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A far-right party, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), won an important state election in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, but did not achieve a full majority to govern alone. Elon Musk and some international figures, including President Donald Trump and a Russian envoy, reacted to the election. The AfD is known for anti-immigration policies and support for closer ties with Russia.
Key Facts
AfD is a far-right, anti-immigration party in Germany.
The party won the state election in Saxony-Anhalt but fell three seats short of a majority in the 83-member state parliament.
AfD’s platform includes deportation policies, banning rainbow flags in schools, stopping windfarm projects, and promoting nationalist ideas like singing the national anthem in schools.
Elon Musk congratulated the AfD on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
President Donald Trump shared the election results on his social media without comment.
A Russian official praised the election as a “historic win” for the AfD, which supports ending aid to Ukraine and opposes Ukrainian refugees in Germany.
No far-right party has led a government in Germany since World War II and the defeat of Nazism.
Mainstream parties in the state refuse to cooperate with AfD, preventing it from forming a government.
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Thousands of people gathered in Belgrade, Serbia, to attend the funeral of Ratko Mladić, a Serbian general convicted of war crimes and genocide during the 1990s Balkans conflict. Mladić was known for his role in the Bosnian war, including the massacre in Srebrenica, and his funeral ceremony sparked concern and criticism from the European Union.
Key Facts
Ratko Mladić was a Serbian general convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1990s Bosnian war.
He was responsible for the Srebrenica massacre, where at least 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed.
Mladić died in prison in August at age 84 while serving a life sentence.
Thousands gathered in Belgrade to honor him with a funeral that included military guards, Serbian flags, and banners praising him.
The EU criticized the military-style funeral and public glorification of Mladić, stating it conflicts with European values like reconciliation and respect for war victims.
Serbia has been negotiating to join the European Union since 2014, but progress has slowed amid such nationalist actions.
Mladić's actions during the war caused over 100,000 deaths and displaced more than 2 million people.
The siege of Sarajevo, conducted by Mladić’s forces, lasted nearly four years with heavy civilian casualties.
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The husband of Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Hafidh Ameir Hassan, died in a hospital in Zanzibar after suffering from a heart condition. Funeral plans are underway in a village on Zanzibar island, and several regional leaders have expressed their condolences.
Key Facts
Hafidh Ameir Hassan was the husband of President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania.
He passed away at 08:00 local time on Monday at Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital in Zanzibar.
Ameir had a heart condition which led to his death.
Vice-president Deogratius Ndejembi announced the death and said funeral arrangements are in progress in Kizimkazi, Zanzibar.
Ameir was an agricultural academic and mostly stayed out of the public eye.
He became Tanzania’s first First Gentleman when Samia became president in 2021.
Ameir and President Samia were married since 1978 and had four children.
Regional leaders, including Kenya’s and Zambia’s presidents, expressed sympathy for the family and Tanzania.
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A hurricane warning has been issued for western Hawaii’s Kauai County as Hurricane Lowell, a Category 3 storm with winds of 115 mph, moves toward the area. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds, possible tornadoes, and dangerous surf conditions to several Hawaiian islands.
Key Facts
Hurricane Lowell is a major Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph sustained winds.
The hurricane warning covers Kauai County, including Kauai and Niihau islands.
Lowell is forecasted to pass just west of the main Hawaiian Islands Monday night and slow down by Wednesday.
Rainfall of 6 to 10 inches is expected on Kauai, with up to 14 inches possible in some places.
The Big Island may get 4 to 8 inches of rain, and Oahu 4 to 6 inches, increasing risk of flash floods and mudslides.
A storm surge up to 3 feet and life-threatening surf and rip currents are expected.
Several tornadoes could form near Kauai and Niihau Monday afternoon through night.
Hurricane-force winds extend up to 60 miles from the storm’s center.
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The animated show South Park won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program at the 78th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. The show, known for its satire, used its official account to joke about President Donald Trump while celebrating the win, continuing a theme from its 27th season that featured multiple jokes about the president.
Key Facts
South Park won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in its 27th season.
The official South Park account posted a cartoon of Trump holding an Emmy with his pants down.
The 27th season aired from July to September and heavily satirized President Donald Trump.
One Emmy-winning episode showed Trump naked in bed with the character Satan.
