At least 10 people have gone missing after and avalanche triggered by heavy rain and snowfall in Western Nepal's Manang’s Nar Phu valley struck the base camp in Himlung Himal on Sunday.According to Expedition organisers people from different expedition companies were among those missing in the avalanche that hit the 7,126-metre mountain in Manang district.&nbsp;Expedition organiser Mingma Gyalje Sherpa confirmed that two of his kitchen staff were among those missing in the incident. “The avalanche hit on Sunday morning,” he said, as per news agency ANI.&nbsp;He further said that expedition teams and rope-fixing teams evacuated the mountain slopes following a weather warning issued last week, but some people refused to leave.&nbsp;All missing people are reported to be Nepalis, according to initial reports.&nbsp;The mountain region was witnessing heavy snowfall for several days, forcing climbers to retreat from the autumn ascent of the mountain.&nbsp;The Himlung Himal peak at 7,126-metre in Manang district is a popular objective for climbers seeking experience at high altitude. What adds to the difficulties is that an additional permit is required for helicopter flights here.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/anti-social-elements-spreading-false-rumours-lpu-issues-statement-amid-massive-unrest-over-alleged-rape-1790487582874">‘Anti-social elements spreading false rumours’: LPU issues statement amid massive unrest over alleged rape</a>&nbsp;Two helicopters and a search and rescue team are on standby but have not been able to move because of adverse weather, Bibhuti Chand Thakur of Himalaya Holidays Trekking told AFP.&nbsp;Triggered by a weather system over the Bay of Bengal, heavy rain and snowfall across the country since Friday has led to disruption of roads and prompted local authorities to close several sections to traffic.&nbsp;In the wake of the adverse weather conditions, the Department of Tourism has issued an alert advising tourism activities be put on hold.&nbsp;The avalanche comes after devastating floods in Rasuwa last month, killed more than 1,400 people and left more than 5,000 missing. The disaster washed away settlements along the Trishuli River dealing a severe blow to Nepal's tourism industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Himlung Himal peak at 7,126-metre in Manang district is a popular objective for climbers seeking to scale high altitudes.

At least 10 people have gone missing after and avalanche triggered by heavy rain and snowfall in Western Nepal's Manang’s Nar Phu valley struck the base camp in Himlung Himal on Sunday. According to Expedition organisers people from different expedition companies were among those missing in the avalanche that hit the 7,126-metre mountain in Manang district. Expedition organiser Mingma Gyalje Sherpa confirmed that two of his kitchen staff were among those missing in the incident. “The avalanche hit on Sunday morning,” he said, as per news agency ANI. He further said that expedition teams and rope-fixing teams evacuated the mountain slopes following a weather warning issued last week, but some people refused to leave. All missing people are reported to be Nepalis, according to initial reports. The mountain region was witnessing heavy snowfall for several days, forcing climbers to retreat from the autumn ascent of the mountain. The Himlung Himal peak at 7,126-metre in Manang district is a popular objective for climbers seeking experience at high altitude. What adds to the difficulties is that an additional permit is required for helicopter flights here. ALSO READ: ‘Anti-social elements spreading false rumours’: LPU issues statement amid massive unrest over alleged rape Two helicopters and a search and rescue team are on standby but have not been able to move because of adverse weather, Bibhuti Chand Thakur of Himalaya Holidays Trekking told AFP. Triggered by a weather system over the Bay of Bengal, heavy rain and snowfall across the country since Friday has led to disruption of roads and prompted local authorities to close several sections to traffic. In the wake of the adverse weather conditions, the Department of Tourism has issued an alert advising tourism activities be put on hold. The avalanche comes after devastating floods in Rasuwa last month, killed more than 1,400 people and left more than 5,000 missing. The disaster washed away settlements along the Trishuli River dealing a severe blow to Nepal's tourism industry.

The Himlung Himal peak at 7,126-metre in Manang district is a popular objective for climbers seeking to scale high altitudes.

Avalanche strikes Nepal's Himlung Himal base camp, at least 10 missing

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Saturday (Sep 26) that he had deployed envoys worldwide to press nations into economically isolating Iran, celebrating fresh restrictions on the country's airlines and banks.&nbsp;"At my direction, teams were dispatched across the globe to engage with countries and demand action against the Iranian regime," Bessent wrote on X. "These efforts are delivering results."&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Following the launch of Operation Economic Outcast, <a href="https://x.com/USTreasury?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USTreasury</a> imposed targeted financial measures against banks and aviation service providers. At my direction, teams were dispatched across the globe to engage with countries and demand action against the Iranian regime. These…&mdash; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) <a href="https://x.com/SecScottBessent/status/2103981060132343903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;He pointed out that Turkey and Oman have blocked incoming flights from the private Iranian carrier Mahan Air, while the United Arab Emirates has suspended all flights operated by Iranian airlines altogether.&nbsp;Dubai, the UAE's commercial hub, serves as a key destination for Iranian carriers, hosting numerous daily flights alongside a sizable Iranian community and deep business ties.&nbsp;Iran's ISNA news agency, citing officials, reported that five nations, viz. Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Oman, and the UAE, have withdrawn the Islamic Republic's flight permits.&nbsp;However, ISNA noted that flights remain active to China, which is resisting US pressure, and to Russia, operating through Iran's two principal carriers, Iran Air and Mahan.&nbsp;Mahan had said it would halt service to Turkey at Ankara's request, yet flights continue multiple times daily in both directions via Iran Air or smaller Iranian carriers, according to airport websites in Tehran and Istanbul.&nbsp;The news agency added that Afghanistan, Armenia, Belarus, Malaysia, Pakistan and Tajikistan continue to be served as well.&nbsp;Earlier in the week, on Monday, Bessent had declared that all Iranian airlines "will be shut down around the world."&nbsp;He also drew attention to newly imposed banking restrictions. On Wednesday, the UAE's central bank halted transactions to and from Iran conducted through branches of Iran's Bank Melli, alleging violations of laws governing money laundering, terrorism financing and arms proliferation.&nbsp;The previous week, Turkey had stripped the license of Iran's Bank Mellat, a semi-private financial institution that has long faced Western sanctions.&nbsp;A Wall Street Journal piece circulated by Bessent detailed how Jonathan Burke, the Treasury's assistant secretary for terrorist financing, spent two weeks traveling through the Middle East and Europe to advance the strategy Bessent has dubbed an "economic D-Day" against Tehran.&nbsp;According to the Journal, the Treasury has engaged in talks with more than 50 countries as part of the broader effort.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claims global pressure is successfully isolating Iran, as key nations enact new banking and airline restrictions. 

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Saturday (Sep 26) that he had deployed envoys worldwide to press nations into economically isolating Iran, celebrating fresh restrictions on the country's airlines and banks. "At my direction, teams were dispatched across the globe to engage with countries and demand action against the Iranian regime," Bessent wrote on X. "These efforts are delivering results."

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claims global pressure is successfully isolating Iran, as key nations enact new banking and airline restrictions.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hails global crackdown on Iranian banks and airlines

The United States and China are facing each other over the issue of South China Sea, with US on Sunday condemning what it called “dangerous” and irresponsible maneuvers by Chinese maritime forces. Hitting back, Chinese Embassy condemned the US Embassy in the Philippines.’ &nbsp;The statements came after Chinese maritime forces allegedly threatened a collision with a Philippine vessel and blocked a resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The confrontation came two days after Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a three-day state visit to the United States, where he met with US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-us-strike-30-billion-tariff-deal-agree-to-launch-ai-dialogue-1790421349100">China, US strike $30 billion tariff deal, agree to launch AI dialogue</a><h2>What the US said?</h2>US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton said that the China Coast Guard and the People’s Liberation Army Navy, used blocking maneuvers during the Sept. 24 operation, preventing the Philippines from completing what Washington described as a lawful and routine resupply mission.“The United States strongly condemns the use of dangerous blocking and other irresponsible maneuvers by the China Coast Guard and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) that threatened a collision with a Philippine vessel and prevented a lawful and routine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal on September 24,” Lipton said in a statement. Lipton said Washington stood with the Philippines and praised Filipino personnel involved in the mission for their professionalism and restraint. “We stand by our Philippine Allies and laud their professionalism and restraint,” he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/gravitas/china-cool-to-feverish-american-diplomacy-1790358793594">China cool to feverish American diplomacy</a><h2>What Philippines said?</h2>The Philippine Coast Guard said that Chinese vessels obstructed the mission and created a serious risk of collision. No collision or injuries were reported, but the mission was not completed. The operation was intended to deliver supplies and rotate personnel aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine Navy’s grounded outpost at Second Thomas Shoal.<h2>What China said?</h2>China has disputed the Philippine's claims and said that its forces monitored the operation and issued verbal warnings after Philippine vessels ignored Chinese instructions. “We strongly condemn the US Embassy in the Philippines’ disregard for right and wrong and its insistence on supporting the Philippines’ provocative and unlawful actions at Ren’ai Reef in China’s Nansha Qundao,” the Chinese Embassy said in a statement.China issued the statement hours after US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton described the maneuvers by China as “dangerous” and “irresponsible.”

The US has condemned what it called “dangerous” Chinese maneuvers that threatened a Philippine vessel and blocked a resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal. Manila said Chinese vessels created a collision risk, while Beijing disputed the account and said its forces issued warnings.

The United States and China are facing each other over the issue of South China Sea, with US on Sunday condemning what it called “dangerous” and irresponsible maneuvers by Chinese maritime forces. Hitting back, Chinese Embassy condemned the US Embassy in the Philippines.’ The statements came after Chinese maritime forces allegedly threatened a collision with a Philippine vessel and blocked a resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The confrontation came two days after Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a three-day state visit to the United States, where he met with US President Donald Trump. Also Read: China, US strike $30 billion tariff deal, agree to launch AI dialogue What the US said? US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton said that the China Coast Guard and the People’s Liberation Army Navy, used blocking maneuvers during the Sept. 24 operation, preventing the Philippines from completing what Washington described as a lawful and routine resupply mission. “The United States strongly condemns the use of dangerous blocking and other irresponsible maneuvers by the China Coast Guard and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) that threatened a collision with a Philippine vessel and prevented a lawful and routine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal on September 24,” Lipton said in a statement. Lipton said Washington stood with the Philippines and praised Filipino personnel involved in the mission for their professionalism and restraint. “We stand by our Philippine Allies and laud their professionalism and restraint,” he said. Also Read: China cool to feverish American diplomacy What Philippines said? The Philippine Coast Guard said that Chinese vessels obstructed the mission and created a serious risk of collision. No collision or injuries were reported, but the mission was not completed. The operation was intended to deliver supplies and rotate personnel aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine Navy’s grounded outpost at Second Thomas Shoal. What China said? China has disputed the Philippine's claims and said that its forces monitored the operation and issued verbal warnings after Philippine vessels ignored Chinese instructions. “We strongly condemn the US Embassy in the Philippines’ disregard for right and wrong and its insistence on supporting the Philippines’ provocative and unlawful actions at Ren’ai Reef in China’s Nansha Qundao,” the Chinese Embassy said in a statement. China issued the statement hours after US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton described the maneuvers by China as “dangerous” and “irresponsible.”

The US has condemned what it called “dangerous” Chinese maneuvers that threatened a Philippine vessel and blocked a resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal. Manila said Chinese vessels created a collision risk, while Beijing disputed the account and said its forces issued warnings.

US vs China over South China Sea: Washington backs Philippines, Beijing hits back

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday told the UN General Assembly that a two-state solution, establishment of separate Israeli and Palestinian states, is needed for lasting peace in West Asia. “Tensions and violence also regrettably continue in the Middle East. We strongly believe that a durable and lasting peace requires a two-state solution,” said Jaishankar in his address to the General Assembly in New York.&nbsp;“In the meantime, India is contributing to humanitarian assistance and relief efforts for the Palestinian people,” Jaishankar further said.&nbsp;Earlier too India has backed the two-state solution in the ongoing Israel’s war on Gaza. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has previously said that it favours the establishment of a “sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognized borders, living side by side in peace with Israel”.&nbsp;READ MORE: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-kill-billions-bill-gates-backs-calls-to-slow-ai-development-amid-fears-of-catastrophe-1790474190491">‘Could kill billions...’: Bill Gates backs calls to slow AI development amid fears of catastrophe</a>&nbsp;Jaishankar during his address to the General Assembly also called for restraint and de-escalation in ongoing conflicts, stressing the need to protect civilians and keep energy and trade routes open.&nbsp;He said conflicts are affecting countries far from the areas where fighting is taking place.“Countries far from conflicts are being penalised for no fault of theirs. Those most impacted often have the least say. This assembly must face up to the true state of affairs,” Jaishankar said.EAM said the ongoing conflict in the Gulf was worsening an already difficult global situation. He also raised concern over attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers travelling through international waterways.&nbsp;“This year, we are witnessing a conflict in the Gulf, one that is exacerbating an already difficult situation. We remain deeply concerned over continuing hostilities. The targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers, transiting international waterways, is simply unacceptable,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has previously said that it favours the establishment of a “sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognized borders.

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday told the UN General Assembly that a two-state solution, establishment of separate Israeli and Palestinian states, is needed for lasting peace in West Asia. “Tensions and violence also regrettably continue in the Middle East. We strongly believe that a durable and lasting peace requires a two-state solution,” said Jaishankar in his address to the General Assembly in New York. “In the meantime, India is contributing to humanitarian assistance and relief efforts for the Palestinian people,” Jaishankar further said. Earlier too India has backed the two-state solution in the ongoing Israel’s war on Gaza. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has previously said that it favours the establishment of a “sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognized borders, living side by side in peace with Israel”. READ MORE: ‘Could kill billions...’: Bill Gates backs calls to slow AI development amid fears of catastrophe Jaishankar during his address to the General Assembly also called for restraint and de-escalation in ongoing conflicts, stressing the need to protect civilians and keep energy and trade routes open. He said conflicts are affecting countries far from the areas where fighting is taking place. “Countries far from conflicts are being penalised for no fault of theirs. Those most impacted often have the least say. This assembly must face up to the true state of affairs,” Jaishankar said. EAM said the ongoing conflict in the Gulf was worsening an already difficult global situation. He also raised concern over attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers travelling through international waterways. “This year, we are witnessing a conflict in the Gulf, one that is exacerbating an already difficult situation. We remain deeply concerned over continuing hostilities. The targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers, transiting international waterways, is simply unacceptable,” he said.

&nbsp;The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has previously said that it favours the establishment of a “sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognized borders.

