Some 400 Indonesian school children fall ill after eating free school meals
Indonesian President Prabowo’s free meals programme hit by more mass illness as protests against government rock country. Published On 3 Sep 20253 Sep 2025 An investigation has been launched after some 400 children became ill after eating free school meals in Indonesia’s western Bengkulu province, in the worst case of mass food poisoning linked to President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship food programme to help pregnant women and children. The reports of mass illness on Wednesday came as President Prabowo arrived in Beijing, China, for events commemorating the end of World War II, and days after widespread antigovernment protests rocked cities and towns across Indonesia. Authorities will launch an investigation into the cause of the illness, Bengkulu Province ‘s Vice Governor Mian said. “We will temporarily suspend operations at this kitchen while we investigate where the weaknesses lie,” said Mian, who goes by a single name. “This is the domain of the BGN [National Nutrition Agency] investigation team and the authorities,” he said. Dadan Hindayana, chief of the National Nutrition Agency, which runs the programme, told the Reuters news agency the kitchen in question had only recently started operating, asking staff to evaluate services while waiting for results of tests on the food. Since its launch, Prabowo’s free school meals programme has been rapidly expanded to reach more than 20 million recipients, and authorities plan to reach 83 million recipients by year-end, budgeting a total cost of 171 trillion rupiah ($10.52bn) for the programme this year. The president launched the programme in January, but the initiative had already been marred by food poisoning that affected hundreds of people. Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for economic affairs, inspects the trial of a free lunch programme for students at a junior high school in Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, on February 29, 2024 [Stefanno Sulaiman/Reuters] Last month, 365 people fell ill from free school meals in Central Java. According to local media reports, laboratory results indicated that the outbreak was a result of poor sanitation. Advertisement In the latest mass illness in Bengkulu, children aged from about 4 to 12 were rushed to a local hospital complaining of stomach pain beginning last Thursday, according to a video handout from the local government. On Wednesday, Prabowo was seen attending a military parade hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, to mark 80 years since Japan’s defeat at the end of World War II, according to China’s CCTV. Despite the ongoing street protests at home over his government’s handling of the economy, Prabowo decided he would travel to China, after briefly reconsidering his trip amid the mass unrest. The Jakarta Post reported on Wednesday that some 10 people are now thought to have died in protests over the weekend, with 20 people missing and 500 injured, according to reports from civic organisations and officials. In Geneva on Monday, the United Nations called for investigations into the alleged use of disproportionate force by Indonesia’s security forces against demonstrators. “We are following closely the spate of violence in Indonesia in the context of nationwide protests over parliamentary allowances, austerity measures, and alleged use of unnecessary or disproportionate force by security forces,” UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said. “We stress the importance of dialogue to address the public’s concerns,” she said in a statement. Adblock test (Why?)
US Open: Carlos Alcaraz cruises into 2025 semifinals
Alcaraz dominated Czech player Jiri Lehecka in the quarters, with the Spaniard yet to lose a set at this year’s event. Published On 3 Sep 20253 Sep 2025 Second seed Carlos Alcaraz has yet to drop a set at Flushing Meadows, and cruised into the US Open semifinals, demolishing Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Alcaraz had the crowd in the palm of his hand on Tuesday as he fired off 28 winners and never faced a break point, putting on yet another almost pristine performance. He will next play either 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic or American fourth seed Taylor Fritz. Lehecka is one of the few players to beat Alcaraz this season, winning in the Doha quarterfinals, but was outclassed this time around and could only watch helplessly as the Spaniard’s forehand winner zipped by on match point. “If you show the opponent you’re fresh, you’re able to play two, three, more hours, to play long rallies, it’s giving him the mindset of, this is going to be really tough,” said Alcaraz. “The way that I walk between points, with attitude – I’m fresh, I’m really good physically. I think it’s really important to show the opponent that they are going to sweat a lot, and they are going to have to run a lot if he wants to beat me.” Alcaraz broke in the first game, helped on his way by a pair of Lehecka double faults, and the Spaniard got the crowd going as he triumphed in a thrilling, cat-and-mouse exchange at the net in the 10th game, sending a backhand winner streaking past the Czech. The 2022 champion kept the momentum going in the second set, converting a break point at the net in the first game, and Lehecka became visibly agitated as he went down another break with a double fault in the seventh game. Advertisement Alcaraz smiled in disbelief as he nailed a series of precise shots to set up a break point in the seventh game of the final set, but Lehecka dug in to hold. Alcaraz let out a triumphant cheer as he prevailed in a 12-shot rally on break point in the ninth game and deployed his golf swing celebration to the delight of fellow Spaniard and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, who was in attendance. “I just played a really – or almost – perfect match,” he said. “I’m just feeling great and hungry to make it.” The five-time major winner has only been broken once so far in the tournament and could retake the number one world ranking from Italy’s Jannik Sinner, although he is trying not to think about it. “If I think about the number one spot too much, then I’m going to put pressure on myself, and I don’t want to do that,” he said. Alcaraz, at just 22, is in the semifinals at a grand slam for the ninth time. Only Rafael Nadal, with 10, had more before turning 23 [Kena Betancur/AFP] Adblock test (Why?)
