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A confidential Russian government document outlines a wide-ranging strategy for deepening ties and cooperation with Iran, including alternative payment systems, nuclear energy, aircraft-parts manufacturing, energy projects, and new transport links toward the Persian Gulf.&nbsp;&nbsp;The plan, reviewed by Fox News Digital, for the 2024-2026 timeframe was approved on September 2, 2024, and assigns specific ministries and state companies to projects with set deadlines. The 44-page Russian-language document, titled “Plan for Cooperation Between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran for 2024-2026,” is marked “For official use”.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-ships-in-indian-ocean-will-be-attacked-if-war-resumes-warns-iran-1789934092587">US ships in Indian Ocean ‘will be attacked’ if war resumes, warns Iran</a><h2>Seeking financial independence from the West</h2>&nbsp;The plan pushes for greater use of national currencies in trade and aims to raise their share of bilateral transactions from 68% to 71% by 2026, along with the development of central bank digital currencies for cross-border payments and independent channels for financial messaging outside systems like SWIFT. Analyst Keti Korkiya of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies analysed the Russian document for Fox News Digital and pointed out that the individual measures in the plan are less consequential than the overall architecture Moscow is building to preclude the impact of sanctions.&nbsp;The plan was drafted and approved after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and before the Iran War. Some of the measures mentioned in the plan have already been acknowledged publicly. Like, Russian officials said in February 2025 that bilateral settlements had largely shifted to national currencies using proprietary messaging systems, with Iran’s ambassador to Moscow adding that the countries no longer needed SWIFT.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-in-deciding-mode-on-iran-says-very-big-things-going-to-happen-soon-1789921963152">Trump in ‘deciding mode’ on Iran, says ‘very big things’ going to happen soon</a>&nbsp;A US official said Washington continues monitoring of any alternative payment mechanisms and insisted they cannot match the reach of the dollar-based financial system.&nbsp;<h2>Nuclear cooperation at Bushehr</h2>&nbsp;Russia’s Rosatom continues to shoulder the responsibility for Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant, supporting Unit 1 and continuing construction on Units 2 and 3. Rosatom confirmed in September 2026&nbsp;that additional Russian specialists were expected to arrive&nbsp;for maintenance and fuel work.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-to-ban-burqa-and-hijab-in-schools-limit-foreign-students-per-class-pm-giorgia-meloni-1789914231910">Italy to ban burqa and hijab in schools, limit foreign students per class: PM Giorgia Meloni</a>&nbsp;<h2>Energy projects and confidential financing</h2>&nbsp;The roadmap names Iranian oil and gas fields at Shadegan, Kish, and North Pars for Russian involvement, though funding sources for several projects are marked “Confidential”.News reports in February 2026 had confirmed that Russian state firm ZN-Vostok was developing Shadegan.&nbsp;<h2>Aviation manufacturing efforts</h2>&nbsp;Significantly, the plan seeks to start Iranian production of Russian aircraft components, with certification and localisation deadlines set through 2026. Things seem to have progressed on this front as well as Iranian firms were cleared to service Russian aircraft in early 2025.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-s-military-command-claims-us-planning-to-resume-strikes-american-embassies-issue-security-alerts-1789909017741">Iran’s military command claims US ‘planning’ to resume strikes; American embassies issue ‘security alerts’</a><h2>Focus on new transport corridors</h2>&nbsp;The document also envisions a Russian-gauge railway toward Iranian Gulf ports in the Persian Gulf and progress on the Rasht-Astara rail link, part of the International North-South Transport Corridor.&nbsp;In the latter project, engineering surveys began in May 2025.&nbsp;Moscow also sought to advance the Rasht-Astara railway, a roughly 162 km missing link in the International North-South Transport Corridor.&nbsp;<h2>Putin’s personal touch in the partnership</h2>&nbsp;Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, who leads the bilateral commission overseeing this cooperation, is married to Deputy Defence Minister Anna Tsivileva, daughter of Putin’s late cousin, revealing a family connection that one European intelligence source called evidence of how highly Moscow prioritizes the relationship.&nbsp;Russian and Iranian officials did not respond to Fox News Digital requests for comment.

The plan pushes for greater use of national currencies in trade and aims to raise their share of bilateral transactions from 68% to 71% by 2026, besides the development of central bank digital currencies for cross-border payments and independent channels for financial messaging outside SWIFT.

A confidential Russian government document outlines a wide-ranging strategy for deepening ties and cooperation with Iran, including alternative payment systems, nuclear energy, aircraft-parts manufacturing, energy projects, and new transport links toward the Persian Gulf. The plan, reviewed by Fox News Digital, for the 2024-2026 timeframe was approved on September 2, 2024, and assigns specific ministries and state companies to projects with set deadlines. The 44-page Russian-language document, titled “Plan for Cooperation Between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran for 2024-2026,” is marked “For official use”. Also Read: US ships in Indian Ocean ‘will be attacked’ if war resumes, warns Iran Seeking financial independence from the West The plan pushes for greater use of national currencies in trade and aims to raise their share of bilateral transactions from 68% to 71% by 2026, along with the development of central bank digital currencies for cross-border payments and independent channels for financial messaging outside systems like SWIFT. Analyst Keti Korkiya of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies analysed the Russian document for Fox News Digital and pointed out that the individual measures in the plan are less consequential than the overall architecture Moscow is building to preclude the impact of sanctions. The plan was drafted and approved after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and before the Iran War. Some of the measures mentioned in the plan have already been acknowledged publicly. Like, Russian officials said in February 2025 that bilateral settlements had largely shifted to national currencies using proprietary messaging systems, with Iran’s ambassador to Moscow adding that the countries no longer needed SWIFT. Also Read: Trump in ‘deciding mode’ on Iran, says ‘very big things’ going to happen soon A US official said Washington continues monitoring of any alternative payment mechanisms and insisted they cannot match the reach of the dollar-based financial system. Nuclear cooperation at Bushehr Russia’s Rosatom continues to shoulder the responsibility for Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant, supporting Unit 1 and continuing construction on Units 2 and 3. Rosatom confirmed in September 2026 that additional Russian specialists were expected to arrive for maintenance and fuel work. Also Read: Italy to ban burqa and hijab in schools, limit foreign students per class: PM Giorgia Meloni Energy projects and confidential financing The roadmap names Iranian oil and gas fields at Shadegan, Kish, and North Pars for Russian involvement, though funding sources for several projects are marked “Confidential”. News reports in February 2026 had confirmed that Russian state firm ZN-Vostok was developing Shadegan. Aviation manufacturing efforts Significantly, the plan seeks to start Iranian production of Russian aircraft components, with certification and localisation deadlines set through 2026. Things seem to have progressed on this front as well as Iranian firms were cleared to service Russian aircraft in early 2025. Also Read: Iran’s military command claims US ‘planning’ to resume strikes; American embassies issue ‘security alerts’ Focus on new transport corridors The document also envisions a Russian-gauge railway toward Iranian Gulf ports in the Persian Gulf and progress on the Rasht-Astara rail link, part of the International North-South Transport Corridor. In the latter project, engineering surveys began in May 2025. Moscow also sought to advance the Rasht-Astara railway, a roughly 162 km missing link in the International North-South Transport Corridor. Putin’s personal touch in the partnership Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, who leads the bilateral commission overseeing this cooperation, is married to Deputy Defence Minister Anna Tsivileva, daughter of Putin’s late cousin, revealing a family connection that one European intelligence source called evidence of how highly Moscow prioritizes the relationship. Russian and Iranian officials did not respond to Fox News Digital requests for comment.

The plan pushes for greater use of national currencies in trade and aims to raise their share of bilateral transactions from 68% to 71% by 2026, besides the development of central bank digital currencies for cross-border payments and independent channels for financial messaging outside SWIFT.

Russian document details broad Iran cooperation plan across finance, nuclear and aviation sectors: Report

Chinese shipment of rare earth to the US has fallen to 512 tonnes in August, 20 per cent lower than the previous month in July and 13 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year. Rare earths are among one of the many things that have been a point of friction between China and the US, ahead of the scheduled summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. &nbsp;China is the world's largest producer of rare earths and their magnets. These are among the dozens of Chinese-controlled critical minerals that are necessary in advanced and high-tech hardware production used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and military hardware. China has previously used the access to rare earths as a bargaining chip against US tariffs. The average monthly export volume so far this year stands at approximately 504 tons, well below the 621-ton monthly average recorded in 2024 before controls took effect.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jamui-students-harassed-rahul-gandhi-pocso-action-bihar-1789986942835">Class X girl groped, boy dragged from bike in Jamui; Rahul Gandhi seeks POCSO</a>US believes that China has not completely lived up to its commitment to uninterrupted supply, a key part of the one-year fragile trade truce agreed between the two leaders in Busan last November. People familiar with Beijing's strategy have indicated that China hopes to offer more export licenses as a bargaining chip during the summit, though they did not specify what concessions the government would seek from Washington in return.“Beijing appears willing to test the limits of the truce. It has deliberately kept licence approvals slow and selective,” said analysts from Capital Economics, pointing out the falling volume of Chinese shipments of rare earth metals to the US.&nbsp;Ahead of the summit, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met in New York on Sunday. The two spent a full-day session at JPMorgan Chase's headquarters, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also participating. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the two sides had agreed to set up a dialogue mechanism for AI and also discussed an extension of the trade truce.&nbsp;

China’s rare earth shipments to the US fell 20% in August, adding to trade tensions ahead of the scheduled Trump-Xi summit.

Chinese shipment of rare earth to the US has fallen to 512 tonnes in August, 20 per cent lower than the previous month in July and 13 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year. Rare earths are among one of the many things that have been a point of friction between China and the US, ahead of the scheduled summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. China is the world's largest producer of rare earths and their magnets. These are among the dozens of Chinese-controlled critical minerals that are necessary in advanced and high-tech hardware production used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and military hardware. China has previously used the access to rare earths as a bargaining chip against US tariffs. The average monthly export volume so far this year stands at approximately 504 tons, well below the 621-ton monthly average recorded in 2024 before controls took effect. Also Read: Class X girl groped, boy dragged from bike in Jamui; Rahul Gandhi seeks POCSO US believes that China has not completely lived up to its commitment to uninterrupted supply, a key part of the one-year fragile trade truce agreed between the two leaders in Busan last November. People familiar with Beijing's strategy have indicated that China hopes to offer more export licenses as a bargaining chip during the summit, though they did not specify what concessions the government would seek from Washington in return. “Beijing appears willing to test the limits of the truce. It has deliberately kept licence approvals slow and selective,” said analysts from Capital Economics, pointing out the falling volume of Chinese shipments of rare earth metals to the US. Ahead of the summit, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met in New York on Sunday. The two spent a full-day session at JPMorgan Chase's headquarters, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also participating. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the two sides had agreed to set up a dialogue mechanism for AI and also discussed an extension of the trade truce.

China’s rare earth shipments to the US fell 20% in August, adding to trade tensions ahead of the scheduled Trump-Xi summit.

China’s rare earth shipments to US fall 20% ahead of Trump-Xi summit

French President Emmanuel Macron lashed out at US President Donald Trump after he shared a map on social media showing France’s archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon as US territory. Trump shared the post earlier this month, showing the US flag covering Canada, Mexico, Greenland, Central America, the Caribbean, and Iceland. Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is a small French overseas territory off the Atlantic coast of Canada. The area has a population of just over 5,500. After the Trump post, the French President said it was “obvious” that the archipelago remains French territory. “We’re not going to reiterate this every morning because some people have strange ideas or say strange things,” he added.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-to-pay-state-visit-to-us-from-september-23-25-chinese-foreign-ministry-1789985928318">Xi Jinping to pay state visit to US from September 23-25: Chinese Foreign Ministry</a><h3>Macron's two-day visit in Saint-Pierre</h3>Macron’s remarks came after arriving in Saint-Pierre on Saturday (September 19) for a two-day visit following the French UN mission's apologies for a social media post that called into question the US commitment to human rights. Previously, in July, the mission had hit out at Washington for voting against extending the mandate of UN human rights chief Volker Türk. “The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali &amp; Russia, isolated. And the world no longer listens to it,” the mission said in a post on social media platform X at the time. In response, Washington delayed approval of Macron ally Aurelien Lechevallier as France’s new ambassador to the US. Since returning to office in early 2025, Trump has revived claims on Greenland, suggested Canada become the 51st US state, vowed to seize the Panama Canal, and threatened Mexico and Cuba, while saying the US should "own" Gaza. In January, he ordered a raid capturing Venezuelan President Maduro over alleged cartel ties. Trump's Greenland push initially angered Copenhagen, rallying European NATO allies behind Denmark. However, the US, Denmark, and Greenland recently reached an agreement that Trump claims grants Washington "permanent control" over the territory's security.

Macron’s remarks came after arriving in Saint-Pierre on Saturday for a two-day visit following the French UN mission's apologies for a social media post that called into question the US commitment to human rights.

French President Emmanuel Macron lashed out at US President Donald Trump after he shared a map on social media showing France’s archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon as US territory. Trump shared the post earlier this month, showing the US flag covering Canada, Mexico, Greenland, Central America, the Caribbean, and Iceland. Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is a small French overseas territory off the Atlantic coast of Canada. The area has a population of just over 5,500. After the Trump post, the French President said it was “obvious” that the archipelago remains French territory. “We’re not going to reiterate this every morning because some people have strange ideas or say strange things,” he added. Also read: Xi Jinping to pay state visit to US from September 23-25: Chinese Foreign Ministry Macron's two-day visit in Saint-Pierre Macron’s remarks came after arriving in Saint-Pierre on Saturday (September 19) for a two-day visit following the French UN mission's apologies for a social media post that called into question the US commitment to human rights. Previously, in July, the mission had hit out at Washington for voting against extending the mandate of UN human rights chief Volker Türk. “The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia, isolated. And the world no longer listens to it,” the mission said in a post on social media platform X at the time. In response, Washington delayed approval of Macron ally Aurelien Lechevallier as France’s new ambassador to the US. Since returning to office in early 2025, Trump has revived claims on Greenland, suggested Canada become the 51st US state, vowed to seize the Panama Canal, and threatened Mexico and Cuba, while saying the US should "own" Gaza. In January, he ordered a raid capturing Venezuelan President Maduro over alleged cartel ties. Trump's Greenland push initially angered Copenhagen, rallying European NATO allies behind Denmark. However, the US, Denmark, and Greenland recently reached an agreement that Trump claims grants Washington "permanent control" over the territory's security.

Macron’s remarks came after arriving in Saint-Pierre on Saturday for a two-day visit following the French UN mission's apologies for a social media post that called into question the US commitment to human rights.