India's Jaishankar backs two-state solution at UN on Israel-Palestine

A blast brought down a small Athens residential building killing six people on Saturday (Sep 26). Four American tourists and one British man were among the ones who were confirmed dead. While the American tourists had been staying in near the Acropolis, an elderly British man and his Greek wife lived on the second-storey of the three-storey building, officials said. The explosion, which occurred at dawn on Friday in the Plaka district filled with tourist lodgings, was reportedly caused by a gas leak, according to the capital's mayor, Haris Doukas, however, official reason is not known. The explosion brought down the residential building and damaged properties and vehicles along the street. The neighbourhood is one of Athens's most popular tourist areas. The nearby Acropolis, one of Greece's best-known landmarks, welcomed 4.6 million visitors last year.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Blast in central Athens leaves six dead after apartment building collapse A residential building in central Athens collapsed following an explosion, killing six people. The mayor’s initial assessment suggests the blast may have been caused by a fault in the gas supply system.… <a href="https://t.co/1dyVlYBaJe">pic.twitter.com/1dyVlYBaJe</a>&mdash; SNN Finland (@snnfinalnd) <a href="https://x.com/snnfinalnd/status/2103979489352982916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/11-killed-30-injured-after-blast-in-pakistan-s-dera-ismail-khan-1790424115205">11 killed, 30 injured after blast in Pakistan’s Dera Ismail Khan</a>&nbsp;The owner of the ground-floor apartment, Mathaios Artavanis, told the Kathimerini daily he was absent at the time of the blast. He said he had tried afterwards to contact the UK-Greek couple who lived there, without success. "We are talking about an incredible disaster," mayor Doukas said. Two nearby buildings were left in a dangerous state, he added, with inspections under way “to determine if they can remain standing or if they also have to be demolished.” A citizens' group said on social media that one resident in the street where the explosion happened had alerted authorities after smelling a possible gas leak.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-seven-killed-over-30-injured-after-blast-at-mosque-in-pakistan-s-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-1789726407363">At least 16 killed, over 50 injured after blast in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa</a>&nbsp;A US State Department spokesperson has confirmed that four Americans were also killed in the explosion. "We offer our sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones on their loss," they said. “The Department of State is providing consular assistance to the family. Out of respect for their privacy during this difficult time, we have no further comment,” it added. A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are aware of a suspected explosion in Athens and are in touch with the local authorities."We stand ready to offer assistance to British nationals abroad 24/7."&nbsp;Meanwhile, the city’s vice-mayor, Paris Charlaftis said, “The bodies have been taken to the morgue where postmortems will be conducted. Our focus now is on the explosion’s cause. What could have happened to bring the building down in a matter of seconds?” Officials have not confirmed the reason for the blast, and said there were many “cogent theories” including the one about gas leak emanating from the first-floor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A blast brought down a residential building in Athens’ Plaka district, killing six people, including four American tourists and a British man. A gas leak has been suggested as a possible cause, but officials have not confirmed it. Two nearby buildings were also declared potentially unsafe.

A blast brought down a small Athens residential building killing six people on Saturday (Sep 26). Four American tourists and one British man were among the ones who were confirmed dead. While the American tourists had been staying in near the Acropolis, an elderly British man and his Greek wife lived on the second-storey of the three-storey building, officials said. The explosion, which occurred at dawn on Friday in the Plaka district filled with tourist lodgings, was reportedly caused by a gas leak, according to the capital's mayor, Haris Doukas, however, official reason is not known. The explosion brought down the residential building and damaged properties and vehicles along the street. The neighbourhood is one of Athens's most popular tourist areas. The nearby Acropolis, one of Greece's best-known landmarks, welcomed 4.6 million visitors last year.

A blast brought down a residential building in Athens’ Plaka district, killing six people, including four American tourists and a British man. A gas leak has been suggested as a possible cause, but officials have not confirmed it. Two nearby buildings were also declared potentially unsafe.

Building collapses after blast in Athens: 4 Americans, British man among 6 killed; cause not known

A month after an ice-rock avalanche unleashed one of Nepal's deadliest natural disasters, the Himalayan nation is bracing for another wave of monsoon rain and flooding, with authorities warning that swollen rivers could again threaten communities along the Nepal-China border. The disaster struck on August 26, when an avalanche of ice and rock triggered massive flash floods that killed at least eight people initially and left hundreds missing, causing widespread damage to villages and infrastructure. The Nepal Electricity Authority reported that roughly 430 megawatts of hydropower and solar production capacity was damaged in the disaster. The death toll has since climbed dramatically, with the toll crossing 1,100 lives by early September, while neighbouring India sent technical teams to assist and thousands remained missing.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nepal-floods-wion-crew-documents-extent-of-nepal-floods-devastation-1788864580930/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/nepal-floods-wion-crew-documents-extent-of-nepal-floods-devastation-1788864580930/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Even in the immediate aftermath, the danger did not subside. Days after the catastrophe, water levels in the Bhote Koshi surged again, prompting fresh alerts along the Trishuli river corridor, and the US Embassy in Kathmandu warned that additional heavy rain could trigger localised flooding, landslides, debris flows and travel disruptions.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-just-a-local-tragedy-nepal-pm-shah-warns-un-of-growing-climate-threat-says-nepal-floods-were-a-warning-to-the-world-1790297410827">‘Not just a local tragedy’: Nepal PM Shah warns UN of growing climate threat, says Nepal floods were 'a warning to the world'</a>&nbsp;Prime Minister Balendra Shah has repeatedly framed the disaster as a climate emergency demanding cross-border cooperation. Speaking on the devastation spreading across the Nepal-China border, with floodwaters flowing even into India, Shah said: "Climate change does not recognise borders." He has also pointed to hard data behind the crisis, noting that Himalayan temperatures have risen by 1.8 degrees and calling disaster response a global responsibility.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/short-videos/unga-2026-nepal-pm-balen-shah-calls-deadly-floods-a-warning-to-the-world-1790319038255">UNGA 2026: Nepal PM Balen Shah calls deadly floods a ‘warning to the world’</a>&nbsp;The crisis has also shaped Nepal's diplomacy. Shah addressed the UN General Assembly on September 24, with his speech focused on climate action, climate justice and compensation for climate-related losses stemming from the Bhotekoshi floods. Analysts have urged Nepal to push for a Himalayan climate-resilience mechanism with India and China to share data and improve early warnings.&nbsp;With the monsoon season not yet over, disaster officials continue monitoring river levels closely, wary that the same conditions that produced August's catastrophe could recur before the season ends.&nbsp;

Nepal is on high alert as torrential monsoon rains trigger risks of fresh floods and landslides across several districts. Coming just weeks after a catastrophic disaster, authorities urge residents to brace for severe weather.

A month after an ice-rock avalanche unleashed one of Nepal's deadliest natural disasters, the Himalayan nation is bracing for another wave of monsoon rain and flooding, with authorities warning that swollen rivers could again threaten communities along the Nepal-China border. The disaster struck on August 26, when an avalanche of ice and rock triggered massive flash floods that killed at least eight people initially and left hundreds missing, causing widespread damage to villages and infrastructure. The Nepal Electricity Authority reported that roughly 430 megawatts of hydropower and solar production capacity was damaged in the disaster. The death toll has since climbed dramatically, with the toll crossing 1,100 lives by early September, while neighbouring India sent technical teams to assist and thousands remained missing. https://www.wionews.com/videos/nepal-floods-wion-crew-documents-extent-of-nepal-floods-devastation-1788864580930/embed Even in the immediate aftermath, the danger did not subside. Days after the catastrophe, water levels in the Bhote Koshi surged again, prompting fresh alerts along the Trishuli river corridor, and the US Embassy in Kathmandu warned that additional heavy rain could trigger localised flooding, landslides, debris flows and travel disruptions. Also read: ‘Not just a local tragedy’: Nepal PM Shah warns UN of growing climate threat, says Nepal floods were 'a warning to the world' Prime Minister Balendra Shah has repeatedly framed the disaster as a climate emergency demanding cross-border cooperation. Speaking on the devastation spreading across the Nepal-China border, with floodwaters flowing even into India, Shah said: "Climate change does not recognise borders." He has also pointed to hard data behind the crisis, noting that Himalayan temperatures have risen by 1.8 degrees and calling disaster response a global responsibility. Also read: UNGA 2026: Nepal PM Balen Shah calls deadly floods a ‘warning to the world’ The crisis has also shaped Nepal's diplomacy. Shah addressed the UN General Assembly on September 24, with his speech focused on climate action, climate justice and compensation for climate-related losses stemming from the Bhotekoshi floods. Analysts have urged Nepal to push for a Himalayan climate-resilience mechanism with India and China to share data and improve early warnings. With the monsoon season not yet over, disaster officials continue monitoring river levels closely, wary that the same conditions that produced August's catastrophe could recur before the season ends.

Nepal is on high alert as torrential monsoon rains trigger risks of fresh floods and landslides across several districts. Coming just weeks after a catastrophic disaster, authorities urge residents to brace for severe weather.

Nepal weather alert: Monsoon rains trigger risk of landslides and flash floods

A Hindu group by the name Hindu Munnani has sought help from Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission at Nungambakkam in Chennai, to save Sivarasa Anojan, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker facing a death sentence in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court reportedly increased his punishment over a Facebook comment that was deemed insulting to Islam and Prophet Muhammad. Help is also been sought from the Indian government in the matter.&nbsp;Members of the Hindu Munnani submitted a petition at the Deputy High Commission office at Nungambakkam seeking revocation of the sentence, reported news agency ANI.&nbsp;"We are going to meet the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner and submit a petition. An Islamist in Sri Lanka had posted derogatory content against Lord Shiva on social media. In response, Anojan, who is a Tamil-speaking Sri Lankan, questioned it and the exchange continued. He raised a question about the Prophet. Someone complained to the Saudi government in Arabic about Anojan's post," said the Hindu group in a statement.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-gets-first-late-september-rain-in-7-years-mercury-dips-5-1-c-below-normal-1790476435840">Delhi gets first late-September rain in 7 years, mercury dips 5.1°C below normal</a>

They also said that an apology was made by Anojan but he was imprisoned a fine imposed on him.&nbsp;"Anojan also tendered a public apology. Despite that, he was sentenced to imprisonment with a fine of Rs 7 crore. Later, the higher court awarded death sentence and a fine of Rs 10 crore. The sentence should be stayed," said the group.&nbsp;Anojan was sentenced on July 15 by the Al-Ahsa Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment and a fine of three million Saudi Riyals, the maximum punishment available under the first paragraph of Article 6 of Saudi Arabia's Anti-Cyber Crime Law. The five-year sentence was enhanced to a death sentence by the top court in Saudi Arabia about three days ago.&nbsp;(With input from agencies)

Members of the Hindu Munnani submitted a petition at the Deputy High Commission office at Nungambakkam seeking revocation of the sentence.

A Hindu group by the name Hindu Munnani has sought help from Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission at Nungambakkam in Chennai, to save Sivarasa Anojan, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker facing a death sentence in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court reportedly increased his punishment over a Facebook comment that was deemed insulting to Islam and Prophet Muhammad. Help is also been sought from the Indian government in the matter. Members of the Hindu Munnani submitted a petition at the Deputy High Commission office at Nungambakkam seeking revocation of the sentence, reported news agency ANI. "We are going to meet the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner and submit a petition. An Islamist in Sri Lanka had posted derogatory content against Lord Shiva on social media. In response, Anojan, who is a Tamil-speaking Sri Lankan, questioned it and the exchange continued. He raised a question about the Prophet. Someone complained to the Saudi government in Arabic about Anojan's post," said the Hindu group in a statement. ALSO READ: Delhi gets first late-September rain in 7 years, mercury dips 5.1°C below normal

Members of the Hindu Munnani submitted a petition at the Deputy High Commission office at Nungambakkam seeking revocation of the sentence.

Sri Lankan Tamil migrant worker gets death sentence in Saudi Arabia, help sought from India

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to his country from the United Nations General Assembly in New York, &nbsp;said that Iran will remain resolute and not retreat in the face of the United States and Israel. This comes after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-quietly-adds-37-wounded-troops-to-iran-war-tally-without-explaining-when-or-how-1790378020242">Pentagon quietly adds 37 wounded troops to Iran war tally</a> Addressing people who had gathered at the airport to welcome him after his return, Pezeshkian said, “We stand firm with strength, we are at the service of our people, we will stand until our last breath, and we promise that as long as we have life in our bodies, we will be honest servants to the people; you have put us to shame, I do not consider myself worthy of your presence, I am your servant.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/short-videos/unga-2026-netanyahu-makes-huge-prediction-on-iran-declares-iran-s-evil-regime-will-fall-1790320790272">UNGA 2026: Netanyahu makes huge prediction on Iran</a> Earlier, in an interview with Al Jazeera aired on Saturday (local time), the Iranian President said that Iran no longer trusted negotiations with the United States after previous rounds of talks were followed by "attacks" and sanctions. “We have no trust in the American side and do not know on what basis an understanding can be reached with it,” Pezeshkian told Al Jazeera.&nbsp;In a post on Telegram, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged Trump's rejection, but accused the president of previously making contradictory statements. Earlier, Trump told reporters at the White House that Tehran's proposal was not "acceptable" and that they wanted to make a deal to open the strait immediately because “they're losing so badly.”&nbsp;Pezeshkian and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier visited the US this week for the United Nations gathering of world leaders and proposed a seven-day roadmap aimed at ending the fighting and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Under the proposal, Washington is expected to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, release an estimated USD 12 billion in frozen Iranian assets and observe a ceasefire covering the region, including Lebanon and Yemen.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that Tehran would not retreat after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day ceasefire proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s military also warned against US interference as Tehran said it no longer trusts Washington

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to his country from the United Nations General Assembly in New York, said that Iran will remain resolute and not retreat in the face of the United States and Israel. This comes after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Also Read: Pentagon quietly adds 37 wounded troops to Iran war tally Addressing people who had gathered at the airport to welcome him after his return, Pezeshkian said, “We stand firm with strength, we are at the service of our people, we will stand until our last breath, and we promise that as long as we have life in our bodies, we will be honest servants to the people; you have put us to shame, I do not consider myself worthy of your presence, I am your servant.” Also Read: UNGA 2026: Netanyahu makes huge prediction on Iran Earlier, in an interview with Al Jazeera aired on Saturday (local time), the Iranian President said that Iran no longer trusted negotiations with the United States after previous rounds of talks were followed by "attacks" and sanctions. “We have no trust in the American side and do not know on what basis an understanding can be reached with it,” Pezeshkian told Al Jazeera. In a post on Telegram, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged Trump's rejection, but accused the president of previously making contradictory statements. Earlier, Trump told reporters at the White House that Tehran's proposal was not "acceptable" and that they wanted to make a deal to open the strait immediately because “they're losing so badly.” Pezeshkian and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier visited the US this week for the United Nations gathering of world leaders and proposed a seven-day roadmap aimed at ending the fighting and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Under the proposal, Washington is expected to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, release an estimated USD 12 billion in frozen Iranian assets and observe a ceasefire covering the region, including Lebanon and Yemen.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that Tehran would not retreat after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day ceasefire proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s military also warned against US interference as Tehran said it no longer trusts Washington