China’s Xi oversees massive military parade with Putin, Kim in attendance
China’s full military might was on display in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square where thousands of troops marched in parade. Published On 3 Sep 20253 Sep 2025 China flexed its military muscle at a huge military parade in Beijing to mark 80 years since the end of World War II, displaying its latest generation of stealth fighters, tanks and ballistic missiles amid a highly choreographed cast of thousands. The parade through Tiananmen Square on Wednesday morning was overseen by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the head of China’s military and the Chinese Communist Party. After greeting foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Xi moved on to welcome Chinese military veterans before taking his place at the centre of the event. Xi watched on from the Gate of Heavenly Peace before making a speech to the 10,000 assembled members of the People’s Liberation Army, Navy and Air Force, stating that China would continue to “adhere to a path of peaceful development”. “Humanity is again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games,” Xi said, according to an official readout of his speech. Members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force march during a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Beijing, China, on September 3, 2025 [Maxim Shemetov/Reuters] “The Chinese people will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, adhere to the path of peaceful development, and join hands with the rest of the world to build a community with a shared future for humanity,” he said. Advertisement Dressed in a grey Mao suit, Xi then toured Tiananmen Square, standing in a vehicle, before the parade finally commenced down Beijing’s Chang’an Avenue, a major thoroughfare in the Chinese capital. China’s most advanced weaponry took front and centre in the parade, including clearly labelled DF-5 intercontinental missiles – capable of delivering a nuclear warhead – alongside tight formations of military personnel. “For Xi, the point is to reinforce the impression that the [People’s Republic of China, PRC] has arrived as a great power under his leadership,” said Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore. “Another is the array of leaders at the parade, which suggests that the PRC cannot be isolated and is unafraid of pressure and bullying, particularly from the United States,” he said. Above the parade, the air force staged a flyover, including helicopters with banners declaring, “Justice will prevail”, “Peace will prevail”, and “The people will win”. Chinese President Xi Jinping stands in a car to review the troops during a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Beijing, China, on September 3, 2025 [Tingshu Wang/Reuters] Adblock test (Why?)
