The Israeli military says it has killed Mahmoud Abd al-Fattah Awad, a Hamas military wing commander who was involved in holding seven Israeli hostages during the Gaza war. The strike, carried out in the Gaza City area over the weekend, has drawn attention because the target was reportedly connected directly to the captivity of several…
U.S. President Donald Trump used the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22 to deliver two very different messages about American power: a threat of further military escalation against Iran and a new security agreement expanding the United States’ military presence in Greenland. The developments underline a wider feature of Trump’s…
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has arrived in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, promising to firmly defend Iran’s position as the country faces continued military and diplomatic pressure from the United States and its allies. Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, September 23, with the speech coming…
Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States lifts its blockade of Iranian ports and eases military pressure around the strategic waterway, according to a senior Iranian official cited by Kyodo News on September 22, 2026. The proposal comes as the United States and Iran remain locked in a…
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in New York on Monday, September 21, 2026, leading his country’s delegation to the 81st United Nations General Assembly. His visit comes at a significant point for Syria, with Damascus seeking stronger diplomatic ties, economic recovery and international investment following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Al-Sharaa is…
The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun vaccinating frontline healthcare workers as authorities battle the country’s largest Ebola outbreak on record. The campaign began in Bunia, the epicentre of the outbreak, on September 19, with health workers and other people directly involved in the response receiving the Ervebo vaccine. But there is an unusual problem…
China has reduced shipments of rare earth magnets to the United States just days before President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to meet in Washington. The timing is drawing attention because rare earth magnets are critical to industries ranging from electric vehicles and electronics to defence equipment. Chinese customs data released…
The Middle East oil crisis is beginning to affect the global energy market in a way that goes beyond crude oil prices. A new Wood Mackenzie analysis estimates that the prolonged conflict could reduce global crude processing by 1.4 million barrels per day in the fourth quarter of 2026, as refinery disruptions and problems around…
Saudi Arabia is seeking air-defense assistance from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt as its supply of missile interceptors comes under pressure from renewed Houthi attacks from Yemen. The kingdom is particularly concerned about protecting military facilities, government buildings and oil infrastructure as the Houthis expand their activity along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. Saudi officials have…
US President Donald Trump has said the US-Iran war may be nearing an end, raising fresh hopes for diplomacy after months of fighting, disruption to energy markets and growing pressure across the Middle East. Trump made the comments on September 16, saying he hoped the conflict was moving towards its conclusion and claiming that Iranian…