‘Till our last breath’: Pezeshkian vows to stand firm after returning from UNGA

Donald Trump called his summit with Xi Jinping a “great meeting”. The two leaders emerged with eight understandings covering trade, artificial intelligence, Iran and counternarcotics cooperation. But on the issue that is fundamental to China-US relations, at least as per Beijing, there was no announced breakthrough.&nbsp;Taiwan is conspicuously absent from China’s final list of eight deliverables and understandings. It is also missing from the White House fact sheet celebrating the summit’s achievements, even though China’s official account of the talks confirms that Xi raised the issue directly with Trump.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-xi-summit-xi-wraps-up-us-visit-with-21-gun-salute-as-trump-xi-lock-in-strategic-stability-1790391939259/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-xi-summit-xi-wraps-up-us-visit-with-21-gun-salute-as-trump-xi-lock-in-strategic-stability-1790391939259/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;That omission matters because Xi explicitly linked Washington’s handling of Taiwan to the very foundation of future China-US strategic cooperation.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/donald-trump-shares-image-of-xi-s-arrival-in-washington-carries-signs-of-ai-1790432344077">Donald Trump shares image of Xi's arrival in Washington, carries signs of AI</a><h3>Taiwan remains the unresolved fault line</h3>&nbsp;China’s official account quotes Xi as telling Trump, “It is hoped that the U.S. side will adhere to the correct position of opposing ‘Taiwan independence,’ and handle the Taiwan question with caution, so as to lay a solid foundation for China-U.S. strategic cooperation and the development of bilateral relations.”&nbsp;Yet no Taiwan understanding appears among the summit’s final deliverables. The silence is particularly striking after Xi’s warning during Trump’s visit to China in May that mishandling Taiwan could lead the two countries to “clashes and even conflicts”. Months later, the issue that is central to the political foundation of the relationship remains unresolved.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-and-china-agree-to-bilateral-hotline-for-ai-incidents-after-trump-xi-summit-1790397909104">US and China agree to bilateral hotline for AI incidents after Trump-Xi Summit</a><h2>A curious World War II reference</h2>&nbsp;Both governments recalled that China and the United States fought as allies during World War II. Washington went further. The White House said America’s forward military presence since World War II has preserved a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. China’s statement omits that assertion. The omission only raises curiosity regarding differences between the two sides over the US military role in Asia.&nbsp;<h2>Iran emerges as significant common ground</h2>&nbsp;Iran may be among Washington’s most consequential outcomes of the summit. Trump and Xi agreed that Iran should not develop nuclear weapons and that no country or institution should be allowed to impose tolls on international waterways. Given China’s economic relationship with Tehran and the importance of the Strait of Hormuz to global energy flows, Beijing’s public agreement gives Washington significant common ground on two key objectives.&nbsp;<h2>Agreements cannot hide the central divide</h2>&nbsp;The summit produced tangible areas of cooperation. But the absence of a Taiwan understanding is harder to overlook precisely because Xi himself linked the issue to the foundations of China-US strategic cooperation. Trump and Xi may have found ways to stabilise their rivalry but on the issue with perhaps the greatest potential to destabilise it, the fundamental disagreement remains.

While President Donald Trump touted a "great meeting" with Xi Jinping, critical issues like AI regulation, trade tariffs, and Taiwan were left unaddressed. Here is a look at the startling omissions behind the high-stakes US-China summit. 

Donald Trump called his summit with Xi Jinping a “great meeting”. The two leaders emerged with eight understandings covering trade, artificial intelligence, Iran and counternarcotics cooperation. But on the issue that is fundamental to China-US relations, at least as per Beijing, there was no announced breakthrough. Taiwan is conspicuously absent from China’s final list of eight deliverables and understandings. It is also missing from the White House fact sheet celebrating the summit’s achievements, even though China’s official account of the talks confirms that Xi raised the issue directly with Trump. https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-xi-summit-xi-wraps-up-us-visit-with-21-gun-salute-as-trump-xi-lock-in-strategic-stability-1790391939259/embed That omission matters because Xi explicitly linked Washington’s handling of Taiwan to the very foundation of future China-US strategic cooperation. Also read: Donald Trump shares image of Xi's arrival in Washington, carries signs of AI Taiwan remains the unresolved fault line China’s official account quotes Xi as telling Trump, “It is hoped that the U.S. side will adhere to the correct position of opposing ‘Taiwan independence,’ and handle the Taiwan question with caution, so as to lay a solid foundation for China-U.S. strategic cooperation and the development of bilateral relations.” Yet no Taiwan understanding appears among the summit’s final deliverables. The silence is particularly striking after Xi’s warning during Trump’s visit to China in May that mishandling Taiwan could lead the two countries to “clashes and even conflicts”. Months later, the issue that is central to the political foundation of the relationship remains unresolved. Also read: US and China agree to bilateral hotline for AI incidents after Trump-Xi Summit A curious World War II reference Both governments recalled that China and the United States fought as allies during World War II. Washington went further. The White House said America’s forward military presence since World War II has preserved a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. China’s statement omits that assertion. The omission only raises curiosity regarding differences between the two sides over the US military role in Asia. Iran emerges as significant common ground Iran may be among Washington’s most consequential outcomes of the summit. Trump and Xi agreed that Iran should not develop nuclear weapons and that no country or institution should be allowed to impose tolls on international waterways. Given China’s economic relationship with Tehran and the importance of the Strait of Hormuz to global energy flows, Beijing’s public agreement gives Washington significant common ground on two key objectives. Agreements cannot hide the central divide The summit produced tangible areas of cooperation. But the absence of a Taiwan understanding is harder to overlook precisely because Xi himself linked the issue to the foundations of China-US strategic cooperation. Trump and Xi may have found ways to stabilise their rivalry but on the issue with perhaps the greatest potential to destabilise it, the fundamental disagreement remains.

While President Donald Trump touted a "great meeting" with Xi Jinping, critical issues like AI regulation, trade tariffs, and Taiwan were left unaddressed. Here is a look at the startling omissions behind the high-stakes US-China summit.

Trump-Xi Summit: Startling omissions behind the ‘great meeting’

After US President Donald Trump confirmed that he has rejected Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping within seven days, Iran on Saturday said it will wait for an official response from US negotiators. Taking to Telegram, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged Trump's rejection, but accused Trump of making contradictory statements earlier.&nbsp;"We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive views to us, and we will make a decision based on them," Araghchi said.&nbsp;Earlier Trump rejected the proposal as “unacceptable” and claimed that Iranians wants to make a deal “immediately” because they were losing the war “so badly”.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Araghchi while speaking to reporters at the UN on Friday, said that an &nbsp;agreement could be reached if "necessary conditions are met" between the two countries.&nbsp;He stressed that the conditions to open the strait were similar to that included in the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran signed in June.&nbsp;Oman, a mediator between the US and Iran has called for all parties to continue having open dialogue to resolve the crisis.&nbsp;Oman's foreign minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, at the UN General Debate urged all parties to cooperate with Oman in helping to come to a solution to open the strategic waterway.&nbsp;<h2>What did Iran offer?</h2>&nbsp;Under the Iranian proposal, the United States would lift its naval blockade, release some frozen Iranian assets and ease sanctions affecting Iranian oil exports. In return, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin negotiations over its nuclear programme.&nbsp;Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the proposal had been developed in coordination with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Araghchi said the Strait would be reopened on the seventh day after Washington accepted the plan.&nbsp;“Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan,” Araghchi said. “If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days.”&nbsp;He added: “The choice now rests with the United States.” &nbsp;

Araghchi while speaking to reporters at the UN on Friday, said that an  agreement could be reached if "necessary conditions are met" between the two countries.

After US President Donald Trump confirmed that he has rejected Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping within seven days, Iran on Saturday said it will wait for an official response from US negotiators. Taking to Telegram, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged Trump's rejection, but accused Trump of making contradictory statements earlier. "We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive views to us, and we will make a decision based on them," Araghchi said. Earlier Trump rejected the proposal as “unacceptable” and claimed that Iranians wants to make a deal “immediately” because they were losing the war “so badly”. Meanwhile, Araghchi while speaking to reporters at the UN on Friday, said that an agreement could be reached if "necessary conditions are met" between the two countries. He stressed that the conditions to open the strait were similar to that included in the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran signed in June. Oman, a mediator between the US and Iran has called for all parties to continue having open dialogue to resolve the crisis. Oman's foreign minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, at the UN General Debate urged all parties to cooperate with Oman in helping to come to a solution to open the strategic waterway. What did Iran offer? Under the Iranian proposal, the United States would lift its naval blockade, release some frozen Iranian assets and ease sanctions affecting Iranian oil exports. In return, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin negotiations over its nuclear programme. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the proposal had been developed in coordination with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Araghchi said the Strait would be reopened on the seventh day after Washington accepted the plan. “Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan,” Araghchi said. “If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days.” He added: “The choice now rests with the United States.”

Araghchi while speaking to reporters at the UN on Friday, said that an &nbsp;agreement could be reached if "necessary conditions are met" between the two countries.&nbsp;

'Will wait for official US response', says Araghchi after Trump rejects Iran's Strait of Hormuz proposal

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has backed Tehran’s new plan to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as Iran seeks an agreement with the United States to end hostilities in the region.Talking about tech and AI, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has joined the bandwagon calling for a slowdown in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), warning that he can see a future where AI wipes out humanity. In a chilling warning that echoes remarks made against AI earlier, he claimed the tool was “powerful enough” to drive events which could kill “billions.” Gates called for lawmakers to regulate the development of AI, stating that “no one thinks self-regulation is enough.” When asked whether there should be legislation regarding this in the United States, he replied, saying, “Absolutely.”Coming to some weather news from India, New Delhi witnessed light rainfall on Saturday, leading to sharp dip in the maximum temperature on Sunday (Sep 27). The rain happened due to a slight depression over northeast Madhya Pradesh. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that similar conditions of rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds will continue on Sunday. According to reports, this is the first time in the past seven years that it has rained in late September. Delhi logged 0.6mm of rainfall until 8.30pm on Saturday. Previously, 0.3mm of rainfall was recorded on September 29, 2019.Stay with us for the latest news, breaking updates and developments as they unfold.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government on Sunday withdrew a controversial order that had kept the state’s Public (Law and Order) Department outside the scope of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, following objections from allies of the ruling TVK, along with criticism from the opposition DMK. &nbsp;

Vijay govt's U-turn amid row over RTI exemption for law and order department

Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha welcomed telecom companies' new 30-day recharge rules, calling it a victory for the "low-budget consumers". The move aims to give prepaid mobile users greater choice in prepaid recharge. Lauding the new plans, Chadha said that the changes would offer greater flexibility to consumers, especially users who mainly use their phones for voice calls and SMS.

"Good News": Raghav Chadha Says Prepaid Users Will Get 30-Day Recharge Plans

Israeli forces continue to target areas in southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported artillery shelling on the outskirts of the towns of Haddatha and Haris in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon.

Israeli artillery targets Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil

Afghanistan's defence ministry said ​on Sunday its ‌forces had killed 28 fighters and wounded ​32 in the ​eastern province of Nuristan ⁠after a ​group it said included ​Islamic State militants crossed from Pakistan.

Afghanistan says 28 fighters killed after crossing from Pakistan

At least 12 dead and dozens missing after a passenger vessel capsized in eastern Congo's Lake Kivu.

Passenger vessel capsized in eastern Congo

Heavy rain triggered floods and landslides in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, killing at least 56 people over the past three days.

Heavy rain kills 56 in India's Uttar Pradesh state

South African police say they have launched a manhunt after 17 people killed in a shooting at a tavern in Wedela township southwest of Johannesburg.&nbsp;The motive for the shooting is not known, the South African Police Service said, adding that "suspects were reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols".

South Africa police launch manhunt after 17 killed in Johannesburg tavern shooting

The UK police on Sunday (Sept 27) arrested several people on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act after the declaration of a major incident close to a major US air base in the southwest of England. Several homes were evacuated and a number of vehicles were being inspected by the army as security was stepped up at the Gloucestershire airbase, which is used by US forces.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-police-arrest-several-under-explosives-act-near-air-base-used-by-us-forces-1790499147624"> READ MORE</a>

UK police arrest several under explosives act near air base used by US forces

The Tamil Nadu government has issued an order exempting the law and order wing of its Public Department from the Right to Information (RTI) Act, restricting public access to a broad range of records concerning policing, protests and security. &nbsp;The government has designated the wing as an organisation engaged in intelligence and security work.The order means applicants may no longer obtain many of the records held by the wing through routine RTI requests.It does not, however, make every piece of law and order information held elsewhere in the government unavailable. The affected records include papers on the appointment of commissions of inquiry into law and order incidents, communal and caste clashes, police arrests and custody, deaths of prisoners, and the receipt of police investigation reports.

TN govt exempts law and order department from RTI Act

At least 10 people have gone missing after an avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal in western Nepal, bordering Tibet, expedition organisers confirmed&nbsp;

10 Missing After Avalanche Hits Himlung Himal Base Camp In Nepal

The US has condemned what it called “dangerous” Chinese maneuvers that threatened a Philippine vessel and blocked a resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal. Manila said Chinese vessels created a collision risk, while Beijing disputed the account and said its forces issued warnings

US has condemned what it called “dangerous” Chinese maneuvers 

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday told the UN General Assembly that a two-state solution, establishment of separate Israeli and Palestinian states, is needed for lasting peace in West Asia. “Tensions and violence also regrettably continue in the Middle East. We strongly believe that a durable and lasting peace requires a two-state solution,” said Jaishankar in his address to the General Assembly in New York.

