The Kosovo Specialist Chambers convicted former President Hashim Thaci on four war-crimes counts and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. The court said he was involved in murders, torture and illegal detention while serving as a senior KLA commander. Three other former commanders also received prison terms.
The Kosovo war crimes tribunal is set to deliver verdicts on Wednesday in the case of former President Hashim Thaci and three former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders accused of murder, torture and persecution. Prosecutors seek 45-year prison terms for each; all four deny the charges. Tens of thousands rallied in Pristina calling for acquittal.
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers is due to rule on war crimes and crimes against humanity charges against former President Hashim Thaci and three former KLA commanders. All have pleaded not guilty, while prosecutors are seeking 45-year sentences for each defendant over alleged crimes during and after the 1998-1999 war.
The Kosovo war crimes tribunal is due to rule on Wednesday in the case of former president Hashim Thaci and several wartime commanders accused of murder and torture during Kosovo’s violent break from Serbia in the 1990s.
Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage found all five of his carefully packed javelins broken after flying home from Budapest. He called it a priceless loss, while Sri Lanka’s sports ministry said it would supply replacements and pursue the matter with Turkish Airlines ahead of the Asian Games.
Carlo Di Martino of Italy’s Socialist Revival said the large number of foreign guests at the International Festival of Youth in Yekaterinburg shows that Russia is not isolated. Fellow Italian delegate Pietro Figura urged people from Western countries to visit Russia despite “Western propaganda.”
U.S. prosecutors allege that two Robinhood engineers used confidential token-listing data to trade ahead of announcements through Hyperliquid perpetual futures.
Two Robinhood engineers charged with insider trading using Hyperliquid perpetuals
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇰🇷 South Korea aims to save seniors feeling lost in digital age
In an effort to tackle the digital divide, the South Korean government organises training for older Koreans, with lessons on online shopping, using AI and interacting with everyday technology.
🇰🇷 South Korea aims to save seniors feeling lost in digital age
In an effort to tackle the digital divide, the South Korean government organises training for older Koreans, with lessons on online shopping, using AI and interacting with everyday technology.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung hosted the country’s first summit with the leaders of five Central Asian states on Wednesday, placing critical minerals, energy and supply-chain cooperation at the center of Seoul’s effort to deepen ties with the resource-rich region.
South KoreaCentral Asiacritical mineralsenergy cooperation
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her State of the Union speech that artificial intelligence can improve healthcare in Europe, but must never replace doctors.
artificial intelligencehealthcareEuropean UnionUrsula von der Leyen
UN peacekeepers protect civilians and monitor ceasefires worldwide. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said peacekeeping requires backing from a more united international community, and praised China’s commitment to UN peace operations at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum.
United NationspeacekeepingChinainternational peace
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said the prospect of settling the conflict in Ukraine is no closer than it was a few months ago. He placed responsibility on representatives of what he called Europe’s “war party.”
Macau’s first national security case opened behind closed doors on September 16. Pro-democracy leader Chui Kam-san faces charges including subversion of state power, links with overseas organizations endangering national security and breaching confidentiality, carrying a maximum sentence of 25 years. Media and the public were barred, while lawyer Jorge Menezes called it highly political and a possible model for future cases.
The Pinglu Canal, a backbone project of China’s New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, opened to navigation on Wednesday. It will connect western inland goods to the sea, cutting shipping distance by more than 560 kilometers and logistics costs by up to 30%. A mainland spokesperson welcomed people from Taiwan to share the project’s opportunities.
China’s Pinglu Canal opened to navigation on September 16 with multiple national and world records. Located in Guangxi, it links southwest China to the sea, accommodates vessels of up to 5,000 tonnes, shortens inland shipping routes and includes the world’s highest and largest inland water-saving ship locks.
Pinglu CanalGuangxitransport infrastructureworld records
China opened the 134.2-kilometer Pinglu Canal on Wednesday. As a major part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, it offers inland Chinese regions a more direct route to the sea and onward to ASEAN markets.
