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Two presidential candidates registered their bids for Indonesia’s elections in four months, officially kicking off the race for

Egypt has agreed to allow aid trucks into Gaza as anger rises globally over Israel's siege of the isolated enclave in response to the brutal, coordinated Hamas attacks nearly two weeks ago.

The rollback of American sanctions on Venezuelan oil could rob Chinese buyers of one of their cheapest sources

At least 10 civilians in Ukraine were killed on Wednesday in Russian attacks as Ukrainian military officials confirmed battlefield gains in counteroffensive operations in the south of the warzone. The death toll rose to five from four after a missile struck a residential building in southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, president Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video address. A 31-year-old woman was killed in a separate attack in central Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk. Officials said she was a resident of the Obukhivka village. Another Russian attack claimed the lives of a man and woman in Kherson, officials said. Two bodies were pulled out from under the rubble of a food shop hit by a Russian missile near the southern city of Mykolaiv on Wednesday evening, the Ukrainian interior ministry said. Russian forces also tried to target “an infrastructure site” which was hit in a drone attack in Sumy region, which has seen intense shelling since the start of war, local officials said but shared no further details. Mr Zelensky said: “The evil state continues to use terror and wage war on civilians. Russian terror must be defeated”. Russia has repeatedly claimed that it only targets military sites and infrastructures, not civilians, but dozens of indiscriminate missile and drone strikes into Ukraine have claimed more than 26,000 civilian lives since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion last year. This comes as the Ukrainian general Oleksandr Tarnavskyi in the southern region has said his troops were proceeding with their planned advance towards the Sea of Azov. Troops from the Tavria, or southern group of forces, "are continuing their offensive. They have had partial success to the south of Robotyne," General Tarnavskyi wrote on Telegram. Robotyne is one of a group of villages in the south that Ukraine wants to secure as part of the advance – aimed at severing a land bridge linking Russian positions in the south and east. Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for southern troops, also reported progress near Robotyne. He said shelling had eased around the town of Avdiivka, the focus of fierce Russian attacks in the past week west of the Russian-held town of Donetsk. But troops in the sector were preparing for a variety of scenarios. Ukrainian troops are also trying to recapture land in eastern regions. The troops have repelled Russian attacks in several areas of the 1000 km (620-mile) frontline, the General Staff of the Ukraine’s Armed Forces said. It added that 15 attacks were repelled around the long-contested town of Maryinka in Donetsk region and 10 further north near another heavily besieged town Kupiansk. Russia’s account of the fighting said a depot of Ukrainian aviation equipment had been destroyed in the central Dnipropetrovsk region. Read More Ukraine-Russia war - live: Kremlin warns of ‘grave mistake’ as Kyiv fires American-supplied ATACMS missiles Russian minister Lavrov thanks Kim Jong-un for supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine Ukraine: Rescuers search for survivors after deadly strike in Zaporizhzhia Russian President Putin and Chinese leader Xi meet in Beijing and call for close policy coordination Russian President Putin insists Ukraine's new US-supplied weapon won't change the war's outcome

