Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke at the “SCO Plus” meeting in Bishkek on Tuesday. He said China supports an equal and orderly multipolar world, identifying sovereign equality and mutual respect as foundations and calling for balance, rule of law, multilateralism, dialogue, consultation, mutual benefit and inclusive development.

Xi JinpingSCOmultipolar world

Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke at the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Marking the SCO’s 25th anniversary, he said it was founded on a regional consensus to jointly safeguard sovereignty, security and development interests and has gained stronger vitality.

Xi JinpingShanghai Cooperation Organizationhigher-quality development

Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the 26th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State in Bishkek, urging members to pursue higher-quality development and shared prosperity. He called for deeper cooperation in trade, investment, energy, artificial intelligence, the digital economy and green industries, including joint AI applications, renewable-energy expansion and technology projects.

Shanghai Cooperation OrganizationXi JinpingKyrgyzstanregional cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the 26th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Council of Heads of State in Bishkek, calling on the group to shoulder its historical responsibility and pursue shared prosperity. He proposed deeper cooperation in trade, investment, energy, artificial intelligence, the digital economy and green industries.

Xi JinpingShanghai Cooperation OrganizationBishkek summitregional cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at its “SCO Plus” meeting in Bishkek to shoulder its responsibility and help advance more just and equitable global governance. He advocated an equal, orderly multipolar world, restoration of the UN’s authority and a stronger voice for Global South countries in international affairs.

Xi JinpingShanghai Cooperation Organizationglobal governancemultipolar world

Brussels largely stayed quiet throughout Iceland’s referendum campaign. The vote ended with 52.8% opposing a return to EU accession talks, repeating the pattern of the EU’s muted response to Brexit a decade ago.

IcelandEuropean Unionreferendum

Iceland will not reopen negotiations on EU membership after 58.2% voted against doing so in Saturday’s referendum. The result raises questions about whether the EU can still attract stable, wealthy democracies for reasons beyond financial benefits.

IcelandEuropean UnionEU enlargementreferendum

Icelanders voted 52.8% to 47.2% against reopening EU accession talks, dealing Brussels a setback but not signaling a wish to isolate the country from the bloc. Through the EEA and Schengen, Iceland already shares much of the EU’s economic and regulatory framework. Fishing interests drove opposition, while Reykjavík and the rest of the island divided sharply.

IcelandEuropean Unionaccession talksfishing

Nepal floods have killed more than 1,000 people, while thousands remain unaccounted for. In Kathmandu, families are posting photos of missing relatives on a hospital wall as they search for information.

Nepalfloodsmissing people

After floodwaters swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa district, Ayush Khadka’s family spent four agonising days desperately searching for any indication that the 21-year-old civil servant was still alive.

Nepal floodsrescue effortsRasuwa

A face-to-face meeting between Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signals that serious efforts are beginning to restore bilateral relations and address accumulated conflicts, analyst Alexander Abramov said. Reopened channels of communication could make constructive solutions more attainable.

Russia-US relationsfinance ministersdiplomacy

The European Commission will not hold talks with Russia during the G20 finance ministers’ meeting attended by Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, spokesperson Paula Pinho said. Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, who represents the Commission, does not intend to meet Siluanov. The statement followed Siluanov’s consultations with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

EURussiaG20diplomacy

German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said he directly told Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at the Aug. 31 G20 meeting that Moscow must end its war against Ukraine. Klingbeil also backed excluding Siluanov from the group photo, warning that his return could help normalize relations with Russia despite the ongoing war.

GermanyRussiaUkraine warG20

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov that Moscow would receive no “economic relief” until the Russia–Ukraine war ends, according to sources cited by Politico and Reuters. Their Asheville meeting focused on Donald Trump’s peace plan. Russia said they discussed financial and G20 cooperation, while a US official called the talks productive.

US TreasuryRussiaUkraine wareconomic relief

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov that Washington and Moscow could not reach agreements, or provide Russia with economic relief, until the Ukraine conflict ends, Reuters reported citing a source. The discussion took place alongside the G20 finance ministers’ and central bank governors’ meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, and covered financial cooperation and other issues.

US TreasuryRussiaUkraine conflictG20

Scott Bessent reportedly told Russia that it would receive no economic relief until the war in Ukraine ends. The meeting highlighted Washington’s willingness to reopen diplomatic talks with Moscow, while Europe intends to isolate Russia as the war continues.

RussiaUkraine warG20diplomacy

Norway’s new King Haakon VIII swore allegiance to the constitution in Oslo’s parliament on Tuesday after succeeding his late father, Harald V. Queen Mette-Marit missed the ceremony while being monitored for complications following her lung transplant.

NorwayHaakon VIIIroyal succession

Haakon VIII became Norway’s monarch after King Harald V died on Friday at the age of 89. He has taken up the motto “All for Norway,” first associated with his great-grandfather, Haakon VII.