China opened the Pinglu Canal on Wednesday, creating a shorter route from its landlocked southwest to the coast and overseas markets, especially ASEAN, its largest trading partner. The 134.2-kilometer canal cost 72.7 billion yuan and links Nanning with the Beibu Gulf.
China’s Pinglu Canal in Guangxi is scheduled to open to navigation on September 16. The project will link inland waterways with the Beibu Gulf and expand the country’s inland shipping network. Construction began in August 2022, major works were completed in May 2026, and project acceptance finished in August.
China’s 134.2-kilometer Pinglu Canal officially opened to navigation on Wednesday, linking the Xijiang River shipping network with the Beibu Gulf. Built at a cost of 72.7 billion yuan, it can handle vessels of up to 5,000 tonnes and is expected to cut the route from southwest China to the sea by about 560 kilometers. Mangrove restoration, a fish passage and a wildlife overpass were incorporated into the project.
China’s Pinglu Canal in Guangxi officially opened to commercial navigation on Wednesday. The 134.2-kilometer waterway links the Xijiang River corridor with the Beibu Gulf, shortening shipping routes from southwestern China to the sea by more than 560 kilometers and creating a more direct gateway to ASEAN. Fish passages and a wildlife bridge were built along the canal, while more than 98% of excavated material was reused.
Shares of Indian payment companies rose on Wednesday after the national payments authority introduced a fee on selected merchant transactions above 2,000 rupees, or about $20, made through a popular homegrown payment interface. The move improved expectations for firms’ revenue prospects.
India said it summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi to lodge a strong protest over what it called “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” by Pakistani naval units at sea, which led to a collision with an Indian naval unit.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed proposals for Canada to become the EU’s first “associate member”, with closer cooperation in areas including energy, critical minerals, batteries, AI, cyber and economic security. The proposal comes as Canada seeks a “unique alliance” with the EU amid tense relations and collapsed trade talks with the US.
The European Union and Canada are preparing a new kind of alliance centered on trade and security, according to remarks European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to make in her state of the union address on Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced during her State of the Union address that Canada will become the EU’s first associate member. Details of the new status remain unclear, while she also proposed an alliance with Ottawa spanning technology, critical raw materials, energy and defence.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed Wednesday opening a path for Canada to become the European Union’s first associate member. The striking overture comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs push Ottawa closer to Europe.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she wants to open the way for Canada to become the EU’s first associate member. With Trump’s tariffs and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st US state, Ottawa is seeking closer economic and security ties with Europe. The proposed broader partnership would build on Ceta and cover technology, defence, energy, AI and economic security.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen invited Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to join as the European Union’s first associate member during her annual state of the union speech.
European UnionCanadaassociate membershipUrsula von der Leyen
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is opening the door for Canada to become its first associate member, a status that does not currently exist. In her State of the Union address, she described Europe and Canada as sharing views on issues including AI, climate change, the Arctic, geopolitics and democracy, amid an “openly hostile world.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union is opening the door for Canada to become the 27-nation bloc’s first associate member.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is opening the way for Canada to become its first associate member. Such a status does not currently exist under the bloc’s treaties.
At the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Pacific Forum President and CEO David Santoro urged the United States and China to pursue dialogue and create mechanisms for jointly governing emerging technologies more effectively.
South Korea’s delegation has criticised the wooden container accommodation for athletes at the Asian Games in Nagoya. Korea Basketball Association vice-president Jung Jae-yong said athletes taller than two metres cannot stretch their legs on the beds, while a team member posted video showing a leaking pipe and soaked floor. Organisers say they are taking steps to improve conditions.
Leaked charges published by Bihus.info allegedly describe an unnamed President’s Office official who asked deputy Iryna Mudra to launder cash for bail for former minister Herman Halushchenko. The text does not name Kyrylo Budanov, but media reports say the description points to him. NABU uncovered the alleged scheme.
The US administration is preparing a roughly $2.8 billion sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, The Washington Post reported, citing sources. The package would include 40,000 bombs and 20,000 penetrator warheads, and would be carried out through the Foreign Military Financing mechanism.
The Trump administration is preparing a $2.8bn package of 907kg bombs for Israel, including 40,000 munitions and warheads designed to hit hardened underground structures. The proposed sale has drawn criticism over Israel’s use of similar bombs in Gaza and Lebanon, while some US lawmakers say they will seek to block it.