Landslide kills more than 1,000 in Sudan’s Darfur region, armed group says
DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army appeals for UN help to recover bodies from a village buried by a landslide after heavy rain. Published On 2 Sep 20252 Sep 2025 A landslide has destroyed an entire village in Sudan’s western Darfur region, killing an estimated 1,000 people, according to a rebel group that controls the area. News agencies said the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army issued a statement late on Monday reporting the disaster in the Marra Mountains area of Darfur. The rebel group said the landslide struck on Sunday after days of heavy rainfall in the area, and the village was “completely levelled to the ground”, leaving only one survivor. “Initial information indicates the death of all village residents, estimated to be more than one thousand individuals, with only one survivor,” the group said in a statement. The rebels also appealed to the United Nations and international aid agencies for assistance in recovering the bodies of victims, which included children. News of the disaster comes as Sudan’s ongoing civil war – now in its third year – plunges the country further into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with famine already declared in parts of Darfur. People fleeing clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in North Darfur state had sought shelter in the Marra Mountains area, and food and medication were reported by the Reuters news agency to be in short supply. Factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, which controls the area where the landslide occurred, have pledged to fight alongside the Sudanese military against the RSF. Fighting has escalated in Darfur, especially in el-Fasher, since the army took control of the capital, Khartoum, from the RSF in March. Advertisement El-Fasher has been under siege for more than a year by the RSF, which is seeking to capture the strategic city, the last major population centre held by the army in the Darfur region. The paramilitaries, who lost much of central Sudan, including Khartoum, earlier this year, are attempting to consolidate power in the west and establish a rival government. كشفت السلطة المدنية في مناطق سيطرة حركة تحرير #السودان بقيادة عبد الواحد عن وفاة جميع سكان قرية ترسين في وسط جبل مرة نتيجة انزلاقات أرضية أمس الأحد.الانزلاقات الأرضية المُدمّرة للقرية الواقعة في وسط جبل مرة حدثت بسبب الأمطار الغزيرة التي هطلت خلال الأسبوع الأخير من شهر أغسطس… pic.twitter.com/PFycp1xGbe — Sudan News (@Sudan_tweet) September 1, 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Vietnam marks 80th independence anniversary with military parade
Tens of thousands of people gather in Hanoi to celebrate declaration of independence from French colonial rule. Published On 2 Sep 20252 Sep 2025 Vietnam has marked the 80th anniversary of its declaration of independence from France with a large military parade in the capital Hanoi. Tens of thousands of people gathered in Hanoi on Tuesday in a strong display of nationalism in the Communist-run country. Authorities showcased a wide variety of military equipment, including missiles, helicopters and fighter jets, during the celebrations at Ba Dinh Square, where revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh declared independence from colonial rule on September 2, 1945. Officials said that nearly 16,000 soldiers joined the parade, which also included honour guards from China, Russia, Laos and Cambodia. In a speech to mark the occasion, To Lam, the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, paid tribute to those who died fighting for independence, and reiterated the governing party’s goal for Vietnam to become a “powerful, prosperous and happy nation” by 2045. “In this sacred moment, we respectfully remember our ancestors,” Lam said. “Our nation has overcome countless difficulties and challenges. Our country has transformed from a colony into an independent and unified nation, steadily advancing towards modernity.” University student Vu Thi Trang said she had staked out her position to observe the celebrations two days in advance. “Something inside just pushed me to be here,” the 19-year-old told the AFP news agency. “I am grateful for the sacrifices of the previous generation, so that we have peace and freedom to grow up.” As part of anniversary festivities, Vietnam last week announced it would hand out 100,000 dong ($3.80) to each of its 100 million citizens. Advertisement Vietnamese President Luong Cuong also announced that 13,920 prisoners, including 66 foreigners, would be released before the end of their jail terms. France did not recognise Ho Chi Minh’s declaration of independence, but a disastrous military defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 led to the European power’s full-scale retreat from the country, as well as from neighbouring Laos and Cambodia. Following the division of Vietnam with the 1954 Geneva Accords, the Communist North and US-backed South fought the two-decade-long Vietnam War. The Vietnam War ended when Communist forces captured Saigon on April 30, 1975, and the country was unified. Adblock test (Why?)
