Archive September 2, 2025

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un crossed into China via train, state media say

According to state media, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s train crossed the border into China just before the military parade honoring Japan’s surrender in World War II.

Kim is one of 26 world leaders scheduled to take part in the parade on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Kim, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin will attend the Beijing event for the first time.

According to the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, Kim’s train crossed the border between North Korea and China on Tuesday morning.

Kim Jong Un is traveling to the People’s Republic of China, according to the Rodong Sinmun, who also uses the official name of North Korea. “Key senior officials from the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are accompanying him,” the statement read.

Kim’s visit to China follows the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, which Xi and Putin frequently decried as Western leaders’ presumption of power in Tianjin.

North Korea, one of the most remote states in the world, has long relied on China and Russia for economic and diplomatic support.

In recent years, Pyongyang has partnered with Moscow in particular, sending thousands of troops to support Putin’s conflict in Ukraine.

Kim has met Xi five times since taking office in 2011, most recently in 2019, when the leader of the North Korean nation attended a celebration marking the 70th anniversary of China-North Korea relations.

Belgium to recognise Palestine, impose sanctions on Israel

BREAKING,

Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prevot has announced that Belgium will recognize Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) later this month.

“Belgium will recognize Palestine at the UN session!” And the Israeli government will face severe sanctions, Prevot, who also serves as deputy prime minister, wrote early on Tuesday on the social media platform X.

Prevot outlined Belgium’s intention to impose 12 “firm sanctions” on Israel, including a ban on importing goods from the settlements and a “review of public procurement practices with Israeli companies.”

He continued, “in light of the humanitarian tragedy occurring in Palestine, particularly in Gaza,” that the announcement had been made.

President Emmanuel Macron made the announcement at the end of July that France would recognize Palestine at the UNGA, which will take place in New York from September 9 to September 23.

Numerous other nations have made statements that they will do the same following this, though some have said they will put restrictions on their acceptance.

Some 147 nations, which make up 75% of the UN, had already ratified Palestinian statehood in April of this year.

At least 63, 459 people have been killed and 160, and 256 more have been wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza, according to Belgium’s announcement.

Following allegations that two Israeli soldiers had engaged in atrocities in Gaza, Belgian prosecutors filed a war crimes complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in July.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,286

On Tuesday, September 2, 2018, the situation is as follows:

Fighting

  • A 73-year-old man was killed when Russian forces shelled Bilozerka in the Ukrainian province of Kherson, according to a post on Telegram on Monday.
  • According to Viacheslav Chaus, the governor of the Chernihiv region, a Russian drone attack on the city of Horodnia caused injuries to two people, including a 14-year-old girl.
  • According to Sumy Governor Oleh Hryhorov, Russian forces “intensively attacked” the Sumy region of Ukraine, causing injuries to seven people and property damage.
  • According to the local utility agency, the attacks on Sumy also caused disruption to the region’s water and energy supplies, according to Ukrinform’s online news site.
  • According to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Russia’s occupation of Crimea has resulted in the deaths of 15 children who were “tragically killed,” and dozens more were injured as a result of their parents’ murder and forced disappearance.
  • Around 17, 000 students are enrolled in underground schools in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, a frequent target of Russian attacks, for the new academic year.
  • According to the Russian government’s TASS news agency, 260 Ukrainian drones and three rockets launched by Russia’s forces were shot down in a 24-hour period.
On Monday, a school in Kharkiv that was constructed to shield children from Russian missile attacks opens its doors to students from Ukraine [AFP]

Regional security

    A plane carrying European Commission Chairman Ursula von der Leyen was reportedly hit by GPS jamming as it made its way to Bulgaria, according to a spokesperson for the European Union on Monday.

  • After the incident, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius announced that the EU would set up additional satellites in low Earth orbit to improve its ability to deal with incoming GPS interference.
  • Top military commander of Germany, Carsten Breuer, stated that German and NATO forces will continue to “be on our guard” under the pretext of Moscow’s scheduled two-week military exercises.

diplomacy and politics

  • Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, made the remarks during a speech at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, in which he blamed Western nations for the war that erupted in Ukraine.
  • German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius made a critical observation about the EU’s von der Leyen’s recent comments regarding plans to send European troops to Ukraine, saying, “Those are things you don’t discuss before you sit down at the negotiating table with many parties that have a say in the matter.”
  • In a speech on Monday, European Council President Antonio Costa stated that the EU “opted diplomacy over escalation” in relation to tariffs that were partially imposed by US President Donald Trump due to security concerns.
  • “We certainly don’t celebrate the return of tariffs,” he added. Our Eastern border is in danger, Costa said, so raising tensions with a key ally over tariffs would have been a foolish choice.
  • According to the French presidency, France will host a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing,” a group of nations supporting Ukraine.

Graham Greene dead: Dances with Wolves and The Green Mile actor passes away at 73

Graham Greene had a distinguished Hollywood career that spanned nearly 50 years. In 1990, he received an Oscar nomination for his performance in the Western film Dances with Wolves.

