Briefing

Federico Borsari of the Center for European Policy Analysis says he sees no indication that Russia will negotiate or ease pressure on Ukraine. He expects Russia to intensify efforts to destroy Ukraine’s power grid and critical infrastructure as winter approaches.

Russia-Ukraine warRussiaUkrainecritical infrastructure

Europe Today reports that Ukraine has launched its biggest strike, hitting Moscow, while Merz is again under political pressure.

UkraineMoscowGerman politics

President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia attacked cities across Ukraine with more than 2,000 drones over the past week, along with 1,700 air bombs and 19 missiles. Strikes hit monasteries, critical infrastructure, businesses and homes. Zelensky said he approved new long-range operations and urged partners to impose stronger sanctions and provide aid.

Russia-Ukraine wardrone attacksUkraineRussia

Iran has vowed a “painful” response after Donald Trump threatened to destroy its economy or eliminate its leadership if Tehran refuses to reach a deal. The threats are complicating diplomatic efforts ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting.

IranDonald TrumpdiplomacyUN General Assembly

Two Pakistani security officials said the air strikes killed 28 suspected “terrorists”. Kabul said three civilians were killed.

PakistanAfghanistanair strikescivilian casualties

Afghan officials said Pakistani airstrikes hit northeastern Afghanistan on Monday, killing at least three people. The strikes threaten to revive tensions between the neighbours after almost three months of relative calm.

PakistanAfghanistanairstrikesregional tensions

Oil prices fell Monday as traders monitored the possibility of a recovery in shipments from Saudi Arabia, despite continuing escalation in Middle East tensions.

oil pricescrude shipmentsSaudi ArabiaMiddle East tensions

Since January 2025, the Trump administration has deported more than 25,000 people to so-called third countries rather than their countries of origin. Forbidden Stories and FRANCE 24, working with 26 international media outlets, counted and mapped the removals using NGO information and open-source data, exposing the scale of the mass campaign carried out out of public view.

Donald Trumpdeportationsthird countriesimmigration policy

A Guardian investigation finds that the Trump administration has deported thousands of people to countries with which they have no connection through opaque agreements with governments worldwide. Nika, an Iranian woman, was shackled and flown to the Central African Republic, where she fears being returned to Iran. Human rights lawyers call the policy a coercive “show of force.”

Donald Trumpdeportationimmigration policyCentral African Republic

This edition of Reporters+ investigates a dark side of Donald Trump’s immigration policy: how ICE deports immigrants to so-called “third countries” in Africa, far from the United States and often far from their countries of origin.

Donald TrumpICEdeportations

United Russia is leading Russia’s Duma election with 57.86% of the vote after 90.43% of ballots were counted, according to Central Election Commission data. The CPRF has 13.84%, followed by the LDPR, New People and A Just Russia with 8.9%, 7.94% and 4.95%, respectively.

Russia electionState DumaUnited Russia

With 83.52% of precinct reports processed as of the morning of September 21, United Russia had 57.82% of the party-list vote and led in 208 of 225 single-member districts, according to Russia’s Central Election Commission. Preliminary results indicate the party is on track for a constitutional majority in the 450-seat State Duma.

Russiaparliamentary electionUnited RussiaState Duma

Diplomats told TASS that 647 Russian nationals voted at polling stations in the consulates general in New York and Houston, including 546 in New York and 101 in Houston. Both stations closed at 8 p.m. local time. The September 18–20 election also covered regional legislatures and leadership posts across Russia.

RussiaState Duma electionoverseas voting

Prime Minister Mark Carney met French President Emmanuel Macron in the French territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. The bilateral meeting was intended to send a message to U.S. President Donald Trump, as Canada and France reassert sovereignty amid his talk of American dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

CanadaFrancesovereigntydiplomacy

French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to deepen France-Canada ties during a meeting in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. They cited geopolitical tensions, climate change and the erosion of democratic values, while Ottawa seeks closer EU relations amid an increasingly acrimonious trade war with the US.

FranceCanadadiplomacyEuropean Union

Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney met in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and agreed to deepen their strategic ties.

MacronCarneytransatlantic ties

Germany’s two final state votes of the year redrew the political landscape: the Left captured Berlin, the AfD led in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and the CDU suffered major setbacks in both contests.

German electionsBerlinAfD

The Kremlin-friendly far-right Alternative for Germany was projected to lead Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s regional election with 38.2%, ahead of the SPD’s 35.4%. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU won only 4.9%, putting its state-parliament entry at risk. Merz called the result a “disaster” but said he would remain in office.

Germany electionAfDFriedrich Merz

The United States is proposing a new notification system with China to report artificial intelligence incidents that could pose a threat to national security.

artificial intelligenceUS-China relationsnational security

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S.-China trade talks were “very successful,” with agreements to operationalize initiatives and establish a bilateral dialogue on artificial intelligence.

U.S.-China relationstrade talksartificial intelligence

Following the Bessent–He Lifeng talks in New York, a US proposal for a new AI-safety notification mechanism is to be considered by Donald Trump and Xi Jinping at this week’s summit.

US-China relationsNew York talksAI safety

President Donald Trump announced plans to create an “AI Force” and appoint an artificial-intelligence czar. He said his administration would not hinder or stifle the industry, wants the US to remain ahead of China, and would use existing criminal and civil justice systems against illegal uses of AI.

artificial intelligenceDonald TrumpUnited StatesUS-China competition

Patrick Clancy is set to make his first televised appearance in an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes.” The program will air Sunday, following a mistrial in the Massachusetts murder case accusing his ex-wife, Lindsay Clancy, of killing their three children.

Patrick ClancyLindsay ClancyMassachusettsmistrial

Patrick Clancy, the former husband of Lindsay Clancy, said he had forgiven her for killing their three young children in his first televised interview. He spoke Sunday on CBS News’ “60 Minutes” after jurors failed to reach a verdict in her trial over the children’s deaths.

Lindsay ClancyPatrick Clancymistrialfamily tragedy

Presley Gerber, the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, died on Sunday at the age of 27.

Presley GerberCindy Crawfordcelebrity death

Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, has died. Medical examiner records indicate that he died Sunday at a rehabilitation facility.

Presley GerberCindy Crawfordcelebrity death

Presley Gerber, the son of Cindy Crawford, has died at age 27, her representative confirmed to CNN.

Presley GerberCindy Crawfordcelebrity death