Norway monarchyHaakon VIIIconstitutional oath

King Haakon VIII of Norway will swear before parliament on Tuesday to uphold the country’s constitution and laws. The pledge is part of a series of ceremonies following the death of his father, Harald.

NorwayHaakon VIIIroyal ceremony

President Vladimir Putin said Russia admires the courage and resilience Iranian people have shown in defending their national interests. He said Moscow welcomed the Iranian-US ceasefire memorandum reached in June, but considered the truce unstable and too fragile. Russia is trying to provide assistance and is supplying Iran with necessary goods.

Russia-Iran relationsVladimir PutinIranceasefire

Russian President Vladimir Putin is meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek. The talks begin a series of bilateral meetings scheduled for Putin today.

Russia-Iran relationsVladimir PutinMasoud Pezeshkianbilateral talks

China’s second shipment of emergency humanitarian aid for Nepal’s mudslide response left Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport on Tuesday. It carries drones, DNA testing equipment and reagents, water purification systems, and lighting equipment. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China would stand with Nepal and work together to overcome the difficulties.

ChinaNepalmudslideshumanitarian aid

Floodwaters carrying mud, boulders, ice and rock swept through Gyirong on the Tibet-Nepal border, destroying much of the border infrastructure. On Nepal’s side, the Rasuwagadhi crossing, Friendship Bridge and Timure trading settlement were also badly damaged, while many travellers and border staff went missing.

Nepal floodsGyirong portborder crossing

Nepalese police are looking for vaults swept away or buried by flooding from at least 20 banks while continuing the search for missing people. Police said some may hold substantial amounts of cash, gold and other valuables, and reported that people have broken open washed-away vaults to steal money. The floods have killed more than 1,000 people, with about 4,500 still missing.

Nepal floodsbank vaultsmissing people

Catastrophic flooding in Nepal and China has killed more than 1,000 people, while rescuers continue searching for survivors.

Nepal floodsChinarescue operations

Lionel Messi has ended a two-decade international career with Argentina at age 39. He won the 2022 World Cup and two Copa America titles, while setting records for Argentina caps, international goals and assists, World Cup appearances, goals, assists and match minutes.

Lionel MessiArgentinainternational footballfootball records

Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football after making 207 appearances for Argentina. His 125 goals make him, by a wide margin, the leading scorer in the history of the national team.

Lionel MessiArgentinainternational football

Lionel Messi, Argentina’s 39-year-old record appearance maker and scorer, has announced his retirement from international football. He said the decision still hurts deeply but that the time had come. Teammates, football officials, Argentina’s president and his wife paid tribute to his extraordinary career and lasting impact.

Lionel MessiArgentinainternational footballretirement

Nearly 30 years after the drive-by murder of rap legend Tupac Shakur, authorities have arrested someone in connection with the case.

Tupac Shakurmurder casearrest

After a 10-day trial, a jury unanimously found former gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of orchestrating the murder of music artist Tupac Shakur. Tupac was killed in 1996 while riding in the passenger seat of a car in Las Vegas, nearly 30 years ago.

Tupac ShakurDuane Davismurder trial

Former street gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis was convicted Monday of murdering hip-hop star Tupac Shakur by a Nevada court. Nearly three decades after the rapper was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Davis faces a maximum sentence of life without parole and is due to be sentenced on October 13.

Tupac Shakurmurder trialLas Vegas

A jury found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of orchestrating the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur. The verdict offered some resolution in a case that had gripped hip-hop fans and remained in the public imagination for decades, while Davis could face a life sentence.

Tupac Shakurmurder trialhip-hop

A Las Vegas jury convicted former Los Angeles gang member Duane “Keffe D” Davis of murdering rapper Tupac Shakur in the 1996 shooting. Prosecutors said Davis organised the attack after a casino confrontation, while his defence called his alleged confessions fiction. Davis plans to appeal and could receive life without parole.

Tupac Shakurmurder trialLas Vegaship-hop

A Las Vegas jury convicted former gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis in the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur. Prosecutors said Davis arranged the revenge attack and handed a gun to men in the car; his later accounts of the killing helped revive the case.

Tupac Shakurmurder trialLas Vegas

After 25 years, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has grown from a regional security mechanism into a broad cooperation platform focused increasingly on development. Examples including a Chinese-built solar farm in Uzbekistan, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and digital-economy projects illustrate expanding trade, investment, connectivity and multilateral cooperation. Xi Jinping proposed prioritizing shared prosperity and announced further technology, AI and green-industry initiatives.

Shanghai Cooperation Organizationregional developmentChina cooperationgreen energy

G20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs met in Asheville, North Carolina, with Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov making an unexpected appearance and holding talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. German and other European officials objected to Moscow’s presence, while Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times reported restricted or denied access for their journalists.

G20RussiaUnited StatesPress freedom