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Ukraine accepts US ceasefire proposal, Putin open to deal

The ceasefire would mark a pause in the ongoing three-year conflict. During talks in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine agreed Tuesday to a 30-day ceasefire agreement presented by the US, and yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the country supported the idea of a ceasefire.

A proposed pause

Under the terms of the proposed ceasefire, fighting would immediately end on the front line, in the air, or at sea, pending Russian approval. The deal also calls for “the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children to Russia.”

Putin said yesterday that “The idea [of a ceasefire] itself is correct and we are certainly supporting it,” but he needs further clarification before signing a deal.

• Shortly after Putin’s statement, Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, led a US delegation that landed in Moscow yesterday for ceasefire negotiations.

• Speaking during a press briefing Thursday, US President Donald Trump said, “Hopefully they all want to end this nightmare,” and claimed the deal "doesn't mean anything" until Russia agrees.

It had some immediate results: After Tuesday’s meeting, the United States lifted the pause on military assistance and intelligence sharing to Ukraine, which had been suspended following a heated Oval Office meeting (see video) between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Trump two weeks prior.

• Additionally, Kyiv launched the biggest drone strike of the war against the Moscow area, leaving at least three people dead and 18 injured, just hours after the US-Ukraine joint statement was released.

It’s been a deadly war: Over 10 million civilians have been displaced and over 1 million combatants have been killed or injured throughout the three-year-long Ukraine war. According to UN estimates, restoring Ukraine will cost more than $500 billion over ten years.

Trade

The US, EU, and Canada can’t get enough tariffs

In the latest news regarding nations throwing tariffs on each other… the European Union and Canada announced they will impose another round of tariffs on US imports—totaling tens of billions of dollars—in retaliation for President Trump's new tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

Tariff Town

Starting April 1st, The EU will impose taxes on $28 billion worth of American goods, including motorcycles, whiskey, beef, and jeans (can't think of a more American array of items). Meanwhile, Canada announced retaliatory levies of 25% on steel products and increased prices on a variety of goods, including laptops, sports equipment, and tools.

• In mid-April, a second round of tariffs on soybeans, poultry, and other commodities is expected to go into effect.

In general, tariffs function as taxes on goods entering the nation that impose them. If they go into effect as planned, businesses will likely pass on the costs to consumers in the form of higher prices.

• Not to mention, in addition to costing companies billions of dollars, the new tariffs will increase the level of uncertainty in two of the most important trade alliances in the world.

Why does the US keep imposing tariffs? The Trump administration has typically embraced the use of tariffs to influence policy, concentrating on illegal immigration and fentanyl production. Before changing the conditions, the US imposed sweeping 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico in early February.

• The constant, almost daily changes made to the economic sanctions have spiked uncertainty among investors and businesses.

Looking forward: In the event that the European Union proceeds with its proposed duty on American whiskey, President Donald Trump vowed yesterday to impose a 200% tariff on European wine, champagne, and spirits.

Business

‘Pokémon Go’ bought by Saudi Arabia for $3.5 billion

They better get some limited-edition Charizard’s out of this one. Niantic, the video game developer behind the well-known augmented reality game Pokémon Go, said on Wednesday that it is shifting its focus to AI and selling its game division to Scopely, a mobile game developer owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

Don’t know what Pokémon Go is?

I’ll explain for those reading that are 40 years and up (no judgment). The game is based on the 29-year-old Japanese series Pokémon which features a range of "pocket monsters" that characters must fight and collect in a Pokéball (see overview).

Using the Pokémon Go app, players travel around real-life locations and attempt to locate and catch a variety of creatures. The game has over 100 million active players each month.

Money, I choose you!

The sale is among the top 10 biggest sales in the history of the video game industry, but just behind the acquisition of (you guessed it) Scopely by Saudi-owned Savvy Games a couple of years ago.

The deal is an attempt by the oil-rich country to diversify its interests and widen its international reach in gaming, but what are the details?

