EU Extends Sanctions on Russia and Iran for Military Support and Aggression

The European Union has announced that it will extend sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine by six months, keeping them in force until January. Russian airstrikes in the port cities of Odesa and Mykolaiv have resulted in at least three deaths and numerous injuries. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that Russia has not granted access to the rooftops of the reactor buildings at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Ukrainian parents have expressed concern over Russian brainwashing programs targeting children, with one child referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin as "Uncle Vova" and believing him to be the "president of the world." In other news, the EU is planning a €20 billion defense fund to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, and Germany is working to ensure that Ukrainian grain is not left to rot in silos after Russia pulled out of the Black Sea export deal.