Mitchell Starc announces retirement from T20 cricket
The Australian bowling superstar made the shock announcement ahead of the upcoming Ashes series and T20 World Cup. Published On 2 Sep 20252 Sep 2025 Australia’s white-ball pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has retired from Twenty20 internationals to focus on extending his career in test and one-day cricket. The 35-year-old left-armer retires with 79 wickets from 65 T20Is, second on the all-time list for Australia, behind spinner Adam Zampa. “Test cricket is and has always been my highest priority,” he said in a Cricket Australia statement on Tuesday. “I have loved every minute of every T20 game I have played for Australia, particularly the 2021 World Cup, not just because we won but the incredible group and the fun along the way. “Looking ahead to an away Indian test tour, the Ashes and an ODI World Cup in 2027, I feel this is my best way forward to remain fresh, fit and at my best for those campaigns. “It also gives the bowling group time to prepare for the T20 World Cup in the matches leading into that tournament.” Starc was not included in Australia’s T20I squad, released on Tuesday, for the upcoming series against New Zealand. Chair of national selectors George Bailey and Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg paid tribute to Starc. “Mitch should be incredibly proud of his T20 career for Australia,” said Bailey. “He was an integral member of the 2021 World Cup-winning side and, as across all his cricket, had a great skill for blowing games open with his wicket-taking ability. “We will acknowledge and celebrate his T20 career at the right time, but pleasingly, he remains focused on continuing to play test and ODI cricket for a long as possible.” Advertisement Greenberg praised Starc for making “significant sacrifices” to play for his country. “To allow the next crop of fast bowlers a clear path to the T20 World Cup early next year is another example of putting team first,” he said. Starc will turn his attention to the upcoming Ashes test series against England, beginning on November 21 in Brisbane, Australia [File: Jason McCawley/Cricket Australia via Getty Images] Adblock test (Why?)
At least 800 people killed as earthquake hits eastern Afghanistan
Magnitude 6.1 tremor hits the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, and a government spokesman warns the toll could rise. Published On 1 Sep 20251 Sep 2025 One of Afghanistan’s worst earthquakes has killed more than 800 people and injured at least 2,800, authorities say as they warn that the death toll could rise. Helicopters ferried the wounded to hospital on Monday in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar as officials combed the rubble for survivors after a magnitude 6.1 tremor hit just before midnight on Sunday. At least 812 people have died, government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said at a news conference on Monday, as the disaster further stretches the resources of the war-torn nation already grappling with poverty, drops in humanitarian aid and the pushback of hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees and migrants by neighbouring countries. [Al Jazeera] Ministry of Interior Affairs spokesperson Abdul Maten Qanee told the Reuters news agency that rescue teams had been “mobilised to accelerate assistance, so that comprehensive and full support can be provided”. The Ministry of Defence said it has flown 30 doctors and 800kg (1,764lb) of medical supplies into Kunar to support hospitals dealing with the aftermath of the disaster. At least 40 flights have carried away 420 wounded and dead citizens, the ministry added. Resident Sadiqullah, who lives in the Maza Dara area of Nurgal, one of the worst affected areas in Kunar province, told The Associated Press news agency that he was woken up by a deep boom similar to the start of a storm. Sadiqullah said he ran to where his children were sleeping and rescued three of them but could not get to the rest of his family before the roof fell on top of him. “I was half-buried and unable to get out,” he said from Nangarhar Regional Hospital. “My wife and two sons are dead, and my father is injured and in hospital with me. We were trapped for three to four hours until people from other areas arrived and pulled me out,” he added. Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from Lahore, Pakistan, said the region is mountainous with villages scattered throughout the area. Advertisement “What we have found out is that the locals are digging out people from the rubble,” Hyder said, adding that due to the shallow nature of the earthquake, which makes them more destructive, the death toll is likely to increase. Chris Elders, professor of petroleum geology at Australia’s Curtin University, told Al Jazeera that due to the mountainous terrain of the areas hit by the earthquake and their high population, the situation was particularly dangerous. “It’s not only the buildings that will shake and become unstable, but the hillsides will also shake and become unstable, and that’s what triggers landslides,” Elders said. “Earthquakes of this size and in this situation could really occur at any time, so it does make it very difficult to predict,” he said, adding that aftershocks are also a big concern for residents in the affected areas. The last time a powerful earthquake hit Afghanistan, which is prone to tremors due to its location near the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, was in October 2023 when more than 2,000 people were killed. (Al Jazeera) International efforts The United Nations office in Afghanistan said in a post on X it was “deeply saddened” by the earthquake and the subsequent loss of lives. “Our teams are on the ground, delivering emergency assistance & lifesaving support. Our thoughts are with the affected communities,” it wrote. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in comments carried by the Tasnim news agency that in these “difficult moments and great tragedy”, Tehran expressed its “full readiness to send relief, medical and humanitarian aid”. The spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced that Beijing was ready to provide disaster relief “according to Afghanistan’s needs and within its capacity”. Adblock test (Why?)
