A morning roundup of the most important stories from Europe and beyond on September 18, 2026, covering news, business, entertainment, politics, culture and travel.
EeuronewsOriginal★☆☆☆☆2026-09-18 05:00
The EU’s push to make Canada an “associate member” is drawing global attention as a possible new model for bringing other democracies into its orbit. The move could also alienate candidate countries and further strain relations with Washington.
EeuronewsOriginal★★★★☆2026-09-18 05:00
The growing partnership between the European Union and Canada is inseparable from the US president’s conduct. Donald Trump has targeted both with punitive tariffs and threats of annexation, pushing the two sides toward closer ties.
Flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were suspended for about 20 minutes Wednesday night after two pilots reported seeing a drone over an active runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
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A Pew Research Center survey across 12 countries and regions found that a median 43% of respondents trusted China to regulate AI effectively, compared with 35% for the US and 34% for the EU. China ranked as the most trusted regulator in five locations. Trust was also linked to views of each actor and awareness of AI.
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CGTNOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:55
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a Sept. 17 decree placing the assets of several international companies, including Nestle and Auchan, under the temporary management of Russian joint-stock company L.E.V. Management. Bati Logistics, FM Logistics and Le Monlid LLC were also named.
TThe Kyiv IndependentOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 04:53
Australian farm groups say a crackdown on immigration could create labor shortages across agriculture and threaten the coming wheat harvest. Their warning joins concerns from business groups that tighter migration rules could damage the economy.
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More than 570 polling stations opened in Russia’s Astrakhan Region on the first day of State Duma voting, held from September 18 to 20. Voters are also electing deputies to the regional Duma, while about 15,000 people applied to use the Mobile Voter mechanism.
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TASSOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 04:49
The main voting period for Russia’s State Duma elections has begun in the Irkutsk Region, with 1,852 polling stations open and more than 1.8 million voters registered. Voting was completed earlier at 43 polling stations in remote areas, where about 4,000 people cast ballots. The ninth State Duma election runs September 18–20.
Voting in Russia’s three-day State Duma elections has started at the Russian Consulate General in Phuket, Thailand, and will continue through September 20. Russian citizens aged 18 or older living or temporarily staying in the consular district can vote with a valid foreign-travel passport, without advance registration.
Russia begins a three-day State Duma election with little meaningful competition. Vladimir Putin’s United Russia is expected to retain its parliamentary dominance after liberal anti-war party Yabloko was barred from the ballot. The war in Ukraine is increasingly affecting daily life, while the Kremlin has tightened control over the vote.
Russia’s three-day State Duma election has started, with the first polling stations opening in Kamchatka and Chukotka. Early voting has been underway since late August in some remote areas and among soldiers at the front. Residents of Ukraine’s occupied territories will vote for parliament for the first time, while the Supreme Court barred the antiwar Yabloko party from the ballot.
Russians are voting for the first time since the Russia-Ukraine war began in 2022. United Russia, the governing party for more than two decades and backed by President Vladimir Putin, faces questions over whether opposition parties can mount a challenge. Al Jazeera’s Dmitry Medvedenko reports from Moscow.
Russia’s first voters arrived at polling stations in the Far East after voting began. Central Election Commission surveillance showed dozens of people at some Kamchatka stations within minutes of opening, collecting ballots and entering voting booths. State Duma and other elections run from September 18 to 20.
Russia began voting on September 18, 2026, for deputies to the ninth State Duma, along with regional and local elections held under the Single Voting Day framework. The legally designated date is the third Sunday of September, September 20 this year, but the Central Election Commission scheduled voting over September 18-20. Introduced in 2005, the system has been held annually in September since 2013.
The first day of Russia’s three-day State Duma election has begun in Kamchatka and Chukotka. A total of 178 permanent polling stations opened in Kamchatka and 54 in Chukotka, with 385 public observers monitoring the election.
Ether funds recorded outflows for a third consecutive session despite the token’s rise. All major cryptocurrencies gained, while Zcash extended its rally.
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CoinDeskOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:49
Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergey Nechayev says voting conditions for Russia’s State Duma elections in Germany are far from normal. He cites fewer polling stations and artificially fueled anti-Russian rhetoric, while warning that the embassy’s personnel and technical resources are objectively limited and asking voters to understand possible inconveniences.
TTASSOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 04:40
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Western countries of running a campaign to disrupt Russians’ election voting. She cited attempts to spread information aimed at disrupting elections and to misuse electronic procedures to block the process. The ministry remains in constant contact with its missions abroad on the issue.