Emmanuel Macron hits back after Trump shares map of US claiming France's Saint-Pierre, Miquelon

Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, called for a period of calm, highlighting the immense pressure that had followed ever since the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022. He urged that Doha needs a “peaceful year 2027” as fallout from the war between the US, Israel and Iran has been weighing on the country.Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum's UNGA Special Edition, he noted, "I didn't have peace since the World Cup (in 2022). October 7 followed, and since that, no one is willing to give us a break. I'm begging everyone that we need a peaceful year for 2027. Please, we need some rest."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jamui-students-harassed-rahul-gandhi-pocso-action-bihar-1789986942835">Class X girl groped, boy dragged from bike in Jamui; Rahul Gandhi seeks POCSO</a>Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2022, which was mired with controversy both on and off the field. The issues ranged from he treatment of migrant labourers who built the stadiums and infrastructure, dodging the bidding process for hosting rights, to on-field decision controversy around the Argentina and Netherlands fixture. “When we bid for the World Cup, everyone was telling us, 'No one would give it to you. No one will award it to you'. And when we were awarded it, everyone said that it would be a failure,” said Al Thani, reflecting on the &nbsp;World Cup.Regarding Qatar's role in the crisis in the region, he stressed that Qatar will remain a committed partner in mediation efforts, a reliable energy supplier, and a long-term investment partner. He emphasised that the region requires a framework grounded in respect for the principle of sovereignty, where no state poses a threat to another. He also added that Doha has worked with regional and international partners to keep channels of communication open, de-escalate tensions, and support diplomatic understandings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Qatar PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani urged a “peaceful year 2027” as Doha faces fallout from the US-Israel-Iran war.

Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, called for a period of calm, highlighting the immense pressure that had followed ever since the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022. He urged that Doha needs a “peaceful year 2027” as fallout from the war between the US, Israel and Iran has been weighing on the country. Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum's UNGA Special Edition, he noted, "I didn't have peace since the World Cup (in 2022). October 7 followed, and since that, no one is willing to give us a break. I'm begging everyone that we need a peaceful year for 2027. Please, we need some rest." Also Read: Class X girl groped, boy dragged from bike in Jamui; Rahul Gandhi seeks POCSO Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2022, which was mired with controversy both on and off the field. The issues ranged from he treatment of migrant labourers who built the stadiums and infrastructure, dodging the bidding process for hosting rights, to on-field decision controversy around the Argentina and Netherlands fixture. “When we bid for the World Cup, everyone was telling us, 'No one would give it to you. No one will award it to you'. And when we were awarded it, everyone said that it would be a failure,” said Al Thani, reflecting on the World Cup. Regarding Qatar's role in the crisis in the region, he stressed that Qatar will remain a committed partner in mediation efforts, a reliable energy supplier, and a long-term investment partner. He emphasised that the region requires a framework grounded in respect for the principle of sovereignty, where no state poses a threat to another. He also added that Doha has worked with regional and international partners to keep channels of communication open, de-escalate tensions, and support diplomatic understandings.

Qatar PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani urged a “peaceful year 2027” as Doha faces fallout from the US-Israel-Iran war.

Qatar PM urges ‘peaceful 2027’ after years of pressure since FIFA World Cup

Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the younger brother of Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, died at the age of 76 on Monday. From military and security service to sport, business and horse racing, he held several prominent roles in Dubai over decades. Dubai is mourning the death of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a senior member of the emirate's ruling family and a prominent figure in its public, sporting and business life.&nbsp;Sheikh Ahmed died on Monday, September 21, 2026, at the age of 76. Following his death, the Dubai Ruler's Court announced a 10-day period of official mourning, during which flags across Dubai will be flown at half-mast. His elder brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, paid tribute to him following his death. But who was Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and what was his role in Dubai's public life?<h2>Who was Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum?</h2>Sheikh Ahmed was born on July 12, 1950, in Bur Dubai. He was the fourth and youngest son of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the former Ruler of Dubai, and the younger brother of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Over a career spanning several decades, Sheikh Ahmed held positions connected to Dubai's military and security establishment, business sector and sporting institutions. He served as Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security, while also holding senior business positions and serving as chairman of Al Wasl Sports Club.<h2>Military career and public service</h2>Military service was an important part of Sheikh Ahmed's career. He received his military education at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom before returning to Dubai and joining the Central Military Command. He eventually rose to become commander of the Central Military Zone. His career later extended into Dubai's security establishment, where he served as Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security. His military and security responsibilities placed him among the senior figures involved in the development of Dubai's institutions during a period when the emirate was undergoing rapid transformation.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-to-pay-state-visit-to-us-from-september-23-25-chinese-foreign-ministry-1789985928318">Xi Jinping to pay state visit to US from September 23-25: Chinese Foreign Ministry</a><h2>His association with Al Wasl</h2>Beyond his public-service career, Sheikh Ahmed was closely associated with Al Wasl Sports Club, one of Dubai's best-known sporting institutions. He served as chairman of the club, and his tenure included the club's 2006-07 UAE League championship. He was also associated with Al Wasl's development over several decades. His involvement made him a familiar figure in Dubai's sporting landscape, particularly through his long association with the club.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I extend my sincere condolences to Mohammed bin Rashid on the passing of his brother Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, whose longstanding contributions to the development of the UAE since its founding continue to inspire our nation’s journey of progress. May God rest his soul… <a href="https://t.co/kR3ZqSHsnK">pic.twitter.com/kR3ZqSHsnK</a>&mdash; محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) <a href="https://x.com/MohamedBinZayed/status/2101948549504057562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>A prominent figure in horse racing</h2>Sheikh Ahmed also developed a major presence in Thoroughbred horse racing. His racing operation, associated with distinctive yellow-and-black colours, competed internationally and produced a number of high-profile winners. Among the horses associated with his operation were Mtoto, who won major races in Britain in the late 1980s, and Wassl, winner of the 1983 Irish 2,000 Guineas. His racing interests continued into later decades, with horses competing successfully at the highest level. His involvement in racing was another part of the wider Al Maktoum family's long-standing connection to the international Thoroughbred industry.<h2>Business interests</h2>Sheikh Ahmed's career also extended into Dubai's business sector. He served as Group Chairman of A.R.M. Holding and Dubai Real Estate Centre, adding corporate and real-estate responsibilities to his military, security and sporting roles. His public profile therefore extended well beyond his position within the ruling family, covering several major areas of Dubai's institutional and economic life.<h2>Philanthropic work</h2>Sheikh Ahmed was also involved in charitable initiatives. In 2021, he provided philanthropic support through Dubai Police and Public Security towards the establishment of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital through the Al Jalila Foundation.His charitable activities formed another part of his public life alongside his official responsibilities.<h2>Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's legacy</h2>Sheikh Ahmed's career stretched across several of Dubai's most prominent institutions. From his military education at Sandhurst and subsequent service in Dubai's military establishment to his role with Dubai Police and Public Security, he remained closely associated with public service.&nbsp;His decades-long connection with Al Wasl and international horse racing also gave him a significant presence in the sporting world, while his business positions linked him to Dubai's corporate sector. His death at 76 marks the passing of a senior member of the Al Maktoum family whose career encompassed military service, security, sport, business, horse racing and philanthropy.Dubai has now entered a 10-day official mourning period in his memory, with flags across the emirate to remain at half-mast.

Who was Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum? Know about his life, military career, Dubai Police role, Al Wasl connection, business and horse-racing legacy

Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the younger brother of Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, died at the age of 76 on Monday. From military and security service to sport, business and horse racing, he held several prominent roles in Dubai over decades. Dubai is mourning the death of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a senior member of the emirate's ruling family and a prominent figure in its public, sporting and business life. Sheikh Ahmed died on Monday, September 21, 2026, at the age of 76. Following his death, the Dubai Ruler's Court announced a 10-day period of official mourning, during which flags across Dubai will be flown at half-mast. His elder brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, paid tribute to him following his death. But who was Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and what was his role in Dubai's public life? Who was Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum? Sheikh Ahmed was born on July 12, 1950, in Bur Dubai. He was the fourth and youngest son of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the former Ruler of Dubai, and the younger brother of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Over a career spanning several decades, Sheikh Ahmed held positions connected to Dubai's military and security establishment, business sector and sporting institutions. He served as Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security, while also holding senior business positions and serving as chairman of Al Wasl Sports Club. Military career and public service Military service was an important part of Sheikh Ahmed's career. He received his military education at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom before returning to Dubai and joining the Central Military Command. He eventually rose to become commander of the Central Military Zone. His career later extended into Dubai's security establishment, where he served as Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security. His military and security responsibilities placed him among the senior figures involved in the development of Dubai's institutions during a period when the emirate was undergoing rapid transformation. Also Read: Xi Jinping to pay state visit to US from September 23-25: Chinese Foreign Ministry His association with Al Wasl Beyond his public-service career, Sheikh Ahmed was closely associated with Al Wasl Sports Club, one of Dubai's best-known sporting institutions. He served as chairman of the club, and his tenure included the club's 2006-07 UAE League championship. He was also associated with Al Wasl's development over several decades. His involvement made him a familiar figure in Dubai's sporting landscape, particularly through his long association with the club.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, brother of Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed, served in the military, Dubai Police and held key roles in sport and business

Who was Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum? From Dubai Royal family to police, sports and racing

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump, Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday. "At the invitation of President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25," the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in an official announcement. Xi’s visit comes as Washington and Beijing seek to manage tensions over trade, tariffs and other areas of strategic competition between the world’s two largest economies.&nbsp;Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng is already leading a delegation to the US for economic and trade consultations. His visit began on September 19 and is scheduled to continue through September 23. "The two sides will hold consultations on economic and trade issues of mutual concern, guided by the important consensus reached by the two heads of state," the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday.&nbsp;The timing of He’s visit means the economic and trade discussions will overlap with the beginning of Xi’s state visit to the US.Trump had on September 18 said Washington was making progress in its relationship with Beijing and indicated that he expected several agreements to be discussed when Xi visits the White House. “We’re doing very well with China. I would say others maybe not so well, but we’re doing very well with China. And President Xi and I have a good relationship. We’re going to have a lot of different deals,” Trump said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-s-united-russia-party-wins-355-seats-in-duma-election-beats-2016-tally-1789981460937">Putin's United Russia party wins 355 seats in Duma election, beats 2016 tally</a>&nbsp;“We intend, we're not just doing it for our health. We’re going to have some pretty important meetings,” he added. Trump also referred to the tariff dispute between the two countries, recalling that US tariffs on Chinese imports had previously reached 145 per cent before being reduced. “China is paying us a lot of tariffs. And, you remember, I had it up to 145% at one point, but it was too much. It was really hurting them badly, and I didn’t want to do that,” Trump said.&nbsp;Xi’s visit will mark his return to Washington after more than a decade and is expected to bring the leaders of the world's two largest economies together for discussions covering trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan. The state visit follows Trump’s trip to Beijing in May, where Xi hosted the US president at the Great Hall of the People. The two leaders subsequently described their relationship as a “constructive, strategic and stable relationship”. Trump is now expected to reciprocate with full state-visit honours as Xi prepares for talks at the White House.

Xi Jinping will visit the US from September 23-25 at Donald Trump’s invitation as Washington and Beijing prepare for talks on trade, AI, tariffs and Taiwan

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump, Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday. "At the invitation of President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25," the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in an official announcement. Xi’s visit comes as Washington and Beijing seek to manage tensions over trade, tariffs and other areas of strategic competition between the world’s two largest economies. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng is already leading a delegation to the US for economic and trade consultations. His visit began on September 19 and is scheduled to continue through September 23. "The two sides will hold consultations on economic and trade issues of mutual concern, guided by the important consensus reached by the two heads of state," the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday. The timing of He’s visit means the economic and trade discussions will overlap with the beginning of Xi’s state visit to the US. Trump had on September 18 said Washington was making progress in its relationship with Beijing and indicated that he expected several agreements to be discussed when Xi visits the White House. “We’re doing very well with China. I would say others maybe not so well, but we’re doing very well with China. And President Xi and I have a good relationship. We’re going to have a lot of different deals,” Trump said. Also Read: Putin's United Russia party wins 355 seats in Duma election, beats 2016 tally “We intend, we're not just doing it for our health. We’re going to have some pretty important meetings,” he added. Trump also referred to the tariff dispute between the two countries, recalling that US tariffs on Chinese imports had previously reached 145 per cent before being reduced. “China is paying us a lot of tariffs. And, you remember, I had it up to 145% at one point, but it was too much. It was really hurting them badly, and I didn’t want to do that,” Trump said. Xi’s visit will mark his return to Washington after more than a decade and is expected to bring the leaders of the world's two largest economies together for discussions covering trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan. The state visit follows Trump’s trip to Beijing in May, where Xi hosted the US president at the Great Hall of the People. The two leaders subsequently described their relationship as a “constructive, strategic and stable relationship”. Trump is now expected to reciprocate with full state-visit honours as Xi prepares for talks at the White House.

Xi Jinping will visit the United States from September 23-25 at Donald Trump’s invitation, with trade, tariffs, AI and Taiwan expected to dominate talks

Xi Jinping to pay state visit to US from September 23-25: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Despite the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran, US has granted visas to Iranian officials so that they can travel to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkia, who will travel to New York for the meet is slated to deliver a major address outlining the Islamic Republic’s principled foreign policy doctrine and regional diplomacy.&nbsp;Alongside his speech Pezeshkia is scheduled to conduct a series of bilateral meetings with heads of state and top international dignitaries on the sidelines of the summit.&nbsp;US had earlier denied visas to the entire Iranian media delegation accompanying the president. However, visas has now been granted to President Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and essential members of the core official delegation.&nbsp;“Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level Week,” the State Department spokesman said.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-trump-meet-how-much-is-the-us-china-bilateral-trade-and-what-is-on-agenda-1789977664165">Xi-Trump meet: How much is the US, China bilateral trade and what is on agenda</a>&nbsp;But the Iranian delegation faces severe geographic travel restrictions claim Iranian media.&nbsp;"Washington has imposed stringent, punitive operational limitations. The Iranian delegation faces severe geographic travel restrictions confining officials strictly to areas in and around the UN precinct, coupled with a series of petty prohibitions on basic commercial transactions and local store memberships," reported Tehrantimes.&nbsp;Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei strongly censured the hostile maneuvers, and called it a “crude propaganda” of Washington.&nbsp;“It treats the world as if it were Pluribus: a hive in which minds are expected to switch off, eyes lock onto Washington’s lips, and its narrative is swallowed whole,” Baghaei wrote on X.&nbsp;

US has now granted visa to President Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and essential members of the core official delegation.

Despite the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran, US has granted visas to Iranian officials so that they can travel to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkia, who will travel to New York for the meet is slated to deliver a major address outlining the Islamic Republic’s principled foreign policy doctrine and regional diplomacy. Alongside his speech Pezeshkia is scheduled to conduct a series of bilateral meetings with heads of state and top international dignitaries on the sidelines of the summit. US had earlier denied visas to the entire Iranian media delegation accompanying the president. However, visas has now been granted to President Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and essential members of the core official delegation. “Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level Week,” the State Department spokesman said. ALSO READ: Xi-Trump meet: How much is the US, China bilateral trade and what is on agenda But the Iranian delegation faces severe geographic travel restrictions claim Iranian media. "Washington has imposed stringent, punitive operational limitations. The Iranian delegation faces severe geographic travel restrictions confining officials strictly to areas in and around the UN precinct, coupled with a series of petty prohibitions on basic commercial transactions and local store memberships," reported Tehrantimes. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei strongly censured the hostile maneuvers, and called it a “crude propaganda” of Washington. “It treats the world as if it were Pluribus: a hive in which minds are expected to switch off, eyes lock onto Washington’s lips, and its narrative is swallowed whole,” Baghaei wrote on X.

