Voters in eastern Germany are casting ballots in an election that could lead to the country’s first far-right state government since World War II.

German electionSaxony-Anhaltfar right

Voters in Germany’s eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt go to the polls Sunday as the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany seeks to become the first far-right party to govern at state level since World War II. Although it leads comfortably in polling, failing to win an absolute majority could leave the politically isolated party struggling to form a government.

German politicsstate electionAfD

Voters in Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt are electing a new state parliament. Polls have put the far-right AfD well ahead of the governing CDU, raising the prospect that it could become the state’s largest party for the first time. With other major parties rejecting an alliance, the AfD may need an outright majority to govern, making the vote a closely watched test of its wider prospects.

German electionSaxony-AnhaltAfDfar right

Voters in Saxony-Anhalt are set to cast ballots in an election that could make the Alternative for Germany the first far-right party to govern a German state since World War II. Polls put AfD at 40 percent, ahead of the CDU at 23 percent; it could win an outright majority if smaller parties miss the 5 percent threshold.

German electionSaxony-AnhaltAfDfar right

A state parliamentary election in Saxony-Anhalt has become a major test for Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Germany’s governing CDU/CSU-SPD coalition. The right-wing populist, partly right-wing extremist AfD leads the polls, raising the prospect of a political crisis in Berlin and renewed debate over cooperation with the party.

Germany politicsstate electionSaxony-AnhaltAfD

Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany is projected to take power in one of the country’s 16 states for the first time. Victory in Saxony-Anhalt would mark the first far-right takeover of a regional parliament since World War II.

GermanyAfDstate electionfar right

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the US talks with Vladimir Putin as “extremely frank”, saying Washington had offered several ideas on possible routes to a settlement. US peace envoys are set to travel to Kyiv afterward.

United StatesUkrainepeace talks

The White House says Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner discussed “substantive plans” with Vladimir Putin for ending the Ukraine war before heading to Kyiv on Sunday. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov called the three-hour meeting “highly useful,” but offered no sign that it produced a breakthrough.

TrumpUkraine warUS-Russia talksdiplomacy

US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and businessman Jared Kushner landed in Rzeszow, Poland, at 1:31 a.m. local time while traveling from Moscow to Kyiv. They had met Vladimir Putin in Moscow on September 5 for talks lasting 3 hours and 10 minutes, described by a Russian presidential aide as substantive, constructive and extremely frank.

US envoysRussia-Ukraine diplomacyRzeszow

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are due to travel to Kyiv after three hours of closed-door talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow about ending the war in Ukraine. The White House said they discussed substantive plans for next steps, though details remain unclear.

US envoysUkraine talksRussia-Ukraine war

During talks with US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted the success of Russian troops in the special military operation and expressed confidence that its objectives would be achieved. Presidential aide Yury Ushakov said Russia also assessed advances in the combat zone and stressed the need to eliminate the conflict’s root causes.

Russia-Ukraine conflictUS-Russia talksVladimir Putin

Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will continue personal contacts, while the work of US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will also continue. Ushakov described the negotiations as timely and beneficial for both sides.

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An eruption of Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano has prompted a temporary suspension of flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Indonesiavolcanic eruptionflight cancellations

Anak Krakatau erupted early Sunday, sending ash across Jakarta and other areas and disrupting operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The transport ministry said 209 flights, mainly to and from Singapore, affected more than 22,000 passengers. No casualties or evacuation orders were reported.

Anak Krakatauvolcanic ashflight disruptions

Flights at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport near Jakarta were suspended until 1:30pm local time after ash from increased eruptive activity at Mount Anak Krakatau was detected over the capital. Earlier disruptions affected 33 flights. Authorities recorded two new eruptions but said there was no imminent tsunami risk.

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Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang suspends operations after a volcanic eruption disrupts flights. Travellers pass an information board displaying the disruption.

Indonesiavolcanic eruptionflight disruption

Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport suspended flight operations until 9:30 a.m. local time on Sunday because of ash from the ongoing eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, according to a post by Jakarta’s main airport on Instagram.

IndonesiaAnak Krakatauvolcanic ashflight disruption

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has boasted that Israel bombed Qatar and rejected domestic allegations that Qatari funds transferred to Gaza were used for anything beyond aid. He said the money was intended for humanitarian purposes and moved on the recommendation of Mossad and Shin Bet. Qatar denies claims that it funds Hamas.

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Hurricane Lowell is expected to bring life-threatening conditions, even though forecasts indicate it will pass west of Hawaii’s major islands by Monday night.

Hurricane LowellHawaiidangerous surf

Bavaria-based Isar Aerospace launched its Spectrum rocket from Norway’s Andøya spaceport and reached orbit on its second attempt. The privately developed rocket was the first to achieve orbit from continental Europe and carried five small satellites plus an in-flight technology experiment.

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German startup Isar Aerospace launched a space rocket on Saturday from a site in Arctic Norway, moving Europe closer to providing satellite launches from its own territory.

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