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Ukraine is willing to discuss “neutral status” at face-to-face talks with Russia in Turkey, Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said.
“Our goal is obvious – peace and the restoration of normal life in our native state as soon as possible,” the Ukrainian president said in a late-night video message that also set out his negotiating red lines. “Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt. Effective security guarantees for our state are mandatory.”
He used a video interview with independent Russian media outlets to signal his willingness to discuss the idea of Ukraine adopting a “neutral status”, and also make compromises about the status of the eastern Donbas region, in order to secure a peace agreement with Russia.
Several rounds of talks have already failed to end the war sparked by the Russian invasion, which is now in its second month.
What else did he say? Zelenskiy said he was not willing to discuss demilitarisation, and said Ukrainians would need to vote in a referendum to approve their country adopting a neutral status.
What about international diplomacy? The French president has cautioned against verbal escalations after the US is forced to deny it is seeking regime change.
What else is happening? Here’s everything we know on day 33 of the Russian invasion.
Coda triumphs while Will Smith attacks Chris Rock on stage
Coda has been named this year’s best picture at an Oscars ceremony that featured an unexpected confrontation between Will Smith and Chris Rock.
The Apple TV+ drama, bought from 2021’s Sundance film festival for a record-breaking $25m, became the first movie from a streamer to win the award. It’s a remake of the French film La Famille Bélier, focusing on the only hearing member of a deaf family.
Will Smith had the night’s most viral moment with Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, saying he was looking forward to GI Jane 2. Pinkett Smith, who revealed last year that she had alopecia, was unamused and an angered Smith then came on to the stage and slapped Rock before the sound muted. Footage later showed that Rock said: “Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me” before Smith shouted: “Get my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.”
How did Hollywood react to the incident? Reactions to the most talked-about moment of the Oscars ranged from delight to concern.
What else happened? The eventful 94th Academy Awards ceremony delivered drama in spades. Here are some of the standout moments. It was also an historic night for women.
Who else won? Here’s a full list of all the Oscar winners.
Capitol attack panel expects to hear how militia groups coordinated plans before insurrection
Behind closed doors in a nondescript conference room at the foot of Capitol Hill, the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack next week expects to hear testimony about the connections between the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys militia groups and the Capitol attack, writes Hugo Lowell.
The panel expects to hear how the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys coordinated their plans and movements in the days before the insurrection to the same level of detail secured by the justice department and referenced in recent prosecutions for seditious conspiracy.
And the select committee hopes to also hear in the 5 April deposition – arranged by a senior counsel for the panel – private conversations between the leaders of the two militia groups and whether they might have communicated with any Trump advisers.
The expected testimony and materials represent another significant breakthrough for the investigation and could play a major role in establishing for the select committee whether Donald Trump oversaw a criminal conspiracy as part of his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Will the Capitol attack panel question Ginni Thomas? Republicans have refused to reveal whether the panel intends to question Ginni Thomas – wife of the US supreme court justice Clarence Thomas – over reports of her urging the White House to overturn Trump’s election defeat.
In other news …
Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, the husband and wife musicians who were core members of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, have survived a serious car crash after a collision with a drunk driver. Frantz posted an image of their wrecked Ford SUV on Facebook and described their injuries.
The US was about to set the Taliban on the path to diplomatic recognition before the plan was derailed by the Afghan rulers’ sudden U-turn on a promise to allow girls’ education. A joint event had been planned before the Doha forum that would have set the process in motion to grant the group diplomatic recognition.
The former bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Albany, New York, has acknowledged covering up allegations of sexual abuse against children by priests in part to avoid scandal and protect the reputation of the diocese. Howard Hubbard made the admission during a deposition taken last year.
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has sought to reassure Israel and its Gulf allies that Iran will never acquire atomic weapons, before the possible renewal of the nuclear deal with Tehran. “When it comes to the most important element, we see eye to eye,” Blinken said.
Stat of the day: Shanghai to lock down millions for mass testing as China’s Covid cases surge
Shanghai will launch a phased lockdown to curb an Omicron-fuelled Covid-19 outbreak that has hit China with its highest caseloads since the early days of the pandemic, the city government said. China’s biggest city, with a population of 25 million people, will lock down its eastern half from Monday until Friday, officials have said, followed by a similar lockdown of its western side from 1 April.
Meanwhile, Covid has helped China tighten its hold on Hong Kong. Here’s how.
Don’t miss this: Can magic mushrooms be used to treat racial trauma?
Like most Americans, Evan followed the widespread media coverage of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s deaths in 2020. And like many Black Americans, he experienced traumatic-stress symptoms. Debilitating panic attacks incapacitated him multiple times a day and insomnia drained his meager remaining energy. After unsuccessfully trying three anti-anxiety medications, he finally stumbled upon a study on psychedelics for racial trauma. He wondered: could psychedelic therapy be the solution?
Climate check: Energy efficiency guru Amory Lovins on the largest, cheapest, safest, cleanest way to address the crisis
Nicknamed the “Einstein of energy efficiency”, Amory Lovins, sees Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine as an outrage but possibly also a step towards solving the climate crisis and a way to save trillions of dollars. “He has managed to bring about all the outcomes that he most feared, but he may inadvertently have put the energy transition and climate solutions into a higher gear. Whether or not we end up in a recession because of the disruption, [Putin’s war] may prove to be a great thing for climate economics.”
Last Thing: Hollywood’s No 1 penis-maker
If you’ve been watching any of the big American TV series recently, you may have noticed some new members in the cast, writes Nell Frizzell. Some notable members. Some lower members. From the animatronic talking todger of Pam & Tommy to the bathroom bugle bared by Harry Goldenblatt in And Just Like That … , we seem to have entered a dust storm of dick. What’s behind the sudden rise in penises on screen? And who do the stars turn to when they need a great prosthetic member?
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