Tanker attacks resume in Hormuz as Iran holds the strait shut and the US adds forces Russia strikes Kyiv bridge during Merz visit and vows to step up attacks Bolsonaro edges Lula in Brazil's first round, runoff set Yemen's government announces offensive as Houthis encircle Taiz Ethiopian forces take Mekelle as four neighbours close ranks in Egypt Israeli agencies trade blame after flydubai co-pilot's attack US Treasury selloff pushes yields above 5% and unsettles stocks French foreign minister visits Ituri as Congo's Ebola outbreak is called its deadliest US pulls all bombers from RAF Fairford over fears of Iran-linked plot G7 releases fuel reserves as OPEC+ holds output steady WFP halves Gaza food aid as Israeli strikes continue France to close up to 500 schools as student protests continue Mass protests in India demand election chief's resignation Japan protests after US Marine arrested over killing of woman in Okinawa Imran Khan supporters launch long march towards Islamabad after talks fail Dodik declares victory for his party in Bosnia elections Trump names intelligence chief Clayton to lead new AI coordination force US troops complete withdrawal from Iraq's Erbil Air strike in Sudan kills WFP aid truck driver OpenAI safety leader quits, calling company culture broken Schneider Electric to buy US software group PTC in all-cash deal Latvia's pro-Ukraine governing party wins parliamentary election Malaysia repatriates nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals despite UN warnings Taiwan Strait tensions: US spy case, stalled arms sale, PLA anti-drone drills Kremlin warns it will use full arsenal if Kaliningrad is blockaded North Korea says Kim oversaw hypersonic missile drill DeepSeek and Huawei challenge Nvidia as US AI lead narrows Britain set to follow EU with tariffs on Chinese electric cars Quebec votes with sovereigntist Parti Québécois favoured Philippines accuses Chinese coast guard of blocking mission near Thitu Tanker attacks resume in Hormuz as Iran holds the strait shut and the US adds forces Russia strikes Kyiv bridge during Merz visit and vows to step up attacks Bolsonaro edges Lula in Brazil's first round, runoff set Yemen's government announces offensive as Houthis encircle Taiz Ethiopian forces take Mekelle as four neighbours close ranks in Egypt Israeli agencies trade blame after flydubai co-pilot's attack US Treasury selloff pushes yields above 5% and unsettles stocks French foreign minister visits Ituri as Congo's Ebola outbreak is called its deadliest US pulls all bombers from RAF Fairford over fears of Iran-linked plot G7 releases fuel reserves as OPEC+ holds output steady WFP halves Gaza food aid as Israeli strikes continue France to close up to 500 schools as student protests continue Mass protests in India demand election chief's resignation Japan protests after US Marine arrested over killing of woman in Okinawa Imran Khan supporters launch long march towards Islamabad after talks fail Dodik declares victory for his party in Bosnia elections Trump names intelligence chief Clayton to lead new AI coordination force US troops complete withdrawal from Iraq's Erbil Air strike in Sudan kills WFP aid truck driver OpenAI safety leader quits, calling company culture broken Schneider Electric to buy US software group PTC in all-cash deal Latvia's pro-Ukraine governing party wins parliamentary election Malaysia repatriates nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals despite UN warnings Taiwan Strait tensions: US spy case, stalled arms sale, PLA anti-drone drills Kremlin warns it will use full arsenal if Kaliningrad is blockaded North Korea says Kim oversaw hypersonic missile drill DeepSeek and Huawei challenge Nvidia as US AI lead narrows Britain set to follow EU with tariffs on Chinese electric cars Quebec votes with sovereigntist Parti Québécois favoured Philippines accuses Chinese coast guard of blocking mission near Thitu

Symbolic image: Russia strikes Kyiv bridge during Merz visit and vows to step up attacks

Symbolic image

Russia strikes Kyiv bridge during Merz visit and vows to step up attacks

17 sources

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made a surprise trip to Kyiv on Sunday and announced new aid. A Russian drone hit the Nordbrücke over the Dnipro during his stay.

Merz arrived by special train on Sunday, 4 October, on his second Kyiv visit as chancellor, with Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and ten defence and energy executives. Standing before the ruined Academy of Sciences, hit a week earlier, he told Putin: "Stop this senseless war." Berlin is ready for talks, he said, but only once the weapons fall silent.

Aid and interceptor drones

According to Handelsblatt, Germany releases €1bn from already approved budget funds for long-range weapons and interceptor drones, plus €350m to repair power plants. Delegation sources told FAZ that 20,000 interceptors against jet-powered drones are to be produced, and the package also covers combat drones and satellite technology. The German delegation says 14 company agreements worth €6.6bn were signed, mainly for arms.

Russian escalation

A drone hit the Nordbrücke over the Dnipro and injured at least two people, officials said; Merz was about five kilometres away at the German embassy. Hours before his arrival, Russia's foreign ministry had warned foreigners and diplomats to leave Kyiv. Russia's defence ministry announced harsher strikes on Kyiv and other regions, saying it was answering Zelensky's threats to hit more military sites and arms plants in Russia. FAZ notes Ukraine now downs only about 60 percent of drones.