The White House withdrew its nomination of former Delta Air Lines pilot Jeffrey Anderson to serve as U.S. ambassador to the International Civil Aviation Organization after opposition from a major airline pilots’ union.
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AFP News AgencyMalaysia’s king has granted former Prime Minister Najib Razak rare royal clemency, allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
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Malaysia’s pardons board, chaired by the king, agreed on Friday to let jailed former prime minister Najib Razak complete the rest of his sentence under house arrest, the prime minister’s legal department said. Najib was convicted four years ago in connection with a multi-billion-dollar financial scandal.
At least 33 people arrested in Nigeria on alleged illegal-mining charges have been found dead while in security custody. Officials suspect disease may have caused the deaths.
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At least 37 people suspected of illegal mining died while detained by Nigeria’s Security and Civil Defense Corps in Minna, Niger State. Officials suspect disease, while preliminary intelligence points to overcrowding and poor ventilation. Police are investigating, and the state government has formed an inquiry committee and declared three days of mourning.
Nigerian authorities opened an investigation Thursday after 37 people suspected of illegal mining died at a civil defence detention facility in central Niger state. Accounts differ over whether a disease outbreak or overcrowding and poor ventilation caused the deaths.
Officials say about 37 people suspected of illegal mining died while detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps in north-central Niger state, prompting protests.
Hyrox has encouraged gym enthusiasts to train like elite athletes, but the competitiveness of those at the front should not spoil the experience for participants further back, Juliana Liu writes.
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Senior economist Mihir Torsekar says Americans at the lower end of the economy are being hit by higher borrowing costs and reduced purchasing power. He says affordability could become a central concern as the midterm elections approach.
AAl JazeeraOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 04:27
Russia and China vetoed a US-drafted UN proposal that would have extended the expert panel’s mandate to monitor Iran’s nuclear sanctions for another year. The measure was defeated 11-2, while Somalia and Pakistan abstained because of the two vetoes.
EeuronewsOriginal★★★★☆2026-09-18 04:27
Russia and China vetoed a US-backed UN Security Council resolution that would have extended expert monitoring of sanctions on Iran, ending the council’s watchdog mandate. Iran called the proposal politically motivated and thanked Moscow and Beijing for blocking what it described as US-led abuse of the council.
Iran thanked Russia and China for vetoing a US-drafted UN Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate of the panel assisting the Iran sanctions committee. Iranian diplomats also thanked Somalia and Pakistan for abstaining.
Russia and China vetoed a US-sponsored resolution to extend the UN panel of experts monitoring Iran sanctions. The panel supports the revived 1737 Iran Sanctions Committee under Resolution 1929.
Hyundai Motor CEO Jose Munoz warned on Thursday that the United States could experience a wave of Chinese auto imports similar to the disruption seen in Europe unless Washington keeps tariffs and other market-access safeguards in place.
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Researchers have formally identified Leopardus tilcayo, a previously unknown tiger cat living in Bolivia’s Yungas cloud forests. It is the first new living cat species named and described in more than a century. DNA analysis found five genetically distinct tiger cat species, and the team also described a new subspecies in Peru.
AAl JazeeraOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:16
The number of years people are expected to spend in retirement varies widely across Europe. Euronews Business examines current retirement ages and how long Europeans can expect to receive pension payments.
EeuronewsOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:15
Mercari shares are recovering some of their losses after restrictions on Pokémon card listings triggered a selloff earlier this week.
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CNBCOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:09
Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating says Aukus is binding Australia to any future US conflict with China, a war he believes America would “certainly lose”. He warns the US could retreat to San Diego afterward, leaving Australia exposed to Chinese retaliation, and says deeper military integration is shredding Australian sovereignty.
TThe GuardianOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 04:06
Indonesia has received its first aircraft carrier, Italy’s retired Giuseppe Garibaldi, which the government says will support maritime security and disaster response. Defence experts, economists and opposition politicians question whether the ageing ship is necessary and whether refurbishment and operating costs are justified amid fiscal pressures.
TThe GuardianOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 04:04
AFP News AgencyVenezuela is nearing an agreement to move its $4bn gold reserve to New York. The deal would give Delcy Rodríguez’s interim government access to funding.
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Financial TimesOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 04:00
Glencore has become central to the controversy involving embattled iron ore trader Radiant World.
FFinancial TimesOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:00
Singapore-based Radiant says commodities giant Glencore financed its rapid rise before their relationship deteriorated into a $2bn legal dispute.
A larger European exchange could do more to attract US investors looking to diversify away from the tech-heavy nature of their domestic markets.
