Chinese leader Xi Jinping said humanity must choose between peace and war and dialogue and confrontation in a speech Wednesday before a major military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Xi started a brief address by remembering the Chinese veterans of the war and called for the eradication of the roots of war to prevent history from repeating itself. But his main message was forward looking: Today, China is strong, fears no one and is ready to take a leading role in the world.

France's Prime Minister François Bayrou is scrambling to save his government and his job, holding talks this week with leaders across the political spectrum — including far-right leader Marine Le Pen — ahead of a parliamentary confidence vote on his government's plan to cut public spending.

China's missiles, fighter jets and other military hardware — some on public view for the first time — will be displayed in a major parade on Wednesday in the nation's capital.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that any deal to resolve the conflict in Ukraine must not compromise Moscow's security.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin as an "old friend" as the two held a series of meetings Tuesday at a time when their countries face both overlapping and differing challenges from the United States.

Protesters took to the streets in multiple U.S. cities on Labor Day to criticize President Donald Trump and demand a living wage for workers.

Demonstrations in Chicago and New York were organized by One Fair Wage to draw attention to the struggles laborers face in the U.S., where the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Chants of "Trump must go now!" echoed outside the president's former home in New York, while protesters gathered outside a different Trump Tower in Chicago, yelling "No National Guard" and "Lock him up!" Large crowds also gathered in Washington D.C. and San Francisco.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is heading to Beijing by train on Tuesday to attend a military parade with his Chinese and Russian counterparts, North Korea's state media reported. The event could potentially demonstrate three-way unity against the United States.

Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the 26 world leaders who'll join Chinese President Xi Jinping to watch Wednesday's massive military parade in Beijing that commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China's fight against Japan's wartime aggressions.

Ukraine on Monday urged China, a close ally of Moscow, to work towards peace in Ukraine during a visit to the country by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Given the significant geopolitical role of the People's Republic of China, we would welcome a more active role for Beijing in bringing peace to Ukraine based on respect for the U.N. Charter," Ukraine's foreign ministry said in a statement.

A plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was hit by GPS jamming over Bulgaria in a suspected Russian operation, a spokesperson said Monday.

The plane landed safely at Plovdiv airport in central Bulgaria and von der Leyen will continue her planned tour of the European Union's eastern frontline nations, said commission spokesperson Arianna Podestà.

Desperate Afghans clawed through rubble in the dead of the night in search of missing loved ones after a strong earthquake killed some 800 people and injured more than 2,500 in eastern Afghanistan, according to figures provided Monday by the Taliban government.

The 6.0 magnitude quake late Sunday hit towns in the province of Kunar, near the city of Jalalabad in neighboring Nangarhar province, causing extensive damage.