A blast brought down a small Athens residential building killing six people on Saturday (Sep 26). Four American tourists and one British man were among the ones who were confirmed dead. While the American tourists had been staying in near the Acropolis, an elderly British man and his Greek wife lived on the second-storey of the three-storey building, officials said. The explosion, which occurred at dawn on Friday in the Plaka district filled with tourist lodgings, was reportedly caused by a gas leak, according to the capital's mayor, Haris Doukas, however, official reason is not known.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/building-collapses-after-blast-in-athens-4-americans-british-man-among-6-killed-cause-not-known-1790485336617"> READ MORE</a>

Four American tourists among 6 killed in suspected gas leak blast in Athens

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has postponed ​a planned long march from Peshawar to Islamabad ‌until October 4, the chief minister of the PTI-ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Sohail Afridi, told reporters&nbsp;

Imran Khan's party postpones planned Islamabad march to October 4

A former personal bodyguard to slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was granted asylum and eventual British citizenship before allegedly coordinating a major antisemitic terrorist plot in Europe. An investigation published by The Sunday Times revealed that the suspect, legally referred to only as "Mr X," was arrested in London. He is currently awaiting extradition to Germany

Hamas chief’s bodyguard got British citizenship and then ‘plotted terror’

Lovely Professional University (LPU) has issued a statement on Sunday (Sep 27) following massive protests and a rampage at its Phagwara campus since Saturday night. The university has strongly refuted what it called “false and fabricated news and rumours" being circulated on social media and said that certain “anti-social elements" were spreading “completely false, baseless and fabricated rumours." It said that rumours are being spread to disturb the peaceful academic environment. The university also claimed that the rumours were “a deliberate and concerted attempt" to malign its reputation and tarnish its image. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/anti-social-elements-spreading-false-rumours-lpu-issues-statement-amid-massive-unrest-over-alleged-rape-1790487582874">ALSO READ</a>

 LPU issues statement amid massive unrest over alleged rape

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to his country from the United Nations General Assembly in New York, said that Iran will remain resolute and not retreat in the face of the United States and Israel. This comes after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.Addressing people who had gathered at the airport to welcome him after his return, Pezeshkian said, “We stand firm with strength, we are at the service of our people, we will stand until our last breath, and we promise that as long as we have life in our bodies, we will be honest servants to the people; you have put us to shame, I do not consider myself worthy of your presence, I am your servant.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/till-our-last-breath-pezeshkian-vows-to-stand-firm-after-returning-from-unga-1790480697949">Read more</a>

A Hindu group by the name Hindu Munnani has sought help from Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission at Nungambakkam in Chennai, to save Sivarasa Anojan, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker facing a death sentence in Saudi Arabia after an appellate court reportedly increased his punishment over a Facebook comment that was deemed insulting to Islam and Prophet Muhammad. Help is also been sought from the Indian government in the matter.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sri-lankan-tamil-migrant-worker-gets-death-sentence-in-saudi-arabia-india-urged-to-help-1790484990829">Read more</a>

A blast brought down a small Athens residential building killing six people on Saturday (Sep 26). Four American tourists and one British man were among the ones who were confirmed dead. While the American tourists had been staying in near the Acropolis, an elderly British man and his Greek wife lived on the second-storey of the three-storey building, officials said.The explosion, which occurred at dawn on Friday in the Plaka district filled with tourist lodgings, was reportedly caused by a gas leak, according to the capital's mayor, Haris Doukas, however, official reason is not known. The explosion brought down the residential building and damaged properties and vehicles along the street. The neighbourhood is one of Athens's most popular tourist areas. The nearby Acropolis, one of Greece's best-known landmarks, welcomed 4.6 million visitors last year.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/building-collapses-after-blast-in-athens-4-americans-british-man-among-6-killed-cause-not-known-1790485336617">Read more</a>

Pope Leo XIV will meet on Sunday with victims of clerical sex abuse, a day after holding an open-air mass for hundreds of thousands of worshippers and praying at a holy shrine in Lourdes during his official visit to France.The leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics is on a four-day trip to France, a secular country with deep Catholic roots, marking the first official papal visit there in nearly two decades.He is expected to meet privately with seven victims after promising to further efforts to reform the Church in the wake of the global sexual abuse scandal.A 2021 inquiry found that clergy or lay members of the Church had abused about 330,000 people as minors in France over the span of 70 years.

Pope to meet with victims of clerical sex abuse during France trip

Thousands of Bangkok residents awoke in shelters on Sunday after flooding triggered by days of heavy rain in the Thai capital inundated homes and roads, with some starting to dry out their homes and belongings.Nearly 4,900 people have been evacuated to shelters, with around 52,000 households affected by the floods, which prompted a disaster declaration across the capital, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).More than 330 millimetres (13 inches) of rain fell in some areas of the city between Thursday and Sunday, the weather agency said.

Bangkok floods force thousands into shelters

Thousands of protesters wore red and carried symbolic coffins during a demonstration in Mexico City on Saturday, demanding answers about the 43 trainee teachers who went missing 12 years ago.President Claudia Sheinbaum, who regularly meets with the disappeared's families, is expected to present a report Monday on the latest progress in the case, following an exhaustive review of the evidence by the attorney general's office."Because they were taken alive, we want them back alive," one banner slogan read.The protest was led by parents of the 43 teacher trainees from Ayotzinapa, who led the procession to the capital's main square, where the government palace is located.Others counted to 43 several times to honor each of the trainees from the rural teachers' college who disappeared on September 26, 2014.

Thousands protest ahead of Mexican president's report on missing students

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has joined the bandwagon calling for a slowdown in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), warning that he can see a future where AI wipes out humanity. In a chilling warning that echoes remarks made against AI earlier, he claimed the tool was “powerful enough” to drive events which could kill “billions.” Gates called for lawmakers to regulate the development of AI, stating that “no one thinks self-regulation is enough.” When asked whether there should be legislation regarding this in the United States, he replied, saying, “Absolutely.”<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-kill-billions-bill-gates-backs-calls-to-slow-ai-development-amid-fears-of-catastrophe-1790474190491">Read more</a>

‘Could kill billions...’: Bill Gates backs calls to slow AI development amid fears of catastrophe

India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday (Sept 26) called for restraint and de-escalation in ongoing conflicts, stressing the need to protect civilians and keep energy and trade routes open. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Jaishankar said conflicts are affecting countries far from the areas where fighting is taking place.&nbsp;“Countries far from conflicts are being penalised for no fault of theirs. Those most impacted often have the least say. This assembly must face up to the true state of affairs,” Jaishankar said.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/countries-far-from-conflict-are-penalised-jaishankar-calls-for-gulf-peace-seafarer-safety-at-un-1790449001927">Read more</a>

'Countries far from conflicts penalised': Jaishankar flags seafarer safety at UN

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has backed Tehran’s new plan to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as Iran seeks an agreement with the United States to end hostilities in the region. Pezeshkian told US broadcaster CBS that the proposal had been coordinated with the supreme leader and that Iran would fulfil its commitments if Washington accepted the plan and met its own obligations. “Coordination with the leader of the revolution (the supreme leader)... has been carried out,” Pezeshkian said, according to excerpts of the interview released by Iran’s state news agency IRNA.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-supreme-leader-backs-plan-to-reopen-strait-of-hormuz-as-pezeshkian-offers-iaea-access-1790445611013">Read more&nbsp;</a>

Iran says supreme leader backs plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Iran President Pezeshkian reveals Supreme Leader-backed plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid US talks. Meanwhile, Bill Gates warns AI could cause billions of deaths and calls for strict legislation. Plus, Delhi sees rare late-September rainfall.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has backed Tehran’s new plan to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as Iran seeks an agreement with the United States to end hostilities in the region. Talking about tech and AI, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has joined the bandwagon calling for a slowdown in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), warning that he can see a future where AI wipes out humanity. In a chilling warning that echoes remarks made against AI earlier, he claimed the tool was “powerful enough” to drive events which could kill “billions.” Gates called for lawmakers to regulate the development of AI, stating that “no one thinks self-regulation is enough.” When asked whether there should be legislation regarding this in the United States, he replied, saying, “Absolutely.” Coming to some weather news from India, New Delhi witnessed light rainfall on Saturday, leading to sharp dip in the maximum temperature on Sunday (Sep 27). The rain happened due to a slight depression over northeast Madhya Pradesh. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that similar conditions of rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds will continue on Sunday. According to reports, this is the first time in the past seven years that it has rained in late September. Delhi logged 0.6mm of rainfall until 8.30pm on Saturday. Previously, 0.3mm of rainfall was recorded on September 29, 2019. Stay with us for the latest news, breaking updates and developments as they unfold.

Iran President Pezeshkian reveals Supreme Leader-backed plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid US talks. Meanwhile, Bill Gates warns AI could cause billions of deaths and calls for strict legislation. Plus, Delhi sees rare late-September rainfall.

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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has joined the bandwagon calling for a slowdown in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), warning that he can see a future where AI wipes out humanity. In a chilling warning that echoes remarks made against AI earlier, he claimed the tool was “powerful enough” to drive events which could kill “billions.” Gates called for lawmakers to regulate the development of AI, stating that “no one thinks self-regulation is enough.” When asked whether there should be legislation regarding this in the United States, he replied, saying, “Absolutely.”&nbsp;“AI is certainly powerful enough to drive events that, you know, cause a billion deaths,” Gates told NBC’s Meet the Press. He further added, “There’s never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools. Even though it's pretty hard to get to 100%, there's never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools."&nbsp;&nbsp;Gates released a memo in August that defined AI as a technology more consequential than virtually any other in history. In the essay, he argued that “AI will either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice.” "On the current course and speed, there's a very high chance of a net negative outcome," he had said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ai-could-kill-us-anthropic-openai-spacexai-google-face-lawsuit-over-agreement-on-slowdown-1789888138598">'AI could kill us...': Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI, Google face lawsuit over 'agreement' on slowdown</a><h2>Concerns around AI</h2>The concerns around AI was triggered in a massive way after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, earlier this month, called on the artificial intelligence industry to slow the pace of AI development. “We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models,” he wrote. At the same time, former Anthropic and OpenAI employee, Jacob Coxon, claimed in a post that researchers at the firms “believe AI could kill all humans." Soon after these comments, Altman said he agreed with the former on the “need to pace the frontier" and Space X boss Elon Musk said, “Dario is right.” As the debate expanded, Geoffrey Hinton, widely known as the 'godfather of AI' backed Anthropic CEO's calls for slowdown stating that the warning was “very sensible" and practically nobody knows if AI can ‘be kept under control.’&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-wants-to-rename-artificial-intelligence-gives-3-options-which-one-would-you-pick-1789878021341">Trump wants to rename ‘Artificial Intelligence’, gives 3 options: Which one would you pick?</a>&nbsp;However, political reaction specially from the US and China has been different. While Trump called it a “hoax” like climate change, China called it “fearmongering.” Trump also said that a “STRONG AND SMART” president" was needed to guard AI. Meanwhile, a new lawsuit in the US District Court for the Northern District of California claimed Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google made an illegal deal to slow the pace of their respective AI development.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has joined calls to slow AI development, warning that the technology could potentially cause billions of deaths. He urged lawmakers to regulate AI, saying self-regulation is not enough, amid growing concerns over its risks.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has joined the bandwagon calling for a slowdown in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), warning that he can see a future where AI wipes out humanity. In a chilling warning that echoes remarks made against AI earlier, he claimed the tool was “powerful enough” to drive events which could kill “billions.” Gates called for lawmakers to regulate the development of AI, stating that “no one thinks self-regulation is enough.” When asked whether there should be legislation regarding this in the United States, he replied, saying, “Absolutely.” “AI is certainly powerful enough to drive events that, you know, cause a billion deaths,” Gates told NBC’s Meet the Press. He further added, “There’s never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools. Even though it's pretty hard to get to 100%, there's never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools." Gates released a memo in August that defined AI as a technology more consequential than virtually any other in history. In the essay, he argued that “AI will either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice.” "On the current course and speed, there's a very high chance of a net negative outcome," he had said. Also Read: 'AI could kill us...': Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI, Google face lawsuit over 'agreement' on slowdown Concerns around AI The concerns around AI was triggered in a massive way after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, earlier this month, called on the artificial intelligence industry to slow the pace of AI development. “We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models,” he wrote. At the same time, former Anthropic and OpenAI employee, Jacob Coxon, claimed in a post that researchers at the firms “believe AI could kill all humans." Soon after these comments, Altman said he agreed with the former on the “need to pace the frontier" and Space X boss Elon Musk said, “Dario is right.” As the debate expanded, Geoffrey Hinton, widely known as the 'godfather of AI' backed Anthropic CEO's calls for slowdown stating that the warning was “very sensible" and practically nobody knows if AI can ‘be kept under control.’ Also Read: Trump wants to rename ‘Artificial Intelligence’, gives 3 options: Which one would you pick? However, political reaction specially from the US and China has been different. While Trump called it a “hoax” like climate change, China called it “fearmongering.” Trump also said that a “STRONG AND SMART” president" was needed to guard AI. Meanwhile, a new lawsuit in the US District Court for the Northern District of California claimed Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google made an illegal deal to slow the pace of their respective AI development.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has joined calls to slow AI development, warning that the technology could potentially cause billions of deaths. He urged lawmakers to regulate AI, saying self-regulation is not enough, amid growing concerns over its risks.

India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday (Sept 26) called for restraint and de-escalation in ongoing conflicts, stressing the need to protect civilians and keep energy and trade routes open.&nbsp;Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Jaishankar said conflicts are affecting countries far from the areas where fighting is taking place.&nbsp;“Countries far from conflicts are being penalised for no fault of theirs. Those most impacted often have the least say. This assembly must face up to the true state of affairs,” Jaishankar said.&nbsp;EAM said the ongoing conflict in the Gulf was worsening an already difficult global situation. He also raised concern over attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers travelling through international waterways.&nbsp;“This year, we are witnessing a conflict in the Gulf, one that is exacerbating an already difficult situation. We remain deeply concerned over continuing hostilities. The targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers, transiting international waterways, is simply unacceptable,” he said.&nbsp;Jaishankar called on all parties to exercise restraint, reduce tensions and protect civilians. He also stressed the need to ensure the uninterrupted movement of energy and commerce.&nbsp;“India calls upon all parties to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, ensure protection of civilians, and uninterrupted flow of energy and commerce,” he said.&nbsp;He said India was prepared to contribute to efforts aimed at improving the situation, particularly on food and energy security. Jaishankar also backed a two-state solution for lasting peace in the Middle East and said India was contributing to humanitarian assistance and relief efforts for Palestinians.&nbsp;“We strongly believe that a durable and lasting peace requires a two-state solution. In the meantime, India is contributing to humanitarian assistance and relief efforts for the Palestinian people,” he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/serial-practitioner-of-terrorism-jaishankar-calls-out-pakistan-s-state-sponsored-terror-at-unga-1790444782103">‘Serial practitioner of terrorism’: Jaishankar calls out Pakistan’s ‘state-sponsored’ terror at UNGA</a><h3>Jaishankar calls for reformed multilateralism</h3>New Delhi's top diplomat also said the world was moving towards a multipolar order and called for reforms in the global multilateral system.&nbsp;“We are now well on our way towards a multi-polar world. The post-1945 order is giving way to new realities. This process of adjustment, accommodation and acceptance will not be easy. Much of the turbulence that we witness today emanates from those very difficulties,” he said.&nbsp;He said a diverse world should move towards a more democratic system through dialogue, wider consultations and transparent decision-making.&nbsp;“Yet, the march of an intrinsically diverse world, towards a more democratic future, cannot be halted. Peace in a pluralistic order requires civil conversations; it requires broad-based consultations; it requires transparent decision-making,” Jaishankar said.&nbsp;He added that large sections of the global population could not be left out of international decision-making and said the case for reforming multilateral institutions was becoming stronger.&nbsp;“Large sections of humanity cannot be excluded from that process. The case for reformed multilateralism only gets stronger day after day,” he said.

Jaishankar urged restraint and de-escalation in the Gulf conflict, called for the protection of civilians and seafarers, and stressed the need for uninterrupted energy and trade flows.