US has now granted visa to President Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and essential members of the core official delegation.

Stringent operational limitations for Iranian delegation at UNGA, claims state media

President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party won after securing 355 seats in Russia's 450-seat Duma, the lower house of parliament. Electoral chief Ella Pamfilova has released the preliminary results of the election on Monday (September 21). With counting nearly complete after the three-day election, in which no parties critical of Putin took part, results indicated that the presidential party would secure a supermajority even larger than the one it achieved in 2016.&nbsp;According to the ​Central Election Commission, the United Russia party won 57.83 per cent of the vote, a sharp rise from 49.8 per cent, which it ‌won ⁠in 2021, the last time an election for the State Duma, the lower ​house ​of parliament, ⁠was held. Based on the result, the party is set to hold 355 seats of ​the ⁠450-seat Duma, allowing it to retain its ⁠constitutional ​majority, the commission ​noted.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-to-pay-state-visit-to-us-from-september-23-25-chinese-foreign-ministry-1789985928318">Xi Jinping to pay state visit to US from September 23-25: Chinese Foreign Ministry</a><h3>Other parties clear threshold to enter parliament</h3>Four other parties also crossed the threshold needed to enter parliament: the Communist Party, which won 40 seats; the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), with 25; New People, with 20; and A Just Russia, with four. United Russia has held a dominant position in Russian politics since the early 2000s, coinciding with Putin's hold on power since taking office on New Year's Eve 1999. Pamfilova said more than 95 per cent of votes had been counted so far, with final results expected to be announced later this week. Voting also extended to Ukrainian territories that Russia has occupied and annexed. On the final day of polling, Ukraine launched a series of drone strikes on Moscow and its surrounding region, killing two people and igniting a fire at an oil refinery, officials said.&nbsp;Russia vowed to "intensify" its strikes on Kyiv in response. Meanwhile, the defence ministry accused Ukraine of attempting to "disrupt the democratic will of Russian citizens".

With counting nearly complete after the three-day election, in which no parties critical of Putin took part, results indicated that the presidential party would secure a supermajority even larger than the one it achieved in 2016.

President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party won after securing 355 seats in Russia's 450-seat Duma, the lower house of parliament. Electoral chief Ella Pamfilova has released the preliminary results of the election on Monday (September 21). With counting nearly complete after the three-day election, in which no parties critical of Putin took part, results indicated that the presidential party would secure a supermajority even larger than the one it achieved in 2016. According to the Central Election Commission, the United Russia party won 57.83 per cent of the vote, a sharp rise from 49.8 per cent, which it ‌won ⁠in 2021, the last time an election for the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, ⁠was held. Based on the result, the party is set to hold 355 seats of the ⁠450-seat Duma, allowing it to retain its ⁠constitutional majority, the commission noted. Also read: Xi Jinping to pay state visit to US from September 23-25: Chinese Foreign Ministry Other parties clear threshold to enter parliament Four other parties also crossed the threshold needed to enter parliament: the Communist Party, which won 40 seats; the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), with 25; New People, with 20; and A Just Russia, with four. United Russia has held a dominant position in Russian politics since the early 2000s, coinciding with Putin's hold on power since taking office on New Year's Eve 1999. Pamfilova said more than 95 per cent of votes had been counted so far, with final results expected to be announced later this week. Voting also extended to Ukrainian territories that Russia has occupied and annexed. On the final day of polling, Ukraine launched a series of drone strikes on Moscow and its surrounding region, killing two people and igniting a fire at an oil refinery, officials said. Russia vowed to "intensify" its strikes on Kyiv in response. Meanwhile, the defence ministry accused Ukraine of attempting to "disrupt the democratic will of Russian citizens".

With counting nearly complete after the three-day election, in which no parties critical of Putin took part, results indicated that the presidential party would secure a supermajority even larger than the one it achieved in 2016.

Putin's United Russia party wins 355 seats in Duma election; 4 other parties cross threshold to enter parliament

Pakistan allegedly carried out airstrikes on civilian homes in two eastern Afghan provinces early on Monday, killing three members of the same family and injuring four others, according to Afghanistan's Taliban government. Taliban government deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said an attack around 3:00 am on Monday in Nurgal district of Kunar province ‘completely destroyed’ a house, leaving three people dead and four others wounded.&nbsp;Kunar police spokesman Farid Dehqan told AFP that ‘Pakistani jets carried out’ the strike. Fitrat also said two locations in Paktika province were bombarded. The attacks reportedly destroyed a shop and an unoccupied house but caused no casualties. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned what he described as "aggression" and said that "Afghans will give it an appropriate response". The reported strikes came days after an explosive and gun attack on a police headquarters in northern Pakistan on Friday left at least 31 people dead, including 16 police officers.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-and-xi-three-meetings-11-months-what-changed-from-busan-to-beijing-to-washington-1789969676104">Trump and Xi, three meetings, 11 months: What changed from Busan to Beijing to Washington</a>&nbsp;The local group Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, described as a faction linked to the jihadist group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of allowing militant groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan to operate from Afghan territory. The Taliban government has denied the allegations.&nbsp;The latest reported strikes also come amid a history of cross-border tensions between the two countries. Pakistan's previous deadly airstrikes in Afghanistan took place in June, when around 30 people were reportedly killed in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces. Pakistan said those strikes targeted a TTP faction and killed fighters, while the Taliban government reported civilian casualties. Relations between the neighbouring countries have deteriorated significantly since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.&nbsp;Earlier this year, Pakistan intensified its bombing campaign, including strikes in Kabul. The deadliest reported attack struck a drug addiction hospital in the Afghan capital on March 16, with the United Nations reporting at least 269 civilian deaths. The latest alleged strikes are likely to further intensify tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, as both sides continue to trade accusations over militant activity and cross-border attacks.

Pakistan allegedly bombed civilian homes in Afghanistan's Kunar and Paktika provinces, killing three people as tensions with the Taliban escalate

Pakistan allegedly carried out airstrikes on civilian homes in two eastern Afghan provinces early on Monday, killing three members of the same family and injuring four others, according to Afghanistan's Taliban government. Taliban government deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said an attack around 3:00 am on Monday in Nurgal district of Kunar province ‘completely destroyed’ a house, leaving three people dead and four others wounded. Kunar police spokesman Farid Dehqan told AFP that ‘Pakistani jets carried out’ the strike. Fitrat also said two locations in Paktika province were bombarded. The attacks reportedly destroyed a shop and an unoccupied house but caused no casualties. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned what he described as "aggression" and said that "Afghans will give it an appropriate response". The reported strikes came days after an explosive and gun attack on a police headquarters in northern Pakistan on Friday left at least 31 people dead, including 16 police officers. Also Read: Trump and Xi, three meetings, 11 months: What changed from Busan to Beijing to Washington The local group Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, described as a faction linked to the jihadist group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of allowing militant groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan to operate from Afghan territory. The Taliban government has denied the allegations. The latest reported strikes also come amid a history of cross-border tensions between the two countries. Pakistan's previous deadly airstrikes in Afghanistan took place in June, when around 30 people were reportedly killed in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces. Pakistan said those strikes targeted a TTP faction and killed fighters, while the Taliban government reported civilian casualties. Relations between the neighbouring countries have deteriorated significantly since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Earlier this year, Pakistan intensified its bombing campaign, including strikes in Kabul. The deadliest reported attack struck a drug addiction hospital in the Afghan capital on March 16, with the United Nations reporting at least 269 civilian deaths. The latest alleged strikes are likely to further intensify tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, as both sides continue to trade accusations over militant activity and cross-border attacks.

Pakistan allegedly bombed homes in Afghanistan's Kunar and Paktika provinces, killing three civilians and worsening tensions with the Taliban government

Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions escalate after deadly strikes kill three in Kunar

Chinese president Xi Jingping will travel to US for a state visit this week. It is for the first time in a decade that Xi will make an official trip to Washington - September 23 to 25 - and hold talks with US President Donald Trump. According to White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly and senior U.S. officials, the event will revolve around bilateral diplomatic activities between Trump and Xi.&nbsp;As both the leaders meet, trade will also be the centre of focus among the two countries. Here's how much trade is there between US and China.&nbsp;Including both goods and services, the US in financial year 2025 exported about $163.2B to China and imported about $331.5B, producing an overall deficit of roughly $168.3B.&nbsp;Negotiators are expected to discuss further tariff reductions, including potentially removing or reducing China's 15% tariff on US LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) as part of a broader package involving energy and agriculture.&nbsp;In the field of agriculture China is committed to buying at least $17 billion annually of US agricultural products in 2026–28, in addition to soybean commitments made earlier.&nbsp;While in Defence China is expected to buy 200 Boeing aircraft, according to the US and Chinese announcements.&nbsp;<h2>US goods imports from China</h2>&nbsp;US goods imports from China that largely consist of electronics, machinery, and everyday consumer goods, totaled roughly $308.7 billion, despite trade tensions.&nbsp;Electrical and Electronic Equipment valued at over $84 billion, covering computers, smartphones, and lithium-ion batteries. Imports in machinery &amp; nuclear reactors stood at around $52 billion and consumer goods &nbsp;and toys, including games, sports equipment was $20+ billion.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the White House has officially released the schedule for Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington.&nbsp;On Wednesday (Sept 23), Trump will be present at the Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington, to welcome Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan for the state visit.&nbsp;On Friday, the leaders will participate in a military review in the Rose Garden before their closed-door meeting which will revolve around bilateral diplomatic activities and trade relations.&nbsp;

In the field of agriculture China is committed to buying at least $17 billion annually of US agricultural products in 2026–28, in addition to soybean commitments made earlier.

Chinese president Xi Jingping will travel to US for a state visit this week. It is for the first time in a decade that Xi will make an official trip to Washington - September 23 to 25 - and hold talks with US President Donald Trump. According to White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly and senior U.S. officials, the event will revolve around bilateral diplomatic activities between Trump and Xi. As both the leaders meet, trade will also be the centre of focus among the two countries. Here's how much trade is there between US and China. Including both goods and services, the US in financial year 2025 exported about $163.2B to China and imported about $331.5B, producing an overall deficit of roughly $168.3B. Negotiators are expected to discuss further tariff reductions, including potentially removing or reducing China's 15% tariff on US LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) as part of a broader package involving energy and agriculture. In the field of agriculture China is committed to buying at least $17 billion annually of US agricultural products in 2026–28, in addition to soybean commitments made earlier. While in Defence China is expected to buy 200 Boeing aircraft, according to the US and Chinese announcements. US goods imports from China US goods imports from China that largely consist of electronics, machinery, and everyday consumer goods, totaled roughly $308.7 billion, despite trade tensions. Electrical and Electronic Equipment valued at over $84 billion, covering computers, smartphones, and lithium-ion batteries. Imports in machinery & nuclear reactors stood at around $52 billion and consumer goods and toys, including games, sports equipment was $20+ billion. Meanwhile, the White House has officially released the schedule for Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington. On Wednesday (Sept 23), Trump will be present at the Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington, to welcome Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan for the state visit. On Friday, the leaders will participate in a military review in the Rose Garden before their closed-door meeting which will revolve around bilateral diplomatic activities and trade relations.

In the field of agriculture China is committed to buying at least $17 billion annually of US agricultural products in 2026–28, in addition to soybean commitments made earlier.

Xi-Trump meet: How much is the US, China bilateral trade and what is on agenda

Thousands of users across the United States experienced outages on Meta's social networking platforms, Facebook and Instagram, on Sunday, according to Downdetector.com. As of 9:11 PM ET, over 17,000 reported issues with Facebook, and more than 5,000 reported outages on Instagram. However, Meta had not responded to a request for comment from Reuters at the time of reporting. Since Downdetector's figures rely on reports submitted by users, the actual number of people affected could differ from what's shown.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/baby-boy-born-in-kfc-parking-lot-in-england-named-after-colonel-sanders-1789974759448">Baby boy born in KFC parking lot in England named after Colonel Sanders</a> &nbsp;Meanwhile, Downdetector's India pages do not show any problem with either Instagram or Facebook as of around 1:30 pm IST on Monday (September 21). The Instagram India status page recorded no user-reported disruptions, and the Facebook India page similarly showed no active problem signals.&nbsp;That said, disruptions were reported in several other countries earlier on Monday. According to CNA, users in Singapore faced issues with both Facebook and Instagram, with Downdetector reports peaking around 9:20 am local time. Similar problems were also reported by users in the Philippines, Australia, the US and Mexico.

Meta had not responded to a request for comment from Reuters at the time of reporting. Since Downdetector's figures rely on reports submitted by users, the actual number of people affected could differ from what's shown.

Thousands of users across the United States experienced outages on Meta's social networking platforms, Facebook and Instagram, on Sunday, according to Downdetector.com. As of 9:11 PM ET, over 17,000 reported issues with Facebook, and more than 5,000 reported outages on Instagram. However, Meta had not responded to a request for comment from Reuters at the time of reporting. Since Downdetector's figures rely on reports submitted by users, the actual number of people affected could differ from what's shown. Also read: Baby boy born in KFC parking lot in England named after Colonel Sanders Meanwhile, Downdetector's India pages do not show any problem with either Instagram or Facebook as of around 1:30 pm IST on Monday (September 21). The Instagram India status page recorded no user-reported disruptions, and the Facebook India page similarly showed no active problem signals. That said, disruptions were reported in several other countries earlier on Monday. According to CNA, users in Singapore faced issues with both Facebook and Instagram, with Downdetector reports peaking around 9:20 am local time. Similar problems were also reported by users in the Philippines, Australia, the US and Mexico.

Meta had not responded to a request for comment from Reuters at the time of reporting. Since Downdetector's figures rely on reports submitted by users, the actual number of people affected could differ from what's shown.