The White House criticized the show, calling it irrelevant and desperate for attention.
Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone signed a $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount.
President Trump has previously criticized the Emmys, claiming they are rigged and unfair to his reality show, The Apprentice.
South Park’s satire has targeted other presidents and public figures in the past, including Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Elon Musk.
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President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin to discuss peace efforts in the Ukraine-Russia war. The talks led to a temporary pause in attacks around Kyiv but did not produce a broader peace deal.
Key Facts
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spent three hours in talks with Putin at the Kremlin.
Putin ordered Russian forces to stop attacks near Kyiv for three days during the envoys’ visit; Ukraine agreed not to strike Moscow.
This temporary pause helped civilians in Kyiv by reducing missile and drone attacks, although fighting continued elsewhere.
Ukraine faces increasing attacks from Russia using faster, jet-powered drones, which are harder to stop.
Ukraine is working on new air defense systems with 67 companies involved but hopes that diplomacy will reduce the fighting.
Russian officials said the talks were "frank" but Putin insisted on conditions including Ukraine withdrawing from several regions, neutrality, and demilitarization.
No new peace agreement was reached in this meeting; Russia continues to push for its demands.
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A five-story building used as a boys' hostel collapsed in New Delhi, killing seven people and injuring six others. Rescue teams worked through the debris to find survivors, and authorities arrested the building owner and suspended municipal employees responsible for safety oversight.
Key Facts
The building collapsed on Sunday in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University.
The building was at least 55 years old and was under renovation before reopening in August.
Rescue workers pulled 12 people from the rubble.
Officials said water buildup in the basement and ongoing repairs may have caused the collapse.
Authorities plan to require regular safety checks and certificates for public buildings.
Police arrested the building owner and filed a case against him.
Five municipal employees in charge of building safety were suspended.
Building collapses often happen in India during the rainy monsoon season, which can weaken old structures.
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Indonesia has closed several airports and moved schools to online learning due to the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano. Although the big eruption stopped after about 25 hours, smaller eruptions with ash and small earthquakes continue, affecting air travel and public health.
Key Facts
Anak Krakatau volcano erupted for about 25 hours, stopped Sunday, but still shows smaller eruptions and ash emissions.
Seven airports near Jakarta and other cities were closed until 6 p.m. Monday due to volcanic ash in the air.
This airport closure affected around 2,300 flights and more than 270,000 passengers.
One airport in South Sumatra resumed normal operations on Monday morning.
Schools in areas with volcanic ash, including Jakarta and nearby provinces, shifted to remote learning to protect students from ash exposure.
The Geological Agency warned that more eruptions could happen, with risks from volcanic bombs (large rocks), heavy ash, and lava flows.
Anak Krakatau is a volcanic island located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands in Indonesia.
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Two former Iranian women’s soccer players who sought asylum in Australia said their refusal to sing Iran’s national anthem at a tournament was a protest against the government’s harsh crackdown on protests in Iran. They have now stayed in Australia, received citizenship, and continue playing soccer there.
Key Facts
Atefeh Ramezanisadeh and Fatemeh Pasandideh refused to sing Iran’s national anthem at the Women’s Asian Cup in March 2026.
Their silence was a protest against Tehran’s violent response to nationwide demonstrations in Iran.
The Iranian media called the team traitors after the anthem silence.
They fled Iran after the tournament and applied for asylum in Australia.
Australian officials initially did not offer them asylum but later allowed seven team members to stay; only Ramezanisadeh and Pasandideh remain in Australia.
Both players now play for a semi-professional soccer team in Brisbane.
They received Australian citizenship in August 2026.
President Donald Trump supported their asylum request and discussed it with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
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A Philippine lawmaker and former House speaker, Martin Romualdez, was charged with corruption for allegedly taking $118 million in illegal payments from flood control projects. These projects, meant to protect communities from typhoons, are under investigation due to poor quality, high costs, and some not being built at all.
Key Facts
Martin Romualdez, a cousin and former ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., faces plunder charges in the anti-corruption court.
The stolen amount is estimated at 7.4 billion pesos (about $118 million).
Nearly 10,000 flood control projects worth over 545 billion pesos ($9 billion) are being checked for fraud or bad work.
