Trump Meets Starmer Amid Tensions on Gaza and Trade
Denmark to Acquire Long-Range Weapons
ABC Pulls Kimmel After FCC Pressure
Wealth Tax Ultimatum Tests New French PM
Europe Warns Iran as UN Sanctions Loom
Venezuela Launches Drills After US Boat Strikes
Civilians Flee As Israel Pushes Into Gaza City
EU Moves Toward Sanctions On Israel Over Gaza War
EU Delays Russia Sanctions Amid Trump Oil Demand
Fed Cuts Rates As Jobs Market Weakens
On this day ….
On this day in 1947 the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officially came into existence at the behest of President Harry S Truman.
The CIA has been a controversial organisation over the course of its life, being involved not only in intelligence gathering & analysis but also in such activities as domestic wiretapping, extraordinary rendition, human rights violations and the trafficking of both arms & drugs.
The CIA self describe as the “Nation’s first line of defense”
Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain has moved from ceremonial pageantry to political substance, with a meeting at Chequers between the US president and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The agenda includes signing a major technology deal, discussions on stalled steel tariff negotiations, and divergent views on foreign policy.
The so-called “tech prosperity deal” is expected to bring £31bn of US investment into the UK’s AI sector, including a major Microsoft project and Trump-backed data centres.
Yet the meeting is coloured by disagreements. Starmer plans to announce the UK’s recognition of a Palestinian state after Trump departs, fearing the move could overshadow their joint press conference. The US administration opposes such recognition, but France, Canada and Australia are preparing to join Britain in backing Palestinian statehood at the UN.
Differences also persist on Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza, where Starmer has set conditions for Israel to ease the humanitarian crisis.
Sources: Washington Post, The Guardian
Denmark has announced plans to buy long-range precision weapons for the first time, marking what Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called a “paradigm shift” in defence policy. She described the move as a response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, stressing that while there is no immediate threat to Denmark, Moscow will remain a danger to Europe for years to come.
Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the acquisition could include missiles and drones, but gave no details on cost or specific systems.
The decision follows Denmark’s largest-ever arms purchase last week, a 58 billion crown investment in European-made air defence systems. Russia’s ambassador to Denmark denounced the plans as “pure madness,” calling them an overt threat to Moscow. Copenhagen insists the weapons are intended as a deterrent rather than an offensive capability.
The purchase adds to Denmark’s wider military build-up since 2022, including new Arctic patrol ships, drones and expanded satellite coverage over Greenland.
Sources: Reuters, New York Times
ABC has taken “Jimmy Kimmel Live” off the air indefinitely after Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr publicly pressured the network over the host’s Monday monologue about the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s killing.
The decision, made by Disney executives Robert A. Iger and Dana Walden, followed moves by major ABC affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair to pre-empt the show. President Trump praised the suspension from Britain, while Democrats criticised it; Senator Chuck Schumer called the episode “outrageous.”
Carr suggested his agency could “look at” remedies and urged affiliates to push back. Nexstar, which has a deal before the FCC, said it would replace the programme “for the foreseeable future,” and Sinclair also suspended it while demanding an apology. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez warned that the First Amendment does not allow the FCC to dictate broadcast content, calling broader censorship efforts dangerous.
Sources: CNN, New York Times
France’s new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, is racing to finalise the 2026 budget by 7 October while the Socialists make their support conditional on a 2% levy on fortunes above €100 million.
The demand could decide his survival, after he became the country’s fifth prime minister in less than two years. An Ifop poll cited by the Socialists shows strong public backing, while the measure—dubbed the “Zucman tax”—has already passed the lower house once but was rejected by the Senate.
Economist Gabriel Zucman estimates the tax would affect about 1,800 households and raise up to €20 billion; seven economists argue yields could be nearer €5 billion and warn of capital flight.
Lecornu says he is open to discussion but fears including business-owners’ assets could penalise job creators. Employers’ group MEDEF cautions such taxation would discourage investment, reviving a long-running argument over France’s competitiveness.