Graham Greene, a veteran film actor, has died aged 73(Image: WireImage)

Oscar-nominated actor Graham Greene – who was in Dances with Wolves and Thunderheart – has died aged 73.

The Hollywood actor had a distinguished career that spanned nearly 50 years, including roles in blockbusters, TV shows, and on stage. He will be most remembered for his nomination for the 1990 Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves.

However, his agent confirmed this morning that he passed away in a hospital in Toronto, Canada, on Sunday afternoon. Although it is believed that Greene had been unwell for some time, his agent did not give a cause of death.

The actor’s acting career began in 1976 with TV work, and he made his big screen debut with the sports drama Running Brave in 1983. This led to the 1985 British historical drama Revolution, which was produced.

However, Greene’s biggest breakthrough was in Costner’s 1990 directoral debut, Dances With Wolves, which was one of the highest-grossing movies ever. The Western won seven Oscars in the same year and received a lot of positive reviews. Joe Pesci won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Goodfellas, but Greene didn’t.

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In 1990, Greene will be remembered for his performance in Dances with Wolves.
In 1990, Greene will be remembered for his performance in Dances with Wolves.

Yet Dances with Wolves was a springboard for Greene, born in Ontario, Canada, and he was in Thunderheart, Die Hard with a Vengeance and The Green Mile among other blockbusters in the 1990s. The actor also appeared in Snow Dogs, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Wind River, Molly’s Game and the TV shows American Gods and Riverdale among many more roles.

His agent praised the versatile actor after Greene’s passing on Sunday. He claimed that Greene, who was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2015, had a strong moral character and would be greatly missed. He leaves behind his 1990 marriage to Hilary Blackmore, their daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene, and their son Tarlo Greene.

Continue reading the article.

Outside of his Oscar nom, Greene won a Grammy in 2000 for best spoken word album for children for his work on “Listen to the Storyteller.” He was also honored with a Gemini Award, Canadian Screen Award and nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. In 2021, he received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

‘The moments I play for’ – Osaka seals biggest win since giving birth

Images courtesy of Getty

US Open 2025

Dates: August 24 through September 7 in Flushing Meadows, New York

Naomi Osaka, a two-time US Open champion, describes defeating Coco Gauff as one of “the moments” she enjoys playing tennis for.

With a 6-3, 6-2 victory over American third seed Gauff, Japan’s Osaka defeated her in the 2023 election.

Gauff, age 21, came home from her Grand Slam with a subdued performance despite being unsure of her game.

Osaka, the former world number one, patiently drew mistakes from her rival, whose forehand was particularly ineffective to deal with scrutiny.

Osaka, who was seeded 23rd, clapped Gauff off the court after he made a quick exit.

For the first time since winning the Australian Open in 2021, Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, made it to the final eight of a major.

It was also her biggest ranking victory in a row since she defeated Ashleigh Barty in the China Open in 2019 to claim her first ranking victory.

“Coco is one of the best players in the world.” When I play against the best players, I have the most fun. It’s always a challenge in my opinion. Osaka continued, “These are the times I play tennis for,” adding that she enjoys challenges.

How Osaka snooped on Gauff’s problems

The first true “popcorn” match of the tournament was when two of the sport’s most well-known stars reunited in New York.

In the end, Osaka, 27, was left with no entertainment as a one-sided victory, which highlighted the progress she has made in recent months.

Her strong baseline game, which had been defeated by 2023 champion Gauff, came to fruition with a more measured approach.

Osaka intelligently interrogated the unmistakable American, whose forehand breaking down during the matches was the deciding factor in a match that lasted barely longer than an hour.

In a bid to stop the flow of double faults, Gauff made a bold move to reshuffle her team days before her grand prix.

Matt Daly, a grip specialist, was joined by Gavin MacMillan, a biomechanics expert who helped Aryna Sabalenka overcame her serving yips.

What is already a high-pressure tournament was subject to more scrutiny as a result of the drastic change, and Gauff was obviously affected by the increased toll.

Coco Gauff covers her face in a 2025 US Open defeatImages courtesy of Getty

While her serve performed well, this was manifested through her forehand, another area where she has struggled to find consistency over the years.

The forehand made eleven forced errors, denying her the first set. In the second set, considering a return from that wing proved crucial.

At 3-2, Osaka had two more break opportunities after the mishit, with Gauff’s more reliable backhand letting her down on the first point indicating how underpowered she was.

A nearly capacity 25, 000 crowd was slightly conflicted about supporting two incredibly well-known players for the majority of the game.

Although Gauff led the home challenge in terms of seeding and superstar status, Osaka, who does not represent Japan, was born in the Queens borough of New York City, where the tournament is held.

Both women have powerfully used their voices to bring attention to social issues, including racism, and have also endeared themselves to fans.