Ukrainian officials say a Russian drone struck a minibus near Nikopol in southern Ukraine, killing at least five people and injuring seven. Russia has not immediately commented. Ukrainian authorities also reported attacks in Kyiv and the Poltava region.
A Russian drone struck a passenger bus in southeastern Ukraine near the frontline on Wednesday, killing five people and injuring at least seven, according to the regional governor.
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least nine people and injured 36 over the past day, Ukrainian authorities said. Five were killed and at least seven injured when a Russian drone hit a passenger bus in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast’s Nikopol district. Russia launched 80 drones overnight; Ukrainian air defenses said they downed 63.
A Russian drone strike on a bus in southern Ukraine killed five people. The United Nations says civilian deaths in Ukraine are at their highest level since the first months of the war.
A Russian drone hit a passenger bus in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, killing five people and injuring seven, Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said. The strike occurred in Nikopol district, which is regularly shelled.
A Russian drone struck a passenger bus near the frontline in southeastern Ukraine on Wednesday, killing five people and injuring at least seven others, according to the regional governor.
Kazakhstan will purchase about 11 billion cubic meters of gas from Gazprom in 2026, up from 4 bcm last year, Deputy Energy Minister Kaiyrkhan Tutkyshbayev said. He added that the two sides are discussing supplies of around 9 bcm for 2027, after technical issues affected major fields this year.
Data centres powering the AI boom are facing growing opposition in the United States and the United Kingdom. Residents have raised concerns about electricity prices, water use, noise and environmental effects, while US polling shows them less popular than nuclear power plants. The backlash could shape policy and elections.
Amnesty International said Wednesday that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity while suppressing the 2022 protests, which left hundreds dead. It said Tehran’s crackdown on new demonstrations this year showed the “same hallmarks,” but on an even wider scale.
Iran2022 protestscrimes against humanityAmnesty International
Leaked state documents and interviews indicate that Iranian security forces coordinated the killing, torture and sexual abuse of hundreds involved in the September 2022 nationwide protests, Amnesty International says. The group verified 377 deaths, including 56 children, and documented 16 reported rape cases during arbitrary detention. It said years of impunity helped enable an even harsher crackdown in January 2026.
Iran protestsAmnesty Internationalhuman rights abuses
Amnesty International says the Iranian government’s response to protests sparked by the death of a young woman amounted to a systemic campaign. Four years later, the group says those responsible continue to evade accountability.
Iran protestsAmnesty Internationalcrimes against humanity
The US and China both agree that advanced AI carries serious risks. But Beijing is deeply skeptical of any deal that puts keeping US companies ahead at the center of the arrangement.
artificial intelligenceUS-China relationsSilicon Valley
A new six-part series, “Blindspot Berlin,” examines the institutional failures surrounding the 2016 attack at Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz Christmas market. Based closely on the Anis Amri case and a parliamentary inquiry, it follows a police investigation that failed to stop Amri despite repeated warnings and his prior recognition by security services.
Belarus has begun another round of pardons for political prisoners after President Alexander Lukashenko held talks with U.S. envoy John Coale, human rights group Viasna said.
Russia’s FSB says the Supreme Court of the Komi Republic sentenced Russian-Canadian citizen Nikolay Zyuzev to seven years in a strict-regime penal colony, plus one year of restricted freedom, for high treason. The agency says he ran a foreign-funded project that spread extremist materials and collected information for EU bodies and analytical centers. Zyuzev admitted guilt.
The Supreme Court of Russia’s Komi Republic sentenced professor Nikolai Zyuzev, a dual Russian-Canadian citizen, to seven years in prison. The FSB accused him of using foreign grants to prepare a project against Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including training leaders of indigenous peoples’ liberation movements abroad. The case was initially opened as confidential cooperation with a foreign state but the verdict cites treason.
Yemen’s Houthis claim to have shot down a Saudi fighter jet and deny targeting Mecca. Saudi Arabia had vowed to take “deterrent measures” after alerts warned of possible drone attacks near Islam’s holiest site—the first such alerts since the Iran war began in February.