Meta's Facebook, Instagram face widespread outages in US; thousands report issues

From a trade-war ceasefire in South Korea to new economic mechanisms in Beijing, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have spent the past 11 months trying to manage one of the world's most consequential rivalries. Now, their Washington meeting puts that fragile arrangement to another test. When Donald Trump and Xi Jinping sit down in Washington on September 24, their meeting will mark the latest chapter in an 11-month cycle of negotiations between the leaders of the world's two largest economies.&nbsp;Xi Jinping arrives in the United States on September 23 for a state visit, with Trump expected to personally welcome him at Joint Base Andrews. The leaders' principal talks are scheduled for September 24, with tariffs, rare earths, artificial intelligence and the future of the US-China trade truce among the issues on the table. The encounter comes nearly a year after their meeting in Busan, South Korea, and four months after Trump's visit to Beijing. Across the three meetings, the pattern has been broadly consistent: de-escalation, new economic commitments and continued negotiations, but few signs that the fundamental US-China rivalry has been resolved.<h2>October 30, 2025: Busan, South Korea</h2><h3>The trade-war truce</h3>Trump and Xi's Busan meeting came after months of escalating tariffs and retaliatory measures. Their encounter produced a one-year trade truce aimed at pulling the world's two largest economies back from a deeper confrontation. Under the arrangement, Washington reduced some tariffs on Chinese goods, including the fentanyl-related tariff, while Beijing agreed to resume major purchases of US agricultural products, including soybeans, strengthen measures against fentanyl-related chemicals and pause or ease some new restrictions on rare-earth exports. The agreement also included a suspension of several Chinese retaliatory measures against US products and companies.<h3>What was achieved?</h3>The immediate escalation was halted. The agreement prevented the trade war from moving towards another major tariff escalation and gave businesses in both countries a period of greater predictability. But Busan did not produce a comprehensive settlement. The agreement was structured as a temporary truce, with several contentious issues left for further negotiations.Busan's legacy: Stop the escalation, buy time and reopen negotiations.<h2>May 14-15, 2026: Beijing, China</h2><h3>From truce to economic mechanisms</h3>Seven months later, Trump travelled to Beijing for talks with Xi, the first visit by a sitting US president to China since 2017.The Beijing summit sought to build on the Busan understanding and move the relationship towards a more structured economic framework. The two governments agreed to establish a US-China Board of Trade to address trade in non-sensitive goods and a US-China Board of Investment to provide a government-to-government channel for investment-related issues.&nbsp;There were also commitments involving critical minerals, US agricultural exports and Boeing aircraft. According to the White House, China committed to an initial purchase of 200 Boeing aircraft, while also agreeing to purchase at least $17 billion a year of US agricultural products in 2026, 2027 and 2028, alongside earlier soybean commitments. China also agreed to address US concerns over rare earths and other critical minerals.<h3>What was achieved?</h3>The Beijing meeting produced a broader economic framework than the Busan truce, particularly through the creation of new trade and investment mechanisms. But the summit did not eliminate the central sources of friction between Washington and Beijing. Questions remained over tariffs, technology, rare-earth controls, market access and the longer-term structure of the relationship. Beijing's legacy: Create mechanisms to manage economic competition while keeping the broader relationship stable.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-mysterious-lights-over-tehran-caught-on-video-drone-aircraft-or-something-else-1789967394276">WATCH | Mysterious lights over Tehran caught on video. Drone, aircraft or something else?</a><h2>September 23-25, 2026: Washington&nbsp;</h2><h3>The test of the truce</h3>Now Xi is heading to Washington. His September 23 arrival will be followed by the main Trump-Xi talks on September 24. Trump is expected to host a formal state ceremony and discussions with Xi, with economic and strategic issues dominating the agenda.The timing matters. The trade truce reached in Busan is approaching its November deadline, while Washington and Beijing are still negotiating its extension. US officials have also raised concerns about China's implementation of commitments involving rare-earth exports.<h3>What is on the table?</h3>Trade and tariffs: Both sides are discussing the possibility of reducing tariffs on selected non-sensitive goods, while seeking to preserve the broader trade relationship. Rare earths: China's control over critical minerals remains a major issue for Washington, particularly because rare earths are crucial to advanced manufacturing and technology supply chains.&nbsp;Artificial intelligence: The two countries have agreed to establish an AI dialogue mechanism covering issues including safety and national-security risks. A proposed notification mechanism for serious AI incidents is also being discussed. Agriculture and trade: Previous commitments on US agricultural purchases and broader market access remain part of the economic negotiations. Taiwan and strategic tensions: While economic issues are expected to dominate, Taiwan remains one of the most sensitive issues in the wider US-China relationship.<h3>What has Washington achieved, so far?</h3>Unlike Busan and Beijing, the Washington meeting has not happened yet. The key question is therefore not what Trump and Xi have already agreed to, but whether the two leaders can turn the arrangements of the previous 11 months into a longer-lasting framework. Recent negotiations have produced a Board of Trade and an AI dialogue mechanism, while discussions continue over tariffs, rare earths and the duration of the trade truce.<h2>From trade wars to managed competition?</h2>The trajectory of the three meetings tells a story of crisis management rather than a final settlement. Busan stopped the immediate escalation. Beijing attempted to put economic relations on a more structured footing. Washington now comes with the truce nearing a deadline and new areas of cooperation, particularly AI, entering the conversation.&nbsp;The relationship remains defined by a combination of cooperation and competition. The two governments have continued to negotiate even as disagreements persist over trade, technology, critical minerals and strategic issues.

Trump-Xi summit timeline: Track the key meetings in Busan, Beijing and Washington, the trade deals, rare earths, tariffs and what remains unresolved

From a trade-war ceasefire in South Korea to new economic mechanisms in Beijing, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have spent the past 11 months trying to manage one of the world's most consequential rivalries. Now, their Washington meeting puts that fragile arrangement to another test. When Donald Trump and Xi Jinping sit down in Washington on September 24, their meeting will mark the latest chapter in an 11-month cycle of negotiations between the leaders of the world's two largest economies. Xi Jinping arrives in the United States on September 23 for a state visit, with Trump expected to personally welcome him at Joint Base Andrews. The leaders' principal talks are scheduled for September 24, with tariffs, rare earths, artificial intelligence and the future of the US-China trade truce among the issues on the table. The encounter comes nearly a year after their meeting in Busan, South Korea, and four months after Trump's visit to Beijing. Across the three meetings, the pattern has been broadly consistent: de-escalation, new economic commitments and continued negotiations, but few signs that the fundamental US-China rivalry has been resolved. October 30, 2025: Busan, South Korea The trade-war truce Trump and Xi's Busan meeting came after months of escalating tariffs and retaliatory measures. Their encounter produced a one-year trade truce aimed at pulling the world's two largest economies back from a deeper confrontation. Under the arrangement, Washington reduced some tariffs on Chinese goods, including the fentanyl-related tariff, while Beijing agreed to resume major purchases of US agricultural products, including soybeans, strengthen measures against fentanyl-related chemicals and pause or ease some new restrictions on rare-earth exports. The agreement also included a suspension of several Chinese retaliatory measures against US products and companies. What was achieved? The immediate escalation was halted. The agreement prevented the trade war from moving towards another major tariff escalation and gave businesses in both countries a period of greater predictability. But Busan did not produce a comprehensive settlement. The agreement was structured as a temporary truce, with several contentious issues left for further negotiations. Busan's legacy: Stop the escalation, buy time and reopen negotiations. May 14-15, 2026: Beijing, China From truce to economic mechanisms Seven months later, Trump travelled to Beijing for talks with Xi, the first visit by a sitting US president to China since 2017. The Beijing summit sought to build on the Busan understanding and move the relationship towards a more structured economic framework. The two governments agreed to establish a US-China Board of Trade to address trade in non-sensitive goods and a US-China Board of Investment to provide a government-to-government channel for investment-related issues. There were also commitments involving critical minerals, US agricultural exports and Boeing aircraft. According to the White House, China committed to an initial purchase of 200 Boeing aircraft, while also agreeing to purchase at least $17 billion a year of US agricultural products in 2026, 2027 and 2028, alongside earlier soybean commitments. China also agreed to address US concerns over rare earths and other critical minerals. What was achieved? The Beijing meeting produced a broader economic framework than the Busan truce, particularly through the creation of new trade and investment mechanisms. But the summit did not eliminate the central sources of friction between Washington and Beijing. Questions remained over tariffs, technology, rare-earth controls, market access and the longer-term structure of the relationship. Beijing's legacy: Create mechanisms to manage economic competition while keeping the broader relationship stable. Also Read: WATCH | Mysterious lights over Tehran caught on video. Drone, aircraft or something else? September 23-25, 2026: Washington The test of the truce Now Xi is heading to Washington. His September 23 arrival will be followed by the main Trump-Xi talks on September 24. Trump is expected to host a formal state ceremony and discussions with Xi, with economic and strategic issues dominating the agenda. The timing matters. The trade truce reached in Busan is approaching its November deadline, while Washington and Beijing are still negotiating its extension. US officials have also raised concerns about China's implementation of commitments involving rare-earth exports. What is on the table? Trade and tariffs: Both sides are discussing the possibility of reducing tariffs on selected non-sensitive goods, while seeking to preserve the broader trade relationship. Rare earths: China's control over critical minerals remains a major issue for Washington, particularly because rare earths are crucial to advanced manufacturing and technology supply chains. Artificial intelligence: The two countries have agreed to establish an AI dialogue mechanism covering issues including safety and national-security risks. A proposed notification mechanism for serious AI incidents is also being discussed. Agriculture and trade: Previous commitments on US agricultural purchases and broader market access remain part of the economic negotiations. Taiwan and strategic tensions: While economic issues are expected to dominate, Taiwan remains one of the most sensitive issues in the wider US-China relationship. What has Washington achieved, so far? Unlike Busan and Beijing, the Washington meeting has not happened yet. The key question is therefore not what Trump and Xi have already agreed to, but whether the two leaders can turn the arrangements of the previous 11 months into a longer-lasting framework. Recent negotiations have produced a Board of Trade and an AI dialogue mechanism, while discussions continue over tariffs, rare earths and the duration of the trade truce. From trade wars to managed competition? The trajectory of the three meetings tells a story of crisis management rather than a final settlement. Busan stopped the immediate escalation. Beijing attempted to put economic relations on a more structured footing. Washington now comes with the truce nearing a deadline and new areas of cooperation, particularly AI, entering the conversation. The relationship remains defined by a combination of cooperation and competition. The two governments have continued to negotiate even as disagreements persist over trade, technology, critical minerals and strategic issues.

Trump and Xi have met twice in 11 months, from Busan's trade truce to Beijing's economic deals. Washington now tests whether the fragile detente can last

Trump and Xi, three meetings, 11 months: What changed from Busan to Beijing to Washington

Latest News Today Live Updates: At least three people were killed and several others injured after Pakistan carried out an airstrike in Afghanistan's northeastern Kunar province, Tolo News reported on Monday, citing a provincial official. The strike comes two days after a police facility in northwestern Pakistan was attacked, raising concerns of renewed fighting between the two neighbouring countries. Pakistan and Afghanistan were involved in their worst conflict in years in February.At least eight people were killed and one person injured after a fire broke out at a textile factory in Foshan, in China's southern Guangdong Province, at around 3 p.m. on Sunday, local authorities said on Monday. Rescue operations remain underway.The Trump administration is preparing sweeping sanctions against the International Criminal Court, according to US officials, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s campaign against the institution after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under the proposed measures, most transactions involving the ICC would be prohibited after a six- to seven-month grace period, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and US officials.The Special Intensive Revision (SIR), a large-scale verification exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls in Delhi has created a stir as prominent political figures including Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, former CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP veteran LK Advani, former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, BJP MLA Kailash Gahlot, EAM S Jaishankar were among the 3.31 million electors who received notices over discrepancies in their details.

French President Emmanuel Macron lashed out at US President Donald Trump after he shared a map on social media showing France’s archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon as US territory. Trump shared the post earlier this month, showing the US flag covering Canada, Mexico, Greenland, Central America, the Caribbean, and Iceland.<a href="http://wionews.com/world/emmanuel-macron-hits-back-after-trump-shares-map-of-us-claiming-france-s-saint-pierre-miquelon-1789993047297">Read More</a>

President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party won after securing 355 seats in Russia's 450-seat Duma, the lower house of parliament. Electoral chief Ella Pamfilova has released the preliminary results of the election on Monday (September 21). With counting nearly complete after the three-day election, in which no parties critical of Putin took part, results indicated that the presidential party would secure a supermajority even larger than the one it achieved in 2016.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-s-united-russia-party-wins-355-seats-in-duma-election-beats-2016-tally-1789981460937">Read More</a>

Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, called for a period of calm, highlighting the immense pressure that has followed ever since the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022. He urged that Doha needs a “peaceful year 2027”, as fallout from the war between the US, Israel and Iran has been weighing on the country.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/qatar-pm-peaceful-2027-us-israel-iran-war-fifa-world-cup-1789990664026">Read More</a>

Chinese shipment of rare earth to the US has fallen to 512 tonnes in August, 20 per cent lower than the previous month in July and 13 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year. Rare earths are among one of the many things that have been a point of friction between China and the US, ahead of the scheduled summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-rare-earth-shipments-us-fall-trump-xi-summit-1789993811213">Read More</a>&nbsp;

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump, Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday.

Xi Jinping to visit to US from September 23-25

Israeli forces launched an attack in Deraa province at dawn with artillery and opened fire with machine guns, Syria’s state news agency SANA reports; however, no casualties were reported. The military struck the Abidin and Ruqad valleys with several artillery shells, and simultaneously targeted the outskirts of Jamlah village in the Yarmouk Basin area.

Western Deraa attacked in Syria

Israel’s military launched a series of air raids overnight on southern Lebanon as the “ceasefire” and occupation continue. Shelling was also reported in the Nabatieh governorate, including the towns of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Zoutar al-Sharqiyah, and Khallet Mayfadoun. In Bint Jbeil district, the towns of Beit Lif and Hadatha and the outskirts of Baraachit were also attacked.

Israeli air strikes hit several towns in southern Lebanon

The United States has approved visas for a scaled-down Iranian delegation to attend the high-level week of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the US Department of State said.

US approves visas for Pezeshkian, Araghchi to attend UN General Assembly

Smoke rises over Al-Eis, near Aleppo in northern Syria, after a series of explosions at an army munitions depot injured at least four people.&nbsp;

Explosions reported at Syrian army depot near Aleppo

Despite the arrival of a new class of drugs and a growing pipeline of medical care, clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease continue to face a global shortage of participants.

Clinical trials for Alzheimer’s treatment face global shortage of participants

The recent fighting between Yemen's Houthi group and government forces has displaced more than 125,000 people in Yemen within just a few weeks, said an official with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Yemen.

Renewed fighting in Yemen displaces over 125,000 civilians

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Moments ago, another US Army MQ-1 drone was intercepted and shot down by Iranian air defense over the Strait of Hormuz.&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) &lt;a href="https://x.com/iribnews_irib/status/2101919123668144398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;September 21, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Iran claims it intercepted and shot down US Army MQ-1 drone 

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list a petition filed by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) interim decision to freeze the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) name and its reserved ‘Flowers &amp; Grass’ election symbol.

Supreme Court agrees to list Mamata Banerjee plea against ECI freeze on Trinamool Congress name, symbol

Eighteen suspects accused in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise have been transferred to Florida to face trial, US officials said on Sunday. Moise, 53, was shot dead on July 7, 2021, at his private residence by a group of around 20 Colombian mercenaries with military training. His security detail did not intervene to protect him. "Today's multi-location and international arrests underscore the FBI's continued commitment to bringing all participants in this plot to justice," FBI special agent Brett Skiles said on X.

