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With a lingering handshake and the type of bombastic language you would expect from two men trying to ignore their isolation on the world stage, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un have met for talks to prop up each other’s regimes. The North Korean leader was the most vociferous in his remarks, offering the Russian president his full support for Moscow’s “sacred fight” against “imperialism” – an obvious nod to the West and Mr Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Mr Kim added that North Korea’s relations with Russia were “the first priority”. Mr Putin said in his opening remarks that he was “very glad” to see Mr Kim. Both men need each other. For Mr Putin, the aim will be a deal for weapons and munitions to feed his war machine in Ukraine. With a counteroffensive launched by Kyiv in June, Moscow will have been chewing through artillery shells, missiles and other munitions and domestic production is struggling to keep up as Western sanctions bite. When asked if he and Mr Kim would talk about weapons supplies, Mr Putin replied that the two leaders would discuss “all issues”. For Mr Kim, his nation facing its own sanctions from the UN, there will be a push for food and other aid. The location of the meeting – the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the remote Russian region of Amur – is symbolic, with Pyongyang’s leader also after Russian technology to help its satellite and nuclear programmes. Mr Kim’s country has tried – and failed – twice to launch a military spy satellite. When asked if Russia would help the North build satellites, Mr Putin said: “That’s why we came here. The leader of [North Korea] shows great interest in rocket engineering, they are also trying to develop space.” After their talks Mr Kim was due to travel to Komsomolsk-on-Amur, where he will visit factories where civilian and military equipment is manufactured, Mr Putin told reporters. The visiting North Korean leader will also travel to Vladivostok to see the capabilities of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, he said, adding that he will be received by the Far Eastern Federal University, a facility of the Academy of Sciences of Russia, whose research laboratories are engaged in marine biology. Having travelled to Russia by armoured train, Mr Kim is due to conduct his two-city trip by plane – a departure from the travel habits of his father and predecessor Kim Jong-il, who preferred long train journeys due to his fear of flying. Mr Putin said that he had an “open exchange of opinions with Kim” and there were opportunities for tactical and strategic cooperation. According to Russian state news agency Tass, when asked about longstanding sanctions against North Korea, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “Russia maintains its position at the UN Security Council, but this cannot and will not hinder the further development of Russian-North Korean relations.” He said the talks between the two leaders were “important and substantive” and that Russia sees opportunities to cooperate with North Korea on its space programmes, an area where the country is struggling. Mr Peskov said that Mr Putin did not raise the risk of nuclear war on the Korean peninsula. The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, defended the idea of forging closer ties with Mr Kim in spite of UN sanctions that prohibit North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. “Sanctions against North Korea were adopted in a completely different geopolitical situation when there were problems establishing dialogue (with Pyongyang), when there were quite serious debates in the Security Council,” Mr Lavrov told Russian TV reporter Pavel Zarubin. He blamed the West for breaking pledges of humanitarian support for Pyongyang. “We, the Chinese and the North Koreans were deceived,” Mr Lavrov said. Mr Kim and Mr Putin ended their face-to-face meeting after more than four hours, Russian media reported. An official lunch – comprising of duck salad, crab dumplings, fish soup, sturgeon with mushrooms, and last of all, a berry dessert – followed. During the lunch, Mr Putin raised his glass and said: “A toast to the future strengthening of cooperation and friendship between our countries... For the wellbeing and prosperity of our nations, for the health of the chairman and all of those present.” Mr Kim responded in kind saying: “I propose a toast to Mr Putin’s health.” Mr Putin also praised their countries’ longstanding partnership with a proverb. “In Korea, there is a proverb: good clothes are those that are new, but old friends are best friends. And our people say: an old friend is better than two new ones,” he told Mr Kim. “This folk wisdom is fully applicable to modern relations between our countries.” Before the meeting with the two leaders, both nations fired off drones and missiles. For Russia, it was part of its regular aerial assaults on Ukraine, with Kyiv’s air force saying it intercepted 32 of 44 Shahed-type drones launched over Ukraine overnight, with most aimed at the southern parts of the Odesa district. Pyongyang fired two ballistic missiles 10 minutes apart from the area of its international airport towards the country’s eastern seas, South Korea’s joint chief of staff said. Both missiles fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said. Japan’s Coast Guard said the missiles had already landed but still urged vessels to watch for falling objects. It is not known how the North Korean leader commands and controls his country’s missile and nuclear forces while abroad. However, analysts have said recent drills have revealed a system for overseeing nuclear weapons similar to those used in the United States and Russia. Mr Kim’s delegation is said to include his foreign minister, his top two military officials, and a number of people with connections to the country’s weapons industry, as well as representatives of the country’s space and technology sectors. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin and Kim Jong-un begin weapons talks in Vladivostok North Korea’s Kim Jong-un arrives in Russia ahead of arms deal meeting with Putin Whether Russia or the Soviet Union, a timeline of Moscow’s relations with North Korea The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

By Patrick Wingrove (Reuters) -Moderna on Wednesday said its flu vaccine had generated a stronger immune response against all four

Satellite images of mountain villages reveal large numbers of collapsed buildings following the quake.

