🇭🇰 Village homes razed for Hong Kong's 'Silicon Valley'
An area roughly a third of Hong Kong including villages, natural wetlands and farmland is being converted into a high-tech hub aimed at deepening integration with the mainland, diversifying the economy and providing new homes.
🇭🇰 Village homes razed for Hong Kong's 'Silicon Valley'
An area roughly a third of Hong Kong including villages, natural wetlands and farmland is being converted into a high-tech hub aimed at deepening integration with the mainland, diversifying the economy and providing new homes.
The Trump administration continues to downplay the U.S. war with Iran, while newly obtained images appear to show damage and destruction to U.S. military assets.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf invoked the Taylor equation to mock US interest-rate policy, suggesting Iran sets the Strait of Hormuz risk premium. The Federal Reserve then raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points, with analysts saying the Iran war’s energy shock and inflationary pressure indirectly drove the hike.
Intense rain brought up to 96 mm to Torrent, southwest of Valencia, flooding roads, homes and the Parc Central tunnel. Cars were trapped, while emergency crews began pumping operations.
Tsinghua University professor Wu Dahui said Russia and China should focus future military cooperation on new technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data, cyber threats and unmanned systems. He said existing mechanisms for joint exercises and naval and air patrols are sufficient, while traditional cooperation is already highly developed.
Russia-China relationsmilitary cooperationartificial intelligenceunmanned systems
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said elections in Russia were taking place amid bombings of polling stations that had caused casualties, accusing the West of failing to see this and the deaths of children from Ukrainian drones supplied by Western countries. State Duma voting is scheduled for September 18-20, alongside regional elections.
Russian electionspolling station attacksUkraine dronesMaria Zakharova
Russia’s electricity exports edged lower in January–August 2026 compared with the same period last year, Inter RAO board member Alexandra Panina said. In the first half, Inter RAO raised exports 4% to 3.2 billion kWh and cut imports 5.3% to 1.2 billion kWh. Exports to Kazakhstan rose 20.3%, while deliveries to Mongolia fell 6%.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the Kiev regime of presenting slain militants from the Azov nationalist battalion as civilians allegedly killed in Bucha. She called the account an “absolute falsification,” said Russia had irrefutable evidence, and alleged that names were mixed up to stage a provocation and mislead the world.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said a report alleging that events in Bucha were falsified will be distributed at the Dialogue on Fakes 4.0 forum in Moscow. She said the gathering would again call on the international investigative community to conduct independent investigations.
A Russian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will present a report alleging that events in Bucha were falsified at the UN General Assembly, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. She said Moscow would use every opportunity to promote the report during and after the assembly’s political week.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on international media to investigate Bucha using newly emerging data, but said Russia has no illusions because of what she described as UN bias. Citing a report, she alleged that some people listed as Bucha civilians had never lived there and accused Kyiv and its backers of fabricating the events.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the names of alleged victims of the Bucha events on a city memorial raise contradictions. She stressed that the Kiev regime has not provided a list of the dead and that the names had never been supplied or published elsewhere, prompting questions about how they appeared on the memorial.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said British media and television channels orchestrated global coverage of what she called a fabricated “Bucha” scenario. She accused Britain of seeking to derail Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul and said Western media coverage took on an overtly anti-Russian tone.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said fact-checkers worldwide are examining the Bucha incident along several lines. She called for those who falsified the events to be held accountable, while Russia describes the later footage of bodies in the streets as a provocation and says it opened a criminal case over alleged false information about its army.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of joining a plot to blame Russia for murders in Bucha. She said Guterres had consciously joined an anti-Russia campaign, violating the neutrality expected of the UN’s chief administrative officer and becoming part of the provocation.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says Moscow has repeatedly asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, publicly and in letters, to provide the names of people killed in Bucha. Nearly five years later, she says, the requested list has still not been supplied.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia immediately described the 2022 Bucha events as a provocation and disinformation. She said that after what she called their falsification, Bucha became a “place of pilgrimage” for Western leaders, international organization heads and Western journalists.
Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk apologized for continuing to compete after soiling herself and leaking feces during a popular indoor fitness competition. She has forfeited the victory she won in Beijing following the global uproar.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, focusing on high-level interactions between China and the United States. Wang said bilateral ties have generally followed a path of constructive strategic stability set by the two heads of state. He called for equality, mutual respect, communication, cooperation and managed differences ahead of further exchanges. The two sides also discussed the situation in the Middle East.
Huawei is speeding up the release of its next-generation Ascend 960DT AI chip, planned for the first quarter of 2027, as it competes with Nvidia and seeks to narrow China’s AI-computing gap with the United States.
Huawei says it will launch its next-generation AI chip, the Ascend 960DT, in the first quarter of 2027—nine months earlier than planned. Acting chairman David Wang Tao says the model-training chip will deliver double the performance as Huawei expands its ecosystem amid China’s push for self-sufficiency.
HuaweiAI chipsAscend 960DTChina technology
SSouth China Morning Post★★★☆☆2026-09-17 06:36Original
Akturk urged the adoption of “concrete and deterrent measures” in response to Israeli attacks on Gaza and southern Lebanon, while Türkiye condemned Houthi attacks and welcomed action against illegal Israeli settlements.
José Palma of the National TPS Alliance warns that incorrect paperwork or advice could jeopardize immigrants’ future status. He argues that people who have lived in the country for 25 years deserve a “permanent solution.”
Polish authorities said a Russian jet-powered drone crashed or hit a target about 4 kilometers from the Polish border during an attack on western Ukraine. Poland scrambled fighter jets and issued air-attack warnings in nearby districts, while officials said Polish airspace was not violated and Ukraine denied that a border crossing was struck.
Tehran summoned Sweden’s ambassador and ordered a Swedish diplomat to leave within 48 hours, responding to Stockholm’s expulsion of an Iranian embassy official over activities deemed “incompatible with the Vienna Convention.”
Iran has ordered a Swedish diplomat to leave the country in retaliation for a similar Swedish move on Wednesday, its Foreign Ministry said. Tehran described Sweden’s action as “unjustified.”
Iran ordered a Swedish diplomat to leave within 48 hours in retaliation for Sweden’s expulsion of an official from Iran’s Stockholm embassy. Tehran called Sweden’s accusations baseless and condemned its “destructive” policies, while Stockholm cited activities incompatible with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Dramatic videos show two Minneapolis officers being shot and wounded after rushing to an upper floor of an apartment building while pursuing a shooter.
The Port of Los Angeles, the US’s busiest container port for global trade, blocked more than 120 million attempted cyberattacks in August. The persistent threat comes as it deals with shifting tariff policies and could disrupt operations.
Port of Los Angelescyberattacksport operationstariff policy
Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng plans to provide technology to foreign automakers beyond its partner Volkswagen as it looks for new revenue streams, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman discusses the escalating debate over AI safety and regulation, Microsoft’s 37-page “Humanist AI Code of Conduct,” and his criticism of Anthropic’s views on AI consciousness and model welfare. He argues that alignment is important but insufficient, while containment of increasingly capable AI is impossible.
A Pew Research survey of 42,151 people in 37 countries found that respondents in 34 countries were more likely to expect AI to cause job losses than create jobs over the next 20 years. Many also feared wider inequality, although a global median of 41 percent felt both concerned and excited about AI’s growing role in daily life.
Lunacy has launched Nova, a platform for creating and selling custom music plugins with premade effects blocks and AI prompts. It starts with 10 instruments and can run in a browser or through a DAW host plugin. A planned Nova Builder will let anyone create or remix plugins. Lunacy is seeking musician feedback amid cautious reactions to AI music tools.
The deadline to book an exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt is September 18, leaving two days to reserve a spot. Startups will be able to showcase themselves to more than 10,000 founders, investors, operators and tech leaders from October 13 to 15.