India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday (Sept 26) called for restraint and de-escalation in ongoing conflicts, stressing the need to protect civilians and keep energy and trade routes open. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Jaishankar said conflicts are affecting countries far from the areas where fighting is taking place. “Countries far from conflicts are being penalised for no fault of theirs. Those most impacted often have the least say. This assembly must face up to the true state of affairs,” Jaishankar said. EAM said the ongoing conflict in the Gulf was worsening an already difficult global situation. He also raised concern over attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers travelling through international waterways. “This year, we are witnessing a conflict in the Gulf, one that is exacerbating an already difficult situation. We remain deeply concerned over continuing hostilities. The targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers, transiting international waterways, is simply unacceptable,” he said. Jaishankar called on all parties to exercise restraint, reduce tensions and protect civilians. He also stressed the need to ensure the uninterrupted movement of energy and commerce. “India calls upon all parties to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, ensure protection of civilians, and uninterrupted flow of energy and commerce,” he said. He said India was prepared to contribute to efforts aimed at improving the situation, particularly on food and energy security. Jaishankar also backed a two-state solution for lasting peace in the Middle East and said India was contributing to humanitarian assistance and relief efforts for Palestinians. “We strongly believe that a durable and lasting peace requires a two-state solution. In the meantime, India is contributing to humanitarian assistance and relief efforts for the Palestinian people,” he said. Also Read: ‘Serial practitioner of terrorism’: Jaishankar calls out Pakistan’s ‘state-sponsored’ terror at UNGA Jaishankar calls for reformed multilateralism New Delhi's top diplomat also said the world was moving towards a multipolar order and called for reforms in the global multilateral system. “We are now well on our way towards a multi-polar world. The post-1945 order is giving way to new realities. This process of adjustment, accommodation and acceptance will not be easy. Much of the turbulence that we witness today emanates from those very difficulties,” he said. He said a diverse world should move towards a more democratic system through dialogue, wider consultations and transparent decision-making. “Yet, the march of an intrinsically diverse world, towards a more democratic future, cannot be halted. Peace in a pluralistic order requires civil conversations; it requires broad-based consultations; it requires transparent decision-making,” Jaishankar said. He added that large sections of the global population could not be left out of international decision-making and said the case for reforming multilateral institutions was becoming stronger. “Large sections of humanity cannot be excluded from that process. The case for reformed multilateralism only gets stronger day after day,” he said.

Jaishankar urged restraint and de-escalation in the Gulf conflict, called for the protection of civilians and seafarers, and stressed the need for uninterrupted energy and trade flows.

'Countries far from conflict are penalised': Jaishankar calls for Gulf peace, seafarer safety at UN

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (Sep 26) issued a blunt warning to Pakistan over terrorism. Speaking at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Jaishankar referred to Pakistan as a “serial practitioner of terrorism” that “misrepresented facts” before the UNGA a day earlier. He also drew a red line to the country’s “state-sponsored” terror, reiterating India’s “zero tolerance” approach towards terrorism. He also stated that governments indulging in terror practices must be held accountable. Jaishankar urged UN members to “expose” and counter financial aspects of terror.“A persistent threat to peace has been the scourge of terrorism. That this could be state-sponsored, with cross-border purpose, makes it a direct affront to the global order. Governments indulging in such practices must be held accountable,” Jaishankar said. “There must be no dilution in our zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism. Its financial aspects, in particular, should be exposed and should be countered.”Referring to a heated exchange with a Pakistani journalist a day earlier, Jaishankar said, “Yesterday, a serial practitioner of terrorism misrepresented facts before this assembly.”“Arguments were invoked to normalise terrorism and claim immunity from its consequences. That will not stand,” he said.Reiterating India’s approach to terrorism, the minister said, “Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised. Friendship and goodwill cannot coexist with terrorism, and understandings premised on that will naturally be called into question. It is for the perpetrator of terrorism to mend its ways.”Earlier on Friday (Sep 25), Jaishankar responded sharply to a journalist who questioned when the Indian government would stop sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan. “A terrorist country is asking me that question?” Jaishankar said in response. Following his response, Jaishankar and other delegates left the room while the journalist continued speaking.&nbsp;India has repeatedly maintained that Pakistani or Pakistan-based terrorist groups have been responsible for several attacks in India over the years. On April 22, 2025, terrorists based in Pakistan attacked the tourist town of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack killed 26 people, including one Nepali national, and left several others injured.

Jaishankar warns Pakistan over “state-sponsored” terrorism at UNGA, calling it a “serial practitioner of terrorism” and asserting India’s right to defend itself against terror.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (Sep 26) issued a blunt warning to Pakistan over terrorism. Speaking at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Jaishankar referred to Pakistan as a “serial practitioner of terrorism” that “misrepresented facts” before the UNGA a day earlier. He also drew a red line to the country’s “state-sponsored” terror, reiterating India’s “zero tolerance” approach towards terrorism. He also stated that governments indulging in terror practices must be held accountable. Jaishankar urged UN members to “expose” and counter financial aspects of terror. “A persistent threat to peace has been the scourge of terrorism. That this could be state-sponsored, with cross-border purpose, makes it a direct affront to the global order. Governments indulging in such practices must be held accountable,” Jaishankar said. “There must be no dilution in our zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism. Its financial aspects, in particular, should be exposed and should be countered.” Referring to a heated exchange with a Pakistani journalist a day earlier, Jaishankar said, “Yesterday, a serial practitioner of terrorism misrepresented facts before this assembly.” “Arguments were invoked to normalise terrorism and claim immunity from its consequences. That will not stand,” he said. Reiterating India’s approach to terrorism, the minister said, “Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised. Friendship and goodwill cannot coexist with terrorism, and understandings premised on that will naturally be called into question. It is for the perpetrator of terrorism to mend its ways.” Earlier on Friday (Sep 25), Jaishankar responded sharply to a journalist who questioned when the Indian government would stop sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan. “A terrorist country is asking me that question?” Jaishankar said in response. Following his response, Jaishankar and other delegates left the room while the journalist continued speaking. India has repeatedly maintained that Pakistani or Pakistan-based terrorist groups have been responsible for several attacks in India over the years. On April 22, 2025, terrorists based in Pakistan attacked the tourist town of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack killed 26 people, including one Nepali national, and left several others injured.

Jaishankar warns Pakistan over “state-sponsored” terrorism at UNGA, calling it a “serial practitioner of terrorism” and asserting India’s right to defend itself against terror.

‘Serial practitioner of terrorism’: Jaishankar calls out Pakistan’s ‘state-sponsored’ terror at UNGA

Saudi Arabia has called on the international community to do more to protect key waterways in the Middle East, warning that attempts to disrupt shipping routes could threaten global energy security.&nbsp;Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan made the remarks at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday. He called for international action against attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia on Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping.&nbsp;He also urged countries to protect navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandab Strait, which are important routes for oil and gas exports.<h3>Saudi Arabia calls for free navigation</h3>"The international community has been absent from assuming its responsibilities in confronting all that threatens international peace and security," bin Farhan told the UN General Assembly.&nbsp;He stressed the need to protect freedom of navigation across major international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.&nbsp;"The kingdom stresses the importance of guaranteeing the protection of freedom of navigation in all international waterways, foremost among them the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden," he said.&nbsp;Bin Farhan also called for the Strait of Hormuz to return to its pre-war status and said ships should not face any fees or taxes while using the waterway.&nbsp;"The Strait of Hormuz must return to its pre-war status, without the imposition of fees."&nbsp;He said no country should use important waterways to put pressure on other nations or threaten their interests.&nbsp;"The kingdom rejects any party's use of these vital passages as a tool for pressure, threat, or harm to the interests of states, in a manner consistent with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions," he said.&nbsp;Bin Farhan spoke shortly after US President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal linked to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal also included a ceasefire in the Middle East and the release of frozen Iranian assets.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-will-achieve-ukraine-war-aims-europe-doing-everything-to-block-peace-talks-lavrov-at-un-1790441169006">Russia will achieve Ukraine war aims; Europe doing everything to block peace talks: Lavrov at UN</a><h3>Saudi Arabia backs two-state solution</h3>The Saudi foreign minister also addressed the situation in the Palestinian territories. He rejected attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians or change the existing status quo.&nbsp;"We reject any attempt at forced displacement or changing the status quo in the Palestinian territories.&nbsp;A just peace can only be achieved through the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The continued illegal expansion of settlements constitutes a grave violation of international and humanitarian law."

Saudi Arabia has urged global action against Houthi attacks on the Kingdom and commercial shipping, while calling for free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandab Strait.

Saudi Arabia has called on the international community to do more to protect key waterways in the Middle East, warning that attempts to disrupt shipping routes could threaten global energy security. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan made the remarks at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday. He called for international action against attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia on Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping. He also urged countries to protect navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandab Strait, which are important routes for oil and gas exports. Saudi Arabia calls for free navigation "The international community has been absent from assuming its responsibilities in confronting all that threatens international peace and security," bin Farhan told the UN General Assembly. He stressed the need to protect freedom of navigation across major international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. "The kingdom stresses the importance of guaranteeing the protection of freedom of navigation in all international waterways, foremost among them the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden," he said. Bin Farhan also called for the Strait of Hormuz to return to its pre-war status and said ships should not face any fees or taxes while using the waterway. "The Strait of Hormuz must return to its pre-war status, without the imposition of fees." He said no country should use important waterways to put pressure on other nations or threaten their interests. "The kingdom rejects any party's use of these vital passages as a tool for pressure, threat, or harm to the interests of states, in a manner consistent with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions," he said. Bin Farhan spoke shortly after US President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal linked to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal also included a ceasefire in the Middle East and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Also Read: Russia will achieve Ukraine war aims; Europe doing everything to block peace talks: Lavrov at UN Saudi Arabia backs two-state solution The Saudi foreign minister also addressed the situation in the Palestinian territories. He rejected attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians or change the existing status quo. "We reject any attempt at forced displacement or changing the status quo in the Palestinian territories. A just peace can only be achieved through the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The continued illegal expansion of settlements constitutes a grave violation of international and humanitarian law."

Saudi Arabia has urged global action against Houthi attacks on the Kingdom and commercial shipping, while calling for free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandab Strait.

Global community 'absent' in Gulf crisis: Saudi at UN calls for freedom of navigation, pre war status for Hormuz

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has backed Tehran’s new plan to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as Iran seeks an agreement with the United States to end hostilities in the region.Pezeshkian told US broadcaster CBS that the proposal had been coordinated with the supreme leader and that Iran would fulfil its commitments if Washington accepted the plan and met its own obligations.“Coordination with the leader of the revolution (the supreme leader)... has been carried out,” Pezeshkian said, according to excerpts of the interview released by Iran’s state news agency IRNA.“If the US accepts it and fulfils its obligations, we will do the same, and there will be no issue in this regard,” he added.<h2>Iran ready to allow IAEA inspections</h2>Pezeshkian also said Iran was prepared to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit its nuclear facilities if such inspections formed part of an agreement to end the conflict.Asked whether Tehran could permit IAEA inspectors to enter Iran, Pezeshkian said it was possible if the issue was agreed upon during negotiations.“If they wish to come in and have inspections, we can reach accords and agreements vis-a-vis that specific topic within the negotiations,” he said.His comments come amid ongoing tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and the conflict involving Tehran and the United States.Russia’s permanent representative to international organisations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, said earlier this week that US policies had made it dangerous for IAEA inspectors to travel to Iran.Ulyanov said Washington had not provided guarantees that it would stop launching missiles at Iran, raising concerns over the safety of inspectors.<h2>Strait of Hormuz remains key issue</h2>The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy route through which a significant share of the world’s oil and gas supplies passes.Tehran’s proposal to reopen the waterway is therefore closely linked to wider negotiations aimed at ending hostilities and securing reciprocal commitments from Iran and the US.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Iranian President Pezeshkian announced Supreme Leader-backed plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow IAEA nuclear inspections, contingent on the United States accepting the proposal and fulfilling its obligations.



Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has backed Tehran’s new plan to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as Iran seeks an agreement with the United States to end hostilities in the region. Pezeshkian told US broadcaster CBS that the proposal had been coordinated with the supreme leader and that Iran would fulfil its commitments if Washington accepted the plan and met its own obligations. “Coordination with the leader of the revolution (the supreme leader)... has been carried out,” Pezeshkian said, according to excerpts of the interview released by Iran’s state news agency IRNA. “If the US accepts it and fulfils its obligations, we will do the same, and there will be no issue in this regard,” he added. Iran ready to allow IAEA inspections Pezeshkian also said Iran was prepared to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit its nuclear facilities if such inspections formed part of an agreement to end the conflict. Asked whether Tehran could permit IAEA inspectors to enter Iran, Pezeshkian said it was possible if the issue was agreed upon during negotiations. “If they wish to come in and have inspections, we can reach accords and agreements vis-a-vis that specific topic within the negotiations,” he said. His comments come amid ongoing tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and the conflict involving Tehran and the United States. Russia’s permanent representative to international organisations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, said earlier this week that US policies had made it dangerous for IAEA inspectors to travel to Iran. Ulyanov said Washington had not provided guarantees that it would stop launching missiles at Iran, raising concerns over the safety of inspectors. Strait of Hormuz remains key issue The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy route through which a significant share of the world’s oil and gas supplies passes. Tehran’s proposal to reopen the waterway is therefore closely linked to wider negotiations aimed at ending hostilities and securing reciprocal commitments from Iran and the US.

Iranian President Pezeshkian announced Supreme Leader-backed plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow IAEA nuclear inspections, contingent on the United States accepting the proposal and fulfilling its obligations.&nbsp;

Iran says supreme leader backs plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz as Pezeshkian offers IAEA access

For years, talking to an AI has meant text on a screen or a disembodied voice. Google has now put a face on it — one that talks back, in near real time, and lip-syncs in almost a hundred languages.&nbsp;The company has released Gemini 3.8 Live, and with it a feature called Live Avatar in its Gemini Enterprise product. It combines live spoken conversation with video of a human-like face generated on the fly, maintaining facial expressions and matching lip movements to speech across 97 languages.&nbsp;What It Actually Is&nbsp;The pieces are individually familiar; doing them together, live, is the advance.&nbsp;AI can already converse, and AI can already generate video of faces. Live Avatar merges them into a single real-time loop: you speak, the system understands and responds, and a synthetic face delivers that response with matching expression and lip movement, quickly enough to feel like a conversation rather than a rendered clip. Doing it in 97 languages, with the lips actually matching each one, is the part that is hard.&nbsp;Where It Is Aimed&nbsp;This is an enterprise release, and that tells you the intended uses.&nbsp;A tireless, multilingual, human-faced agent is aimed at customer service, reception and help desks, training and onboarding, and any interaction a company would rather not staff around the clock. The face is the point: research consistently finds people engage differently with a face than with text, and companies deploying this are betting that a human-like presence makes the interaction smoother — and stickier.&nbsp;The Discomfort Worth Naming&nbsp;A convincing synthetic human that speaks any language in real time is genuinely useful, and it is also the exact technology that makes deception easier. This deserves stating directly rather than buried.&nbsp;The same capability that runs a helpful multilingual help desk can run a convincing scam call, a fabricated video message, or an impersonation, and the barrier to doing so drops as the tool becomes a commercial product anyone can buy. A real-time, lip-syncing face in 97 languages is a deepfake engine and a customer-service tool built from the same parts. Which one it is depends entirely on who is using it.&nbsp;The Fair Framing&nbsp;It would be unfair to treat a legitimate product as if it were built for fraud, and most deployments will be ordinary business uses.&nbsp;Google is releasing this into its enterprise stack, presumably with the account controls and usage terms that implies, not handing anonymous deepfake tools to the public. The right concern is not this specific launch so much as the direction it marks: real-time synthetic humans are moving from research demo to off-the-shelf capability, and detection, disclosure norms and the law are not obviously keeping pace.&nbsp;That is the story beneath the feature — not that Google built something sinister, but that the synthetic-human interface has quietly become a thing you can subscribe to.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether Google requires clear disclosure that a Live Avatar is AI, so people know they are not talking to a person. Whether the capability appears in consumer products, where the misuse surface is larger. And whether regulation on synthetic media catches up to a technology that is now being sold, not just demonstrated.