FFinancial TimesOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:00
Europe’s storage facilities are 69 per cent full, compared with more than 80 per cent at the same point last year, raising the question of whether El Niño could come to the energy market’s rescue.
FFinancial TimesOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:00
Donald Trump’s naval campaign is deepening Tehran’s reliance on trade routes through land neighbours such as Turkey, as Iran turns from ships to trucks to evade the US blockade.
FFinancial TimesOriginal★★★★☆2026-09-18 04:00
The central concern is liquidity and whether long-term promises to pay retirement benefits can be fulfilled.
FFinancial TimesOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:00
Palantir Technologies CEO Alex Karp said developers of artificial-intelligence systems should be held liable for their own work rather than relying on government regulation.
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Structured financing is helping secondaries funds grow by making their investments more appealing to risk-averse investors, including insurers.
FFinancial TimesOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:00
As geopolitical tensions and market uncertainty persist, executives are increasingly considering the yuan for international trade settlements, fundraising, liquidity management and investment allocation. By the end of 2025, the People’s Bank of China had bilateral currency-swap agreements with more than 30 countries and regions, worth over 4.3 trillion yuan (US$641 billion).
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South China Morning PostOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 04:00
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s office withdrew an interfaith award given to Pakistani cleric Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi after past remarks praising Osama bin Laden came to light. Ashrafi said the comments were taken out of context and called the backlash an unfair campaign.
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Fox NewsOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:59
The start of Spain’s football season has brought back LaLiga’s court-backed mass IP blocking to combat piracy. But whenever a match begins, thousands of people find websites and online services disrupted.
EeuronewsOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:55
The start of Spain’s football season has brought back LaLiga’s court-backed mass blocking of IP addresses, disrupting thousands of websites and services whenever matches begin.
Northeast China commemorated the 95th anniversary of the September 18 Incident with sirens, bell tolls and a moment of silence. A ceremony was held at Shenyang’s 9.18 Historical Museum, which also received newspapers and periodicals from 1931 to 1945. Japanese scholars and peace activists held a Tokyo symposium urging reflection on wartime responsibility and the accurate preservation of history.
CCGTNOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:53
Japan’s central bank lifted its benchmark interest rate from 1.0% to 1.25%, the highest level in 31 years. The increase, announced Friday after a two-day monetary policy board meeting, had been widely expected and was already reflected in recent global markets.
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The Bank of Japan lifted its benchmark rate by 0.25 percentage points to 1.25%, taking borrowing costs to their highest level in 31 years. The move comes amid rising inflation and wages, with pressure from Washington also weighing on policymakers.
The Bank of Japan raised interest rates to their highest level in 31 years and signaled concern about inflation. The decision passed 7-2, with board members Toichiro Asada and Ayano Sato dissenting from the increase.
The Bank of Japan raised interest rates by 25 basis points to their highest level in 31 years. The yen declined, while Bitcoin rose against it.
The Bank of Japan raised interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to 1.25%, the highest level since 1995.
The Bank of Japan is poised for a pivotal rate hike following pressure from Bessent.
Asian stocks climbed on Friday while the dollar held steady. Falling oil prices lifted sentiment as investors weighed stronger global efforts to curb inflation ahead of an expected Bank of Japan rate increase.
A potential Japanese rate increase is adding uncertainty to global markets, with concerns that it could trigger renewed bond-market turmoil and reduce demand for risk assets. Tokyo’s push for higher defence spending is raising questions about fiscal discipline. Japan’s 10-year bond yield reached 3.03 per cent this week, its highest level in three decades, while the 30-year yield approached a 30-year high at 4.1 per cent.
The Bank of Japan is expected to lift interest rates to their highest level in 31 years on Friday and promise further action to address inflation risks. Those risks could intensify if the start of a U.S. rate-hike cycle weakens the yen against the dollar.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Ukrainian forces’ monthly number of killed and wounded had recently reached 27,000, calling it a record. He warned that if the trend continues, Ukraine’s winter could be “catastrophic.”
TTASSOriginal★★★★☆2026-09-18 03:45
A monument commemorating victory over Japanese militarism was unveiled in Khabarovsk, Russia, depicting a Soviet soldier smashing a border marker bearing Japan’s imperial chrysanthemum. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi protested and demanded its removal, while Russia dismissed the reaction as absurd. The commentary calls the dispute a staged political show that distorts the historical verdict of World War II.