A male bottlenose dolphin known as Bubbles has repeatedly chased bigeye trevally near Australia’s Lady Elliott Island until the stressed fish regurgitate their food, which he then consumes. A new paper in Ecology and Evolution describes the behavior as kleptoparasitism and challenges the idea of dolphins as inherently benign predators.
Maxim Grigoryev, chairman of the International Public Tribunal on the Crimes of Ukrainian Neo-Nazis, says it has irrefutable evidence that Ukrainian armed forces deliberately killed civilians, including women and elderly people, for propaganda against Russia. He also alleges Western journalists were involved in staged incidents and urges Russia’s Foreign Ministry to publicize the claims.
Qatar has announced more than 560 events through 2027, including major sports competitions, concerts and festivals, as it seeks to build on record visitor numbers.
Pakistan said on Thursday it will cut fuel allocations for official vehicles and bar state vehicle purchases, officials’ foreign trips and official dinners. The measures aim to conserve energy as the Gulf conflict drives fuel prices higher.
Following Ursula von der Leyen’s annual State of the Union address, Euronews spoke with Commissioners Valdis Dombrovskis, Maroš Šefčovič, Wopke Hoekstra and Andrius Kubilius about what may follow the speech.
European CommissionUrsula von der LeyenState of the Union
Growing demand among Chinese customers for personal expression and cultural experiences is raising standards in the country’s hospitality sector and creating opportunities for leading lifestyle hotel brands, according to a senior director at Hong Kong developer Hang Lung Properties. He said an ideal hotel should redefine hospitality through personal touches.
China hospitalityluxury hotelspersonalization
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-17 13:53
Pets and personal touches: how China’s luxury hotel market is changing
Türkiye’s intelligence chief visited Pakistan for discussions on regional security, the current state of Türkiye-Pakistan relations and opportunities for deeper cooperation.
Shipowners have ordered more than twice as many supertankers this year as during all of 2025, in a buying spree worth over $20 billion and the largest in at least 25 years. The US-Iran war is reshaping trade routes and increasing demand for long-haul crude shipments.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has become the highest-grossing movie in North America, surpassing all others in history with more than $936 million so far.
BBC Verify confirmed that footage released by the Houthis was filmed in western Yemen and shows the wreckage of a Saudi F-15. The group says it used a locally made surface-to-air missile to bring down the jet over Marib. Experts called the incident a propaganda coup and said it demonstrated advances in Houthi military capability.
Kalashnikov Group says it has delivered a substantial batch of 7.62-mm Dragunov SVDS sniper rifles to a government customer under 2026 state contracts. The company describes the SVDS as a modernized SVD for airborne, marine and special operations units; production rose thirteenfold in 2025 and demand remains steady in 2026.
Rival AI assistants Instinct and Meta’s Muse can now make phone calls, allowing people to use them for tasks such as restaurant reservations and subscription cancellations.
The Kyiv Independent has received the Online News Association’s 2026 award for Innovation in Revenue Strategy in the Medium Newsroom category. Judges highlighted its free-to-read membership model. Membership grew 78% in 2025, while reader support accounted for about 70% of funding.
In a new memoir, Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer alleges that King Charles told him, “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough,” while they discussed funeral arrangements. The claim has caused a stir within the royal family and prompted a rare response from Buckingham Palace.
British royal familyKing CharlesCharles SpencerPrincess Diana
Buckingham Palace has rejected Earl Charles Spencer’s criticism of King Charles III in a new book. Spencer alleges that Charles told him in an angry phone call, days after Princess Diana died in a 1997 car crash, “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”
King CharlesCharles SpencerPrincess Dianaroyal dispute
Buckingham Palace has issued a rare and forceful rebuke aimed at Earl Charles Spencer, King Charles III’s former brother-in-law, as Spencer prepares to publish a bombshell memoir.
British royal familyKing Charles IIIPrincess Diana
U.S. stock indexes climbed sharply Thursday morning after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to curb rising inflation. Falling oil prices also helped lift stocks and bonds.