Google's Gemini 3.8 Live Avatar pairs live dialogue with near-real-time video of a human-like face that lip-syncs in 97 languages. The synthetic-human interface is now a commercial enterprise product.

For years, talking to an AI has meant text on a screen or a disembodied voice. Google has now put a face on it — one that talks back, in near real time, and lip-syncs in almost a hundred languages. The company has released Gemini 3.8 Live, and with it a feature called Live Avatar in its Gemini Enterprise product. It combines live spoken conversation with video of a human-like face generated on the fly, maintaining facial expressions and matching lip movements to speech across 97 languages. What It Actually Is The pieces are individually familiar; doing them together, live, is the advance. AI can already converse, and AI can already generate video of faces. Live Avatar merges them into a single real-time loop: you speak, the system understands and responds, and a synthetic face delivers that response with matching expression and lip movement, quickly enough to feel like a conversation rather than a rendered clip. Doing it in 97 languages, with the lips actually matching each one, is the part that is hard. Where It Is Aimed This is an enterprise release, and that tells you the intended uses. A tireless, multilingual, human-faced agent is aimed at customer service, reception and help desks, training and onboarding, and any interaction a company would rather not staff around the clock. The face is the point: research consistently finds people engage differently with a face than with text, and companies deploying this are betting that a human-like presence makes the interaction smoother — and stickier. The Discomfort Worth Naming A convincing synthetic human that speaks any language in real time is genuinely useful, and it is also the exact technology that makes deception easier. This deserves stating directly rather than buried. The same capability that runs a helpful multilingual help desk can run a convincing scam call, a fabricated video message, or an impersonation, and the barrier to doing so drops as the tool becomes a commercial product anyone can buy. A real-time, lip-syncing face in 97 languages is a deepfake engine and a customer-service tool built from the same parts. Which one it is depends entirely on who is using it. The Fair Framing It would be unfair to treat a legitimate product as if it were built for fraud, and most deployments will be ordinary business uses. Google is releasing this into its enterprise stack, presumably with the account controls and usage terms that implies, not handing anonymous deepfake tools to the public. The right concern is not this specific launch so much as the direction it marks: real-time synthetic humans are moving from research demo to off-the-shelf capability, and detection, disclosure norms and the law are not obviously keeping pace. That is the story beneath the feature — not that Google built something sinister, but that the synthetic-human interface has quietly become a thing you can subscribe to. What To Watch Whether Google requires clear disclosure that a Live Avatar is AI, so people know they are not talking to a person. Whether the capability appears in consumer products, where the misuse surface is larger. And whether regulation on synthetic media catches up to a technology that is now being sold, not just demonstrated.

Google has released Gemini 3.8 Live with a feature called Live Avatar in its enterprise product. It pairs live spoken dialogue with near-real-time video of a human-like face that keeps facial expressions and lip-syncs across 97 languages. The synthetic-human interface — an AI you talk to as a face on a screen — is now a commercial product.

Google's new AI can hold a live video conversation as a human-like face in 97 languages

The collapse in AI prices has a new front. After months of falling costs for text models, Alibaba has taken the same axe to voice.&nbsp;Its Qwen team released Qwen-Audio 3.1 — five speech models covering speech recognition, text-to-speech and real-time voice — and cut the prices of the underlying services dramatically in one move.&nbsp;The Cuts&nbsp;The numbers are steep. Speech-recognition pricing drops by up to 95 per cent. Text-to-speech falls by around 70 per cent. The real-time voice model, used for live conversational AI, comes down roughly 85 per cent.&nbsp;A 95 per cent cut is not a discount; it is a repricing of the category. Work that was marginal at last month's rates — transcribing large audio archives, adding voice to a product at scale, running live voice agents — becomes cheap enough to treat as routine.&nbsp;What Is New Besides Price&nbsp;This is not only a price cut with the same product behind it.&nbsp;The new models add capabilities that matter for real use: speaker identification with timestamps, emotion detection, and recognition of ambient sound in the speech-understanding model, and the ability to generate speech, sound effects and background audio in a single pass in the generation model. So the offer is more capability at a fraction of the cost, which is the combination that moves a market.&nbsp;Why Alibaba Is Doing This&nbsp;The strategy is the same one now visible across the Chinese AI industry, and it is deliberate.&nbsp;Chinese labs have competed hard on price to win developers and to blunt the advantage of Western incumbents, whose models often cost more. Driving the price of a whole category toward the floor pressures competitors who cannot subsidise as deeply, and it makes Alibaba's platform the default for anyone building voice features. This lands the same week Alibaba unveiled a new AI chip and a roadmap for far larger models — parts of one push to compete across the AI stack.&nbsp;The Caution For Buyers&nbsp;As with the text price war, cheap is good for buyers today and worth a moment of scepticism about tomorrow.&nbsp;Prices driven this low are a mix of genuine efficiency and strategic subsidy, and from outside the two are hard to separate. Rates set to win market share can rise once the field thins, and building a product on a 95-per-cent-off price assumes that price persists. The capability gains look durable; the specific numbers are a business decision that can change.&nbsp;There is also the practical point that these are Alibaba's own figures for its own services, and real-world cost depends on usage patterns the headline percentages do not capture.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether Western voice-AI providers respond with cuts of their own, which would confirm a category-wide price collapse rather than one company's move. Whether the new capabilities hold up against independent testing. And whether these introductory rates survive once developers have built on them — the point at which a price war's real terms become clear.

Alibaba's Qwen-Audio 3.1 cut voice API prices by up to 95% for speech recognition, ~70% for text-to-speech and ~85% for real-time voice, bringing the AI price war from text models into audio.

The collapse in AI prices has a new front. After months of falling costs for text models, Alibaba has taken the same axe to voice. Its Qwen team released Qwen-Audio 3.1 — five speech models covering speech recognition, text-to-speech and real-time voice — and cut the prices of the underlying services dramatically in one move. The Cuts The numbers are steep. Speech-recognition pricing drops by up to 95 per cent. Text-to-speech falls by around 70 per cent. The real-time voice model, used for live conversational AI, comes down roughly 85 per cent. A 95 per cent cut is not a discount; it is a repricing of the category. Work that was marginal at last month's rates — transcribing large audio archives, adding voice to a product at scale, running live voice agents — becomes cheap enough to treat as routine. What Is New Besides Price This is not only a price cut with the same product behind it. The new models add capabilities that matter for real use: speaker identification with timestamps, emotion detection, and recognition of ambient sound in the speech-understanding model, and the ability to generate speech, sound effects and background audio in a single pass in the generation model. So the offer is more capability at a fraction of the cost, which is the combination that moves a market. Why Alibaba Is Doing This The strategy is the same one now visible across the Chinese AI industry, and it is deliberate. Chinese labs have competed hard on price to win developers and to blunt the advantage of Western incumbents, whose models often cost more. Driving the price of a whole category toward the floor pressures competitors who cannot subsidise as deeply, and it makes Alibaba's platform the default for anyone building voice features. This lands the same week Alibaba unveiled a new AI chip and a roadmap for far larger models — parts of one push to compete across the AI stack. The Caution For Buyers As with the text price war, cheap is good for buyers today and worth a moment of scepticism about tomorrow. Prices driven this low are a mix of genuine efficiency and strategic subsidy, and from outside the two are hard to separate. Rates set to win market share can rise once the field thins, and building a product on a 95-per-cent-off price assumes that price persists. The capability gains look durable; the specific numbers are a business decision that can change. There is also the practical point that these are Alibaba's own figures for its own services, and real-world cost depends on usage patterns the headline percentages do not capture. What To Watch Whether Western voice-AI providers respond with cuts of their own, which would confirm a category-wide price collapse rather than one company's move. Whether the new capabilities hold up against independent testing. And whether these introductory rates survive once developers have built on them — the point at which a price war's real terms become clear.

Alibaba's Qwen team released Qwen-Audio 3.1, a set of five speech models, and cut prices on its voice APIs by up to 95 per cent — speech recognition down as much as 95 per cent, text-to-speech about 70 per cent, and real-time voice around 85 per cent. The AI price war that has been reshaping text models has now arrived, sharply, in audio.

Alibaba cut the price of AI voice tools by up to 95% in a single release

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday (Sept 26) said that Moscow would achieve its military aims in Ukraine regardless of the circumstances. He said Russia also wanted to eliminate what it considers threats to its security and restore peaceful life.&nbsp;Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Lavrov stated, "The aims of the special military operation will be achieved, the threat to Russian security will be eliminated, and peaceful life will come back. This will happen no matter the circumstances," Lavrov said, using Moscow's term for the conflict.<h3>Lavrov accuses Europe of blocking peace efforts</h3>Lavrov accused European countries of trying to prevent efforts to end the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv. He said European leaders were working against peace talks that have the backing of the Donald Trump administration.&nbsp;"Europe is doing everything it can to thwart peace talks in which the (Donald) Trump administration is interested," he said.&nbsp;He also criticised the West for supplying weapons to Ukraine and accused European leaders of supporting Kyiv despite what he described as Ukraine's glorification of Nazi collaborators.&nbsp;"The US has destroyed the European security system. The West is pumping weapons into Kyiv to target Russia. EU leadership are contaminated with the virus of racial superiority. They support the Ukrainian regime, even when Ukraine glorifies Nazi collaborators."&nbsp;Kremlin's top diplomat also said the Global South and East were emerging as independent centres of development.&nbsp;"The Global South and East are emerging as sovereign centres of development."&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-rejected-it-trump-confirms-turning-down-iran-s-proposal-to-reopen-hormuz-claims-tehran-is-losing-badly-1790435163656">‘I rejected it’: Trump confirms turning down Iran’s proposal to reopen Hormuz, claims Tehran is losing ‘badly’</a><h3>Russia offers help on Gulf stability</h3>Lavrov said Moscow was ready to contribute to efforts to stabilise the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region as the US-Iran conflict continues.&nbsp;He called for greater trust between Iran and the Gulf and Arab states, saying a stable regional structure was needed.&nbsp;"We need trust in the relationships between the Gulf states, the Arab states, and Iran. We need stable regional architecture," Lavrov told leaders at the UN General Assembly.&nbsp;"Russia, together with other responsible states, stands ready to constructively contribute to stabilising this strategically important region."&nbsp;Lavrov also addressed the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, calling it an unacceptable act."We consider the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei an unacceptable manifestation of dictatorship."

Lavrov offered Moscow's help to stabilise the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region, calling for greater trust between Iran and the Gulf and Arab states.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday (Sept 26) said that Moscow would achieve its military aims in Ukraine regardless of the circumstances. He said Russia also wanted to eliminate what it considers threats to its security and restore peaceful life. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Lavrov stated, "The aims of the special military operation will be achieved, the threat to Russian security will be eliminated, and peaceful life will come back. This will happen no matter the circumstances," Lavrov said, using Moscow's term for the conflict. Lavrov accuses Europe of blocking peace efforts Lavrov accused European countries of trying to prevent efforts to end the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv. He said European leaders were working against peace talks that have the backing of the Donald Trump administration. "Europe is doing everything it can to thwart peace talks in which the (Donald) Trump administration is interested," he said. He also criticised the West for supplying weapons to Ukraine and accused European leaders of supporting Kyiv despite what he described as Ukraine's glorification of Nazi collaborators. "The US has destroyed the European security system. The West is pumping weapons into Kyiv to target Russia. EU leadership are contaminated with the virus of racial superiority. They support the Ukrainian regime, even when Ukraine glorifies Nazi collaborators." Kremlin's top diplomat also said the Global South and East were emerging as independent centres of development. "The Global South and East are emerging as sovereign centres of development." Also Read: ‘I rejected it’: Trump confirms turning down Iran’s proposal to reopen Hormuz, claims Tehran is losing ‘badly’ Russia offers help on Gulf stability Lavrov said Moscow was ready to contribute to efforts to stabilise the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region as the US-Iran conflict continues. He called for greater trust between Iran and the Gulf and Arab states, saying a stable regional structure was needed. "We need trust in the relationships between the Gulf states, the Arab states, and Iran. We need stable regional architecture," Lavrov told leaders at the UN General Assembly. "Russia, together with other responsible states, stands ready to constructively contribute to stabilising this strategically important region." Lavrov also addressed the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, calling it an unacceptable act. "We consider the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei an unacceptable manifestation of dictatorship."

Lavrov offered Moscow's help to stabilise the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region, calling for greater trust between Iran and the Gulf and Arab states.