• According to Scopely, Niantic will receive $3.5 billion from Scopely in exchange for Pokémon Go and the remainder of Niantic's mobile game business, which brought in over $1 billion in 2024.

• However, Niantic will retain the tech behind the augmented reality app and create a new company called Niantic Spatial, using user data to develop a 3D world model.

  • Additionally, Niantic and Scopely will invest $200 million and $50 million, respectively, in Niantic Spatial.

The game has amassed a huge amount of data… and Niantic has come under fire for allegedly collecting user data from augmented reality and location-based apps in order to sell it without permission. The deal doesn’t specify which party will own it.

Grab Bag

Southwest Airlines ends 54 years of free checked bags

The last bastion of free bags has finally crumbled. For the first time in the airline’s history, Southwest said it would start charging for checked bags for most travelers starting May 28th.

“Bags Fly Free”

Throughout its 54-year history, Southwest has long defied the norm of the airline industry, touting its "Bags Fly Free" policy as a key component of its brand. Sadly, that glimmer of monetary hope for flyers has vanished.

Why switch? The decision, which comes amid financial strains and shifting consumer preferences, is a significant turning point for the airline and could generate some needed revenue.

• In September, the airline said that charging for bags would only generate up to $1.5 billion annually, while it expects to lose $1.8 billion in market share.

• To reduce costs by $1 billion over the next three years, Southwest has reduced routes, terminated internships, and let go of 1,750 employees.

Who gets free bags? As a part of the change, only some of those who choose to fly with the airline will get free checked bags, but all customers will get some new perks:

• The luxury of two free checked bags will only be available to those who are a part of the airline’s top loyalty status. 

  • Other members will only be eligible for one free checked bag, and most will have to pay.

• Southwest will also launch a basic economy ticket class, assigned seating, and additional legroom seats (for a charge).

It’s a bad time to be an airline: Citing poor weather, aircraft accidents, and a drop in consumer spending, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Southwest all reduced their financial projections for the first quarter of this year.

Japan sees huge influx of foreigners ready to ski

As the prophecy says, with heavy snowfall comes winter sports. Japan is already known for its incredible winter sports scene and powdery snow, but a heavy winter has made it the A1 destination for slope riders, even with some safety risks.

A powdery paradise?

With idealistic weather forecasts and 68-year-old snowfall records being broken, Japan has become a dream for many ski enthusiasts this year. The season has fueled its over 500 ski areas to have a record turnout.

• This week, some regions measured 12 feet of snowpack.

• Reservations for Japan for the 2024–2025 season were up 600% as of August, according to Ski.com.

However, with the good comes the bad, and the “heavy snow has become both a joy and a worry,” for resort workers, Shinichi Imoto, a spokesman for Washigatake Ski Resort told the NYT.

• Last month's intense snowfall impeded transport and prompted some ski resorts to temporarily close in order to clear vital areas.

Despite the risks… North Americans are flocking to the nation at record levels anyway. It’s been a banner year for ski resorts thanks to foreigners who want to take advantage of the perfect snow and a weak yen, which make it a cost-effective powdery paradise.

Fast Facts

Pee Pentalty: The Spanish town of Vigo has a fine of $785 if you are caught urinating in the ocean. Little do they know I sit down to pee… they’ll never see it coming.

Twenty-Two: Since 2000, the US butterfly population has declined by 22%—coincidentally, that’s the same percentage of siblings who share the same first initial, according to one study.

Disease Detection: UK doctors invented a device that can read the genetic code of a bacterial illness and determine the optimal medication within two days.

False Flavor: Scientists in the United States created a device known as "e-Taste" that reproduces fundamental flavors so well that its users can link the taste they are experiencing with the actual food with 87% accuracy. 

Power Pledge: Amazon, Google, and Meta joined a group of other major companies and signed a pledge to support the goal of tripling nuclear energy capacity by 2050.