Lead Story
Trump and Xi extend US-China trade truce by two months as summit begins
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on September 24 that Washington and Beijing agreed to prolong their fragile trade truce by two months, to mid-January, as President Trump welcomed President Xi Jinping to Washington for a three-day state visit. Officials from both countries had met in New York to lay the groundwork for the summit, with tariffs, rare earth minerals and artificial intelligence all expected to test the agreement even as the two governments try to stabilize a relationship strained by a sharp decline in bilateral trade over the past two years.
Read more →Lead Story
Trump and Xi extend US-China trade truce by two months as summit begins
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on September 24 that Washington and Beijing agreed to prolong their fragile trade truce by two months, to mid-January, as President Trump welcomed President Xi Jinping to Washington for a three-day state visit. Officials from both countries had met in New York to lay the groundwork for the summit, with tariffs, rare earth minerals and artificial intelligence all expected to test the agreement even as the two governments try to stabilize a relationship strained by a sharp decline in bilateral trade over the past two years.
Russian missile strike kills one in Kyiv hours after Moscow rejects UN calls for a pause
A Russian missile attack on Kyiv killed a 65-year-old man and injured two others early on September 24, with debris damaging a maternity hospital, a nearby diagnostic center and homes across the capital, hours after Moscow rejected calls at the United Nations to pause the war during negotiations. The strike came as 51 countries backed a joint statement supporting a Black Sea safe-navigation initiative and as Ukraine's unconditional ceasefire proposal, unveiled a day earlier and backed by 50 countries, remained unanswered by the Kremlin.
Read more →Russian missile strike kills one in Kyiv hours after Moscow rejects UN calls for a pause
A Russian missile attack on Kyiv killed a 65-year-old man and injured two others early on September 24, with debris damaging a maternity hospital, a nearby diagnostic center and homes across the capital, hours after Moscow rejected calls at the United Nations to pause the war during negotiations. The strike came as 51 countries backed a joint statement supporting a Black Sea safe-navigation initiative and as Ukraine's unconditional ceasefire proposal, unveiled a day earlier and backed by 50 countries, remained unanswered by the Kremlin.
US and Iran hold mediated UN talks on ending war and reopening Strait of Hormuz
The United States and Iran engaged in hours of indirect, mediator-shuttled talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23-24, with Tehran offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week if Washington lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports. Iran's conditions also include releasing frozen Iranian assets and ending strikes on affiliated forces, while its chief national security advisor warned that Tehran's patience with negotiations was wearing thin as confirmed strait transits remained at roughly 38% of prewar levels.
Read more →US and Iran hold mediated UN talks on ending war and reopening Strait of Hormuz
The United States and Iran engaged in hours of indirect, mediator-shuttled talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23-24, with Tehran offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week if Washington lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports. Iran's conditions also include releasing frozen Iranian assets and ending strikes on affiliated forces, while its chief national security advisor warned that Tehran's patience with negotiations was wearing thin as confirmed strait transits remained at roughly 38% of prewar levels.
Morocco's Authenticity and Modernity Party wins most seats in parliamentary election
Provisional results announced by Morocco's Interior Ministry early on September 24 showed the liberal-centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) winning the most seats in the 395-member House of Representatives with 97, ahead of the RNI with 66 and Istiqlal with 65. The governing National Rally of Independents suffered major losses after leading the outgoing coalition, while national turnout fell to just 38%, well below the 50% recorded in 2021, in a vote dominated by concerns over youth unemployment and the cost of living.
Read more →Morocco's Authenticity and Modernity Party wins most seats in parliamentary election
Provisional results announced by Morocco's Interior Ministry early on September 24 showed the liberal-centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) winning the most seats in the 395-member House of Representatives with 97, ahead of the RNI with 66 and Istiqlal with 65. The governing National Rally of Independents suffered major losses after leading the outgoing coalition, while national turnout fell to just 38%, well below the 50% recorded in 2021, in a vote dominated by concerns over youth unemployment and the cost of living.
UN General Assembly holds first-ever summit on 'existential' threat of sea-level rise
World leaders gathered at UN Headquarters in New York on September 24 for a one-day, heads-of-state-level plenary meeting dedicated to sea-level rise, aiming to adopt a political declaration strengthening international cooperation to protect vulnerable coastal states and communities. The meeting, part of the 81st General Assembly's high-level week, focused on measures to protect lives and livelihoods now, support nations facing unavoidable impacts, and bolster the international architecture for long-term response as low-lying island and coastal nations warn the crisis threatens their very existence.
Read more →UN General Assembly holds first-ever summit on 'existential' threat of sea-level rise
World leaders gathered at UN Headquarters in New York on September 24 for a one-day, heads-of-state-level plenary meeting dedicated to sea-level rise, aiming to adopt a political declaration strengthening international cooperation to protect vulnerable coastal states and communities. The meeting, part of the 81st General Assembly's high-level week, focused on measures to protect lives and livelihoods now, support nations facing unavoidable impacts, and bolster the international architecture for long-term response as low-lying island and coastal nations warn the crisis threatens their very existence.