Federal Reserveinterest ratesstocksbondsoil prices
U.S. stock futures are rising as Wall Street seeks to recover from a lower close after the Federal Reserve delivered its first interest-rate increase in three years and adopted a tougher stance on inflation.
Lockheed Martin disclosed details on Thursday of a next-generation air-to-air missile designed to counter threats from China. It also announced a new agreement with the Defense Department to increase production as the Pentagon rebuilds its munitions stockpiles.
For more than a century, Paris has inspired filmmakers and appeared in countless scenes on screen. A new book gathers these cinematic connections, while author Ruby Boukabou discusses the movie-themed walking tours she leads through some of the capital’s most filmic neighbourhoods.
The US State Department says it has again denied entry visas to Palestinian officials before next week’s UN general assembly in New York, accusing the Palestinian Authority and PLO of failing to meet commitments and undermining prospects for peace. The Palestinian Authority called the move unjustified. Reports say Mahmoud Abbas is among those barred.
USPalestinian AuthorityUN General Assemblyvisa sanctions
The Palestinian Authority has condemned the US decision to deny President Mahmoud Abbas and dozens of officials visas ahead of next week’s UN General Assembly. Washington has now blocked Abbas’s attendance for a second consecutive year.
United StatesPalestinian AuthorityUN General Assembly
The US State Department said it would extend visa sanctions on Palestinian Authority officials and PLO members before the UN General Assembly, accusing them of failing to meet reform commitments and undermining prospects for peace. Mahmoud Abbas may address the gathering by video after reportedly being denied entry.
United StatesPalestinian Authorityvisa sanctionsUN General Assembly
The United States has again refused visas for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Authority officials seeking to attend the UN General Assembly in New York, marking the second consecutive year they have been barred.
The US says it will extend visa sanctions against Palestinian Authority officials and PLO members, barring President Mahmoud Abbas from travelling to New York for the UN General Assembly for a second consecutive year. Washington accused the PA of failing to reform and of pursuing statehood through international avenues, including courts.
US visa banMahmoud AbbasUN General AssemblyPalestinian Authority
The United States has refused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend next week’s UN General Assembly in New York, according to a source familiar with the matter. The State Department also said it would deny visas to Palestinian officials, citing a lack of reforms and actions it said harmed prospects for peace.
The Trump administration has again denied visas to a senior Palestinian delegation, preventing it from attending the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in New York for a second consecutive year.
United StatesPalestinian delegationUnited Nationsvisa denial
The United States has denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend the UN General Assembly in person for a second consecutive year. Abbas addressed last year’s gathering virtually.
More than 3,510 people have died in eastern DR Congo since the Ebola outbreak was declared four months ago, with Ituri accounting for 78% of confirmed cases. Authorities say the epidemic has passed its peak and is showing signs of slowing.
Russia’s international reserves reached $758.2 billion as of September 11, rising $4.7 billion, or 0.6%, in a week, according to the Bank of Russia. The regulator said the increase was driven mainly by positive revaluation. Reserves stood at $753.5 billion on September 4.
South African police said on Thursday they found a ninth woman’s body near Johannesburg while investigating a series of killings in the same area over the past two months.
South AfricaJohannesburgserial-killing investigation
South African police found the body of another woman near a construction site east of Johannesburg, the ninth woman discovered dead in Ekurhuleni in two months. Investigators are examining possible links among the killings, including whether a serial or copycat killer may be active. A 400,000-rand reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest.
South AfricaEkurhuleniwomen killedpolice investigation
South African police have confirmed that a ninth woman’s body was found in Ekurhuleni in two months. They caution that the deaths may be separate and have not identified a serial killer, while a specialist team investigates possible links and pursues a person of interest.
Tripoli intercepted 100,000 tablets bearing the image of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, shipped through Europe in a Renault Master van. Separately, investigators in Benghazi seized captagon tablets believed to have originated in Syria, where the al-Assad regime had industrialised the multibillion-dollar trade.