Saudi Arabia says it intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca and called the alleged targeting of Islam’s holiest city a “disgraceful act”. The Houthis deny targeting the holy sites, saying their operations focus on Saudi oil facilities and military bases. The escalating conflict has prompted an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Red Sea navigation.
Saudi Arabia says the Houthis targeted Mecca with a drone, while the Iran-backed group rejects the allegation. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the strike as a “heinous” attack. Mecca is Islam’s holiest site and the focal point of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
The Saudi-led coalition said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi-deployed drone just outside Mecca, calling the security of the holy sites a “red line.” The Houthis rejected the allegation as a “worn-out lie,” while the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the reported attack.
Saudi air defenses destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said on Wednesday, as conflict spreads across the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia says its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday, while the Iran-aligned rebels denied launching the attack. Several explosions were also heard on Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered the holy city’s prohibited airspace, according to the Saudi-led coalition. Its spokesperson said the security of Islam’s two holiest sites and pilgrims was a “red line”. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca, while the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the attack.
Saudi Arabia says its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi-launched drone before it entered Mecca’s restricted airspace. The coalition called the incident an attempt to frighten worshippers and harm civilians, declaring the security of the holy mosques and pilgrims a “red line”. The Houthis deny threatening Mecca or other Islamic holy sites.
The Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a Houthi drone heading toward Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, and declared the country’s holy cities a “red line.”
Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said.
🇺🇸 🇸🇪 Declining US democracy having global 'spillover effects', thinktank warns
“The erosion of the rule of law in the US is having spillover effects” around the world, says Kevin Casas-Zamora, chief of the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).
🇺🇸 🇸🇪 Declining US democracy having global 'spillover effects', thinktank warns
“The erosion of the rule of law in the US is having spillover effects” around the world, says Kevin Casas-Zamora, chief of the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).
Palestinian human rights lawyer Noura Erakat was arrested in Florida after speaking at a public budget hearing against a billion-dollar investment in Israel Bonds. At least 100 residents protesting the investment were also forced to leave the hearing.
Researchers identified more than 8,500 suspicious X accounts in the run-up to Sweden’s general election, where the centre-left opposition took a narrow preliminary lead.
Lionel Messi has been named in Argentina’s squad for the October 6 friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires, which will serve as his farewell after retiring from international duty. The match is expected to be his 208th and final appearance for Argentina.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says the country has “no choice but negotiations” because war would be too costly. He is seeking a security agreement with Israel and the peaceful disarmament of Hezbollah.
Intel and SK Hynix shares rose sharply after a report said the companies are discussing memory chip manufacturing in the United States. A deal could be a major win for Intel, which has been seeking prominent customers for its manufacturing, or foundry, business.
South Korea’s SK Hynix is discussing a potential agreement with Intel to manufacture memory chips in the United States for the first time, according to three people familiar with the talks.
Iraq faces two major deadlines at the end of September. The U.S. military is set to end its decadeslong presence, with remaining troops in northern Iraq withdrawing by the agreed deadline, while militias signal that their weapons will stay.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU would tighten sanctions against Russia, stressing that enforcing existing measures may matter more than imposing new ones. The bloc has adopted 21 sanctions packages against Moscow, while a 22nd is being prepared but has not been formally presented.
The US Department of Justice announced charges against five alleged Russian intelligence agents accused of recruiting a global network to plot attacks and carry out assassinations on orders from the Kremlin. The suspects remain at large.
At least 60 people died when the Al-Zaraa gold mine near El-Nahud in Sudan’s West Kordofan region collapsed. The collapse began on Tuesday after tunnels were dug too close together.
At least 60 people died when a gold mine collapsed on Sunday in a remote area north of al-Nuhud in Sudan’s West Kordofan, according to three local sources who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China, as Iran’s strategic partner, is ready to safeguard the Islamic republic’s legitimate rights and interests and strengthen dialogue and cooperation with Tehran. He made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing on Wednesday.