Some projects were overpriced, poorly made, or not built.
Other officials, including a former House appropriations chair who fled to Europe, senators, engineers, and construction bosses, have been charged or detained.
Money stolen was allegedly hidden by buying houses and donating $1 million to Harvard University.
President Marcos called the corruption “horrible” and set up an independent commission to investigate, promising no one will be spared, including relatives.
More cases and charges like money laundering are expected to be filed soon.
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The body of Ratko Mladic, a Bosnian Serb military commander convicted of war crimes and genocide, was placed in a Serbian Orthodox church in Belgrade for public viewing before his funeral. Serbia allowed official honors for Mladic despite warnings from the European Union against celebrating him, as thousands of people came to pay respects.
Key Facts
Ratko Mladic died on August 27, 2026, while serving a life sentence in The Hague, Netherlands.
He was convicted in 2017 for genocide and war crimes during the 1990s Bosnian war, including the killing of over 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica.
Mladic’s body was lying in state at St. Luke Church in Belgrade on September 7, 2026.
Thousands of mourners, including Serbian war veterans, came to pay their respects.
The Serbian Orthodox Church leader, Patriarch Porfirije, conducted the funeral service.
Mladic was given full military honors at his burial site.
High-profile figures like Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik and the Russian ambassador attended the funeral.
Serbia’s decision to honor Mladic went against European Union warnings not to publicly support someone found guilty of genocide.
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Israeli airstrikes on the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Rumman killed at least nine people and injured others, including women and children, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. These attacks happened during renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, despite a truce reached over two months ago.
Key Facts
Israel’s air force carried out two airstrikes early Monday in Kfar Rumman, southern Lebanon.
The strikes killed at least nine people, including a child and women, and injured 13 others.
One strike hit a building housing families; another strike hit a car, killing a paramedic.
Israeli military said the attack was retaliation for a drone attack by Hezbollah militants.
The clashes mark a new escalation despite a U.S.-brokered truce signed more than two months ago.
Israel says it controls a strategic hill overlooking nearby villages and roads to the city of Nabatiyeh.
Hezbollah and Israel have been violating the truce with ongoing airstrikes and drone attacks.
Lebanon and Israel had agreed on a framework deal involving Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament, but progress has stalled.
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Jamaica is officially asking King Charles III to send its request for reparations related to the trans-Atlantic slave trade to the highest court that handles cases for former British colonies. This petition is part of Jamaica’s efforts to seek answers and potential compensation from Britain for its role in slavery.
Key Facts
Jamaica filed a petition to King Charles III on September 6, 2026, asking for reparations over Britain’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
The petition requests that the king refer specific questions about slavery and reparations to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
The Privy Council is the highest court for some former British colonies with ongoing legal ties to Britain.
King Charles III will act on government advice regarding whether the petition is referred to the court.
The petition date coincides with the anniversary of the 1781 Zong massacre where 132 enslaved Africans were thrown overboard for insurance reasons.
The Zong incident helped push Britain to end the slave trade, which formally ended in 1807, and to abolish slavery in 1834.
Jamaica’s Culture Minister Olivia Grange said the country seeks answers about past wrongs before deciding on further legal steps.
Jamaica is leading efforts to seek reparations from Britain and other former colonial powers.
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A Belgian-Chinese man was arrested in Brussels, accused of stealing semiconductor secrets and sending them to China. He worked at BelGaN, a company that made special semiconductors used in electric vehicles and military technology, which went bankrupt in 2024.
Key Facts
The man is 52 years old, born in Beijing, and lived in Belgium.
He was detained on May 10 while trying to fly to Beijing.
He held a senior research job at BelGaN, a company making gallium nitride semiconductors.
BelGaN went bankrupt in July 2024 and had about 400 employees.
Prosecutors suspect he shared secrets with a Chinese company that started soon after he joined BelGaN.
Charges include industrial espionage, criminal organization membership, misuse of assets, and illegal sharing of business secrets.
Investigators seized electronic devices and communications for evidence.
Authorities are also looking for a second suspect but gave no details.
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Kenya's trade ministry has warned foreigners that entering the country without a visa does not allow them to work or run businesses. President William Ruto set a deadline for foreign small business operators to stop working, aiming to control unlicensed businesses run by foreigners.