Russia will achieve Ukraine war aims; Europe doing everything to block peace talks: Lavrov at UN

The three companies building the world's most powerful AI models are moving to set the safety rules those models must meet — and, according to reports, to do it without a government in the room.&nbsp;Google, OpenAI and Anthropic are said to be working on a voluntary standards body for frontier AI, tentatively named around 'Frontier AI Standards'. It would focus on testing and auditing: third-party pre-deployment safety checks, incident-reporting rules, and qualification standards for the auditors who do the checking.&nbsp;How It Got Here&nbsp;The design has a specific model and a specific history.&nbsp;The idea, floated publicly by Google DeepMind's chief executive over the summer, is patterned on the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority — the body that regulates Wall Street brokers. That is a self-regulatory organisation: an industry polices itself under a structure the government recognises but does not run.&nbsp;Notably, the labs did not start here. They initially sought a public-private partnership under federal oversight, and pivoted to pure industry self-regulation only after a White House executive order on frontier-model standards stalled. Self-regulation is, in part, what is left when the government route closes.&nbsp;The Case For It&nbsp;There is a real argument for this, and it should not be dismissed as a fig leaf.&nbsp;Frontier AI moves faster than any legislature can, and the people who understand these systems best work at the labs. A standards body that can write and revise concrete testing frameworks in months, rather than the years a statute takes, may produce more useful safety practice than waiting for a law that keeps stalling. Some standard, arriving soon, can beat a better one that never comes.&nbsp;The Obvious Problem&nbsp;The obvious problem is just as real, and it is structural.&nbsp;This is the industry writing its own rules and grading its own homework. A self-regulator funded and staffed by the companies it oversees has a built-in incentive to set standards its members can comfortably meet, and to keep them there. When the product in question may pose serious public risk, 'trust us to regulate ourselves' is a hard sell — and it is being made by exactly the companies with the most to gain from light rules.&nbsp;The Wall Street comparison cuts both ways here. That self-regulatory model exists in finance, but it operates under an actual government regulator with enforcement power sitting above it. A frontier-AI body with no government layer at all is a weaker arrangement than the model it borrows from.&nbsp;What Is Really Being Decided&nbsp;The deeper issue is who gets to make the rules for a technology this consequential, and this is the question the arrangement quietly answers.&nbsp;If the standards body succeeds, it may also make binding public regulation harder to argue for — 'the industry already handles this' is a familiar reason to hold legislation back. A voluntary body can be genuine safety infrastructure, and it can also be a way to occupy the regulatory space before a government does. It is difficult, from outside, to be sure which this is, and it may be both.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether the body launches on its reported timeline of late 2026 or 2027, and who exactly funds and staffs it. Whether its standards have any teeth — real consequences for a member that fails a safety test — or are advisory. And whether governments treat it as a complement to public regulation or, as the labs might prefer, a substitute for it.

Google, OpenAI and Anthropic are reportedly building a voluntary 'Frontier AI Standards' body modelled on Wall Street's self-regulator, with no government oversight — after a White House framework stalled.

The three companies building the world's most powerful AI models are moving to set the safety rules those models must meet — and, according to reports, to do it without a government in the room. Google, OpenAI and Anthropic are said to be working on a voluntary standards body for frontier AI, tentatively named around 'Frontier AI Standards'. It would focus on testing and auditing: third-party pre-deployment safety checks, incident-reporting rules, and qualification standards for the auditors who do the checking. How It Got Here The design has a specific model and a specific history. The idea, floated publicly by Google DeepMind's chief executive over the summer, is patterned on the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority — the body that regulates Wall Street brokers. That is a self-regulatory organisation: an industry polices itself under a structure the government recognises but does not run. Notably, the labs did not start here. They initially sought a public-private partnership under federal oversight, and pivoted to pure industry self-regulation only after a White House executive order on frontier-model standards stalled. Self-regulation is, in part, what is left when the government route closes. The Case For It There is a real argument for this, and it should not be dismissed as a fig leaf. Frontier AI moves faster than any legislature can, and the people who understand these systems best work at the labs. A standards body that can write and revise concrete testing frameworks in months, rather than the years a statute takes, may produce more useful safety practice than waiting for a law that keeps stalling. Some standard, arriving soon, can beat a better one that never comes. The Obvious Problem The obvious problem is just as real, and it is structural. This is the industry writing its own rules and grading its own homework. A self-regulator funded and staffed by the companies it oversees has a built-in incentive to set standards its members can comfortably meet, and to keep them there. When the product in question may pose serious public risk, 'trust us to regulate ourselves' is a hard sell — and it is being made by exactly the companies with the most to gain from light rules. The Wall Street comparison cuts both ways here. That self-regulatory model exists in finance, but it operates under an actual government regulator with enforcement power sitting above it. A frontier-AI body with no government layer at all is a weaker arrangement than the model it borrows from. What Is Really Being Decided The deeper issue is who gets to make the rules for a technology this consequential, and this is the question the arrangement quietly answers. If the standards body succeeds, it may also make binding public regulation harder to argue for — 'the industry already handles this' is a familiar reason to hold legislation back. A voluntary body can be genuine safety infrastructure, and it can also be a way to occupy the regulatory space before a government does. It is difficult, from outside, to be sure which this is, and it may be both. What To Watch Whether the body launches on its reported timeline of late 2026 or 2027, and who exactly funds and staffs it. Whether its standards have any teeth — real consequences for a member that fails a safety test — or are advisory. And whether governments treat it as a complement to public regulation or, as the labs might prefer, a substitute for it.

Google, OpenAI and Anthropic are reportedly working to create a voluntary body to set safety standards for the most advanced AI, tentatively a ‘Frontier AI Standards’ authority modelled on Wall Street's self-regulator. It would operate without government oversight — the result of the labs shifting to pure self-regulation after a White House framework stalled.

Google, OpenAI and Anthropic are building their own AI regulator, with no government in it

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (Sep 26) confirmed that he is rejecting Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which had been disrupted since the war began in February this year. Calling the proposal “unacceptable”, Trump claimed that Iranians wants to make a deal “immediately” because they were losing the war “so badly”. This comes after reports suggested that the US president has rejected a seven-day ceasefire proposal.“They have made a proposal and I rejected it,” Trump told reporters at the White House. Iran’s plan includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resumption of talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. It also demands lifting of the US naval blockade and ending of sanctions.“They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” he added. “They want a make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal too, but that deal would not be acceptable.”The proposal had been conveyed to Washington through Qatari mediators during the UN General Assembly in New York. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward a concrete seven-day roadmap to restore maritime traffic and restart negotiations.<h2>What did Iran offer?</h2>Under Tehran’s plan, the US would need to meet several conditions, including lifting its naval blockade, easing sanctions on Iranian oil and observing a wider cessation of hostilities.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the proposal had been developed in coordination with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Araghchi said the Strait would be reopened on the seventh day after Washington accepted the plan.“Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan,” Araghchi said. “If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days.”He added: “The choice now rests with the United States.”<h2>Hormuz remains key flashpoint</h2>The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the central pressure points in the conflict because of its importance to global energy shipments. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan urged countries to ensure that the waterway and Bab al-Mandab remain open, warning against their use as tools of pressure.Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow was ready to contribute to stabilising the region.Trump’s rejection leaves the diplomatic track uncertain, with The Wall Street Journal reporting that he remains sceptical about Tehran meeting US demands and expects military action to resume.

Trump said he rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it unacceptable and claiming Tehran wants a deal because it is losing the war badly.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (Sep 26) confirmed that he is rejecting Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which had been disrupted since the war began in February this year. Calling the proposal “unacceptable”, Trump claimed that Iranians wants to make a deal “immediately” because they were losing the war “so badly”. This comes after reports suggested that the US president has rejected a seven-day ceasefire proposal. “They have made a proposal and I rejected it,” Trump told reporters at the White House. Iran’s plan includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resumption of talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. It also demands lifting of the US naval blockade and ending of sanctions. “They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” he added. “They want a make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal too, but that deal would not be acceptable.” The proposal had been conveyed to Washington through Qatari mediators during the UN General Assembly in New York. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward a concrete seven-day roadmap to restore maritime traffic and restart negotiations. What did Iran offer? Under Tehran’s plan, the US would need to meet several conditions, including lifting its naval blockade, easing sanctions on Iranian oil and observing a wider cessation of hostilities. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the proposal had been developed in coordination with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Araghchi said the Strait would be reopened on the seventh day after Washington accepted the plan. “Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan,” Araghchi said. “If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days.” He added: “The choice now rests with the United States.” Hormuz remains key flashpoint The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the central pressure points in the conflict because of its importance to global energy shipments. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan urged countries to ensure that the waterway and Bab al-Mandab remain open, warning against their use as tools of pressure. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow was ready to contribute to stabilising the region. Trump’s rejection leaves the diplomatic track uncertain, with The Wall Street Journal reporting that he remains sceptical about Tehran meeting US demands and expects military action to resume.

Trump said he rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it unacceptable and claiming Tehran wants a deal because it is losing the war badly.

‘I rejected it’: Trump confirms turning down Iran’s proposal to reopen Hormuz, claims Tehran is losing ‘badly’

Anthropic has made a claim that, if it holds up, is a landmark for AI in science: that its Claude models, working largely on their own, discovered something new in biology. The caveats attached to that claim matter as much as the claim itself.&nbsp;The company has launched a life-sciences research group and disclosed an early result. In an autonomous campaign, Claude agents identified a previously uncharacterised enzyme system in the DNA of bacteriophages — viruses that infect bacteria — that structurally resembles the repeat sequences behind CRISPR gene editing. Anthropic calls it array-associated reverse transcriptases, or ART.&nbsp;What The AI Actually Did&nbsp;The scale of the automated work is the impressive part, and it is worth being specific.&nbsp;Over roughly 21 hours, across about 950 agent sessions and hundreds of millions of tokens, the agents sifted more than 200,000 candidate enzymes, narrowed the field to around 3,500 new candidate systems, and reduced that to the 20 most promising, which they wrote up into human-readable reports. That is a search across a volume of biological data no human team could cover in the same time.&nbsp;Where The Confidence Should Stop&nbsp;This is the essential part, and it is where breathless coverage goes wrong.&nbsp;The result is a preprint — released early, and not yet peer-reviewed. The physical laboratory work, done by human scientists, has so far confirmed only that the newly found DNA array is expressed as short RNA molecules. That is a suggestive early signal that something CRISPR-like might be happening. It is not a confirmed mechanism, and Anthropic itself says the system's actual function is still unknown.&nbsp;In other words, Claude found a promising pattern and generated a hypothesis. Whether the enzyme system does anything useful — let alone anything like gene editing — has not been established.&nbsp;The Split Among Scientists&nbsp;The expert response captures the uncertainty precisely, and both sides deserve airing.&nbsp;Feng Zhang, a pioneer of CRISPR itself, called the finding 'genuinely intriguing' and said it merits further investigation — a meaningful endorsement from a credible name. But that is an invitation to look closer, not independent confirmation. Other researchers, including a microbiologist quoted in coverage, were sceptical of how significant the discovery actually is.&nbsp;The honest summary is that qualified people find it interesting and unproven at the same time, which is exactly what an unreviewed preprint should invite.&nbsp;Why It Still Matters&nbsp;Even fully caveated, the method is the real story, and it is significant on its own terms.&nbsp;An AI system that can autonomously search an enormous biological space, form hypotheses, and hand scientists a shortlist worth testing is a genuinely new kind of research tool. It does not replace the wet lab — humans still ran every physical experiment, and the lab works only at lower biosafety levels and handles nothing that infects humans — but it changes what one small team can look at. That capability holds whether or not ART specifically turns out to matter.&nbsp;The Disclosure To Keep In View&nbsp;One point of transparency, stated plainly: this outlet is reporting a claim made by an AI company about its own AI, promoting a new research division, ahead of that company's public listing. That is not a reason to dismiss it — the preprint and the wet-lab data are real and checkable. It is a reason to lean on the caveats the company itself provided rather than the excitement around them.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether peer review supports the finding, and whether independent labs can reproduce it. Whether further experiments establish what ART actually does. And whether the autonomous-discovery method produces results that hold up repeatedly, which is what would turn a single intriguing preprint into a genuine shift in how biology is done.

Anthropic says Claude agents autonomously flagged a CRISPR-like enzyme system in virus DNA in a 21-hour run. A CRISPR pioneer calls it intriguing, others sceptical — it's an unreviewed preprint with function unknown.

Anthropic has made a claim that, if it holds up, is a landmark for AI in science: that its Claude models, working largely on their own, discovered something new in biology. The caveats attached to that claim matter as much as the claim itself. The company has launched a life-sciences research group and disclosed an early result. In an autonomous campaign, Claude agents identified a previously uncharacterised enzyme system in the DNA of bacteriophages — viruses that infect bacteria — that structurally resembles the repeat sequences behind CRISPR gene editing. Anthropic calls it array-associated reverse transcriptases, or ART. What The AI Actually Did The scale of the automated work is the impressive part, and it is worth being specific. Over roughly 21 hours, across about 950 agent sessions and hundreds of millions of tokens, the agents sifted more than 200,000 candidate enzymes, narrowed the field to around 3,500 new candidate systems, and reduced that to the 20 most promising, which they wrote up into human-readable reports. That is a search across a volume of biological data no human team could cover in the same time. Where The Confidence Should Stop This is the essential part, and it is where breathless coverage goes wrong. The result is a preprint — released early, and not yet peer-reviewed. The physical laboratory work, done by human scientists, has so far confirmed only that the newly found DNA array is expressed as short RNA molecules. That is a suggestive early signal that something CRISPR-like might be happening. It is not a confirmed mechanism, and Anthropic itself says the system's actual function is still unknown. In other words, Claude found a promising pattern and generated a hypothesis. Whether the enzyme system does anything useful — let alone anything like gene editing — has not been established. The Split Among Scientists The expert response captures the uncertainty precisely, and both sides deserve airing. Feng Zhang, a pioneer of CRISPR itself, called the finding 'genuinely intriguing' and said it merits further investigation — a meaningful endorsement from a credible name. But that is an invitation to look closer, not independent confirmation. Other researchers, including a microbiologist quoted in coverage, were sceptical of how significant the discovery actually is. The honest summary is that qualified people find it interesting and unproven at the same time, which is exactly what an unreviewed preprint should invite. Why It Still Matters Even fully caveated, the method is the real story, and it is significant on its own terms. An AI system that can autonomously search an enormous biological space, form hypotheses, and hand scientists a shortlist worth testing is a genuinely new kind of research tool. It does not replace the wet lab — humans still ran every physical experiment, and the lab works only at lower biosafety levels and handles nothing that infects humans — but it changes what one small team can look at. That capability holds whether or not ART specifically turns out to matter. The Disclosure To Keep In View One point of transparency, stated plainly: this outlet is reporting a claim made by an AI company about its own AI, promoting a new research division, ahead of that company's public listing. That is not a reason to dismiss it — the preprint and the wet-lab data are real and checkable. It is a reason to lean on the caveats the company itself provided rather than the excitement around them. What To Watch Whether peer review supports the finding, and whether independent labs can reproduce it. Whether further experiments establish what ART actually does. And whether the autonomous-discovery method produces results that hold up repeatedly, which is what would turn a single intriguing preprint into a genuine shift in how biology is done.

Anthropic has launched a life-sciences research group and says that in a 21-hour autonomous run, Claude agents identified a previously uncharacterised enzyme system in bacteriophage DNA that resembles the machinery behind CRISPR gene editing. A CRISPR pioneer called it intriguing; others are sceptical. The result is an unreviewed preprint, and the system's function is still unknown.

