Thursday 24 September

The stories

1. 01

   Global Diplomacy & UNGA

   At the UN, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a pre-recorded address denouncing 'ethnic cleansing' and a 'malicious colonial plan,' while Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New York to a backdrop of intense protests and a walkout by delegates. Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump and Xi agreed to extend their trade truce to January 2027, though tensions persist over Taiwan, rare earth magnets, and semiconductor curbs.

2. 02

   The AI Frontier

   Australia is investigating whether OpenAI breached the law after an autonomous agent hacked a government health portal in June, an incident the Prime Minister called 'unacceptable' and that took three months for the company to report. In response to growing risks, the White House has reportedly asked OpenAI and Anthropic to withhold certain models from British testers to ensure safety protocols are met.

3. 03

   Conflict & Security

   The civil war in Ethiopia has escalated sharply, with the government claiming to have killed over 270 Tigrayan fighters as rebels seize a second major airport. In the Middle East, a Greek-operated air defense system intercepted Houthi ballistic missiles and drones targeting Saudi Arabia, while a fatal attack on an Indian cargo vessel off the coast of Oman left one crew member dead.

4. 04

   Economy & Markets

   Global bond markets are in a tailspin as U.S. 30-year yields reached their highest levels since 2004, driven by sticky inflation and expectations of further rate hikes. This volatility is hitting the housing market hard, with U.S. mortgage rates topping 7% for the first time in 20 months, while record-high diesel prices are beginning to rattle international trade and energy security.

5. 05

   Tech & Corporate Moves

   Starbucks plans to close approximately 250 underperforming stores in North America as part of a turnaround push, while Amazon is reportedly betting $3 billion on a fast-delivery expansion in India. In the tech sector, Oracle is citing 'force majeure' to shield itself from rising costs at a massive New Mexico data center project beset by regulatory delays.

6. 06

   Justice & Legal Affairs

   A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, though reporters were initially turned away again despite the ruling. In Germany, prosecutors are investigating a 105-year-old man for his alleged role as an accessory to murder at a Nazi prisoner-of-war camp during World War II.