September 23, 2026

MIDDLE EAST WAR | Day 208.

• Speaking before the U.N. General Assembly yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump defended the U.S. war in Iran and threatened to "annihilate" the Islamic Republic if a deal is not reached soon to end the conflict. [full speech] [more]
• Indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran took place on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City yesterday – the first such talks since the collapse of a temporary cease-fire between the countries in June. Iran's Foreign Ministry said it had maintained its negotiating stance in the talks, demanding an end to the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and the release of frozen assets in exchange for re-opening the Strait of Hormuz. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,670 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Russia's Defense Ministry says its forces carried out drone strikes across Ukraine overnight targeting "military-industrial and energy sector facilities, logistics centers, and maritime vessels." Ukraine reports that at least seven people were injured in the attacks. [more]

U.S. PRESS FREEDOM | The Justice Department, in a court filing in response to a lawsuit over the banning of media outlets CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, claimed yesterday that media representatives can be banned from the White House at the president's will and suggested that the three banned outlets "engaged in a number of reporting incidents that have threatened national security" and "failed to maintain basic minimum standards of professionalism and decorum expected of those given access to the White House Complex." [full DOJ filing] [more]

U.S. HEALTHCARE | Vice President JD Vance and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced yesterday that the federal government plans to remove about 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees from public healthcare exchanges, alleging those impacted were either fraudulently enrolled in the program or simply do not exist. Vance suggested the action could result in $2.2 billion in cost savings. [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION AND EDUCATION | U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy yesterday made permanent her earlier injunction barring the Trump administration from implementing a directive that would have barred some immigrants from accessing certain federal programs, including Head Start preschools, community health clinics, and adult education initiatives. [more]

U.S. WIND POWER | The attorneys general of New York and California filed a lawsuit yesterday seeking to block Trump administration plans to buy back some $1.4 billion in offshore wind leases. Reports note that the U.S. Department of the Interior has said it may spend nearly $4 billion to companies to abandon planned and in-progress wind energy projects across the country. [more]

MISSOURI | After a federal appeals court ordered the revival of new Missouri congressional district maps backed by President Donald Trump this week, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider the underlying case for the third time. Reports note that the Supreme Court has already blocked use of the new maps for this November's elections twice and that absentee voting is already underway in the state using districts adopted in 2022. [more]

U.S. REFUGEE PROGRAM | The Trump administration informed Congress this week that it plans to limit refugee admissions into the U.S. in 2027 to 17,500 mostly white South Africans and that it intends to spend about $500 million to resettle the new refugee arrivals. [more]

NEW YORK CITY | Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced yesterday that delivery company DoorDash has agreed to pay $131.5 million to settle claims that it underpaid delivery workers in New York City. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-day state visit to the United States begins today with an expected plane-side welcome by U.S. President Donald Trump. Taiwan, the war in Iran, trade tensions, and artificial intelligence are expected to be among the main topics of discussions between the two leaders. [more]

UNITED NATIONS | In his speech opening the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly yesterday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that global factional "cracks have become canyons" and suggested the future will be shaped by how the world addresses "four great tests of power": power over war and peace, power fueling climate chaos, power unleashed by artificial intelligence, and power that concentrates wealth and drives inequality. [full speech] [more]

GLOBAL CLIMATE | In a new report from the University of Chicago-based Climate Impact Lab, researchers suggest that this year's powerful El Niño climate pattern along with record global heat, severe droughts, wildfires, and shrinking water supplies could lead to as many as 451,000 heat-related deaths from June 2026 to February 2027. [press release] [full report] [more]

PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN | Pakistani officials say Afghanistan’s Taliban forces shelled border posts on the countries' shared border overnight after Pakistani troops disrupted what they described as a cross-border infiltration attempt by militants. Afghanistan’s Taliban government has denied any attacks by Afghan Taliban forces. [more]

FRANCE | Ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s four-day visit to France this week, the country's Independent National Authority for Recognition and Reparation says about 2,000 people who reported being sexually abused by Catholic priests or other church representatives have sought reparations through the INIRR, which was created to address decades of abuse allegation. Leo is expected to meet with several of the abuse victims during his visit. [more]

SOUTH AFRICA | Authorities in the South African township of KwaMakhutha say at least 11 people were killed in an overnight attack by three shooters on people attending a house party in the township. Investigators say that while the motive behind the attack remains under investigation, a feud between rival criminal groups cannot be ruled out. [more]

CAMBODIA | Speaking at a conference on tackling cybercrimes today, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said his country has eradicated the widely publicized large-scale scam operations for which it became notorious and that efforts will continue to dismantle any related emerging threats. [more]

MOROCCO | Amidst ongoing tensions over high unemployment, migration concerns, and cost-of-living issues, voters in Morocco will choose new members of the country's 395-seat House of Representatives today. The elections are the first since last year's deadly youth-led protests over various social and economic issues. [more]

MOLDOVA | The Republic of Moldova's legislature voted yesterday to approve a 60-day state of emergency on energy and water sectors in the Eastern European country due to critically low water levels in the Dniester River and high costs related to global conflicts. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1932, by royal decree, the dual kingdom of the Hejaz and Najd, along with its dependencies, was unified under the name of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [more history]