Briefing

Russian officials say Ukraine launched more than 1,000 drones toward Russia overnight, including an assault on Moscow that the city’s mayor called the largest ever against the capital.

UkraineRussiadrone attackMoscow

At least two people were killed and six injured in what Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyev described as a “massive” overnight Ukrainian drone attack. Russia said 249 drones were shot down; an oil refinery in Moscow was damaged and flights were restricted at two airports.

MoscowUkrainedrone attack

Russian authorities said dozens of Ukrainian drones were intercepted while approaching Moscow on Sept. 20, as an overnight attack affected multiple Russian regions. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin later put the number downed near the capital at 76. Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports temporarily restricted operations over flight-safety concerns. The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims.

RussiaUkrainedrone attackMoscow

US diplomatic missions in Jordan, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Lebanon urged Americans to remain vigilant, warning that the region’s complex security environment could deteriorate unexpectedly. The alert cited hostilities between Iranian-supported Houthis and Saudi Arabia and said the conflict could escalate rapidly.

Middle East securityHouthisSaudi ArabiaUS citizens

The Houthis said they launched large-scale missile and drone attacks against Riyadh and Yanbu, while the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh and thwarted attacks elsewhere. The Houthis called the strikes retaliation for intensified Saudi airstrikes. Iran said it wanted the Saudi-Houthi fighting to end and outlined conditions for resuming talks with Washington, including ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian assets and ending the US naval blockade.

HouthisSaudi ArabiaIranregional conflict

Nawaf Obaid, a senior research fellow at King’s College London, says Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi cities, including one intercepted near Riyadh, have little strategic value but produce powerful images. He warns that a major coordinated Saudi-led response using land, sea and air power is taking shape, with a Red Sea maritime coalition holding its final preparatory meeting in Jeddah and Turkey and, more limitedly, Egypt involved.

Saudi ArabiaHouthisRed Seamilitary response

Stephen Zunes, founding chair of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco, says Iran’s conditions for ending its war with the US have barely changed because Tehran believes it holds the upper hand. Iran has shown it can widen the conflict, disrupt the global economy and strike American bases while depleting US missile stocks. A modest softening is that security official Mohsen Rezaee no longer demands compensation for war damages.

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Iran’s security chief says Tehran wants the war ended on every front and the US naval blockade lifted as conditions for peace. Saudi forces have also thwarted an attack on Riyadh.

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The US military said a Saturday strike on a vessel in the Caribbean killed four people. It alleged that the vessel was involved in drug trafficking.

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North Korea fired a missile off its east coast on Sunday, Yonhap reported, citing South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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Around 3.8 million voters in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are voting on Sunday. The AfD’s recent defeat of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU in Saxony-Anhalt has intensified pressure on him, while far-right and far-left gains in the two states could further affect his political standing.

German electionsFriedrich MerzAfD

Voters in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are heading to the polls as Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces a test of his leadership. The far-right Alternative für Deutschland is seeking further gains at the expense of his CDU, with a severe result potentially prompting calls for his replacement or snap elections.

German politicsstate electionsFriedrich MerzAfD

French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting the French territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon on Sunday and is expected to meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The meeting comes weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump shared an image on social media depicting the archipelago covered by the American flag.

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Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will lead a delegation to the United States from Saturday to Wednesday for consultations on economic and trade issues of mutual concern. U.S. agriculture leaders, an economist and Coach China’s president voiced optimism about improved bilateral commercial ties and continued opportunities in the Chinese market.

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Reporters for CNN, MS NOW and Politico have been barred from the White House after Donald Trump banned the three outlets. The organisations say the decision violates First Amendment protections for a free press and limits access based on coverage.

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The broadcast reports that Trump has barred CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House, while new attacks on Saudi Arabia accompany an escalation in fighting across the Middle East, along with other stories.

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Fox News correspondent Alex Hogan reports on President Donald Trump’s security agreement with Denmark and Greenland, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks about the deal.

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Ed Sheeran told concertgoers he had made mistakes after Macklemore was removed from his tour over pro-Palestinian remarks on stage. Pro-Palestinian protesters had gathered near the stadium, while Sheeran’s backing band and opening acts boycotted the event. Speaking alone on stage, Sheeran said the issue was humanitarian and he could no longer conceal his feelings.

Ed SheeranMacklemorePalestinetour controversy

Ed Sheeran apologized to fans for “making mistakes” as he opened his concert in Philadelphia on Saturday. His tour had become embroiled in controversy earlier in the week, and he described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable.”

Ed SheeranGazatour controversy

Ed Sheeran addressed the fallout involving Macklemore and Palestine during his solo concert in Philadelphia. Sheeran has faced intense backlash after Macklemore was dropped from the tour over his “Free Palestine” comments.

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