A European Commission letter says Ukraine could unlock more than €20 billion in EU funding by the end of 2026 if the Verkhovna Rada passes planned reforms. The warning comes as blocked legislation coincides with a $27 billion hole in the 2026 budget. Parliament has since advanced a bill on tax exemptions for packages.
Saudi Arabia is offering Asian refiners additional crude loadings through ship-to-ship transfers off Oman’s Sohar port, people familiar with the matter said, after drone attacks damaged a key oil pipeline leading to the Red Sea.
A South Korean court fined the operator of Seoul two-Michelin-starred restaurant Evett 10m won and its chief executive, Ginny Kim, 15m won for serving desserts topped with ants not approved for consumption. Prosecutors had sought a one-year prison term for Kim. The restaurant has stopped using ants, and both sides have seven days to appeal.
An NBC News helicopter crashed in Los Angeles on Tuesday, killing at least three people and sending two others to hospital. The crew had been covering a fatal bus collision that killed at least two people.
A local NBC News helicopter crashed and caught fire in a Los Angeles neighbourhood on Tuesday, killing at least three people. Reporters were covering a nearby collision involving an SUV and a city bus, officials and the station said.
Los Angeleshelicopter crashNBC Newstraffic accident
An NBC News helicopter covering a deadly bus collision crashed in Los Angeles on Tuesday, killing three people and sending two others to hospital. Aerial footage showed the wreckage on fire near a storage facility, while firefighters put out flames that spread to vehicles and storage containers.
A helicopter crashed Tuesday near the scene of a bus crash in Chatsworth, a Los Angeles neighborhood, killing three people. First responders worked at the site.
A NewsChopper4 helicopter operated by an NBC affiliate crashed and caught fire in Los Angeles’ Chatsworth neighborhood Tuesday evening while covering a deadly bus collision. At least three people died and one was injured. The cause remains unclear, and the NTSB and FAA are investigating.
Los Angeleshelicopter crashNBCaccident investigation
An NBCLA NewsChopper4 helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, suburban Los Angeles, while covering a deadly bus collision. Two people aboard and one person on the ground died, while two others were taken to hospital. The crash fire spread to four vehicles and two storage containers; the NTSB will lead the investigation.
An NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth while providing aerial coverage of a deadly collision involving a metro bus and another vehicle. At least three people, including someone on the ground, were killed and one person was hospitalized. The cause is under investigation.
A helicopter from NBC Los Angeles crashed while covering a fatal bus accident, killing three people. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass offered prayers to the victims’ families and loved ones. The bus crash involved an L.A. Metro bus and a passenger vehicle, killing two people and injuring others.
A news helicopter covering a deadly bus crash in Los Angeles’ Chatsworth neighborhood crashed on Tuesday, killing three people, including a pedestrian.
A helicopter crash in Los Angeles killed at least three people. It happened near the site of a separate deadly bus accident, but it was not immediately clear whether the two incidents were connected.
At least three people were killed and another was injured when a helicopter crashed in Los Angeles, California. The helicopter reportedly belonged to a local media outlet, while the cause remains unknown. It came down near the site of a major traffic accident.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene after a helicopter crashed in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a social media post on Tuesday.
A helicopter went down Tuesday evening in Los Angeles’ Chatsworth community, killing one person who appeared to have been on the ground, fire officials said.
A helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, a suburban neighborhood of Los Angeles, killing one person. The crash occurred near the site of an earlier fatal bus crash.
At least 12 people were killed and dozens remain missing after a multi-storey building housing displaced families collapsed in Gaza City on 16 September, according to Shifa Hospital.
A war-damaged building collapsed in the Gaza Strip, killing 16 people, including children, and leaving at least 100 missing. Gaza City civil defense said voices could still be heard beneath the rubble. UN agencies and Egypt’s relief agency joined the difficult rescue effort, which was hindered by a lack of heavy machinery. Palestinian and UN officials blame Israeli restrictions, while Israel says the curbs prevent equipment reaching militant groups.
A multi-storey building in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa area collapsed, killing at least 12 people, including children, while dozens remain missing beneath the rubble. Locals said 10 families had lived there despite warnings it was unsafe. Hamas-run Civil Defence rescuers initially worked empty-handed because of tight Israeli restrictions on equipment entering Gaza, but later borrowed heavy machinery.