Sumud Flotilla for Gaza forced to turn back due to weather conditions
Published On 1 Sep 20251 Sep 2025 The Global Sumud Flotilla carrying aid to the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip has been forced to turn back due to poor weather, according to a statement by the group and sources travelling with the mission. The flotilla said on X that strong winds on Sunday of more than 30 knots (55.6 kilometres per hour, or 34.5 miles per hour) on the Mediterranean Sea could have posed a problem for smaller boats in the convoy. “The decision was made by the [flotilla] steering commission … to turn back towards Barcelona’s La Vela port, where they arrived after 22:00 (10pm, or 20:00 GMT),” Al Jazeera’s Mauricio Morales said while reporting from the Familia, part of the flotilla. The decision to turn back was taken about three hours earlier, Morales added. The flotilla, which had set off from Barcelona on Sunday, said on X that it conducted a sea trial and made the decision to return to port to allow the storm to pass. According to Morales, a second attempt to set off is expected on Monday. The flotilla The flotilla comprises dozens of small civilian vessels carrying volunteers and humanitarian supplies. It planned to meet up with a second wave of vessels in Tunisia on Thursday, but that plan has now been slightly delayed. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA MISSION DEPARTURE DELAYED TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY AMID STRONG MEDITERRANEAN WINDS pic.twitter.com/A4YDahLiJh — Global Sumud Flotilla (@GlobalSumudF) September 1, 2025 This is the third aid flotilla of its kind in recent months to attempt to break the Israeli siege on Gaza. Advertisement Previous attempts have been unsuccessful with Israeli naval forces illegally intercepting the boats in international waters. Organisers said the Global Sumud Flotilla is the largest maritime mission to Gaza, bringing together more than 50 ships and delegations from at least 44 countries. Other than the 20-some boats leaving Barcelona, more are expected to join from across the Mediterranean in the coming days, including from Tunisia and Sicily. The volunteers This flotilla is organised by four major coalitions that have participated in previous land and sea efforts to Gaza: the Global Movement to Gaza, Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Maghreb Sumud Flotilla and Sumud Nusantara. Volunteers hail from countries that include Australia, Brazil, Colombia, South Africa and numerous European states. According to organisers, participants are unaffiliated with any government or political party. On board the flotilla are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, former Mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau Ballano, Irish actor Liam Cunningham and Spanish actor Eduard Fernandez. Many of the people involved have been part of past flotilla efforts. The coalition’s steering committee includes a number of high-profile activists and figures, such as Palestinian activist Saif Abukeshek, human rights activist Yasemin Acar, historian Kleoniki Alexopoulou, activist Marouan Ben Guettaia, human rights activist Torkia Chaibi, physicist Maria Elena Delia, activist and social researcher Hayfa Mansouri, social scientist Karen Moynihan, humanitarian Muhammad Nadir al-Nuri, activist Wael Nawar, political scientist and lawyer Melanie Schweizer, Avila and Thunberg. Previous flotillas have largely been blocked although in 2008 two boats from the Free Gaza Movement reached Gaza. The movement, founded in 2006 by activists during Israel’s war on Lebanon, went on to launch 31 boats from 2008 to 2016, five of which reached Gaza despite heavy Israeli restrictions. But since 2010, all attempts have been intercepted or attacked by Israeli forces. In 2010, Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara in international waters. The assault killed 10 activists and injured dozens, leading to global outrage. The ship was carrying humanitarian aid and more than 600 passengers. Thunberg, Avila and other prominent activists were stopped by Israeli commandos in June when the Madleen was intercepted about 185km (100 nautical miles) from Gaza in international waters. Gaza’s desperate need The latest attempts by the activists come as the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens rapidly. Advertisement Last month, the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification officially declared famine in areas of the enclave, an assessment that Israel has denied. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has placed forced displacement orders on residents of Gaza City which is under heavy bombardment after the government approved a plan to seize it. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 63,557 people have been killed and 160,660 others wounded since the war began in October 2023. Adblock test (Why?)
