North America

Trump hosts Xi at the White House on September 24, as AI rivalry, an Iran war fallout, a trade war and Taiwan tensions shadow the summit

A federal judge sentenced Afghan national Mohammad Sharifullah to 20 years in prison for providing material support to Islamic State-Khorasan, though the jury deadlocked on his direct involvement in the fatal 2021 Kabul airport suicide bombing

US House of Representatives passed the Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by a 262–159 vote, sending landmark legislation to President Donald Trump that targets Moscow's energy sector, shadow fleet, and major energy buyers like China and India

US President Donald Trump threatened to impose severe trade tariffs or halt trade with the European Union after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the bloc's first-ever associate member

World Weather Attribution study concluded that climate change and permafrost thaw were core drivers of the August 26 Langtang Lirung mountain collapse, which left 1,446 dead and over 6,600 missing across Nepal and China

United States denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Authority officials entry visas to attend the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York, citing failure to reform and unilateral efforts at international courts

CBO says the US Iran war cost has strained munitions stocks, while energy disruptions could lift early-2027 inflation 0.5 percentage point above its forecast

Ed Sheeran denied responsibility for Macklemore’s removal from his "Loop Tour," attributing the decision to promoter Messina Touring Group following venue threats, while remaining opening acts, including Finneas and Aaron Rowe, withdrew in solidarity

A nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office report estimates that US military operations against Iran cost $38 billion, warning that missile defense interceptor stockpiles have been depleted by up to two-thirds and inflation will rise.

The US Space Force confirms weapons deployed in space for the first time, prompting China to warn against an arms race in orbit

American rapper Macklemore has been removed from singer Ed Sheeran's US "Loop Tour" after venue owners and promoters threatened to cancel stadium dates following his on-stage pro-Palestinian remarks at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey

US District Judge F. Dennis Saylor issued a preliminary injunction on Monday halting a Department of Homeland Security policy that would cap international student visas at four years and limit foreign journalist stays to 240 days, one day before the restrictions were scheduled to take effect

A mandatory Inspector General report submitted to Congress revealed that Operation Epic Fury cost $33.4 billion in its first four months, leading to severe precision munition shortfalls, air defense interceptor depletions, and fleet equipment losses despite White House claims of unlimited stockpiles

US President Donald Trump has nominated Texas Congressman and US Army veteran Wesley Hunt to serve as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, seeking to fill a pivotal diplomatic vacancy as regional security challenges and global energy disruptions intensify

The United States opened the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial in Houston, gathering global leaders and major energy producers to discuss energy security as the six-month US-Iran war continues to drive global crude prices past $100 per barrel

US President Donald Trump dismissed concerns over reports that Chinese entities supplied Tehran with high-resolution satellite imagery prior to a July missile attack on a US base in Jordan

A Russian delegation will participate in the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Abundance in Houston next week under the US presidency, marking Moscow's second high-level appearance at US-hosted G20 talks

The Central Intelligence Agency declassified 71 President's Daily Briefs spanning the Clinton and Bush administrations on the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, detailing early intelligence warnings regarding Osama bin Laden's plans to strike US targets

North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea from its eastern Wonsan region on Saturday, one day after South Korea, the United States, and Japan concluded their trilateral "Freedom Edge" joint military drills

Monthly CPI rose 0.4% as gasoline costs rebounded, while core inflation eased to 2.4% annually ahead of next week's Federal Reserve decision