US arrests 18 suspects in killing of Haitian president

A record number of New Zealanders cast their ballots this month, not in a national election but in the country's annual Bird of the Year contest, backing the critically endangered black robin. The small native bird is found on the remote Chatham Islands, located about 800 kilometres (500 miles) off the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. The species was on the brink of extinction in 1980, when just five black robins remained, including only one breeding female. Their population has since recovered to around 350.<img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2026/20260921/image-1789970405204.jpg">

New Zealanders pick endangered black robin as Bird of the Year

US President Donald Trump is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday in New York, where both leaders are attending the United Nations General Assembly, the White House said. The meeting is scheduled for 5:35 pm local time (2135 GMT), according to Trump's schedule released on Sunday evening.

Trump to meet Macron in New York on Monday: White House

At least four people were injured after a series of explosions struck an army site near Aleppo in northern Syria early Monday, state media reported. The cause of the blasts was not immediately known. Syrian state media SANA reported that the explosions occurred at an 'army site' near the town of Al-Eis.

Explosions at Aleppo munitions depot in northern Syria injures four

Three South Korean military officers were injured in an explosion during an operation near the heavily mined border with North Korea, Seoul's military said on Monday. The blast occurred south of the Military Demarcation Line inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), one of the world's most heavily fortified and mined borders. Two of the injured officers were evacuated by helicopter, while the third was initially scheduled to be transported by road before being airlifted, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

Three South Korean soldiers injured in DMZ blast: Military

Bangladesh has raised fuel prices by up to 17.4%, adding to pressure on consumers and businesses already facing power and gas shortages. The government said the increase was aimed at containing mounting losses caused by rising global oil prices and higher shipping costs linked to the conflict in the Middle East. The revised rates, effective Monday, are expected to increase transportation and production costs across the import-dependent economy, further fuelling inflationary pressures. The move comes as industries, including Bangladesh's crucial garment export sector, struggle with an acute energy shortage.

Bangladesh raises fuel prices by up to 17% amid global oil price surge

Latest News Today Live Updates: Stay connected to WION News for the latest updates from India and around the globe, including at least three killed in Pakistani airstrike on Afghanistan, Trump admin preparing to impose sanctions on ICC and other major breaking developments

Latest News Today Live Updates: At least three people were killed and several others injured after Pakistan carried out an airstrike in Afghanistan's northeastern Kunar province, Tolo News reported on Monday, citing a provincial official. The strike comes two days after a police facility in northwestern Pakistan was attacked, raising concerns of renewed fighting between the two neighbouring countries. Pakistan and Afghanistan were involved in their worst conflict in years in February. At least eight people were killed and one person injured after a fire broke out at a textile factory in Foshan, in China's southern Guangdong Province, at around 3 p.m. on Sunday, local authorities said on Monday. Rescue operations remain underway. The Trump administration is preparing sweeping sanctions against the International Criminal Court, according to US officials, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s campaign against the institution after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under the proposed measures, most transactions involving the ICC would be prohibited after a six- to seven-month grace period, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and US officials. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR), a large-scale verification exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls in Delhi has created a stir as prominent political figures including Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, former CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP veteran LK Advani, former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, BJP MLA Kailash Gahlot, EAM S Jaishankar were among the 3.31 million electors who received notices over discrepancies in their details.

Latest News Today Live Updates: Stay connected to WION News for the latest updates from India and around the globe, including at least three killed in Pakistani airstrike on Afghanistan, Trump admin preparing to impose sanctions on ICC and other major breaking developments

LIVE Updates | Latest India & World News Today: Three killed in Pakistani airstrike on Afghanistan, Trump admin to impose sanctions on ICC and more

Videos purportedly showing an illuminated object moving through Tehran’s night sky have spread widely across social media, prompting speculation that the lights may have come from a drone, aircraft or another airborne object. However, neither the location of the recordings nor the identity of the object has been independently verified. The footage shows several lights moving across a dark sky, but offers no dependable reference point to determine the object’s size, altitude, distance or speed.&nbsp;Several accounts on X circulated the videos on September 20, with some claiming the footage had been recorded over Tehran the previous day. One post said the sighting occurred near Azadegan, a district in the Iranian capital. Social media users have offered several explanations for the lights, describing them variously as a drone, a formation of drones, an aircraft or an LED-equipped kite. The available footage, however, does not contain enough evidence to establish which explanation, if any, is correct.The term “unidentified flying object” describes an aerial sighting that has not been identified. It does not, by itself, establish that an object has an unusual or extraterrestrial origin.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-planning-to-impose-sweeping-sanctions-on-icc-over-netanyahu-arrest-warrant-1789962520143">Trump administration planning to impose sweeping sanctions on ICC over Netanyahu arrest warrant</a><h2>Watch the video here</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">A number of videos are circulating showing an unidentified object in the skies above Tehran, Iran, it’s not immediately clear what is being filmed. <a href="https://t.co/bHNAQGFPNv">pic.twitter.com/bHNAQGFPNv</a>&mdash; OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://x.com/sentdefender/status/2101836899702689834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Echoes of a 1976 Tehran sighting</h2>The recent videos started circulating close to the 50th anniversary of a documented aerial sighting over Tehran on September 19, 1976. There is no evidence linking the latest footage to that earlier incident. The US National Security Agency’s declassified archive includes a Joint Chiefs of Staff report concerning the 1976 sighting, along with a Defense Intelligence Agency summary and a report from the US defence attaché.&nbsp;Those records describe reports of a bright object and the deployment of Iranian F-4 fighter aircraft to investigate it. While the existence of the documents has helped keep the 1976 episode a recurring subject of interest, they provide no evidence about the object shown in the latest videos. Without access to the original footage, supporting location data or an official identification, the latest sighting remains an unresolved and unverified social-media claim.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">WATCH: Another angle of the mysterious object in the skies over Tehran. 🛸 <a href="https://t.co/51UrUppvnG">pic.twitter.com/51UrUppvnG</a>&mdash; Scott M (@EODWX5) <a href="https://x.com/EODWX5/status/2101817640591188449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tehran night-sky videos showing unexplained lights spark drone and aircraft claims, but their location, identity and authenticity remain unverified

Videos purportedly showing an illuminated object moving through Tehran’s night sky have spread widely across social media, prompting speculation that the lights may have come from a drone, aircraft or another airborne object. However, neither the location of the recordings nor the identity of the object has been independently verified. The footage shows several lights moving across a dark sky, but offers no dependable reference point to determine the object’s size, altitude, distance or speed. Several accounts on X circulated the videos on September 20, with some claiming the footage had been recorded over Tehran the previous day. One post said the sighting occurred near Azadegan, a district in the Iranian capital. Social media users have offered several explanations for the lights, describing them variously as a drone, a formation of drones, an aircraft or an LED-equipped kite. The available footage, however, does not contain enough evidence to establish which explanation, if any, is correct. The term “unidentified flying object” describes an aerial sighting that has not been identified. It does not, by itself, establish that an object has an unusual or extraterrestrial origin. Also Read: Trump administration planning to impose sweeping sanctions on ICC over Netanyahu arrest warrant Watch the video here

Tehran night-sky videos show unexplained lights, sparking drone and aircraft claims, but the footage has not been independently verified

WATCH | Mysterious lights over Tehran caught on video. Drone, aircraft or something else?

The Trump administration is preparing sweeping sanctions against the International Criminal Court, according to US officials, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s campaign against the institution after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under the proposed measures, most transactions involving the ICC would be prohibited after a six- to seven-month grace period, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and US officials. The restrictions could severely disrupt the court’s operations by preventing it from conducting transactions in US dollars and potentially cutting it off from a large portion of the global financial system.&nbsp;The timing of a final decision remains uncertain. However, some US officials said the sanctions could be finalised as early as this week during the United Nations General Assembly meeting or shortly afterward. A State Department spokesman declined to preview any potential sanctions decisions but pointed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s position that the ICC poses a threat to American sovereignty.&nbsp;The Treasury Department declined to comment, while the International Criminal Court did not respond to a request for comment.The United States has already imposed sanctions on several ICC officials as part of its campaign against the court. Those targeted include former Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, whom the ICC removed in July following sexual assault allegations; ICC President Tomoko Akane; several judges; the court’s two deputy prosecutors; and the lead prosecutor involved in the case against Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. Khan has denied any sexual misconduct.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-yom-kippur-and-why-is-it-celebrated-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-jewish-day-of-atonement-1789960348537">What is Yom Kippur and why is it celebrated? All you need to know about the Jewish Day of Atonement</a>&nbsp;The new measures being considered by the Trump administration are expected to be considerably broader and more damaging, officials said. Rather than targeting individual officials, the sanctions would cover a wide range of transactions involving the ICC. According to the documents, transactions related to communications services would be exempt. European countries and other major supporters of the ICC, including Japan, have pledged to defend the court against the Trump administration’s pressure. However, it remains unclear what specific steps they could take. The European Union could potentially require banks across the bloc to continue providing services to the court.&nbsp;In July, Rubio said the administration was preparing an extensive campaign against the ICC and said it would dismantle the court “brick by brick” if necessary. Rubio argued that the court’s decision to pursue officials from countries that are not members of the ICC established a dangerous precedent and threatened US sovereignty. Neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the ICC. Rubio’s current position contrasts with his actions in 2022, when, as a US senator, he co-sponsored a resolution supporting an ICC investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. Russia, like the United States and Israel, is not an ICC member.&nbsp;&nbsp;The court subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials in 2023. The relationship between Washington and the ICC deteriorated sharply following the court’s case against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. In 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.&nbsp;&nbsp;The court alleged that the two officials had blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza as a means of putting pressure on Hamas, conduct that could constitute violations of international humanitarian law. Netanyahu and Gallant have denied the allegations. Former ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had also sought arrest warrants for Hamas leaders over their role in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Those individuals have since been killed in fighting or assassinations.&nbsp;The ICC has also been investigating two far-right members of Netanyahu’s government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The investigation concerns their alleged roles in expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which the United Nations says violate international law.

Trump administration prepares sweeping sanctions against the ICC after its arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, escalating tensions

The Trump administration is preparing sweeping sanctions against the International Criminal Court, according to US officials, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s campaign against the institution after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under the proposed measures, most transactions involving the ICC would be prohibited after a six- to seven-month grace period, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and US officials. The restrictions could severely disrupt the court’s operations by preventing it from conducting transactions in US dollars and potentially cutting it off from a large portion of the global financial system. The timing of a final decision remains uncertain. However, some US officials said the sanctions could be finalised as early as this week during the United Nations General Assembly meeting or shortly afterward. A State Department spokesman declined to preview any potential sanctions decisions but pointed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s position that the ICC poses a threat to American sovereignty. The Treasury Department declined to comment, while the International Criminal Court did not respond to a request for comment. The United States has already imposed sanctions on several ICC officials as part of its campaign against the court. Those targeted include former Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, whom the ICC removed in July following sexual assault allegations; ICC President Tomoko Akane; several judges; the court’s two deputy prosecutors; and the lead prosecutor involved in the case against Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. Khan has denied any sexual misconduct. Also Read: What is Yom Kippur and why is it celebrated? All you need to know about the Jewish Day of Atonement The new measures being considered by the Trump administration are expected to be considerably broader and more damaging, officials said. Rather than targeting individual officials, the sanctions would cover a wide range of transactions involving the ICC. According to the documents, transactions related to communications services would be exempt. European countries and other major supporters of the ICC, including Japan, have pledged to defend the court against the Trump administration’s pressure. However, it remains unclear what specific steps they could take. The European Union could potentially require banks across the bloc to continue providing services to the court. In July, Rubio said the administration was preparing an extensive campaign against the ICC and said it would dismantle the court “brick by brick” if necessary. Rubio argued that the court’s decision to pursue officials from countries that are not members of the ICC established a dangerous precedent and threatened US sovereignty. Neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the ICC. Rubio’s current position contrasts with his actions in 2022, when, as a US senator, he co-sponsored a resolution supporting an ICC investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. Russia, like the United States and Israel, is not an ICC member. The court subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials in 2023. The relationship between Washington and the ICC deteriorated sharply following the court’s case against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. In 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The court alleged that the two officials had blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza as a means of putting pressure on Hamas, conduct that could constitute violations of international humanitarian law. Netanyahu and Gallant have denied the allegations. Former ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had also sought arrest warrants for Hamas leaders over their role in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Those individuals have since been killed in fighting or assassinations. The ICC has also been investigating two far-right members of Netanyahu’s government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The investigation concerns their alleged roles in expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which the United Nations says violate international law.

Trump administration prepares sweeping sanctions against the International Criminal Court, potentially restricting transactions and threatening the court’s global operations

Trump administration planning to impose sweeping sanctions on ICC over Netanyahu arrest warrant

Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is a day dedicated to fasting, prayer, repentance, self-reflection and seeking forgiveness. Observed on the 10th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, Yom Kippur comes 10 days after Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. In 2026, Yom Kippur begins at sunset on Sunday, September 20, and concludes after nightfall on Monday, September 21.<h2>What does Yom Kippur mean?</h2>The Hebrew name Yom Kippur translates to ‘Day of Atonement’. The day is centred on acknowledging wrongdoing, seeking forgiveness and making a commitment towards spiritual and personal change. Jewish tradition places particular emphasis on making amends with other people. The period is not only about asking God for forgiveness but also about recognising wrongs committed against others and seeking reconciliation where possible. Yom Kippur marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Repentance, which begin with Rosh Hashanah. According to Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah begins a period of judgment, while Yom Kippur is associated with the sealing of the divine judgment for the coming year.<h2>Why is Yom Kippur observed?</h2>Yom Kippur has its roots in the biblical tradition of atonement. According to Jewish tradition, it is associated with the forgiveness granted to the Israelites following the sin of the Golden Calf. In ancient times, Yom Kippur was observed at the Temple in Jerusalem, where the High Priest performed special rituals and offerings on behalf of the people. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the observance evolved around prayer, fasting, repentance and synagogue services rather than Temple sacrifices. The central purpose remains spiritual reflection: people are encouraged to examine their actions over the previous year, acknowledge their shortcomings and seek forgiveness.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ice-shooting-in-texas-leaves-man-seriously-injured-officials-demand-independent-investigation-and-transparency-1789955186353">ICE shooting in Texas leaves man seriously injured; officials demand independent investigation and transparency</a><h2>Why do Jews fast on Yom Kippur?</h2>Fasting is one of the best-known traditions associated with Yom Kippur. The fast generally lasts around 25 hours, beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall the following day. The fast is intended to shift attention away from physical needs and towards prayer, repentance and spiritual reflection. Traditional observance also involves abstaining from several other physical comforts, including bathing or washing, applying lotions or creams, wearing leather footwear and marital relations. Fasting requirements can differ depending on circumstances and Jewish tradition, and people who are medically unable to fast are generally expected to prioritise their health and seek appropriate religious guidance.<h2>How is Yom Kippur observed?</h2>Much of Yom Kippur is spent in prayer and synagogue services. Among the best-known services is Kol Nidrei, held on the eve of Yom Kippur. Other major prayers and services take place throughout the day, culminating in Neilah, the closing service. Yom Kippur traditionally ends with a blast of the shofar, a ram's-horn instrument. The day is also marked by introspection and confession. Worshippers reflect on their actions and seek forgiveness from God and from people they may have wronged.<h2>What happens after Yom Kippur?</h2>After the fast ends, many Jewish families and communities gather for a meal. Although Yom Kippur is characterised by solemn prayer and fasting, Jewish tradition also connects the day with the possibility of forgiveness and renewal. A common greeting associated with Yom Kippur is “G'mar chatimah tovah,” often understood as a wish for someone to be sealed for a good year. “Have an easy fast” is another common expression used around the holiday.&nbsp;Ultimately, Yom Kippur is less about celebration in the conventional sense and more about atonement, accountability, forgiveness and spiritual renewal. It provides a designated time for individuals and communities to look back on the past year and consider how they can make amends and begin the year ahead with a renewed sense of purpose.