Meet the Gaza music teacher behind viral drone song
NewsFeed A music teacher in Gaza has transformed the sound of Israeli drones into a powerful song honouring those killed in Israel’s genocide. Ahmed Muin Abu Amsha uses music to help displaced and traumatised Palestinian children cope amid war and devastation. Published On 1 Sep 20251 Sep 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,285
Here are the key events on day 1,285 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Published On 1 Sep 20251 Sep 2025 Here is how things stand on Monday, September 1: Fighting Russian attacks on Ukraine killed at least five people on Monday, including two in Kherson, one in Zaporizhia, and two in Donetsk, according to regional governors. The attacks wounded dozens more. In the Zaporizhia region alone, Russian forces launched 286 drone attacks, 10 missile attacks and five air strikes on 16 settlements in one day, Governor Ivan Fedorov wrote on Telegram. A Russian drone attack overnight damaged a power facility near the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, leaving more than 29,000 customers without electricity on Sunday morning, the region’s governor said. The hardest hit city was the seaport of Chornomorsk. The Reuters news agency also reported that a civilian bulk carrier flying the flag of Belize sustained minor damage after hitting an unknown explosive device near Chornomorsk. Russian drones also targeted Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region early on Sunday, damaging energy infrastructure and leaving 30,000 households without electricity, including part of the city of Nizhyn, said Governor Viacheslav Chaus. The Ukrainian military said Russia had attacked Ukraine with 142 drones overnight, and, while its air defence forces managed to shoot down most of them, the drones struck 10 locations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised to retaliate to Russian attacks on his country’s power facilities with strikes deep inside Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visit Poland’s border with Belarus, near Ozierany Male, Poland, on Sunday [Agnieszka Sadowska/ Agencja Wyborcza.pl via Reuters] Ukraine’s armed forces dismissed Russia’s claims of a successful summer offensive, saying Russian forces failed to gain full control of any major Ukrainian city and “grossly exaggerated” figures regarding captured territories. In Russia, four people were wounded injured in Ukrainian drone attacks on the Kursk region, including two Ministry of Internal Affairs employees, Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein said in a post on Telegram. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that its forces shot down 112 Ukrainian drones, two aerial bombs and three rocket launchers in a 24-hour period, according to TASS. The capacity of Russia’s Kursk nuclear power plant’s third reactor was completely restored after it had been halved following a drone attack, TASS reported on Sunday, citing the plant. Politics and diplomacy Advertisement The Kremlin accused European powers of hindering United States President Donald Trump’s peace efforts and said that Russia would continue its operation in Ukraine until Moscow saw real signs that Kyiv was ready for peace. “The European warring party is maintaining its fundamental course; it is not giving in,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said from the sidelines of the SCO summit in China. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was bracing himself for the Russia-Ukraine war “to last a long time”. He told German public broadcaster ZDF that diplomatic efforts to bring the conflict to an end could not come “at the price of Ukraine’s capitulation”. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, announced additional funding for European Union member states bordering Russia and Belarus during a visit to Poland’s border, near Belarus, where she called Putin a “predator” who could only be kept in check through “strong deterrence”. Von der Leyen also told the Financial Times that Europe is drawing up “pretty precise plans” for a multinational troop deployment to Ukraine as part of proposed post-conflict security guarantees. She said Trump had assured Europe that “there will be [an] American presence as part of the backstop”. In an article published in the People’s Daily, China’s state newspaper, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote that his country will “continue to pursue” its “peace diplomacy” between Russia and Ukraine “with patience”. Pope Leo called for a ceasefire and dialogue in the Ukraine war. “It is time for those responsible to renounce the logic of arms and to take the path of negotiation and peace with the support of the international community,” he said in his Sunday prayer with pilgrims in St Peter’s Square. Weapons North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a new missile production line and missile-manufacturing automation process, state media KCNA said on Monday. North Korea has sent missiles, as well as soldiers and artillery ammunition, to Russia to support Moscow in its war against Ukraine. Norway, which shares a border with Russia, said it will buy new frigates worth some 10 billion pounds ($13.51bn) from the United Kingdom, in its biggest ever military investment. Adblock test (Why?)