UKRAINE: The German government said on Sunday that it will not object if Poland decides to send Leopard II battle tanks to Ukraine.

German Green Party Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters that Poland has not formally asked for Berlin’s approval to share some of its German-made Leopards, but said: “If we were asked, we would not stand in the way.”

But sources suggest that the remarks from Ms Baerbock could be wrapped up in a dispute between the Social Democratic and Green Party coalition partners with Chancellor Olaf Scholz allegedly less keen on the move.

BURKINA FASO: The military government of Burkina Faso said on Sunday that it intends to strengthen relations with Russia.

This comes after the government announced on Saturday that troops from former colonial ruler France must leave within a month.

BATON ROUGE: A dozen people were injured in a Baton Rouge nightclub shooting, authorities in Louisiana said on Sunday.

No arrests have yet been made, but Baton Rouge police chief Murphy Paul said: “We believe that this was a targeted event, where someone was specifically targeted and others were injured in that process.”

BELGIUM: Protesters took to the streets of the Belgian capital Brussels on Sunday to demand the release of Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele by Iran.

Mr Vandecasteele has been sentenced to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes by Tehran on charges including spying.

Olivier Van Steirtegem, a spokesman for the family, said: “Every minute, every second counts” and that it hoped growing public pressure for his release would push the Belgian authorities to find a solution faster.