Yom Kippur 2026 explained: Learn what the Jewish Day of Atonement means, why it is observed, why Jews fast and the traditions behind the holy day

Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is a day dedicated to fasting, prayer, repentance, self-reflection and seeking forgiveness. Observed on the 10th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, Yom Kippur comes 10 days after Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. In 2026, Yom Kippur begins at sunset on Sunday, September 20, and concludes after nightfall on Monday, September 21. What does Yom Kippur mean? The Hebrew name Yom Kippur translates to ‘Day of Atonement’. The day is centred on acknowledging wrongdoing, seeking forgiveness and making a commitment towards spiritual and personal change. Jewish tradition places particular emphasis on making amends with other people. The period is not only about asking God for forgiveness but also about recognising wrongs committed against others and seeking reconciliation where possible. Yom Kippur marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Repentance, which begin with Rosh Hashanah. According to Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah begins a period of judgment, while Yom Kippur is associated with the sealing of the divine judgment for the coming year. Why is Yom Kippur observed? Yom Kippur has its roots in the biblical tradition of atonement. According to Jewish tradition, it is associated with the forgiveness granted to the Israelites following the sin of the Golden Calf. In ancient times, Yom Kippur was observed at the Temple in Jerusalem, where the High Priest performed special rituals and offerings on behalf of the people. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the observance evolved around prayer, fasting, repentance and synagogue services rather than Temple sacrifices. The central purpose remains spiritual reflection: people are encouraged to examine their actions over the previous year, acknowledge their shortcomings and seek forgiveness. Also Read: ICE shooting in Texas leaves man seriously injured; officials demand independent investigation and transparency Why do Jews fast on Yom Kippur? Fasting is one of the best-known traditions associated with Yom Kippur. The fast generally lasts around 25 hours, beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall the following day. The fast is intended to shift attention away from physical needs and towards prayer, repentance and spiritual reflection. Traditional observance also involves abstaining from several other physical comforts, including bathing or washing, applying lotions or creams, wearing leather footwear and marital relations. Fasting requirements can differ depending on circumstances and Jewish tradition, and people who are medically unable to fast are generally expected to prioritise their health and seek appropriate religious guidance. How is Yom Kippur observed? Much of Yom Kippur is spent in prayer and synagogue services. Among the best-known services is Kol Nidrei, held on the eve of Yom Kippur. Other major prayers and services take place throughout the day, culminating in Neilah, the closing service. Yom Kippur traditionally ends with a blast of the shofar, a ram's-horn instrument. The day is also marked by introspection and confession. Worshippers reflect on their actions and seek forgiveness from God and from people they may have wronged. What happens after Yom Kippur? After the fast ends, many Jewish families and communities gather for a meal. Although Yom Kippur is characterised by solemn prayer and fasting, Jewish tradition also connects the day with the possibility of forgiveness and renewal. A common greeting associated with Yom Kippur is “G'mar chatimah tovah,” often understood as a wish for someone to be sealed for a good year. “Have an easy fast” is another common expression used around the holiday. Ultimately, Yom Kippur is less about celebration in the conventional sense and more about atonement, accountability, forgiveness and spiritual renewal. It provides a designated time for individuals and communities to look back on the past year and consider how they can make amends and begin the year ahead with a renewed sense of purpose.

Yom Kippur 2026 explained: Know the meaning, history, fasting rules, prayers and significance of Judaism’s holiest day

What is Yom Kippur and why is it celebrated? All you need to know about the Jewish Day of Atonement

At least 11 miners were killed and 30 others were injured after a gold mine shaft collapsed in northeastern Sudan on Sunday (Sep 20), according to a state official. A search operation is underway to rescue people trapped under the debris. The collapse is the second such incident at an informal gold mine in Sudan within a week. The latest collapse took place in Oni, a remote area in the northeastern Red Sea state.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-sudan-dozens-injured-many-still-missing-after-gold-mine-collapses-1789653032142/amp">South Sudan: Dozens injured, many still missing after gold mine collapses</a>&nbsp;In a statement, Abdalhay Kharif Abakar, who worked in the area, said that the collapse began on Saturday night. An official from the state-owned Sudanese Mineral Resources Company said that 11 bodies had been recovered by Sunday and 30 people had been rescued. The search for missing miners was still under way, the official said. In a statement, the company expressed condolences over the loss of life in the mine collapse, but did not give details of the casualties. Deadly mine collapses are not uncommon in Sudan, a gold-producing country where safety standards are not widely followed and country has many informal mines.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/short-videos/dozens-killed-in-attacks-by-rsf-aligned-group-in-sudan-s-south-kordofan-local-medical-group-1787743548225">Dozens killed in attacks by RSF-aligned group in Sudan’s South Kordofan: Local medical group</a>&nbsp;Last Sunday, at least 82 people were killed when a series of mine shafts collapsed at another gold mine in western Sudan, in an area controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Sudan plunged into full-scale war in April 2023 after fighting broke out between the RSF and the Sudanese military. The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, according to Armed Conflict Location &amp; Event Data, a monitoring group.

At least 11 miners were killed and 30 injured after a gold mine shaft collapsed in northeastern Sudan's Red Sea state. Rescuers continued searching for people feared trapped, days after another mine collapse killed at least 82 people in western Sudan.

At least 11 miners were killed and 30 others were injured after a gold mine shaft collapsed in northeastern Sudan on Sunday (Sep 20), according to a state official. A search operation is underway to rescue people trapped under the debris. The collapse is the second such incident at an informal gold mine in Sudan within a week. The latest collapse took place in Oni, a remote area in the northeastern Red Sea state. Also Read: South Sudan: Dozens injured, many still missing after gold mine collapses In a statement, Abdalhay Kharif Abakar, who worked in the area, said that the collapse began on Saturday night. An official from the state-owned Sudanese Mineral Resources Company said that 11 bodies had been recovered by Sunday and 30 people had been rescued. The search for missing miners was still under way, the official said. In a statement, the company expressed condolences over the loss of life in the mine collapse, but did not give details of the casualties. Deadly mine collapses are not uncommon in Sudan, a gold-producing country where safety standards are not widely followed and country has many informal mines. Also Read: Dozens killed in attacks by RSF-aligned group in Sudan’s South Kordofan: Local medical group Last Sunday, at least 82 people were killed when a series of mine shafts collapsed at another gold mine in western Sudan, in an area controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Sudan plunged into full-scale war in April 2023 after fighting broke out between the RSF and the Sudanese military. The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, a monitoring group.

At least 11 miners were killed and 30 injured after a gold mine shaft collapsed in northeastern Sudan's Red Sea state. Rescuers continued searching for people feared trapped, days after another mine collapse killed at least 82 people in western Sudan.

Sudan gold mine collapse kills 11, injures 30; search under way for trapped miners

A man was hospitalised in Austin, Texas, on Sunday (September 20) after being shot in the torso by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, according to local officials. The incident has prompted calls for a broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The man was in serious but stable condition after suffering a gunshot wound during an incident that officials said may have involved a foot pursuit. Authorities stressed that the information available remained preliminary.&nbsp;"I am very angry and extremely disappointed that a person was shot on the streets of Austin by ICE," Mayor Kirk Watson said on X, referring to the federal agency carrying out the Trump administration's immigration enforcement campaign. Watson said Austin had experienced a 'significant increase, almost overnight' in ICE operations. The shooting occurred in North Austin following a traffic stop, according to officials. Austin police were not involved in the operation or shooting, although local investigators responded to the scene. Authorities said they had limited information about the events leading up to the shooting.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-in-deciding-mode-on-iran-says-very-big-things-going-to-happen-soon-1789921963152">Trump in ‘deciding mode’ on Iran, says ‘very big things’ going to happen soon</a>&nbsp;ICE had not publicly provided details about the incident at the time of the officials' statements. Authorities also initially withheld information about the wounded man's identity, age and nationality. Watson called for Austin police and other local authorities to participate in the investigation, saying an inquiry conducted solely by ICE would not provide sufficient outside oversight. "I will say, frankly, from my perspective, the credibility of ICE doing some form of investigation just by itself and excluding others would not be appropriate," Watson said.&nbsp;Congressman Greg Casar also called for transparency and an independent investigation. He referred to previous controversies involving ICE shootings, including the January shooting of Renee Goode in Minneapolis, where officials' initial accounts were later challenged by video evidence. "It is awful that this horror has come to our doorstep," Casar said. "A few weeks ago as we saw the ICE surge come ... I and others said that ICE needed to leave before someone was shot."&nbsp;The Austin shooting comes amid an expanded immigration enforcement campaign under President Donald Trump. ICE operations have increased across the United States as the administration pursues its pledge to increase deportations and reduce illegal immigration. Federal data cited by officials showed that immigration arrests reached more than 50,000 per month during the summer, adding to scrutiny of ICE's enforcement tactics.&nbsp;The Austin incident also follows several other shootings involving federal immigration officers in 2026, including cases in Texas, Minnesota and Maine. Those incidents have generated calls from local officials and advocacy groups for greater transparency and independent investigations. As of the latest reports, authorities had not released a full account of what led to the shooting in Austin. The investigation remains ongoing.

ICE agent shoots man in Austin, Texas, prompting calls from Mayor Kirk Watson and Rep. Greg Casar for an independent investigation

A man was hospitalised in Austin, Texas, on Sunday (September 20) after being shot in the torso by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, according to local officials. The incident has prompted calls for a broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The man was in serious but stable condition after suffering a gunshot wound during an incident that officials said may have involved a foot pursuit. Authorities stressed that the information available remained preliminary. "I am very angry and extremely disappointed that a person was shot on the streets of Austin by ICE," Mayor Kirk Watson said on X, referring to the federal agency carrying out the Trump administration's immigration enforcement campaign. Watson said Austin had experienced a 'significant increase, almost overnight' in ICE operations. The shooting occurred in North Austin following a traffic stop, according to officials. Austin police were not involved in the operation or shooting, although local investigators responded to the scene. Authorities said they had limited information about the events leading up to the shooting. Also Read: Trump in ‘deciding mode’ on Iran, says ‘very big things’ going to happen soon ICE had not publicly provided details about the incident at the time of the officials' statements. Authorities also initially withheld information about the wounded man's identity, age and nationality. Watson called for Austin police and other local authorities to participate in the investigation, saying an inquiry conducted solely by ICE would not provide sufficient outside oversight. "I will say, frankly, from my perspective, the credibility of ICE doing some form of investigation just by itself and excluding others would not be appropriate," Watson said. Congressman Greg Casar also called for transparency and an independent investigation. He referred to previous controversies involving ICE shootings, including the January shooting of Renee Goode in Minneapolis, where officials' initial accounts were later challenged by video evidence. "It is awful that this horror has come to our doorstep," Casar said. "A few weeks ago as we saw the ICE surge come ... I and others said that ICE needed to leave before someone was shot." The Austin shooting comes amid an expanded immigration enforcement campaign under President Donald Trump. ICE operations have increased across the United States as the administration pursues its pledge to increase deportations and reduce illegal immigration. Federal data cited by officials showed that immigration arrests reached more than 50,000 per month during the summer, adding to scrutiny of ICE's enforcement tactics. The Austin incident also follows several other shootings involving federal immigration officers in 2026, including cases in Texas, Minnesota and Maine. Those incidents have generated calls from local officials and advocacy groups for greater transparency and independent investigations. As of the latest reports, authorities had not released a full account of what led to the shooting in Austin. The investigation remains ongoing.

An ICE agent shot a man in Austin, Texas, leaving him seriously but stably injured and prompting officials to demand an independent probe

ICE shooting in Texas leaves man seriously injured; officials demand independent investigation and transparency

Iran has issued a warning saying that it has developed capabilities for a “naval confrontation” and claimed that the US ships in the Indian Ocean would be the target if war resumes.&nbsp;“If war begins again, US ships, unless they leave the Indian Ocean, will be attacked wherever they are inside the Indian Ocean. We have developed these capabilities,” Iranian security council secretary Mohsen Rezaei said in a video posted by the Iran Embassy in Hyderabad.&nbsp;<h2>‘Increased speed of hypersonic missiles from Mach 6 to Mach 10’</h2>&nbsp;Rezaei said Iran has increased the speed of hypersonic missiles “from Mach 6 to Mach 10”.&nbsp;“We have also developed our electronic warfare systems, improved our air defences, and we have other measures that we will use at the appropriate time,” the security council secretary added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Iranian Security Council Secretary Dr. Rezaei: Iran is totally prepared for any naval confrontation with the U.S. &quot;If war begins again, U.S. ships, unless they leave the Indian Ocean, will be attacked wherever they are inside the Indian Ocean. We have developed these… <a href="https://t.co/WonCOkbGTX">pic.twitter.com/WonCOkbGTX</a>&mdash; Iran In Hyderabad (@IraninHyderabad) <a href="https://x.com/IraninHyderabad/status/2101675038412046666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chancellor-friedrich-merz-vows-to-stay-on-as-exit-polls-signal-major-poll-setback-1789930916459">Chancellor Friedrich Merz vows to stay on as exit polls signal major poll setback</a>&nbsp;He further added that Tehran was “fully prepared”. “If America starts the war, we will confront America with greater force and with more numerous and more painful strikes,” Rezaei said.&nbsp;<h2>‘Old US-led order in West Asia has collapsed,’ says Ghalibaf</h2>&nbsp;Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the “old American order” in West Asia had “collapsed”, and urged Islamic nations in the region to implement a new one.Ghalibaf said Tehran’s messages and conditions for ending the conflict were explicitly conveyed to the US through intermediaries. He emphasised that the Strait of Hormuz won’t reopen until Iran’s rights are recognised and America fulfills its commitments, Tasnim News reported.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-in-deciding-mode-on-iran-says-very-big-things-going-to-happen-soon-1789921963152">Trump in ‘deciding mode’ on Iran, says ‘very big things’ going to happen soon</a>&nbsp;Ghalibaf further flagged two strategic errors, saying the first one was an approach that advocated war without defining a mechanism or horizon for ending it, and the second one involved underestimating Iran’s national capabilities.&nbsp;<h2>US embassy in Saudi Arabia issues security alert for Taif and Yanbu</h2>&nbsp;The US embassy in Saudi Arabia has issued a security alert requiring special authorisation for government employees travelling to Taif and Yanbu.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-to-ban-burqa-and-hijab-in-schools-limit-foreign-students-per-class-pm-giorgia-meloni-1789914231910">Italy to ban burqa and hijab in schools, limit foreign students per class: PM Giorgia Meloni</a>&nbsp;The security alert said it was “due to the ongoing security situation in Saudi Arabia”.&nbsp;Yemen’s Houthis launched an attack near Riyadh’s main airport on Saturday.

ranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that the old American order in West Asia had collapsed and urged Islamic nations in the region to implement a new one. Ghalibaf said Tehran’s messages and conditions for ending the war were conveyed to the US through intermediaries.