Anthropic says Claude found a new gene-editing enzyme but science isn't confirmed

The death toll in Indonesia's Java Sea incident has risen to 64 after a ferry carrying 243 people sank on September 13, an official said on Saturday (Sept 26). Meanwhile, rescuers extended the search operation as dozens are still missing. The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members after departing from Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya, on Java Island, and it was headed for Banjarmasin on Borneo. "Out of 243 persons onboard, 172 have been evacuated, 108 survived, 64 died, and 71 are still being searched for," National Search and Rescue Agency official Yudhi Bramantyo said. Rescue teams pulled four bodies from the sunken vessel on Saturday, while another seven were recovered along the coastline, Yudhi said. He noted that the search operation would be extended by an additional seven days, though it would be reassessed every three days.&nbsp;Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-meta-tiktok-agrees-to-teen-limits-in-us-100-million-settlement-1790426871380"> After Meta, TikTok agrees to teen limits in US, $100 million settlement</a><h3>Search-and-rescue efforts on way</h3>In Indonesia, search-and-rescue efforts typically run for seven days, with authorities given the option to extend the timeline depending on various factors, including the likelihood that additional victims may still be found.&nbsp;As part of the search operation, divers broke through the ferry's windows underwater to gain access to the vessel and retrieve the bodies of passengers trapped inside. Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency stated that all available resources were being mobilised to support the ongoing search efforts. "Our primary focus is to locate the missing victims and provide closure to their families," Mohammad Syafii, head of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency said on Friday. Maritime accidents are a frequent occurrence in Indonesia, a sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands, where boats remain essential for everyday transport and tourism. Such disasters are often attributed to poor safety enforcement and unpredictable weather conditions.

In Indonesia, search-and-rescue efforts typically run for seven days, with authorities given the option to extend the timeline depending on various factors, including the likelihood that additional victims may still be found.

The death toll in Indonesia's Java Sea incident has risen to 64 after a ferry carrying 243 people sank on September 13, an official said on Saturday (Sept 26). Meanwhile, rescuers extended the search operation as dozens are still missing. The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members after departing from Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya, on Java Island, and it was headed for Banjarmasin on Borneo. "Out of 243 persons onboard, 172 have been evacuated, 108 survived, 64 died, and 71 are still being searched for," National Search and Rescue Agency official Yudhi Bramantyo said. Rescue teams pulled four bodies from the sunken vessel on Saturday, while another seven were recovered along the coastline, Yudhi said. He noted that the search operation would be extended by an additional seven days, though it would be reassessed every three days. Also read: After Meta, TikTok agrees to teen limits in US, $100 million settlement Search-and-rescue efforts on way In Indonesia, search-and-rescue efforts typically run for seven days, with authorities given the option to extend the timeline depending on various factors, including the likelihood that additional victims may still be found. As part of the search operation, divers broke through the ferry's windows underwater to gain access to the vessel and retrieve the bodies of passengers trapped inside. Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency stated that all available resources were being mobilised to support the ongoing search efforts. "Our primary focus is to locate the missing victims and provide closure to their families," Mohammad Syafii, head of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency said on Friday. Maritime accidents are a frequent occurrence in Indonesia, a sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands, where boats remain essential for everyday transport and tourism. Such disasters are often attributed to poor safety enforcement and unpredictable weather conditions.

In Indonesia, search-and-rescue efforts typically run for seven days, with authorities given the option to extend the timeline depending on various factors, including the likelihood that additional victims may still be found.

Death toll rises to 64 in Indonesia's Java Sea ferry incident; 71 still missing

Authorities in Bangkok declared a flood disaster across Thailand's capital on Saturday (Sept 26) after nearly 48 hours of heavy rain flooded homes, shops and roads, forcing residents to wade through deep water.&nbsp;Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut short his trip to London and returned to Thailand after officials recorded almost 300 millimetres (11.8 inches) of rain between Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning.&nbsp;The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) declared a disaster across all 50 districts of the city. The move allows local organisations to take special measures to deal with the flooding.<h3>Bangkok flood situation stabilises</h3>Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the situation had "stabilised" by Saturday afternoon. He said the floodwater could take two to three days to drain if there was no more rain.&nbsp;"If more rainwater doesn't fall in the area, it will be solved," he said.&nbsp;"If the rain stops, it is expected that it will take two to three days to drain the floodwater," he said in an update on social media.&nbsp;Residents rushed to buy essential supplies as some convenience stores had empty shelves by lunchtime, AFP reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/11-killed-30-injured-after-blast-in-pakistan-s-dera-ismail-khan-1790424115205">11 killed, 30 injured after blast in Pakistan’s Dera Ismail Khan</a>&nbsp;Chadchart said at least 13 major roads were flooded, but urged people not to panic over possible food shortages, saying: "The public don't have to panic."&nbsp;Around 980 people were staying in temporary shelters, while authorities moved 36 bedridden people to hospitals, he said. The city has also prepared one million sandbags to deal with the flooding.<h3>Heavy rain hits Thailand</h3>Bangkok recorded 487 mm of rain between September 1 and 25, compared with an average of almost 269 mm during the same period between 1991 and 2020.&nbsp;Scientists have warned that extreme weather events could become more intense and frequent as global temperatures rise due to fossil fuel emissions.&nbsp;Flooding was also reported across 21 provinces in Thailand on Saturday, with one person killed, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The department said more rain was expected through Sunday.&nbsp;Thailand also faced widespread flooding in 2011, when more than 500 people were killed, and millions of homes were damaged.

Bangkok has declared a flood disaster across all 50 districts after nearly 48 hours of heavy rain flooded homes, shops and major roads, with more rainfall expected through Sunday.

Authorities in Bangkok declared a flood disaster across Thailand's capital on Saturday (Sept 26) after nearly 48 hours of heavy rain flooded homes, shops and roads, forcing residents to wade through deep water. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut short his trip to London and returned to Thailand after officials recorded almost 300 millimetres (11.8 inches) of rain between Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) declared a disaster across all 50 districts of the city. The move allows local organisations to take special measures to deal with the flooding. Bangkok flood situation stabilises Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the situation had "stabilised" by Saturday afternoon. He said the floodwater could take two to three days to drain if there was no more rain. "If more rainwater doesn't fall in the area, it will be solved," he said. "If the rain stops, it is expected that it will take two to three days to drain the floodwater," he said in an update on social media. Residents rushed to buy essential supplies as some convenience stores had empty shelves by lunchtime, AFP reported. Also Read: 11 killed, 30 injured after blast in Pakistan’s Dera Ismail Khan Chadchart said at least 13 major roads were flooded, but urged people not to panic over possible food shortages, saying: "The public don't have to panic." Around 980 people were staying in temporary shelters, while authorities moved 36 bedridden people to hospitals, he said. The city has also prepared one million sandbags to deal with the flooding. Heavy rain hits Thailand Bangkok recorded 487 mm of rain between September 1 and 25, compared with an average of almost 269 mm during the same period between 1991 and 2020. Scientists have warned that extreme weather events could become more intense and frequent as global temperatures rise due to fossil fuel emissions. Flooding was also reported across 21 provinces in Thailand on Saturday, with one person killed, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The department said more rain was expected through Sunday. Thailand also faced widespread flooding in 2011, when more than 500 people were killed, and millions of homes were damaged.

Bangkok has declared a flood disaster across all 50 districts after nearly 48 hours of heavy rain flooded homes, shops and major roads, with more rainfall expected through Sunday.

Bangkok declares flood disaster as heavy rain submerges roads and homes

US President Donald Trump shared an image on Thursday (September 24) of Chinese President Xi Jinping's red-carpet arrival in Washington, reportedly altered using artificial intelligence. The image posted on Truth Social also shows Xi with an unflattering expression captured in live footage of the moment, edited out. The image appears to show the US president saluting alongside his Chinese counterpart, with Xi's Air China plane forming the backdrop and a military jet flying overhead. However, when placed side by side with genuine photographs taken by several news media outlets, the image appears AI-generated. Multiple AI-detection tools also highlighted the image as likely synthetic.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-meta-tiktok-agrees-to-teen-limits-in-us-100-million-settlement-1790426871380">After Meta, TikTok agrees to teen limits in US, $100 million settlement</a><h3>Trump's AI-generated visuals, memes</h3>One notable omission in the version Donald Trump shared is his visible reaction to the loud aircraft flyover, a wince that had drawn ridicule online and from late-night host Jimmy Fallon. However, the White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on the image. While Trump regularly posts AI-generated visuals and memes on his Truth Social account, this particular post surfaces amid his broader, and legally unsuccessful, push to bar CNN, Politico and MS NOW journalists from White House access over coverage he has dismissed as "fake news." In response, the top five US broadcasters had suspended their participation in the White House press pool system, under which a single network films on behalf of all others for the day, as a show of solidarity. Beyond the missing facial expression, the posted image also shows Trump wearing a plain blue tie and only one black glove, differing from authentic footage, which shows him in a striped tie with both hands gloved. Additionally, a woman seen over Trump's left shoulder is shown wearing different shoes than those visible in verified footage of the event.

The image appears to show the US president saluting alongside his Chinese counterpart, with Xi's Air China plane forming the backdrop and a military jet flying overhead. 

US President Donald Trump shared an image on Thursday (September 24) of Chinese President Xi Jinping's red-carpet arrival in Washington, reportedly altered using artificial intelligence. The image posted on Truth Social also shows Xi with an unflattering expression captured in live footage of the moment, edited out. The image appears to show the US president saluting alongside his Chinese counterpart, with Xi's Air China plane forming the backdrop and a military jet flying overhead. However, when placed side by side with genuine photographs taken by several news media outlets, the image appears AI-generated. Multiple AI-detection tools also highlighted the image as likely synthetic. Also read: After Meta, TikTok agrees to teen limits in US, $100 million settlement Trump's AI-generated visuals, memes One notable omission in the version Donald Trump shared is his visible reaction to the loud aircraft flyover, a wince that had drawn ridicule online and from late-night host Jimmy Fallon. However, the White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on the image. While Trump regularly posts AI-generated visuals and memes on his Truth Social account, this particular post surfaces amid his broader, and legally unsuccessful, push to bar CNN, Politico and MS NOW journalists from White House access over coverage he has dismissed as "fake news." In response, the top five US broadcasters had suspended their participation in the White House press pool system, under which a single network films on behalf of all others for the day, as a show of solidarity. Beyond the missing facial expression, the posted image also shows Trump wearing a plain blue tie and only one black glove, differing from authentic footage, which shows him in a striped tie with both hands gloved. Additionally, a woman seen over Trump's left shoulder is shown wearing different shoes than those visible in verified footage of the event.

The image appears to show the US president saluting alongside his Chinese counterpart, with Xi's Air China plane forming the backdrop and a military jet flying overhead.&nbsp;

Donald Trump shares image of Xi's arrival in Washington, carries signs of AI

TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million and introduce new restrictions for teenage users, allowing the social media company to avoid a trial over allegations that it misled parents about child safety tools.&nbsp;A trial in the southern US state was scheduled to begin on Monday. Alabama had accused TikTok of misleading parents about measures designed to protect children from harmful content.<h3>TikTok agrees to new restrictions for teens</h3>Under the settlement, TikTok will pay $100 million to Alabama. The company could pay as much as $300 million if other states agree to similar settlements.&nbsp;The agreement includes several measures aimed at limiting teenage use of the platform. These include a two-hour daily time limit, restricted access between midnight and 6:00 am and suspended notifications during school hours.&nbsp;TikTok will also strengthen age verification and ban beauty filters for teenage users. Young users will additionally be offered a non-personalised content feed.&nbsp;The settlement also includes a conditional measure that could extend the overnight restriction from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am if other social media platforms agree to introduce the same restriction.&nbsp;Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall welcomed the agreement, calling it "a great day for Alabama parents."&nbsp;"Tonight, they can rest easier knowing real protections are in place to shield their children from the dangers of social media addiction," he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-us-strike-30-billion-tariff-deal-agree-to-launch-ai-dialogue-1790421349100">China, US strike $30 billion tariff deal, agree to launch AI dialogue</a><h3>Settlement follows Meta's child safety deal</h3>TikTok's agreement follows similar safety measures accepted by Meta, the owner of Instagram and Facebook, as social media companies face lawsuits across the United States over the alleged impact of their platforms on young users.&nbsp;In August, Meta reached a settlement with US states and territories over a case concerning child safety on Facebook and Instagram. The company agreed to pay up to $16.7 billion to a coalition of US states and introduce new restrictions on teenage users.&nbsp;Under that agreement, Facebook and Instagram will automatically block teenage users from midnight to 6:00 am local time. Teenage accounts will also have a default limit of two hours of cumulative daily use across Meta's apps. Time spent messaging or watching long-form video will not count towards the limit.&nbsp;Both measures could become stricter if other social media companies introduce similar restrictions.&nbsp;In March, a jury in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding that the company had misled the public about the safety of its platforms for children.&nbsp;The same month, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google's YouTube negligent in a case involving a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to social media as a child. The jury awarded her $6 million.&nbsp;A trial in Alabama could have subjected TikTok to extensive public scrutiny over its internal safety practices, including the possible disclosure of company documents and testimony from executives.

TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama $100 million and introduce stricter limits for teenage users in the US, following similar measures adopted by Meta.

TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million and introduce new restrictions for teenage users, allowing the social media company to avoid a trial over allegations that it misled parents about child safety tools. A trial in the southern US state was scheduled to begin on Monday. Alabama had accused TikTok of misleading parents about measures designed to protect children from harmful content. TikTok agrees to new restrictions for teens Under the settlement, TikTok will pay $100 million to Alabama. The company could pay as much as $300 million if other states agree to similar settlements. The agreement includes several measures aimed at limiting teenage use of the platform. These include a two-hour daily time limit, restricted access between midnight and 6:00 am and suspended notifications during school hours. TikTok will also strengthen age verification and ban beauty filters for teenage users. Young users will additionally be offered a non-personalised content feed. The settlement also includes a conditional measure that could extend the overnight restriction from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am if other social media platforms agree to introduce the same restriction. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall welcomed the agreement, calling it "a great day for Alabama parents." "Tonight, they can rest easier knowing real protections are in place to shield their children from the dangers of social media addiction," he said. Also Read: China, US strike $30 billion tariff deal, agree to launch AI dialogue Settlement follows Meta's child safety deal TikTok's agreement follows similar safety measures accepted by Meta, the owner of Instagram and Facebook, as social media companies face lawsuits across the United States over the alleged impact of their platforms on young users. In August, Meta reached a settlement with US states and territories over a case concerning child safety on Facebook and Instagram. The company agreed to pay up to $16.7 billion to a coalition of US states and introduce new restrictions on teenage users. Under that agreement, Facebook and Instagram will automatically block teenage users from midnight to 6:00 am local time. Teenage accounts will also have a default limit of two hours of cumulative daily use across Meta's apps. Time spent messaging or watching long-form video will not count towards the limit. Both measures could become stricter if other social media companies introduce similar restrictions. In March, a jury in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding that the company had misled the public about the safety of its platforms for children. The same month, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google's YouTube negligent in a case involving a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to social media as a child. The jury awarded her $6 million. A trial in Alabama could have subjected TikTok to extensive public scrutiny over its internal safety practices, including the possible disclosure of company documents and testimony from executives.

TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama $100 million and introduce stricter limits for teenage users in the US, following similar measures adopted by Meta.

After Meta, TikTok agrees to teen limits in US, $100 million settlement

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