Two-thirds of parents whose children have left home would gladly have them back again. A study with 2,000 mums and dads whose children have left said they would like their children to live no further than 14 miles away from them on average. But 90 per cent were keen to support their child’s dream and let them have their own adventure. As a result, 53 per cent travelled with them for their moving-in day, and 15 per cent stayed in a hotel to ensure they were settled. For 14 per cent of those, this stay ended up being as long as a week to ensure their child was okay. The research was commissioned by Premier Inn, which has created a downloadable ‘Empty Resters’ guide in partnership with content creator and parent, Tracey Lea Sayer, aged 51, to help parents through this change. She said: “It can be hard when your kids leave the nest. “Driving them up to university for the first time, for example, is the last big thing parents get to do for them before they become an adult. ”Our tips cover lots of the issues parents will face when helping kids leave the nest. “From packing advice to making sure kids have essential life skills like how to use a washing machine or plan a food shop, it’s all here. “Helping to focus on practical matters can be really beneficial for parents who might feel overwhelmed with emotion – and it can also really help them feel useful to their kids.” The study also revealed 36 per cent proceeded to redecorate their child’s bedroom after they’d shipped out. But 28 per cent of these simply spruced up the room, making it more comfortable, for when they come back for the holidays. It also emerged kids are slightly more likely to move out and stay local than move a good distance away (57 per cent compared to 41 per cent). And 29 per cent of parents find their children come home weekly. Most kids moved away for university (32 per cent), but 29 per cent moved in with a partner and 10 per cent got their own place with friends. But while 65 per cent would be happy to have their kids move back in with them if needed, 45 per cent said their relationship with their child has improved since they left. However, kids shouldn’t expect a free ride – as 55 per cent of the parents polled, via OnePoll, would be expecting some cash in rent every month. And their child moving out has led to 28 per cent travelling more, 26 per cent having more disposable income and 23 per cent eating out more. ‘A new chapter in her life’ Tracey said her eldest daughter Franke left to go to University last year and said one thing that brought them closer was “preparing her for her university life,” which helped them “bond over the little things that signified a new chapter in her life.” Tracey added: “From the obligatory shopping trip for essential bits and bobs, to teaching her how to make the perfect scrambled eggs and navigate laundry instructions. “Buying essentials in advance made us both feel more prepared, it meant Frankie and I could spend some quality time together too. “Equipped with a checklist of essentials well in advance, the daunting moving-in date had arrived. “Having already familiarised myself with the layout of the city, the location of her accommodation and the proximity of nearby hotels for visits during term time, I found a certain sense of comfort when we arrived in her university city, which is a fair distance from home. “Learning these in advance put my mind to ease and made the moving process a lot smoother.” Here are some top tips from Tracey for parents who are finding it hard after their children moved away: 1. Spend quality time with your other kids: When Frankie left for university, I got to spend real quality time with my younger son. He is quieter and doesn’t need as much attention but now he has me all to himself. 2. Create a New Routine: Establish a new daily routine that fits with your new schedule. Don’t think you will have loads more free time though. The admin that comes with having a child at Uni is relentless. Your ‘To do’ list won’t get any shorter. Student housing, finance and travel all need organising. 3. Focus on Self-Care: Prioritise you for once. Your physical and emotional well-being is important. Try to exercise, eat well and de-stress. 4. Connect with Other Parents: Sharing your experiences can be hugely comforting. I chat to the ladies at my exercise class who are all going through the same thing. We share notes, get it all off our chests and have a right good laugh about all the things the kids are getting up to. 5. Embrace the three Stages: Grief, relief and joy. Of course, you are going to be sad and grieve when your child leaves home, but you will get used to it and weirdly quite quickly. There is a sense of relief once they have settled in and made new friends. It took about three months for it to not feel strange just coming home to the boys Read More Schoolgirls struggle to access basic period protection, research suggests Cost of living means parents have less time to play with children, according to poll When is Freshers’ Week 2023 and how can I make the most of it? Meghan Markle gives children a shoutout as she joins Prince Harry at Invictus Games How many children does Elon Musk have? Single woman’s day in a life video is met with vitriol after going viral

Fiver police officers brutally beat the 29-year-old black man, who later died from his injuries.

Three adults who police want to speak to over the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif returning to the UK from Pakistan.

Danelo Cavalcante, 34, was arrested in a wooded area inside a police perimeter, says a law enforcement source.

A visual guide to why heavy rain caused such devastation and killed so many people in the city of Derna.

Karin Kneissl is known for her links to Russia, including dancing with Vladimir Putin at her wedding.

A fishing vessel will attempt to use the high tide to pull free a Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship carrying 206 people that has run aground in northwestern Greenland

Democratic Sen. Jon Tester failed to fulfill multiple promises he made in a public ethics pledge during his first Senate campaign in 2006, including a vow to publicly post meetings between members of his Senate staff and lobbyists.

By Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine said it struck Russian naval targets and port infrastructure early on Wednesday in the