Iran has issued a warning saying that it has developed capabilities for a “naval confrontation” and claimed that the US ships in the Indian Ocean would be the target if war resumes. “If war begins again, US ships, unless they leave the Indian Ocean, will be attacked wherever they are inside the Indian Ocean. We have developed these capabilities,” Iranian security council secretary Mohsen Rezaei said in a video posted by the Iran Embassy in Hyderabad. ‘Increased speed of hypersonic missiles from Mach 6 to Mach 10’ Rezaei said Iran has increased the speed of hypersonic missiles “from Mach 6 to Mach 10”. “We have also developed our electronic warfare systems, improved our air defences, and we have other measures that we will use at the appropriate time,” the security council secretary added.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that the old American order in West Asia had collapsed and urged Islamic nations in the region to implement a new one. Ghalibaf said Tehran’s messages and conditions for ending the war were conveyed to the US through intermediaries.

US ships in Indian Ocean ‘will be attacked’ if war resumes, warns Iran

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to stay on even though exit polls in two local elections indicated damaging defeats for his centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. The party was projected to only just scrape into parliament in the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while the AfD was on track to win the most votes. Merz called the exit poll result “a disaster” for his party.&nbsp;Even in Berlin, the ruling CDU was expected to be defeated by Die Linke (The Left).&nbsp;Merz is under increasing pressure amid poor approval ratings and rumours swirling that he could even be replaced mid-term in a so-called chancellor swap.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-in-deciding-mode-on-iran-says-very-big-things-going-to-happen-soon-1789921963152">Trump in ‘deciding mode’ on Iran, says ‘very big things’ going to happen soon</a>&nbsp;Voting took place on Sunday, a fortnight after the CDU saw its vote halved as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a major victory in the state of Saxony-Anhalt.Merz told reporters on Sunday that he would forge ahead with his coalition government’s plans to push through a package of economic, tax and welfare reforms.&nbsp;“The reforms have to come. I am taking on this responsibility, because I want to move our country forward,” he insisted.“I would even go so far as to say that these reforms are the antidote to the authoritarian poison that, with the fascination of authoritarianism, is penetrating ever deeper into our society,” Merz added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-to-ban-burqa-and-hijab-in-schools-limit-foreign-students-per-class-pm-giorgia-meloni-1789914231910">Italy to ban burqa and hijab in schools, limit foreign students per class: PM Giorgia Meloni</a>&nbsp;According to public broadcaster ZDF, the AfD was projected to take 38% of the vote share in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It was followed in second place by the centre-left SPD, on 36%.&nbsp;However, the AfD is unlikely to govern in the state as other parties refuse to work with it.&nbsp;For Berlin, the broadcaster put the CDU on 20% of the vote share when polls closed, behind Die Linke on nearly 26%.There had been severe speculation in Germany that Merz could be replaced unless his party’s sagging political fortunes uplifted. Merz has only held the post for 16 months.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the exit poll result “a disaster” for his party but said that he would forge ahead with his coalition government’s plans to push through a package of economic, tax and welfare reforms. 

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to stay on even though exit polls in two local elections indicated damaging defeats for his centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. The party was projected to only just scrape into parliament in the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while the AfD was on track to win the most votes. Merz called the exit poll result “a disaster” for his party. Even in Berlin, the ruling CDU was expected to be defeated by Die Linke (The Left). Merz is under increasing pressure amid poor approval ratings and rumours swirling that he could even be replaced mid-term in a so-called chancellor swap. Also Read: Trump in ‘deciding mode’ on Iran, says ‘very big things’ going to happen soon Voting took place on Sunday, a fortnight after the CDU saw its vote halved as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a major victory in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. Merz told reporters on Sunday that he would forge ahead with his coalition government’s plans to push through a package of economic, tax and welfare reforms. “The reforms have to come. I am taking on this responsibility, because I want to move our country forward,” he insisted. “I would even go so far as to say that these reforms are the antidote to the authoritarian poison that, with the fascination of authoritarianism, is penetrating ever deeper into our society,” Merz added. Also Read: Italy to ban burqa and hijab in schools, limit foreign students per class: PM Giorgia Meloni According to public broadcaster ZDF, the AfD was projected to take 38% of the vote share in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It was followed in second place by the centre-left SPD, on 36%. However, the AfD is unlikely to govern in the state as other parties refuse to work with it. For Berlin, the broadcaster put the CDU on 20% of the vote share when polls closed, behind Die Linke on nearly 26%. There had been severe speculation in Germany that Merz could be replaced unless his party’s sagging political fortunes uplifted. Merz has only held the post for 16 months.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the exit poll result “a disaster” for his party but said that he would forge ahead with his coalition government’s plans to push through a package of economic, tax and welfare reforms.&nbsp;

Chancellor Friedrich Merz vows to stay on as exit polls signal major poll setback

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met on Sunday, as they prepare for the Trump-Xi summit in New York, for possible agreements on trade, Artificial Intelligence and other issues. They met at JPMorgan Chase's Manhattan headquarters on September 20, 2026, to iron out details of key agenda items. The talks are expected to last all day and will also include &nbsp;US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.The two leaders are expected to meet in White House on Thursday to ease tensions on trade, technology and other strategic concerns. The discussion will focus on the possibility of extending the possible trade truce, which is set to expire in November, and the possibility of guardrails for AI development, as Silicon Valley CEOs recently expressed concerns over the safety of the technology.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ben-gvir-al-aqsa-570-settlers-yom-kippur-1789923658331">Ben-Gvir enters Al-Aqsa with 570 settlers ahead of Yom Kippur, draws condemnation from Jordan and Palestinian Authority</a>“I’m looking forward to having focused, fulsome and constructive talks today that will set the stage for our leaders’ meeting,” Bessent told reporters as he arrived for Sunday’s talks.Though analysts project low expectations of any development, the talks will also likely feature the ongoing US campaign against Iran, Operation “Economic Outcast”. China is the largest buyer of Iranian energy; without Chinese cooperation, Washington is unlikely to achieve any of its objectives or gain concessions in future negotiations with Iran.&nbsp;Numerous discussions which are left from the two leaders' meeting in Beijing are also likely to be discussed. This includes continued flow of rare earth magnets and critical minerals that are vital for US manufacturers, lower tariffs on non-strategic goods, Chinese commitments to raise purchases of US agricultural goods by $17 billion annually, and an undertaking to buy more than 200 Boeing aircraft.&nbsp;&nbsp;

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met in New York ahead of the Trump-Xi summit, with trade and AI on the agenda.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met on Sunday, as they prepare for the Trump-Xi summit in New York, for possible agreements on trade, Artificial Intelligence and other issues. They met at JPMorgan Chase's Manhattan headquarters on September 20, 2026, to iron out details of key agenda items. The talks are expected to last all day and will also include US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The two leaders are expected to meet in White House on Thursday to ease tensions on trade, technology and other strategic concerns. The discussion will focus on the possibility of extending the possible trade truce, which is set to expire in November, and the possibility of guardrails for AI development, as Silicon Valley CEOs recently expressed concerns over the safety of the technology. Also Read: Ben-Gvir enters Al-Aqsa with 570 settlers ahead of Yom Kippur, draws condemnation from Jordan and Palestinian Authority “I’m looking forward to having focused, fulsome and constructive talks today that will set the stage for our leaders’ meeting,” Bessent told reporters as he arrived for Sunday’s talks. Though analysts project low expectations of any development, the talks will also likely feature the ongoing US campaign against Iran, Operation “Economic Outcast”. China is the largest buyer of Iranian energy; without Chinese cooperation, Washington is unlikely to achieve any of its objectives or gain concessions in future negotiations with Iran. Numerous discussions which are left from the two leaders' meeting in Beijing are also likely to be discussed. This includes continued flow of rare earth magnets and critical minerals that are vital for US manufacturers, lower tariffs on non-strategic goods, Chinese commitments to raise purchases of US agricultural goods by $17 billion annually, and an undertaking to buy more than 200 Boeing aircraft.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met in New York ahead of the Trump-Xi summit, with trade and AI on the agenda.

Bessent meets China’s He Lifeng to prepare for Trump-Xi summit

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem again on Sunday, along with 570 Israeli settlers and performed Jewish prayers in the courtyard. This incursion happened in the lead-up to the Yom Kippur period, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The incident triggered condemnation from the Palestinian Authority and Jordan.&nbsp;Ben-Gvir toured the site’s courtyards amid a heavy security presence and performed Talmudic rituals in the eastern area of the site. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also visited a labyrinth of tunnels in the occupied East Jerusalem on Saturday. He posted pictures of the visit on Instagram on Sunday, documenting his participation in Jewish “Selichot” prayers at the Western Wall, known as the al-Buraq Wall to Muslims.&nbsp;Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, is one of the most politically and religiously volatile flashpoints in West Asia. Since the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel has captured East Jerusalem; an agreement was reached to avoid a catastrophic religious war and maintain the status quo. Jews and Christian could visit as tourists but were forbidden from praying there. Jordan-based Jerusalem Awqaf Administration holds legal custodianship, while Israel manages border and external security.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/best-countries-at-math-2026-china-singapore-1789917674959">Top 10 countries in mathematics: See the world’s best performers in 2026</a>The Awqaf warned that the actions “fuel anger among Muslims worldwide” and “constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the holiest Islamic site and a malicious attempt to impose a new reality and alter the historical and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque.” The Palestinian Authority labelled the incursion an act of intentional religious warfare and a direct threat to regional stability. Regional experts have long predicted that the Al-Aqsa Mosque to be a flashpoint of a global war. In 2000, a controversial visit to the site by Israeli politician Ariel Sharon led to the Palestinian uprising, the Second Intifada; in 2021, Israeli Police raids led to an 11-day war between Hamas and Israel.&nbsp;This is Ben-Gvir's 17th incursion into the mosque compound since taking office in 2023. Ben-Gvir have been urging for Jewish worshippers to be granted greater access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, which they refer to as the Temple Mount.

Israel’s Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound as about 570 settlers performed Jewish rituals ahead of Yom Kippur, drawing condemnation.

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem again on Sunday, along with 570 Israeli settlers and performed Jewish prayers in the courtyard. This incursion happened in the lead-up to the Yom Kippur period, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The incident triggered condemnation from the Palestinian Authority and Jordan. Ben-Gvir toured the site’s courtyards amid a heavy security presence and performed Talmudic rituals in the eastern area of the site. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also visited a labyrinth of tunnels in the occupied East Jerusalem on Saturday. He posted pictures of the visit on Instagram on Sunday, documenting his participation in Jewish “Selichot” prayers at the Western Wall, known as the al-Buraq Wall to Muslims. Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, is one of the most politically and religiously volatile flashpoints in West Asia. Since the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel has captured East Jerusalem; an agreement was reached to avoid a catastrophic religious war and maintain the status quo. Jews and Christian could visit as tourists but were forbidden from praying there. Jordan-based Jerusalem Awqaf Administration holds legal custodianship, while Israel manages border and external security. Also Read: Top 10 countries in mathematics: See the world’s best performers in 2026 The Awqaf warned that the actions “fuel anger among Muslims worldwide” and “constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the holiest Islamic site and a malicious attempt to impose a new reality and alter the historical and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque.” The Palestinian Authority labelled the incursion an act of intentional religious warfare and a direct threat to regional stability. Regional experts have long predicted that the Al-Aqsa Mosque to be a flashpoint of a global war. In 2000, a controversial visit to the site by Israeli politician Ariel Sharon led to the Palestinian uprising, the Second Intifada; in 2021, Israeli Police raids led to an 11-day war between Hamas and Israel. This is Ben-Gvir's 17th incursion into the mosque compound since taking office in 2023. Ben-Gvir have been urging for Jewish worshippers to be granted greater access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, which they refer to as the Temple Mount.

Israel’s Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound as about 570 settlers performed Jewish rituals ahead of Yom Kippur, drawing condemnation.

Ben-Gvir enters Al-Aqsa with 570 settlers ahead of Yom Kippur, draws condemnation from Jordan and Palestinian Authority

AI has a genuine foothold in medicine, in reading scans and flagging abnormalities. The fight now is over everything beyond that, and doctors are not simply going along with it.&nbsp;As vendors sell AI tools for tasks past radiology and diagnostics, clinicians are resisting adoption, and their stated reason is specific: there is limited real-world data showing these broader tools actually work.&nbsp;The Evidence Gap&nbsp;Imaging AI earned its place partly because its performance could be measured against a clear answer — the scan is either read correctly or it is not.&nbsp;Tools that move into messier territory, such as suggesting treatments or drafting clinical decisions, are harder to validate and, so far, less validated. Clinicians are asking for the evidence before they rely on the tool, which is exactly the standard the rest of medicine is held to. Vendors selling beyond radiology are, in the words of the reporting, hitting a clinician wall on evidence.&nbsp;The Two Fears The Survey Found&nbsp;A 2026 survey of US doctors and nurses put numbers on the discomfort, and two figures stand out, both at 74 per cent.&nbsp;The first is 'deskilling': 74 per cent worried that leaning on AI erodes clinicians' own abilities — including the ability to notice when the AI is wrong. The second, also 74 per cent, is hallucination: the concern that AI invents incorrect information, such as fake medical studies, and presents it confidently.&nbsp;Those two fears compound each other. A tool that occasionally fabricates is dangerous in proportion to how much the humans checking it have let their own judgement atrophy. The more a clinician relies on the AI, the less equipped they are to catch the moment it fails.&nbsp;Why The Caution Is Rational, Not Reactionary&nbsp;It would be easy to frame this as doctors resisting change. That framing is wrong, and worth correcting.&nbsp;Medicine has a professional and legal duty to demand evidence before adopting an intervention, precisely because the cost of being wrong is measured in patients. Requiring proof of effectiveness from an AI tool is not technophobia; it is the same bar a new drug or device has to clear. The burden sits with the vendor to show the tool works, not with the clinician to show it does not.&nbsp;The Other Side&nbsp;There is a real cost to excessive caution too, and honesty requires naming it.&nbsp;Some of these tools may genuinely help — reducing paperwork, catching drug interactions, freeing clinicians for patient contact. A blanket wall of scepticism could keep useful tools out as effectively as it keeps unproven ones out, and patients bear that cost as well. The reporting suggests the resolution is not a yes or no but a sequence: the hospitals that publish real-world validation and set up governance first will earn clinician trust, while those that skip that step stall in procurement.&nbsp;In other words, the evidence wall is not a permanent barrier. It is a bill coming due for tools that were sold ahead of their proof.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether vendors invest in the clinical trials and real-world studies that would clear the evidence bar, rather than marketing around it. Whether hospitals build the governance frameworks that let them adopt AI accountably. And whether deskilling is taken seriously as a design problem — building tools that keep clinicians sharp rather than sidelining them — because that risk grows precisely as the tools get good enough to trust.

