Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is on a mission to secure more military aid, recently meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Italy, following talks in Germany where the US pledged $250 million in new support, all amid increasing Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile in Mexico, authorities have re-arrested Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, a leader of the Guerreros Unidos cartel linked to the 2014 Ayotzinapa teacher college student disappearances, ahead of demonstrations marking the tragic event's anniversary.

Back in Ukraine, the air defense forces have successfully intercepted 58 out of 67 Russian Shahed drones in a recent overnight assault, with some drone debris landing near the parliament in Kyiv, highlighting the ongoing challenges in defending against these low-flying threats.

Shifting to Sudan, intensified fighting in Khartoum has forced hundreds of families to flee, exacerbating a severe humanitarian crisis, as the conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces continues unabated since April 2023.

On a different note, the Venice Film Festival has found itself at the center of controversy with the screening of "Russians at War," a documentary criticized by Ukrainian officials for allegedly promoting Kremlin propaganda, while the filmmaker, Anastasia Trofimova, defends her work as anti-war.

Lastly, a tragic fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kenya has led to the deaths of 18 boys and sparked urgent safety reviews and investigations by the government, with efforts underway to support the grieving families and identify the victims.