I’m standing outside my local cafe in west London, looking bedraggled as I’ve been up since 6.45am making the dreaded school packed lunch. It’s nothing exotic – margherita pizza for Lola, who is a fussy eater, and plain pasta with cheddar cheese and corn on the cob for Liberty. There were all the snacks to pack, too – sadly, no chunks of carrot, just Pom-Bears and breadsticks. I am buying a croissant to add to one of the lunch boxes when I bump into the mum of one of my daughter’s friends. “Oh darling,” she tells me, “it’s all ‘white food’. Not good.” I shrug my shoulders knowingly, then stupidly ask her what’s in her kids’ packed lunches. “Sushi bento box,” comes her instant reply. “Crudites and organic hummus. Japanese panda crackers. Seaweed crackers. Dim sum. Oh, and sandwiches cut into little shapes – I do hearts and stars.” Right. That’s a good start to my morning; I now feel totally inadequate. When it comes to my children, I am a slave to the packed lunch. But gone are the days of stuffing a hard-boiled egg, a jam sandwich or processed cheese triangles into a box – as was the case when I was a child. Even apples have been voted a prehistoric lunchbox item by 17 per cent of parents. Instead, packed lunches are now a status symbol. The actor Hilary Duff, for instance, gives her son caviar for a snack – and it’s not that unusual. One in 10 parents (9 per cent) choose sushi and, according to a recent survey by Amazon Fresh, 26 per cent of parents take a photo of their children’s packed lunch for Instagram. A third (33 per cent) have also admitted they’ve taken a sneak peek inside another child’s lunchbox – and believe me, it’s often to silently snack-shame another parent. I can’t help but wonder if food and snacks are a kind of modern litmus test of parenting. But does it really make you a better parent if you give your child home-cooked wild keta salmon and wholemeal rice in a thermal container for lunch? The playground politics of packed lunches are complex. Parents are constantly criticised for sending inappropriate lunches to school. The TV chef Jamie Oliver once said unhealthy packed lunches are tantamount to child abuse. At the other extreme, parents are finding the time to stamp cucumbers with flowers and dice dried herbs into them for their kid’s bento boxes – then post them online. There seems to be no middle ground. Christina (not her real name) is a 40-year-old PA and tablescaping specialist whose child attends a prep school in west London’s Notting Hill. She makes all of her daughter’s packed lunches from scratch, and it’s always organic produce. “I always wanted to go that extra mile,” she tells me. “My motivation to do this was never to be ‘Queen Bee mum’ – it was to make my daughter happy and proud of me.” The “presentation” and “the taste” of the packed lunches, she says, is “super important” – to such an extent that it needs to be “Instagram-worthy” and “fun” in order to encourage her daughter to eat healthily. One of her lunch box specialities, she adds, is mini American hot dogs “decorated with a little flag and a drizzle of ketchup”. “I know it is always going to be flagged by other mothers because the school is very competitive,” she continues. “This dish goes around the mums like wildfire because mums always want to outdo other mums.” If I put out a post saying how much fibre children should be having, I get people replying saying that ‘it’s unrealistic’ and ‘we can’t do that as well as everything else’ when it comes to kids’ foods. It ends up with parents pitting themselves off against one another with food Charlotte Stirling-Reed, child and baby nutrionist While school playground rivalry among parents used to be about pigtails and bows in your children’s hair, Christina says, now it’s about lunch and snacks. “Kids have a much more sophisticated palate,” she explains. “They’re exposed to a lot more than a ham and cheese sandwich. The playing field has widened, and the bar has been set higher due to social media, and Deliveroo and Uber Eats – everything has become more instantaneous.” For other parents, it’s about making a packed lunch as wholesome as possible – something my children would scoff at. Ella Mills, the founder of the plant-based food brand Deliciously Ella, tells me she has found “batch cooking” easiest for her daughter’s packed lunches at nursery. “It’s a real rush getting everyone dressed, ready and out of the door each morning,” she says. “Plus, thinking of something to cook at 7am that’s got no nuts, no sesame in it [due to possible nut allergies], that I’ll know they’ll eat, and that doesn’t take a little while to make. So I make huge batches of veggie bolognese, bean chilli or sweet potato and chickpea stews plus big batches of grains, then simply heat a portion up and pop it in a thermos. Something that’s pre-made makes a world of difference.” Other parents call in the professionals. Chef Meryem Korkut Avci of Mary’s Mobile Chef Services does “meal preps” for elite customers in west and north London. She sends over an ingredients list and will then come to your home once a week and cook for the whole family – a two-hour session is £120 for six dishes (on the seventh day, her clients usually get a takeaway). For packed lunches, she says gluten-free muffins are popular. “Also egg or chicken fried rice, chilli con carne with tortilla, little mini puff pastry rolls with cheese – or sausage rolls.” She’ll even wash up – and says clients use her because “they don’t have time” or are “bored of their own food”. Dr Megan Rossi, a gut health scientist, bestselling author and founder of the website The Gut Health Doctor and The Gut Health Clinic in London, says an ideal packed lunch would contain something from each of the super-six plant groups: “Legumes (such as chickpeas), vegetables, whole grains (such as oats and barley), fruit, nuts and seeds and herbs and spices. Hitting all these is a tricky one but for optimal health, the goal is for them to have at least one from each of these most days. It’s a great target to have in mind!” She advises “hiding legumes and whole grains in sweet treats like black bean brownies with porridge oats,” and says that “while not a long-term strategy to keep plants a secret, it can help build some confidence and comfort with those plants (as well as training childrens’ taste buds) for you to reveal when the time is right.” For chocolate lovers – like my daughter, Lola – Dr Rossi also suggests “making your own chocolate bars with dried fruits, popcorn, seeds and nuts included for extra dietary fibres and a more satiating treat”. I personally can’t see how I would fit that into my schedule. But for many parents healthy eating is a full-time job. Children may need to be offered a specific food “around 10 times” before they accept it, according to research, while Dr Rossi adds that it means nothing to a child if you merely tell them food is healthy or unhealthy. “Try explaining to them from a young age about the importance of their gut microbes,” she says. “Tell them they need to feed the little pet bugs in their tummy with broccoli, for instance, to help keep them strong.” I often feel ashamed that Lola is a fussy eater – though I find solace in the fact that her younger sister isn’t. Dr Rossi claims that what mums-to-be eat during pregnancy may also affect the kind of food your child will have a taste for. “That could play a part with fussing eating,” she says, but adds that she’s not keen on “mum guilt”: “Pregnancy is hard enough without the added pressure of nutrition.” Charlotte Sterling-Reed, “The Baby and Child Nutritionist”, runs a fussy eater course, and assures me that “parents are not bad parents if they are struggling with a fussy eater at home”. She says she is currently witnessing a backlash from “defensive parents” who are fed up with being told to live up to the “ideal” of being a perfect parent. “If I put out a post saying how much fibre children should be having, I get people replying saying that ‘it’s unrealistic’ and ‘we can’t do that as well as everything else’ when it comes to kids’ foods,” she says. “It ends up with parents pitting themselves off against one another with food.” An extravagant lunchbox is also not realistic for the majority of parents, she adds, “whether working or not, and nor should it be – there is a way to find a balance”. She says that a middle ground is possible. “As parents, [we can] pick something that is balanced but that also works for the family situation. This constant comparison between two extremes on social media makes us feel like we are failing in multiple aspects of parenting.” I don’t think I’m ever going to be posting my kids packed lunches on Instagram. I also know that sliced pepper fingers won’t get eaten even if I arrange them in the shape of a smiley face. More than anything though, I won’t feel guilty about my kids’ food habits any more, or the lengths I sometimes go to to get them to eat healthy – I once told my daughters that if they didn’t drink their freshly squeezed orange juice, their legs would fall off. And, you know what, it worked! Read More Keir Starmer is keeping his children out of the public eye – but that won’t stop them being privileged I’m a jellyfish parent – my run-in with a tiger mum was terrifying Kate Moss credits her stress-free life to ‘moonbathing’ – can eccentric wellness regimes help me too? Vasectomy and British men in their twenties: ‘Young, none and done’ Why taking a mental health day could be bad… for your mental health What the world’s happiest children tell us about where Britain is going wrong

Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's ongoing trip to Pyongyang may pave the way for a visit by Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian defence forces made first use of a US supplied long-range weapon by striking two Russian military airfields, successfully destroying nine helicopters and an ammunition base. Russia’s ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, described Washington’s decision to supply the ATACMS as “reckless” and “a grave mistake” that will not alter the war’s outcome. The Russian parliament has fulfilled the wish of President Putin by completing a bill that shifts Moscow’s legal stance on nuclear testing, to “mirror” the position of the US. The Kremlin said the move was “the exclusive fault” of the US, while Putin’s entourage were pictured carrying his nuclear briefcase during a visit to Beijing. This comes as Russian attacks overnight and on Wednesday killed at least five civilians in Ukraine and damaged the power grid in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, Ukrainian officials have said. Two civilians were killed in a morning missile strike on a residential building in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, and a 31-year-old woman was killed in an attack on the village of Obukhivka in the central region of Dnipropetrovsk, they said. Russia’s ambassador to the US warned on Wednesday that the Kremlin would issue a “serious” response to the provision of ATACMS to Kyiv. Read More Russian, North Korean foreign ministers meet amid Western suspicions about weapons transfers Two civilians killed after missiles pound buildings in Zaporizhzhia as Russia denies blame Experts reveal what the winter will bring for the Ukraine war – and why Putin will be banking on Trump The US quietly delivered new long-range missiles to Ukraine. Why the sudden secrecy over aid?