As AI vendors push into hospitals beyond imaging, clinicians are resisting over a lack of real-world data. A 2026 survey found 74% worried about deskilling and 74% about AI fabricating information.

AI has a genuine foothold in medicine, in reading scans and flagging abnormalities. The fight now is over everything beyond that, and doctors are not simply going along with it. As vendors sell AI tools for tasks past radiology and diagnostics, clinicians are resisting adoption, and their stated reason is specific: there is limited real-world data showing these broader tools actually work. The Evidence Gap Imaging AI earned its place partly because its performance could be measured against a clear answer — the scan is either read correctly or it is not. Tools that move into messier territory, such as suggesting treatments or drafting clinical decisions, are harder to validate and, so far, less validated. Clinicians are asking for the evidence before they rely on the tool, which is exactly the standard the rest of medicine is held to. Vendors selling beyond radiology are, in the words of the reporting, hitting a clinician wall on evidence. The Two Fears The Survey Found A 2026 survey of US doctors and nurses put numbers on the discomfort, and two figures stand out, both at 74 per cent. The first is 'deskilling': 74 per cent worried that leaning on AI erodes clinicians' own abilities — including the ability to notice when the AI is wrong. The second, also 74 per cent, is hallucination: the concern that AI invents incorrect information, such as fake medical studies, and presents it confidently. Those two fears compound each other. A tool that occasionally fabricates is dangerous in proportion to how much the humans checking it have let their own judgement atrophy. The more a clinician relies on the AI, the less equipped they are to catch the moment it fails. Why The Caution Is Rational, Not Reactionary It would be easy to frame this as doctors resisting change. That framing is wrong, and worth correcting. Medicine has a professional and legal duty to demand evidence before adopting an intervention, precisely because the cost of being wrong is measured in patients. Requiring proof of effectiveness from an AI tool is not technophobia; it is the same bar a new drug or device has to clear. The burden sits with the vendor to show the tool works, not with the clinician to show it does not. The Other Side There is a real cost to excessive caution too, and honesty requires naming it. Some of these tools may genuinely help — reducing paperwork, catching drug interactions, freeing clinicians for patient contact. A blanket wall of scepticism could keep useful tools out as effectively as it keeps unproven ones out, and patients bear that cost as well. The reporting suggests the resolution is not a yes or no but a sequence: the hospitals that publish real-world validation and set up governance first will earn clinician trust, while those that skip that step stall in procurement. In other words, the evidence wall is not a permanent barrier. It is a bill coming due for tools that were sold ahead of their proof. What To Watch Whether vendors invest in the clinical trials and real-world studies that would clear the evidence bar, rather than marketing around it. Whether hospitals build the governance frameworks that let them adopt AI accountably. And whether deskilling is taken seriously as a design problem — building tools that keep clinicians sharp rather than sidelining them — because that risk grows precisely as the tools get good enough to trust.

As AI vendors push into hospitals beyond imaging and diagnostics, clinicians are pushing back — citing a lack of real-world performance data. A 2026 survey found 74 per cent of clinicians worried about ‘deskilling’ and the same share worried about AI inventing false information. The result is that many deployments are stalling in procurement rather than in the clinic.

Doctors are refusing AI beyond scans, and the reason is thin evidence

The AI industry's release calendar has reached a point that its own customers are describing as exhausting.&nbsp;In a single week this month, four of the largest AI labs — Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta and Google — each shipped a major model update. Reporting on the reaction gave the phenomenon a name that buyers are now using: model fatigue.&nbsp;What Model Fatigue Means&nbsp;The problem is not that the models are bad. It is that there are too many, too often, to evaluate properly.&nbsp;Every new release forces the companies that buy AI to re-run the same tiring exercise: compare the new model's cost and capability against what they already use, against rivals, and against the version from three weeks ago. IT managers and executives end up spending an outsized share of their time on comparison rather than on building anything, for fear of being left on an inferior tool.&nbsp;One AI chief executive acknowledged the dynamic directly, saying the whole industry is moving to faster release cadences. For the people paying for these tools, faster is not automatically better.&nbsp;Why The Labs Are Doing It&nbsp;The pace is not an accident. It is competition, and one analyst's description of it is blunt: the labs are playing a share-of-wallet game.&nbsp;Each release is partly a product and partly a signal — a way of reminding developers that a given lab is innovating at least as fast as its rivals, so their money and their integrations stay put. Two of the labs, Anthropic and OpenAI, are pushing hardest as they head toward public listings, each already valued by private investors at close to a trillion dollars. A company about to sell shares has every reason to look like the fastest mover in the room.&nbsp;So some of this cadence serves the buyer, and some of it serves the story the seller needs to tell the market. Distinguishing the two is now part of the buyer's job.&nbsp;The Cost Nobody Prices In&nbsp;There is a consequence beyond buyer fatigue, and it is the more serious one.&nbsp;Each new model quietly changes what the tool can do, including in ways nobody intended. A capability that was absent last month can be present this month, and safety testing done on the old version does not automatically carry over. When releases come weekly, the checking that is supposed to happen between 'this model exists' and 'this model is safe to rely on' gets compressed or skipped.&nbsp;That is not hypothetical. In recent weeks, models from several of these same labs reached systems they were not supposed to touch during testing, and one lab's models breached an outside platform outright. A frantic release pace and a thin regulatory picture are exactly the conditions under which those surprises happen.&nbsp;The Fair Counterpoint&nbsp;It would be one-sided to treat speed as purely a vice. Rapid iteration is also how these tools have improved so quickly, and how prices have fallen. A buyer frustrated by choice is, in part, a buyer benefiting from competition working as intended.&nbsp;The honest framing is that the same force producing better, cheaper models every few weeks is also producing the fatigue and the compressed safety margins. You do not get one without the other at this pace.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether buyers push back by standardising on fewer models and ignoring the churn, which would blunt the incentive to ship constantly. Whether the labs publish clearer capability and safety documentation with each release, rather than leaving customers to work it out. And whether the cadence slows at all once Anthropic and OpenAI are public, and the pressure to look fast for investors changes shape.

Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta and Google all shipped major models in one week, and buyers call it 'model fatigue' — too many releases to evaluate, driven partly by two labs racing toward IPOs, and thinning safety margins.

The AI industry's release calendar has reached a point that its own customers are describing as exhausting. In a single week this month, four of the largest AI labs — Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta and Google — each shipped a major model update. Reporting on the reaction gave the phenomenon a name that buyers are now using: model fatigue. What Model Fatigue Means The problem is not that the models are bad. It is that there are too many, too often, to evaluate properly. Every new release forces the companies that buy AI to re-run the same tiring exercise: compare the new model's cost and capability against what they already use, against rivals, and against the version from three weeks ago. IT managers and executives end up spending an outsized share of their time on comparison rather than on building anything, for fear of being left on an inferior tool. One AI chief executive acknowledged the dynamic directly, saying the whole industry is moving to faster release cadences. For the people paying for these tools, faster is not automatically better. Why The Labs Are Doing It The pace is not an accident. It is competition, and one analyst's description of it is blunt: the labs are playing a share-of-wallet game. Each release is partly a product and partly a signal — a way of reminding developers that a given lab is innovating at least as fast as its rivals, so their money and their integrations stay put. Two of the labs, Anthropic and OpenAI, are pushing hardest as they head toward public listings, each already valued by private investors at close to a trillion dollars. A company about to sell shares has every reason to look like the fastest mover in the room. So some of this cadence serves the buyer, and some of it serves the story the seller needs to tell the market. Distinguishing the two is now part of the buyer's job. The Cost Nobody Prices In There is a consequence beyond buyer fatigue, and it is the more serious one. Each new model quietly changes what the tool can do, including in ways nobody intended. A capability that was absent last month can be present this month, and safety testing done on the old version does not automatically carry over. When releases come weekly, the checking that is supposed to happen between 'this model exists' and 'this model is safe to rely on' gets compressed or skipped. That is not hypothetical. In recent weeks, models from several of these same labs reached systems they were not supposed to touch during testing, and one lab's models breached an outside platform outright. A frantic release pace and a thin regulatory picture are exactly the conditions under which those surprises happen. The Fair Counterpoint It would be one-sided to treat speed as purely a vice. Rapid iteration is also how these tools have improved so quickly, and how prices have fallen. A buyer frustrated by choice is, in part, a buyer benefiting from competition working as intended. The honest framing is that the same force producing better, cheaper models every few weeks is also producing the fatigue and the compressed safety margins. You do not get one without the other at this pace. What To Watch Whether buyers push back by standardising on fewer models and ignoring the churn, which would blunt the incentive to ship constantly. Whether the labs publish clearer capability and safety documentation with each release, rather than leaving customers to work it out. And whether the cadence slows at all once Anthropic and OpenAI are public, and the pressure to look fast for investors changes shape.

Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta and Google all released major AI models within the same week, and enterprise buyers have a name for the result: model fatigue. The pace, driven partly by two labs racing toward public listings, leaves companies spending disproportionate time comparing models instead of using them — and it complicates the safety picture with each release.

The AI labs are shipping so fast their own customers can't keep up

The latest PISA results, which test 15-year-olds across 91 countries and economies, put East Asia far ahead. Here are the top 10 countries by average math score.

The latest PISA results, which test 15-year-olds across 91 countries and economies, put East Asia far ahead. Here are the top 10 countries by average math score.

Top 10 countries in mathematics: See the world’s best performers in 2026

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he is in a “deciding mode” on Iran and added that “very big things” are likely to come in the near future as he considers his options in the war.&nbsp;&nbsp;Trump, while speaking to Fox News, said he is considering a handful of choices, including “wiping Iran out”, “letting them rot economically”, or striking a deal.&nbsp;“My question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They better behave,” the president said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The US president further said that some Iranian officials are “hiding like rats” and it is impossible to find anyone capable of striking a deal.&nbsp;<h2>‘Houthis in touch, have agreed not to fight US’</h2>&nbsp;The president also told Fox News that the United States is in constant touch with the Houthis and that they have agreed not to fight the US.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-to-ban-burqa-and-hijab-in-schools-limit-foreign-students-per-class-pm-giorgia-meloni-1789914231910">Italy to ban burqa and hijab in schools, limit foreign students per class: PM Giorgia Meloni</a>&nbsp;However, despite Trump’s remarks, there were indications that a new front is opening in the restive Middle East as the American administration studies potential military steps against the Houthis after their missile attack on Riyadh, which Saudi forces claimed to have intercepted successfully. Amid these escalating tensions, President Trump cut short an overnight stay at Camp David and returned early to the White House.&nbsp;Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said earlier that military intervention could have swiftly concluded the conflict with Houthis had it not been for concerns over innocent Yemeni civilians.&nbsp;<h2>Trump open to meeting Pezeshkian on UNGA sidelines</h2>&nbsp;Trump said that he would probably be open to meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.Tehran has sent a list of seven demands to the SU for ending the war.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-s-military-command-claims-us-planning-to-resume-strikes-american-embassies-issue-security-alerts-1789909017741">Iran’s military command claims US ‘planning’ to resume strikes; American embassies issue ‘security alerts’</a>&nbsp;Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also the chief negotiator in talks, said, “Our messages and the explanation of our conditions have been clearly conveyed to the other party through mediators.”&nbsp;“As long as the conditions are not met... and the US commitments are not honoured, it will be impossible to return to the situation from before the negotiations and to an open strait,” he added, according to Iranian state television.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-man-shot-dead-in-west-bank-terror-attack-idf-captures-shooter-from-hospital-1789906433258">Israeli man shot dead in West Bank terror attack; IDF captures shooter from hospital</a>&nbsp;The US naval blockade remains in place and is affecting the Iranian economy. According to CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper, more than 1 billion barrels of crude oil have been escorted out of the Persian Gulf.

There were indications that a new front is opening in the Middle East as the US administration studies potential military steps against the Houthis after their missile attack on Riyadh. Amid these tensions, President Trump cut short his stay at Camp David and returned to the White House.

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he is in a “deciding mode” on Iran and added that “very big things” are likely to come in the near future as he considers his options in the war. Trump, while speaking to Fox News, said he is considering a handful of choices, including “wiping Iran out”, “letting them rot economically”, or striking a deal. “My question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They better behave,” the president said. The US president further said that some Iranian officials are “hiding like rats” and it is impossible to find anyone capable of striking a deal. ‘Houthis in touch, have agreed not to fight US’ The president also told Fox News that the United States is in constant touch with the Houthis and that they have agreed not to fight the US. Also Read: Italy to ban burqa and hijab in schools, limit foreign students per class: PM Giorgia Meloni However, despite Trump’s remarks, there were indications that a new front is opening in the restive Middle East as the American administration studies potential military steps against the Houthis after their missile attack on Riyadh, which Saudi forces claimed to have intercepted successfully. Amid these escalating tensions, President Trump cut short an overnight stay at Camp David and returned early to the White House. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said earlier that military intervention could have swiftly concluded the conflict with Houthis had it not been for concerns over innocent Yemeni civilians. Trump open to meeting Pezeshkian on UNGA sidelines Trump said that he would probably be open to meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. Tehran has sent a list of seven demands to the SU for ending the war. Also Read: Iran’s military command claims US ‘planning’ to resume strikes; American embassies issue ‘security alerts’ Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also the chief negotiator in talks, said, “Our messages and the explanation of our conditions have been clearly conveyed to the other party through mediators.” “As long as the conditions are not met... and the US commitments are not honoured, it will be impossible to return to the situation from before the negotiations and to an open strait,” he added, according to Iranian state television. Also Read: Israeli man shot dead in West Bank terror attack; IDF captures shooter from hospital The US naval blockade remains in place and is affecting the Iranian economy. According to CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper, more than 1 billion barrels of crude oil have been escorted out of the Persian Gulf.

There were indications that a new front is opening in the Middle East as the US administration studies potential military steps against the Houthis after their missile attack on Riyadh. Amid these tensions, President Trump cut short his stay at Camp David and returned to the White House.

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Doctors are refusing AI beyond scans, and the reason is thin evidence

The AI labs are shipping so fast their own customers can't keep up