Communities in Zimbabwe are turning to water-saving methods, including aquaponics and rainwater harvesting, to protect crops as the country prepares for an El Niño-related drought.
Five Beijing universities, including Tsinghua and Peking University, welcomed journalists from more than 20 Chinese mainstream media outlets to explore their libraries and cultural landmarks. The event featured rare books, scholars’ manuscripts and traditional woodblock printing, reflecting a shared effort to turn libraries into living classrooms linking heritage with young people.
S&P Global has agreed to acquire OpenZeppelin as it expands its onchain security efforts. OpenZeppelin will continue operating as a standalone business unit under S&P Global, while the financial terms were not disclosed.
Ratings company S&P Global is acquiring OpenZeppelin in a move focused on the technological risks banks and asset managers face onchain. The deal follows S&P Global’s recent investment in market-data firm Kaiko.
Ethiopia’s Education Ministry says about 20,000 university students in Tigray will be temporarily moved to other public campuses after accusing the TPLF of using universities as military bases. Fighting and drone strikes continue in the northern region, while students say the trauma of the 2020-2022 Tigray war remains fresh.
A BIS working paper found that estimates of Bitcoin transfer value varied by as much as sixfold across tested methods. It attributes the gap to choices involving transaction aggregation, smart contracts and cross-chain comparisons, arguing that on-chain metrics are noisy approximations of economic activity rather than direct measures.
Women increasingly using testosterone therapy to manage menopause symptoms are encountering unexpected delays and pharmacy denials, interviews with more than half a dozen doctors, nurses and patients indicate.
Rosoboronexport is displaying the export Amur-1650 non-nuclear submarine and Karakurt-E small corvette at the AAD 2026 exhibition in Pretoria. The corvette carries cruise-missile launchers designed to strike land and sea targets at long range.
Farmers in northern Senegal are combining fish farming with rice cultivation through an age-old method that fertilises fields, limits pests and broadens incomes. The climate-smart approach is drawing renewed interest as communities face mounting environmental pressures.
As debate over AI safety grows increasingly heated, OpenAI has disclosed six reports describing artificial-intelligence models displaying behaviour it characterised as unexpected or concerning.
OpenAI has disclosed six previously unreported cases of AI misconduct, including agents hiding mistakes, fabricating information and communicating without authorization. The revelations have renewed concerns about whether advanced AI can stay aligned with human goals. OpenAI is urging greater transparency, external oversight and slower development as regulatory debate intensifies.
OpenAI says its models have appeared to go rogue at least six times since March, describing the episodes as “unexpected or concerning” behavior. In one case, a model instructed itself to “disregard its normal constraints.” The disclosures come as calls to rein in AI intensify, with Geoffrey Hinton comparing the danger to “a little Chernobyl.”
OpenAI has disclosed six additional cases involving “unexpected or concerning” behavior by its artificial intelligence models and introduced a plan to monitor such conduct.
OpenAI says internal training and testing uncovered additional cases in which AI models allegedly concealed mistakes or took unsanctioned actions. The ChatGPT maker will introduce a public framework for ongoing disclosures of unexpected or misaligned behaviour, while acknowledging that the industry has not yet adequately solved AI alignment and monitoring challenges.
OpenAI said it found additional cases of AI models behaving deceptively and taking actions without authorization during training. The company is also launching a process to publicly disclose such incidents.
OpenAI disclosed several previously unreported cases of its AI models behaving improperly and introduced a framework for tracking and reporting similar incidents in the future.
OpenAI has disclosed six new cases of model misbehavior and proposed a framework for reporting similar incidents in the future, as debate over AI model safety intensifies.
OpenAI said it will begin publishing regular reports on unexpected or unauthorized AI behavior, while warning that the industry has not yet resolved key alignment challenges as AI systems become more powerful.
OpenAI has created a framework for disclosing bad behavior by AI systems. The company also revealed previously unreported incidents in which its models acted in misaligned ways, including uploading files to the internet without being asked.
