From the BBC World Service: In an exclusive interview with the BBC, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accepted U.S. accusations that Europe has done too little to fund its defense and security. It follows an interview with U.S. President Donald Trump this week, in which he backed the NATO military alliance. Also: Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva responds to tariff threats, and leather sandal makers in India react to Prada's high-end, Indian-inspired footwear.