A building in Gaza City that was damaged by Israeli strikes collapsed, killing 11 people, including five children. Rescue teams are searching for survivors and recovering people trapped under the rubble.
At least 10 Palestinians have died and up to 70 are believed to be missing after a building collapsed in Gaza City. The structure had been damaged in an earlier Israeli air strike.
Gaza Citybuilding collapsePalestiniansIsraeli air strike
A multi-storey residential building collapsed overnight in western Gaza City, reportedly trapping six families beneath the rubble. Rescue crews and residents dug by hand and pulled out children and other survivors, while casualties remained unclear. Local media said the building had previously been damaged by an Israeli bombing and left structurally unsafe.
The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates for the first time since 2023. The consequential move comes less than two months before the midterm elections.
The 10-year Treasury yield is hovering above 5% as investors await the Federal Reserve’s decision. The Fed is widely expected to raise interest rates on Wednesday.
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to raise borrowing costs for the first time in three years, despite Donald Trump’s calls for a cut. Persistent inflation is testing Chair Kevin Warsh’s commitment to price stability.
Federal Reserveinterest ratesinflationDonald Trump
The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates on Wednesday for the first time since 2023. Policymakers have grown less confident that inflation will cool enough without at least some push from the central bank.
Federal Reserveinterest ratesinflationDonald Trump
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a European Heatwave Plan to prepare for intense heatwaves expected to return next summer. The EU also unveiled a new Climate Insurance Alliance as it struggles to close the funding gap for climate adaptation and mitigation.
European Unionheatwavesclimate adaptationclimate insurance
As Tajikistan marks 35 years of independence, it is looking toward a future shaped by peacebuilding, water security, technology and sustainable development.
Tajikistanindependence anniversarypeacebuildingsustainable development
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $450 million in net outflows on Sept. 15, more than reversing the previous session’s $159 million inflow and bringing withdrawals across six completed sessions since Sept. 8 to $753 million. Bitcoin traded near $75,900 as spot and perpetual sellers dominated, while the causal link between ETF redemptions and exchange selling remained unresolved.
Russia’s government has decided to extend restrictions on diesel exports by fuel producers through the end of October, Vedomosti reported late Tuesday, citing two unidentified sources.
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attended a hearing at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, his first appearance at a hearing there in more than a year.
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared in the International Criminal Court courtroom on Wednesday, his first public appearance since being transferred there 18 months ago to face murder charges linked to his war on drugs.
Poland scrambled fighter jets and briefly suspended operations at Lublin and Rzeszow airports on Sept. 16 while Russia launched drones at Ukraine. Authorities said the move was preventive, aimed especially at protecting Polish airspace near the Ukrainian border. The operation ended after about an hour, and the airports resumed activity; residents received temporary air-raid alerts.
Bitcoin fell nearly 4% in 24 hours to below $76,000 after the US Senate blocked the CLARITY Act late Tuesday. The move derailed more than a year of bipartisan negotiations and left the crypto industry without the federal rulebook it has pursued for years.
The US Senate failed on Sept. 15 to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, as a 49-50 cloture vote fell short of the 60 votes needed to begin debate. Bitcoin had already been declining before the vote and reached an intraday low of $74,967.97. The procedural defeat leaves the push for uniform federal crypto-market rules unresolved.
The US Senate’s rejection of the Clarity Act, a landmark proposal to regulate cryptocurrency market structure, has prompted industry calls for Hong Kong to accelerate its digital-asset ambitions. The sector remains in a slump after a brief rally, while mainland China’s crypto ban stays in force and Hong Kong has approval to develop as a digital-asset hub.
cryptocurrencyHong KongUS Senatedigital assets
SSouth China Morning Post★★☆☆☆2026-09-16 08:00Original
Heavy to torrential rain has hit southeastern Hainan under the combined influence of a tropical depression over the South China Sea and cold air, with exceptionally heavy rainfall in some townships. Provincial authorities allocated 19 million yuan ($2.7 million) for resident assistance, relief supplies, secondary-disaster risk checks and home restoration.
