German Chancellor Merz vows to stay on despite defeat

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Preliminary results indicate his Christian Democrats have been voted out of parliament in the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania. In another vote, in Berlin, the CDU was beaten by a far-left party. In both elections, the far- right AfD saw significant gains. The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, says China and the United States have discussed proposals to set up a system through which they can notify each other of AI incidents that pose serious threats. We look at what does this mean In Indonesia, a BBC investigation has uncovered a years-long cover-up at a prominent Islamic boarding school, involving allegations of sexual crimes by the son of its founder. We hear from one on the girls who spoke about it. (Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addresses the media following the Berlin state elections in Berlin, Germany, 20 September 2026; Credit: Hannibal Hanschke/EPA/Shutterstock)