News 05/09/26

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as efforts to end the war in Ukraine gather pace.

Kremlin footage showed the negotiators being greeted by Putin, who noted the situation was not easy and said Russia would explain its position. Witkoff thanked Putin for agreeing to a three-day mutual pause on capital strikes, ahead of further talks in Kyiv on Sunday. Donald Trump previously confirmed the envoys are carrying a peace proposal.

Rail services to and from Heathrow Airport have been halted following a trackside grass fire that caused severe delays and cancellations.

National Rail warned major disruption is expected until the end of Saturday after all lines were blocked between London Paddington, Heathrow’s terminals, and Reading. The stoppage was caused by an electricity supply failure triggered by the blaze. Network Rail Western confirmed the fire is extinguished, but disruption may continue into Sunday morning.

The Prince of Wales will attend the funeral of King Harald the Fifth of Norway in Oslo on Wednesday, Buckingham Palace has announced.

He will be joined by Princess Anne, attending privately as godmother to Norway’s new monarch, King Haakon the Eighth. The late King Harald died last month aged eighty-nine after a thirty-five-year reign. Prince William represents King Charles, following convention that the monarch rarely attends another head of state’s funeral.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day halt on strikes targeting Kyiv, starting from midnight tonight.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to state news agency TASS that the Russian leader will also meet with American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff today. Peskov stated that the pause in military action was requested by the Ukrainian side due to the preparation and conduct of upcoming American diplomatic contacts in the capital.

Car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover has launched a voluntary redundancy programme as part of plans to cut costs by £1.7bn over the next two years.

It follows reports that up to four thousand jobs could be at risk across the company due to falling vehicle sales and the impact of trade tariffs. JLR confirmed that salaried staff and management team members are being offered the opportunity to leave the business, though exact job loss figures have not been released.

Iran’s military command has warned it will intensify strikes on American naval vessels in the Middle East if Washington maintains its blockade of Iranian ports, according to state media.

US forces imposed the blockade after Tehran effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that previously handled twenty per cent of global oil supplies. Meanwhile, US Central Command confirmed its forces have struck three Iranian crude oil carriers in the region.

Operations at the Port of Dover have returned to normal following a public order incident caused by a demonstration this morning.

Port officials confirmed that most of those who participated in the stop the boats protest have now departed the area, with many leaving by train. All routes serving the port and the local town are fully open, allowing traffic to flow freely again. A spokesperson expressed gratitude to customers and the local community for their patience while police resolved the situation.

Russia has set out its expectations ahead of a visit from Donald Trump’s envoys regarding the war in Ukraine.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated the main question is how far the US administration will go to find a solution that considers realities on the ground. According to Russian state news agency TASS, Mr Ryabkov added that the situation was not developing in Kyiv’s favour.

Masked demonstrators are preventing traffic from accessing the Port of Dover.

Kent Police confirmed officers are aware of a protest taking place at the ferry terminal and are engaging with those involved. Vehicles have been stopped from entering or leaving the port due to the demonstration. P and O Ferries said passengers missing scheduled crossings will be placed on the next available sailing.