Key Facts
Foreigners using visa-free entry in Kenya cannot work or operate businesses legally.
President William Ruto ordered foreigners running small-scale businesses to stop by a set deadline.
The Kenyan government plans to shut down unlicensed small businesses owned by foreigners.
Some foreigners enter Kenya as tourists or investors but then engage in business against visa rules.
Burundi’s embassy in Kenya offered free travel documents to citizens wanting to return home amid concerns of mistreatment.
Burundi’s Foreign Affairs Minister warned that continuing hate speech against Burundians in Kenya could worsen relations.
Kenya, Burundi, and other countries are part of the East African Community, which promotes regional cooperation.
Kenya’s government said foreigners with proper work permits and licenses can continue their activities legally.
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BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri revealed she has polycythaemia vera (PV), a rare and incurable blood cancer diagnosed last November. She receives treatment to manage symptoms like fatigue and to reduce risks such as blood clots, but she must live with the ongoing effects of the disease.
Key Facts
Maryam Moshiri was diagnosed with polycythaemia vera (PV), a rare blood cancer, in November.
PV cannot be cured but can be treated to control symptoms and risks.
The disease affects about 8,000 people in the UK.
PV increases the chance of dangerous blood clots that may cause stroke or heart attack.
Symptoms include headaches, blurred vision, tiredness, night sweats, and burning pain in hands and feet.
Treatment involves daily aspirin, regular blood removal (venesections), and a weekly injection called Pegasys.
The treatments help but cause fatigue that impacts daily life and work.
Moshiri shared her story to raise awareness for the charity Blood Cancer UK.
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Germany's far-right party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), nearly won a majority in the state election of Saxony-Anhalt with about 43.8% of the vote. The AfD is now trying to work with other parties or members to form a government, but most parties refuse to cooperate with them.
Key Facts
The AfD won 39 seats in the 83-seat Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, just three seats short of a majority.
Saxony-Anhalt has about 2.1 million people and controls local policing and education.
The AfD is labeled "right-wing extremist" by German domestic intelligence, a label the party rejects.
AfD leaders say they have a clear mandate to govern and are seeking talks with other parties or individual lawmakers.
Most German parties refuse to work with the AfD except the small BSW party, which may support an AfD minority government.
The CDU party, with 17.2% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, has some unhappy members considering talks with the AfD.
AfD is popular in eastern Germany and leads national opinion polls ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives and the Social Democrats.
The AfD’s policies include a controversial plan called “remigration,” involving deporting criminals and people in Germany illegally.
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Meteorologists warn that a “supersized” El Niño is expected to bring heavy rain, flooding, and severe weather to parts of the U.S. this fall and winter. This El Niño is fueled by very warm Pacific Ocean temperatures and could be the strongest in at least 1,000 years, affecting coastal areas and causing damage.
Key Facts
El Niño is a climate pattern caused by changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures near the equator.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says this El Niño will be very strong this fall and winter.
This event could lead to heavy rain and flooding, especially on the U.S. West Coast and Southeast.
Previous strong El Niños caused record rainfall in California cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
The Northern U.S. may see warmer temperatures, while some mountain areas could have less snow.
Homeowners face risks such as mudslides, wind damage, roof damage, and burst pipes.
Flood damage is a major concern, but only about 4% of U.S. homeowners currently have flood insurance.
Experts recommend that homeowners prepare for severe weather and consider getting flood insurance.
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Russia and North Korea have opened their first road bridge connecting the two countries across the Tumen River. The bridge aims to boost trade, tourism, and job growth, reflecting deeper ties between the nations since Russia’s war in Ukraine began.
Key Facts
The new bridge is about one kilometer long and links Khasan in Russia with Tumangang in North Korea.
Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said the bridge would help trade, science, technology, and cultural cooperation.
The bridge is named after Yakov Novichenko, a Soviet officer who saved North Korea’s founding leader.
Vehicles from both countries crossed the bridge during the opening ceremony.
Russia and North Korea are already connected by a railway bridge and regular flights.
Ukrainian groups suspect the bridge could be used to move troops and military supplies quietly between the countries.
Since 2022, North Korea has sent troops and arms to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Russia has provided North Korea with military equipment like missiles, drones, and spy technology.
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