Sources: Reuters, Politico Europe
European officials have warned Iran that it has yet to take the steps needed to prevent the automatic reimposition of United Nations sanctions on its nuclear programme. After a call with France, Germany, the UK and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Europe said Tehran must fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, including granting inspections at all sites without delay. Kallas cautioned that the “window for finding a diplomatic solution” was closing quickly.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the sanctions process as lacking “any legal or logical justification.” He pointed to a recent deal, mediated by Egypt, under which Iran agreed to grant full access to the IAEA and account for its nuclear material.
The sanctions, known as a “snapback,” are set to take effect at the end of September unless blocked by the UN Security Council, potentially further straining a region unsettled by war in Gaza.
Sources: Associated Press, Euronews
Venezuela has begun three days of military exercises on La Orchila island as tensions rise with the United States. Defence chief Vladimir Padrino López said the “Sovereign Caribbean” drills include air-defence deployments with armed, surveillance and submarine drones, alongside “electronic warfare actions.”
The armed forces said 12 ships, 22 aircraft and 20 small boats from a “special naval militia” are involved, and state TV showed amphibious vessels and warships off La Orchila.
The drills follow US strikes on at least two Venezuelan boats this month, which Washington said were part of an anti-drug operation. A first strike killed 11 people and, days later, a second strike in international waters killed three, bringing the total to 14. The US released videos and asserted the dead were traffickers; Caracas has urged an investigation and warned of “aggression,” as US warships operate in the region.
Sources: The Guardian, Time
Israel’s ground offensive into Gaza City entered a second day as thousands of Palestinians fled south. Israel says the operation seeks to free hostages and defeat up to 3,000 Hamas fighters, while UN estimates suggest at least 650,000 people remain in the city. The Israel Defense Forces said about 350,000 people had already left since intensified operations began, though the UN puts the recent figure at 190,000 since August.
Source: OCHA
The IDF reported striking more than 150 targets across Gaza City over two days and temporarily opened a second evacuation route, the Salah al-Din road, for 48 hours from 12:00 local time. Aid agencies and the UN warned of grave shortages after the Zikim crossing was closed, with no direct aid entry to the north and resupply hampered by insecurity. They say the designated “humanitarian area” is overcrowded and inadequate, leaving many civilians unwilling or unable to move.
Sources: BBC, Straits Times
The European Commission has presented its toughest plan yet to pressure Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza. Proposals include suspending trade concessions, raising tariffs on selected Israeli goods, and freezing EU funds worth €32 million. Sanctions would also target violent settlers, 10 Hamas leaders, and two far-right cabinet members, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the measures aim to stop human suffering in Gaza, not to punish Israel, but divisions among the 27 member states mean the plan may struggle to secure approval.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who last week shifted from her previously pro-Israel stance, backed the move, citing Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis and settlement expansion in the West Bank. Israel rejected the proposals, with its foreign minister warning sanctions would not alter its security policy.
Sources: PBS, Al Jazeera
The European Union postponed unveiling its 19th sanctions package against Russia after President Donald Trump demanded that NATO nations stop buying Russian oil. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had spoken with Trump and that a package targeting banks, energy and cryptocurrency would be presented soon. She also said the Commission would propose speeding up the phaseout of Russian fossil fuel imports.
The delay comes as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged member states to “be stronger on sanctions” while coordinating with Washington. Eurostat data show EU imports from Russia have fallen 89% since 2022; oil imports dropped to €1.75bn in the second quarter of 2025 from €28.7bn in early 2021, and natural gas to €13bn from €39bn.
Hungary and Slovakia still import substantial volumes, and a study found they have paid Russia more than €5bn for crude since the war began.
Sources: Washington Post, Moscow Times
The US Federal Reserve has cut interest rates for the first time this year, lowering its benchmark range to 4–4.25%. The quarter-point reduction was approved by 11 of 12 policymakers, with Chair Jerome Powell citing clear signs of labour market weakness as the main driver.
He said hiring had slowed to below the level needed to maintain a stable jobless rate, adding that the cut was a “risk management” move rather than the start of an aggressive easing cycle.
Projections released alongside the decision indicate that most Fed officials expect at least two further cuts before year end, shifting from the stance taken in June.
Inflation remains above target, partly due to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, but Powell argued the bigger risk now is rising unemployment. The move highlights the Fed’s recalibration of priorities as it balances inflation concerns against mounting pressure in the jobs market.