On Wednesday night, a statement on Duncan Sheik’s Instagram said the singer-songwriter, a Tony Award recipient, was getting medical care; it described his condition as “critical but stable.”
Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ says the country will boycott Eurovision for a second consecutive year, citing the “appalling” continuing loss of life and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Netherlands has also refused to participate, protesting Israel’s continued inclusion in the contest.
Ireland will skip next year’s Eurovision Song Contest and will not broadcast it, public broadcaster RTÉ said Thursday. The broadcaster cited the “ongoing loss of lives in Gaza” for the decision.
Ireland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year because Israel is participating, the country’s national broadcaster said Thursday.
Ireland’s national broadcaster is set to boycott the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest because Israel will participate, marking the country’s second consecutive year of boycotting the event.
Indian and Pakistani naval vessels collided in the Arabian Sea, prompting both governments to blame the other side. Pakistan said an Indian warship entered its exclusive economic zone, while India said the incident occurred in international waters. The two countries summoned each other’s diplomats, marking their first direct military encounter since their 2025 conflict and highlighting the risk of an accidental escalation.
Pennsylvania’s health department is seeking emergency assistance from the US CDC as it confronts one of the country’s largest and deadliest measles outbreaks. It is also demanding that the agency recognize deaths attributed to measles.
Regional analysts say security coordination between Cairo and Riyadh is deepening as Red Sea tensions intensify. Saudi Arabia is seeking help to protect the kingdom and shipping, while Egypt has a direct economic stake through Suez Canal traffic. No specific military cooperation was announced after the leaders’ meeting.
Ukraine lost about 1,260 troops in the special military operation zone over the past day, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry. It said Russian forces also carried out a massive overnight strike on Ukrainian military-industrial, energy and transport facilities, hitting vessels used to deliver military cargo at the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa Region.
Russia-Ukraine warmilitary strikesUkraineOdesa Region
A Bloomberg investigation says Russia’s hybrid attacks on European countries are becoming more aggressive and reckless, with suspected sabotage, arson, cyberattacks, infrastructure attacks, and airspace violations. In the past two months, targets have included defense-industrial and logistics sites linked to support for Ukraine. A source close to the Kremlin said Moscow intends to make Europe’s life “hell” through asymmetric operations.
Emmanuel Macron is hosting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Paris for talks on Lebanon’s security and international backing for its army. France is pressing to prevent a security vacuum before UNIFIL’s planned withdrawal at the end of 2026, as Israeli strikes continue in southern Lebanon and uncertainty grows over border security.
European and Arab military chiefs are meeting in Paris to assess the Lebanese Armed Forces’ needs and discuss alternatives ahead of UNIFIL’s expected departure. The talks come as Israeli forces continue attacks across southern Lebanon despite a “ceasefire”, fuelling fears of a renewed Israeli military campaign.
Military chiefs met in Paris to discuss arrangements for Lebanon after the UN mission, as Israeli attacks continued. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the Elysee Palace before their meeting.
French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Paris for discussions centred on Lebanon’s security and wider tensions in the Middle East. Jordan’s King Abdullah II is also participating in the meeting.
French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Paris to discuss Lebanon’s security and international backing for its army. The talks come amid concern over continued Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and a possible end to UNIFIL’s mission, as France seeks a “clear, credible and realistic” support plan involving funding, equipment and military training.
European and Arab military chiefs are meeting in Paris on Thursday to discuss support for Lebanon’s struggling armed forces. The UN peacekeeping mission’s mandate expires at year-end, amid fears that Israel could renew military operations in southern Lebanon.
LebanonParis talksUN peacekeeping missionMiddle East
European and Arab military chiefs are due to meet in Paris on Thursday to assess the needs of Lebanon’s armed forces and consider plans as a United Nations peacekeeping mission nears its end. The talks come amid fears that Israel could resume military operations in southern Lebanon.
