From New York, this is Democracy Now.

And for me, will absolute priority to be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible, so that step by step we can really achieve independence from the United States.

As the world marks three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Friedrich Mears appears set to become the next German chancellor after his conservative

Christian Democratic Union placed first in Sunday's key election. The far-right AFD, the alternative

for Germany party, placed second, nearly doubling its support in recent years. We'll go to Berlin.

Then Hamas releases six Israeli hostages,

but Israel delays the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners in exchange.

I want to fly in the air.

I can't wait for him to come.

I want to go to him, to meet him on the road. I cannot wait to see him until I hold him.

Muhammad is the eldest, my blood and soul, my life. I am alive in this world for Muhammad.

We'll go to the occupied West Bank, where Israel's deployed tanks for the first time in 20 years.

We'll go to Ramallah. Finally, Keith Lamar just made history

as the first ever death row prisoner to call in to his own film premiere for the Justice of

Injustice, illustrated by the world-renowned artist Molly Crabapple. It won the grand prize for best animated short film at the Golden State Film Festival.

It means everything to have won this award, to have received the recognition that my story resonates with a broader cross-section of society,

and I'm really, really thankful to each and

everyone in you for engaging with my struggle. Thanks so much, everybody.

Keith Lamar will join us live from Death Row at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown.

All that and more coming up.

Welcome to Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org, the War and Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman. In Germany, Friedrich Meuse is set to become the next German Chancellor

after his conservative CDU party placed first in Sunday's election.

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