Russia declares ceasefire in Kherson region from Oct 27 to facilitate humanitarian operation

Russian forces will cease fire and introduce a "silence regime" in the Kherson region from 4 a.m. Moscow time (0100 GMT) on Oct 27 to facilitate a humanitarian operation, the Russian Ministry of Defense said Friday.

Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and first deputy defense minister, announced the measure on social media platform Telegram, saying it was linked to the planned humanitarian operation in the area.

The White House said earlier Friday that the United States had secured an agreement on a local ceasefire in Oleshky, which would take effect on Oct. 29.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that U.S. First Lady Melania Trump played a coordinating role in organizing the humanitarian mission in Oleshky.

Oleshky is located on the left bank of the Dnieper River, opposite the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson. The town has been facing a severe humanitarian situation, with residents reporting worsening shortages of food and other essential supplies amid continuous fighting.

The over 19,000 hectares of desert poplar forests in Makit County of Kashgar Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have entered the best viewing season of the year, drawing visitors to the magnificent autumn scenery.

Standing on the southwestern edge of the Taklimakan, China's largest and the world's second-largest drifting desert, the forests have turned a brilliant gold as the day-night temperature gap widens, forming a striking contrast with the surrounding sand and the clear river waters.

The desert poplar is a rugged species of tree, known as "guardian of the desert". It is resistant to low temperatures, drought and saline-alkali soil, and serves as an ideal windbreak and sand-fixation plant.