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China News ServiceOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:41
A monument commemorating victory over Japanese militarism was unveiled in Khabarovsk, Russia, showing a Soviet soldier smashing a border post marked with Japan’s imperial chrysanthemum. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi protested and demanded its removal, while Russia dismissed the reaction as absurd. The commentary calls Japan’s response a political show that portrays an attack on an aggressor’s marker as an affront to national dignity.
The XRP Ledger Foundation’s xrpld 3.4.0 release includes code for closed-ended lending vaults and cash-basis accounting. If activated, the design could prevent depositors from withdrawing XRP until a preset redemption date, with investment periods ranging from at least 60 seconds to less than 30 years. Activation still depends on validator votes and the rest of the lending stack.
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CryptoSlateOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:40
Ninety-five years ago, the September 18 Incident marked the start of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and foreshadowed the World Anti-Fascist War. As sirens sound again today, history reminds us that peace must never be taken for granted.
CChina News ServiceOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:40
Experts at a coffee industry conference in Kunming said Asia is becoming a major engine of global coffee consumption, with China among the fastest-growing markets. China’s coffee market exceeds 200 billion yuan annually and grows about 20% a year, while Yunnan’s planting area and exports have also surged. The province established a coffee standards committee and released new varieties and technologies.
CChina News ServiceOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:37
More than 30 business leaders and investors from mainland China and Hong Kong gathered in Shanghai for a South China Morning Post C-Suite roundtable held alongside BioShanghai Week 2026. The discussion examined the healthcare sector’s capital lifecycle from seed funding through post-listing, with support from IHH Healthcare North Asia and appearances by Nisa Leung and Dr Kenneth Tsang.
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:33
A Longjing tea tasting event has opened beside West Lake in Hangzhou, bringing together 10 villages from the tea’s core production area. Tea masters are demonstrating traditional methods, while visitors can sample village teas, try cold-brewed Longjing and explore exhibitions and interactive activities.
CChina News ServiceOriginal★☆☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:25
Anthropic says Claude is helping develop the next version of the AI system. The announcement comes as some prominent figures in the field call for a slowdown in AI development over safety concerns.
TTRT WorldOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:20
France’s public health authority recorded 7,919 excess deaths from late May through August 20 during the country’s hottest summer since 1900. The figure is provisional and may rise as more data arrives. Older people were particularly affected, while the deadliest heatwave ran from June 17 to July 2.
CCGTNOriginal★★★★☆2026-09-18 03:20
China’s pharmaceutical industry development plan for the 2026-2030 period aims for the country’s first-in-class new drugs to exceed 25% of the global total by 2030. It also targets more than 3.5 trillion yuan in revenue from large pharmaceutical manufacturers, annual innovative-drug growth above 20%, and at least 50 companies with revenue exceeding 10 billion yuan.
CChina News ServiceOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 03:20
The International Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival opened Thursday at Hong Kong’s Victoria Park. Its World Lantern Boulevard features lanterns from 20 countries and regions, with more than 3,000 displays. Nanjing Qinhuai lanterns are being shown in Hong Kong for the first time, and the carnival runs through Sept. 27 with performances and festive activities.
CChina News ServiceOriginal★☆☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:20
Indonesia's new finance minister, Suahasil Nazara, said at a Friday press conference that taxpayers who had overpaid would receive refunds in line with regulations.
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Pierre de Gaulle said French politicians are misleading the public with claims that Russia is weak and has lost territorial control, calling the statements absurd and false. He said Russia’s economy grew 10% between 2023 and 2025 and that Russian forces control more than 20% of the territory of the former Ukraine.
TTASSOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 03:20
More than six months into the Iran war, JPMorgan’s oil analysts say the timing of its end—and the resulting path for oil—is becoming increasingly impossible to predict, echoing what many traders have privately argued for some time.
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Local officials say Russian drone strikes injured at least five people in the Kyiv region on Friday, including three children. The attack occurred as polling stations opened across Russia for its first parliamentary election since the war in Ukraine began.
FFrance 24Original★★★★☆2026-09-18 03:16
Critics have launched a boycott campaign against US cheese giant Tillamook after it introduced a new halal label. Some accused the Oregon dairy cooperative of making “Al Qaeda cheese” in a viral tirade of abuse.
AAl JazeeraOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:13
A CNN analysis finds that Republicans are largely excluding Donald Trump from their television ads as he seeks to place himself at the center of the midterm elections. Democrats, meanwhile, are spending millions to link GOP candidates to his low approval ratings and policy agenda.
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The Azcatitlan Codex has returned to Mexico for the first time since 1840 and is on display at Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology. Loaned by France’s Bibliothèque Nationale, the richly illustrated manuscript traces Aztec migration, the founding of Tenochtitlan, its rulers and the arrival of the Spanish. Mexico has sought its return for years, but the current arrangement lasts only through December.
DDWOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 03:07
SB Energy’s planned initial public offering will test investor appetite for Masayoshi Son’s bet on artificial intelligence, with OpenAI’s delayed listing raising the stakes for SoftBank’s $50bn data-centre IPO.
FFinancial TimesOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:04
AFP News AgencyAgriculture, energy and rare earths have become key bargaining chips in the U.S.-China trade war and are expected to feature again when President Donald Trump hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington next week.
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The district attorney announced Thursday that murder charges will be brought against the SUV driver involved in the Los Angeles bus collision, which preceded a news helicopter crash.
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Anew Labs, a Shanghai-based AI drug discovery company formerly part of ByteDance, has raised US$290 million at a valuation of US$1.5 billion, according to an informed source. The deal comes amid a fresh fundraising surge among Chinese AI drug developers as investors back domestic challengers to Anthropic and Isomorphic Labs.
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 03:00
A UN report cited a missile strike on a primary school that killed more than 150 people and another airstrike that killed 22 civilians as evidence signaling possible U.S. war crimes in Iran. Washington rejected the report.
CCNBCOriginal★★★★★2026-09-18 02:59
UN-backed human rights experts say the United States may have committed war crimes in two strikes on February 28 that killed more than 178 people, including 120 children. The attacks came at the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Bloomberg journalists will take questions in a live Q&A on Sept. 18 at 11 a.m. HKT about calls in the US to slow AI development and the potential impact on China.
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Fears that artificial intelligence could pose an existential threat have entered the mainstream, but some experts worry that this focus is crowding out attention to more urgent issues.
As AI advances rapidly, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Elon Musk have warned of its risks and backed slowing development. The report says the US and China view AI through national-security and economic competition, making agreement difficult. They may find common ground on misuse and cyberattacks, but are unlikely to agree on limiting the pace of model development.
Prominent artificial intelligence figures took the stage at San Francisco’s annual Dreamforce conference, where attendees examined whether AI development should be slowed and discussed safety concerns.
Six key green industry projects worth more than 2.9 billion yuan, or about $400 million, were signed in Tianjin under the China-SCO Green Industry Development Cooperation Zone. The event also produced a coordination framework, released nine reports and launched an information network for green industry cooperation.
CChina News ServiceOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 02:54
Italy will deploy warships to protect its commercial vessels passing through the Bab al-Mandeb strait, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said. Rome will not wait for a joint EU decision, he warned, adding that closing the vital route between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden would cause severe economic consequences.
AAl JazeeraOriginal★★★★☆2026-09-18 02:53
Veteran British singer-songwriter Billy Bragg says he would cancel the tour if he were Ed Sheeran and swallow his pride. Sheeran is facing calls for a boycott over his stance on Gaza, deepening the pressure on his career.
TTRT WorldOriginal★☆☆☆☆2026-09-18 02:51
Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office says drone attacks by armed groups rose 146% in the first five months of 2026 from the same period last year. The attacks killed 21 people and injured 145, including children, with civilians making up nearly a third of the casualties. The recurring attacks have also driven fear, displacement and restrictions on daily life.
AAl JazeeraOriginal★★★★☆2026-09-18 02:51
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday that Seoul would not deploy military assets to the Middle East if doing so could draw the country into conflict linked to the Iran war.
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A US veteran was told he was “embarrassing” his uniform while protesting Palm Beach County’s $1bn investment in Israel bonds. The exchange came during a heated council meeting where residents expressed outrage over the record investment.
AAl JazeeraOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 02:44
The article argues that Japanese society has not simply forgotten the war but remembers it selectively. People are familiar with the atomic bombings, the Battle of Okinawa and the trauma of defeat, yet are less likely to confront Japan's responsibility as an aggressor through colonial rule, the Nanjing Massacre and atrocities in Southeast Asia. The author links this gap to history education focused on Japanese victimhood and cites a poll in which only 35% agreed that World War II was a war of aggression launched by Japan against its Asian neighbors.
CCGTNOriginal★★★☆☆2026-09-18 02:34
Russia’s Emergencies Ministry says Kamchatka’s Shiveluch volcano sent an ash plume as high as 5,500 meters eastward, prompting an orange aviation hazard code. Volcanologist Yury Demyanchuk said the emissions were most likely linked to the growth of a new dome, with ash potentially reaching nearby settlements if winds shift.
TTASSOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-09-18 02:32
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.
