Ethiopia

• Peace talks between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebels unexpectedly yielded what seems like a real truce yesterday, ending their civil war just one day shy of its second anniversary today.
• The war has displaced over two million people and killed up to 500,000 - although it's hard to get a clear tally since comms and even electricity were severed in Tigray.
• Yesterday's "permanent cessation of hostilities" also outlines a plan for reopening Tigray to humanitarian aid and infrastructure, and reintegrating the rebellious regional government into the central government.

• The U.S. said North Korea secretly shipped a "significant number" of (probably very rusty) artillery shells to its fellow pariah, Russia, via other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. It's not clear if the shipment actually made it to Russia, but even if it did, U.S. officials say it would not "change the course of the war." As of September, North Korea denied ever having supplied ammunition to Russia - or having any plans to do so.
• U.S. intelligence also revealed that senior Russian military leaders recently discussed when and how Russia might use a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine. Pres. Putin was not part of the conversation and it doesn't seem like Russia is actually preparing to use nukes in Ukraine, but the conversation still sparked concern because it showed Putin's nuclear threats weren't entirely bluster.
• Russia decided to rejoin the UN-backed grain export deal it suspended last week, having gotten "sufficient" guarantees from Ukraine that it wouldn't use the Black Sea grain corridor to carry out attacks. Pres. Zelensky chided Russia's u-turn as a failed attempt at blackmail.

• North Korea followed up its volley of missiles yesterday with three more today - including one that appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile and seemed to fail.

• Venezuela's government and opposition plan to resume talks about conditions for holding a presidential election as soon as this month in Mexico. Earlier rounds of talks last year made no progress and the opposition no longer has a clear leader, so this next round seems unlikely to be fruitful.

• As expected, the Federal Reserve raised target interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point to 3.75% and noted that more rate hikes were likely needed to fight inflation.