President Joe Biden plans to make a direct appeal to the American people to continue funding Ukraine and Israel amid their war efforts in an Oval Office address Thursday, according to two administration officials.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov thanked North Korea for aiding Moscow’s war efforts in Ukraine as he landed in Pyongyang for a two-day visit on Wednesday. Mr Lavrov is in North Korea for meetings viewed as preparatory efforts ahead of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit as Moscow and Pyongyang slide closer in diplomatic cooperation against Ukraine and the West. Moscow “deeply” valued Pyongyang’s “unwavering and principled support” for Russia in the war, Mr Lavrov said, speaking at a reception hosted by North Korean officials on Wednesday. Mr Lavrov’s visit to Pyongyang happened in the backdrop of Russia’s threat to the US for its decision to send long-range missiles to Ukraine for the first time. Russia claimed the move increased the risks of a direct conflict between Nato and Moscow. Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Tuesday that the Ukrainian military used the US-supplied ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) for the first time this week and struck two Russian military airfields. Amid the growing friendship between North Korea and Russia, there was tangible activity of likely military support being sent to Moscow as a US think-tank on Tuesday shared satellite images showing continued activity around a North Korean port near Russia. It captured at least six trips by sea between North Korea’s port of Rajin and Russia’s Dunai port since late August. These shipments were possibly related to the transfer of North Korean munitions to Russia, the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said. “Likewise, the Russian Federation extends its complete support and solidarity with the aspirations of the DPRK,” Mr Lavrov said, referring to North Korea by its official name Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. North Korea, he said, has remained unfazed by any pressure of the US and the West”. This week’s visit will offer a "valuable opportunity" to review and outline practical steps for the implementation of the agreements reached between the two leaders, Mr Lavrov said. North Korea’s foreign minister Choe Son Hui said the bilateral ties between North Korea and Russia are now developing into an “unbreakable comradely relationship” under the leadership of Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un. North Korean state media said that the Russian foreign minister’s visit comes at a time when the ties between the two nations have reached a strategic high and will mark a “significant occasion” in further consolidating relations between the countries.” Photos of Mr Lavrov’s visit shared by North Korea showed he was welcomed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s foreign minister as people holding flowers and flags of both nations dotted the way. Mr Lavrov started his visit a month after Russia hosted the North Korean leader Mr Kim in a grand ceremony to mark his rare visit after the pandemic. During the six-day visit, the North Korean leader extended an invitation to Mr Putin to Pyongyang as the two discussed military cooperation in the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine and tensions in the Korean peninsula. The Russian foreign minister may also brief North Koreans on the results on Mr Putin’s anticipated visit to China, Russia’s TASS news agency reported. In a separate incident, a North Korean cargo-passenger ferry that had carried foreign tourists from Japan or South Korea was seen at a drydock at the same port. This could be most likely for maintenance, the CSIS said. It is not immediately clear if the vessel was used to supplement trade activity between Russia and North Korea. However, North Korea has recently shared a shipment of weapons with Russia last week, the White House said last week, terming it a troubling development. The allegations were refused by the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Read More Russia's foreign minister will visit North Korea amid claims of weapons supplied to Moscow US says North Korea delivered 1,000 containers of equipment and munitions to Russia for Ukraine war North Korea releases letters from Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin vowing to take ties to ‘new heights’ North Korea vows strong response to Pentagon report that calls it a 'persistent' threat Satellite images show spike in border activity as North Korea ‘supplies weapons to Russia’ for Ukraine war

Ibrahim Wadi, 62, and his son Ahmad, 24, were on their way to a funeral for four Palestinians shot dead by Israeli settlers in their occupied West Bank community, when their car came under attack.

Yunchan Lim, once called "classical music’s answer to K-pop", signs to the UK's Decca Records.

Options traders are preparing for turbulent yen trading. Fluctuations are likely to increase amid growing concerns the Japanese