Gauff was overcome by the crowd’s inability to rally her as the younger player waited for her to win, which made her leave the tournament for the second time in a row.

I was serving well but not returning well, which caused me to feel so disoriented on the court. Everyone can agree that’s a strange thought over the past two years, said Gauff.

“I think this tournament has a lot of benefits, and I’m trying to be one of them.”

After passing through Swiatek’s books, practice.

Iga Swiatek, the reigning champion at Wimbledon, defeated Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-1 on Monday, extending her winning streak to 11 matches.

In a one-sided match, the Polish second seed won in just 64 minutes.

Swiatek picked up her phone to text her coach and set up a practice session right away because the victory happened so quickly and effortlessly.

In her on-court interview, she said, “I asked him to book 10 minutes of a practice court if it’s possible.”

Swiatek is now in the final eight or better for all four majors for the first time since winning his second US Open championship and second Grand Slam of the year.

In a repeat of the Wimbledon semifinal in July, where Swiatek defeated the eighth seed 6-0 6-0, Amanda Anisimova will face the six-time major champion.

related subjects

  • Tennis

‘The moments I play tennis for’ – Osaka beats Gauff at US Open

Images courtesy of Getty

US Open 2025

Dates: August 24 through September 7 in Flushing Meadows, New York

Naomi Osaka, a two-time US Open champion, describes defeating Coco Gauff as one of “the moments” she enjoys playing tennis for.

With a 6-3, 6-2 victory over American third seed Gauff, Japan’s Osaka defeated her in the 2023 election.

Gauff, age 21, came home from her Grand Slam with a subdued performance despite being unsure of her game.

Osaka, the former world number one, patiently drew mistakes from her rival, whose forehand was particularly ineffective to deal with scrutiny.

Osaka, who was seeded 23rd, clapped Gauff off the court after he made a quick exit.

For the first time since winning the Australian Open in 2021, Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, made it to the final eight of a major.

It was also her biggest ranking victory in a row since she defeated Ashleigh Barty in the China Open in 2019 to claim her first ranking victory.

“Coco is one of the best players in the world.” When I play against the best players, I have the most fun. It’s always a challenge in my opinion. Osaka continued, “These are the times I play tennis for,” adding that she enjoys challenges.

How Osaka snooped on Gauff’s problems

The first true “popcorn” match of the tournament was when two of the sport’s most well-known stars reunited in New York.

In the end, Osaka, 27, was left with no entertainment as a one-sided victory, which highlighted the progress she has made in recent months.

Her strong baseline game, which had been defeated by 2023 champion Gauff, came to fruition with a more measured approach.

Osaka intelligently interrogated the unmistakable American, whose forehand breaking down during the matches was the deciding factor in a match that lasted barely longer than an hour.

In a bid to stop the flow of double faults, Gauff made a bold move to reshuffle her team days before her grand prix.

Matt Daly, a grip specialist, was joined by Gavin MacMillan, a biomechanics expert who helped Aryna Sabalenka overcame her serving yips.

What is already a high-pressure tournament was subject to more scrutiny as a result of the drastic change, and Gauff was obviously affected by the increased toll.

Coco Gauff covers her face in a 2025 US Open defeatImages courtesy of Getty

While her serve performed well, this was manifested through her forehand, another area where she has struggled to find consistency over the years.

The forehand made eleven forced errors, denying her the first set. In the second set, considering a return from that wing proved crucial.

At 3-2, Osaka had two more break opportunities after the mishit, with Gauff’s more reliable backhand letting her down on the first point indicating how underpowered she was.

A nearly capacity 25, 000 crowd was slightly conflicted about supporting two incredibly well-known players for the majority of the game.

Although Gauff led the home challenge in terms of seeding and superstar status, Osaka, who does not represent Japan, was born in the Queens borough of New York City, where the tournament is held.

Both women have powerfully used their voices to bring attention to social issues, including racism, and have also endeared themselves to fans.

Gauff was overcome by the crowd’s inability to rally her as the younger player waited for her to win, which made her leave the tournament for the second time in a row.

I was serving well but not returning well, which caused me to feel so disoriented on the court. Everyone can agree that’s a strange thought over the past two years, said Gauff.

“I think this tournament has a lot of benefits, and I’m trying to be one of them.”

After passing through Swiatek’s books, practice.

Iga Swiatek, the reigning champion at Wimbledon, defeated Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-1 on Monday, extending her winning streak to 11 matches.

In a one-sided match, the Polish second seed won in just 64 minutes.

Swiatek picked up her phone to text her coach and set up a practice session right away because the victory happened so quickly and effortlessly.

In her on-court interview, she said, “I asked him to book 10 minutes of a practice court if it’s possible.”

Swiatek is now in the final eight or better for all four majors for the first time since winning his second US Open championship and second Grand Slam of the year.

In a matchup that would be a repeat of the Wimbledon semifinal in July, where Swiatek defeated the eighth seed 6-0 6-0.

related subjects

  • Tennis