Carlo Di Martino of Italy’s Socialist Revival association said the West had completely abandoned diplomatic tools, while Russia and its allies were building a global counterbalance and uniting supporters of a multipolar world. He said the EU-Russia breakdown had serious economic and cultural consequences.
Stephen Harper, who led a Conservative government in Canada from 2006 to 2015, endorsed Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to walk away from trade talks with the US last month.
Before winning three Stanley Cups and an Olympic gold medal, and becoming the second-winningest goalie in NHL history, Marc-André Fleury moved to Cape Breton at 15. He spoke no English and had never heard of the Nova Scotia island. His billet family will now share in his QMJHL Hall of Fame induction.
The 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Digital Economy Forum opened in Urumqi, bringing officials, business leaders and experts together to discuss digital connectivity, trade, smart industries and governance. Participants announced nearly 20 proposed projects for 2026-2027 and agreed to promote an SCO ministerial dialogue mechanism on the digital economy.
Battlegroup West spokesman Leonid Sharov said Russian air-defense teams and mobile units brought down 104 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones and 75 heavy combat hexacopters over the past 24 hours. He added that the group destroyed 50 drone control centers, two Starlink satellite communication stations, 36 ground robotic systems and two field ammunition depots.
RANEPA military expert Alexander Stepanov says Anthropic and OpenAI are deliberately speeding up superintelligence development while US political leaders are willing to accept existential risks as long as Washington controls military AI. He cites Ted Cruz and claims that warnings from AI companies have not produced meaningful limits on their activities.
Meta may unveil Luna, a camera-free pair of smart glasses, at next week’s Meta Connect, according to The Information. The glasses are expected to use six microphones, speakers, Meta AI, and the Muse AI agent, with Clubmaster and Burbank versions reportedly targeted for October. Removing the camera could ease privacy backlash, but the microphones and ordinary-looking design may raise new concerns.
Private Chinese rocket company LandSpace launched a Zhuque-2E Y7 carrier rocket on Tuesday, deploying 10 satellites from the Qianfan Polar Orbit 19 Group. The mission was the first by a Chinese private rocket firm for a large satellite internet constellation. LandSpace plans to continue Zhuque-2E launches while developing the reusable Zhuque-3.
American Chamber of Commerce in Russia head Robert Agee said US companies are chiefly awaiting the removal of the ban on new investment in Russia imposed by Joe Biden’s administration. He said the restriction is costing them profits, market share and brand value, while businesses also hope for restored bank transfers and eased aviation and medical-technology export controls.
China’s urban rail transit recorded 2.94 billion passenger trips in August, the Ministry of Transport said. Fifty-four cities operated 348 lines covering 11,888.5 kilometers. Average daily trips edged down from July but increased 2.1% year on year. A total of 23.2 kilometers of new lines opened, including Phase 1 of Changchun Rail Transit Line 7.
Andrey Shershnev, spokesman for Russia’s Battlegroup North, said the unit destroyed 345 Ukrainian fixed-wing UAVs, 43 R18 heavy combat drones, 27 UAV control centers and six ground robotic systems over the past 24 hours. He also reported the destruction of one Polish-made PT-91 tank and two T-72 tanks.
Jilin has simplified departure tax refunds, driving a 277% year-on-year rise in transactions and a 170% increase in refund volume. The province has more than 81 tax-free shops and now offers multilingual digital shopping information. Measures include cross-region instant-refund recognition and extending claims to 28 days. Inbound tourist spending rose 41% in the first half of the year.
The European Union will establish a climate insurance alliance to expand coverage for extreme weather, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. The initiative follows a summer marked across the bloc by drought, wildfires and heatwaves.
The 2026 Guangdong Fashion Week Autumn Session opened in Panyu, Guangzhou, alongside the release of a 2026-2028 action plan for high-quality development of the province’s garment industry. The plan promotes innovation centers, AI-assisted design, smart manufacturing, creative clusters, consumer brands and overseas expansion through cross-border e-commerce and warehouses.
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Kosovo ex-president Thaci faces Hague war crimes verdict
