlberg called on his father Torbjörn to help him seal the deal.

    They were leading their category until driveshaft failure put them out on SS6. But with rivals Jaspar Vaher and Ioan Lloyd both retiring, Carlberg simply had to finish on his return to action on day two to take the crown.

    He follows in the wheel tracks of compatriot Mille Johansson by winning Junior ERC title gold, becoming the 12th driver to do so and the third Swedish champion after Emil Bergkvist triumphed in 2015.

    *Subject to final FIA confirmation

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  • US may not be able to create scenario to end Ukraine war: Rubio

    US may not be able to create scenario to end Ukraine war: Rubio

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacts as he attends a press conference held by President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin following their meeting to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage, Alaska, US, August 15, 2025. — Reuters

    The United States will keep trying to create a scenario to help end Russia’s war in Ukraine, but that might not be possible, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS on Sunday.

    “If peace is not going to be possible here and this is just going to continue on as a war, people will continue to die by the thousands … we may unfortunately wind up there, but we don’t want to wind up there,” Rubio said in an interview with “Face the Nation”.

    European leaders will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, seeking to bolster him as the US president presses Ukraine to accept a quick peace deal after Trump’s meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Friday.

    “There are things that were discussed as part of this meeting that are potentials for breakthroughs, that are potential for progress,” said Rubio, adding that topics for discussion would include security guarantees for Ukraine.

    According to sources, Trump and Putin discussed proposals for Russia to relinquish tiny pockets of occupied Ukraine in exchange for Ukraine ceding a swathe of fortified land in the east and freezing the front lines elsewhere.

    Rubio said both sides would need to make concessions if a peace deal were to be concluded.


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