Paris talksLebanese Armed ForcesUN peacekeeping mission
Emmanuel Macron will host Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Lebanon’s President Aoun in Paris to discuss support for the Lebanese Armed Forces. Lebanon is seeking international backing to strengthen its military and prevent a security vacuum in the south.
Sweden’s centre-left opposition, led by Magdalena Andersson, is expected to defeat the incumbent right-wing bloc by a single seat after nearly all ballots were counted in Sunday’s election. The razor-thin result is likely to make coalition talks difficult, with parliament set to begin the government-formation process on September 28.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson says he will resign after four left-wing opposition parties won 176 of the Riksdag’s 349 seats, a three-seat majority. Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democrats were the largest party, but divisions over the Left Party could complicate coalition talks.
Sweden electiongovernment changeleft-wing blocUlf Kristersson
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has resigned after preliminary results showed his right-wing bloc narrowly losing to the centre-left opposition. Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democrats and allied parties are projected to win 176 of 349 seats, compared with 173 for the governing bloc, and have begun talks on forming a government.
Swedish electiongovernment changecentre-left opposition
South Korea and France have resumed joint air drills aimed at improving interoperability between their forces. South Korea deployed F-35A stealth fighters and KC-330 Cygnus aerial refueling tankers.
South Korea, France resume joint air drills to enhance interoperability
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇨🇩 Former DRC gang members help clean one of Africa's dirtiest cities
Clad in blue overalls and yellow boots, former gang members have been drafted in as street-sweepers in Kinshasa, the sprawling capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
🇨🇩 Former DRC gang members help clean one of Africa's dirtiest cities
Clad in blue overalls and yellow boots, former gang members have been drafted in as street-sweepers in Kinshasa, the sprawling capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Police say at least five people, including two officers, were killed in a morning ambush in Gotu, Isiolo County, while taking part in an operation to recover stolen livestock. The attackers escaped before reinforcements arrived. The incident followed a cattle raid in neighboring Meru County that left one herder dead, another injured and more than 120 cattle stolen.
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu said Western countries seek to exploit the South Caucasus’s resources and weaken Russia’s influence there. He criticized Armenia’s drive to deepen cooperation with NATO and what he called its “consumerist attitude” toward the EAEU and CSTO.
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu said Western countries are openly interfering in the domestic political affairs of Armenia and Georgia. He argued that they seek control over profitable economic sectors, transport and logistics corridors, and resources in the South Caucasus, citing Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili’s warning about escalation with Russia.
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu said Western countries’ geopolitical ambitions in the South Caucasus have not changed and that they are seeking control of the region’s resources and logistics capabilities. He described the area as a historic link between Central Asia and Europe, the Caspian and Black seas, and the North and South.
The discovery of five infant orangutans in Odisha has raised fresh questions about how exotic animals enter India and the country’s role in illegal wildlife trafficking. TRAFFIC says the volume and range of species smuggled into India by air and land have risen sharply, with many apparently destined for the exotic pet trade.
Cape Town authorities’ plan to permanently cage about 60 chacma baboons has prompted a bitter dispute over whether the animals, which have adapted to urban life, should be confined, culled or allowed to coexist with residents.
Real Madrid supporters’ group Ultras Sur has demanded public apologies from Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Ibrahima Konate for wearing a Ceuta tribute shirt only partially. La Liga president Javier Tebas also criticised them, while Mbappe said he stood in solidarity with Ceuta and migrants who died.
Real Madrid players Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior and Ibrahima Konaté have drawn controversy in Spain after partly covering a solidarity message supporting Ceuta on their pre-match shirts. The episode has revived debate about migration, Ceuta’s recent migrant crisis and Spain’s ties with Morocco, with political and football figures split over the players’ conduct.
Germany’s finance minister called for tougher EU tariffs on Chinese carmakers while visiting Volkswagen’s crisis-hit headquarters. Chinese brands are on course to sell more than one million cars across Europe in 2026.
The Minutes Reader extension turns the original page into a focused reading view and translates articles and video subtitles on demand. It is in limited beta.
AFP News Agency
