UN Report Alleges Israeli Plans for Gaza, West Bank
Super Typhoon Ragasa Batters Taiwan and Hong Kong
Trump Calls Climate Change ‘Greatest Con Job’ At UN
Trump Signals Harder Line On Ukraine And NATO
Trump Golf Plotter Guilty After Court Outburst
Three Sahel States Announce ICC Withdrawal
Lula Rebukes US At UN, Trump Proposes Talks
Iran, Europe In Last Push To Avert UN Sanctions
Argentina Secures Limited Relief As US Signals Support
CDC Warns of Rising Drug-Resistant Bacteria
On this day ……
On this day in 1957 Federal troops were dispatched by President Dwight D Eisenhower to Little Rock Arkansas to maintain order and to support the integration of nine black students at Little Rock High School.
The US Supreme Court had ruled against segregation in schools in 1954 but enforcement was problematic. The Little Rock crisis came to a head when the Arkansas governor mobilised the national guard to prevent the students from enrolling. President Eisenhower federalised the troops and finally enforced their integration.
A United Nations commission has accused Israel of seeking permanent control of Gaza while ensuring a Jewish majority in the occupied West Bank. The report says Israeli authorities have systematically demolished civilian infrastructure in Gaza’s corridors and buffer zones, leaving 75% of the territory under Israeli control by July 2025.
It adds that these measures, together with settlement expansion and forced displacement in the West Bank, amount to a deliberate strategy to block Palestinian self-determination.
The commission found Israeli policies since October 2023 showed intent to forcibly transfer Palestinians, annex the West Bank and prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. Military operations in Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps destroyed homes and displaced residents, which investigators deemed unjustified and collective punishment.
Israel rejected the findings, saying the commission was politically driven and ignored Hamas’ role in launching the war. The report is set to be presented to the UN General Assembly in October.
Sources: Reuters, Middle East Monitor
Super Typhoon Ragasa has left at least 14 people dead and 124 missing in Taiwan after a barrier lake burst in Hualien county, unleashing floods on Guangfu township. Officials said 18 were injured, while thousands sought shelter after the storm toppled trees and destroyed buildings. Ragasa had earlier killed two people in the northern Philippines before moving west.
The typhoon reached Hong Kong with sustained winds of 195km/h, prompting the Observatory to issue its highest warning, T10, early on Wednesday. Waves up to five metres hit coastal areas, smashing glass at hotels and forcing evacuations.
More than 600 flights were cancelled, schools closed, and businesses suspended across the city. Chinese authorities in Guangdong province evacuated 400,000 people as the storm approached, with several cities ordering residents to stay indoors. Forecasters warned of storm surges of four to five metres above normal levels.
Sources: The Guardian, South China Morning Post
President Donald Trump told the United Nations General Assembly that climate change is “the greatest con job,” criticising European efforts to cut emissions and warning that economies investing heavily in renewables will suffer. He argued that predictions from international bodies were wrong and said the United States holds vast reserves of oil, gas and coal as his administration pursues an “energy dominance” agenda.
He has also moved to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord for a second time, aligning it with a small group of non-participants, and delivered the speech a day before a UN climate summit on new action plans. UN officials highlighted momentum for clean energy, noting a sharp rise in global investment. Coverage described the address as aimed at his political base, with Europe a frequent target alongside multilateral institutions.
Sources: Reuters, The Guardian
President Donald Trump backed NATO members shooting down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace and said Ukraine could restore its pre-invasion borders, signalling a harder line on the war.
He later wrote that, with European support and time, Ukraine could “fight and win” all its territory back, describing Russia as in economic trouble. He added that any US role would “depend on the circumstance” but said Washington is “very strong toward NATO.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the post “a big shift” after briefing Trump in New York. By contrast, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the war would end at a negotiating table, not militarily. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged caution, saying any shoot-down should follow assessment of intent and risk. The debate follows a recent violation of Estonian airspace by Russian jets, which prompted allied consultations.
Sources: CNN, Euronews
President Donald Trump golf course plotter Ryan Routh was found guilty on all five counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, after a 12-day trial in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Moments after the verdict on Tuesday, he tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen before U.S. marshals restrained him; the pen left only marks, and the judge later allowed him back into court in shackles pending sentencing on 18 December.
Prosecutors said Routh planned a methodical attack: acquiring a rifle and other gear, tracking Trump’s movements and using multiple burner phones. A Secret Service agent spotted a rifle protruding from the tree line near Trump’s West Palm Beach course; Routh fled and was arrested later that day. Jurors deliberated for about two hours and asked to view the rifle, ammunition and magazine before returning their verdict. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Sources: Reuters, ABC News
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have declared they will withdraw from the International Criminal Court, calling it an instrument of neo-colonial repression and accusing it of selective justice. In a joint statement, the military juntas said they would not recognise the authority of the court in The Hague and indicated plans to develop local alternatives. Withdrawal from the ICC, which prosecutes genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression, takes effect one year after formal notification.
The move comes amid closer ties with Russia, whose president is under an ICC arrest warrant. The three Sahel states have already abandoned the West African bloc ECOWAS and remain under military rule following recent coups.
Their forces have faced allegations of civilian abuses in conflicts with jihadist groups. They join Burundi and the Philippines as countries that have previously left the ICC, while others have threatened departure without completing it.
Sources: BBC, Euronews
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva used his UN speech to denounce US tariffs, sanctions and interventions, accusing Washington of undermining sovereignty and democracy.
He pointed to the conviction of Jair Bolsonaro as proof that “would-be autocrats” could be held accountable, while warning that global anti-democratic forces continue to threaten institutions. Lula also urged reform of global institutions, condemned unilateral trade measures, and stressed that sovereignty must remain non-negotiable.
Tensions between Brasília and Washington have escalated, with Trump imposing 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports and sanctioning officials linked to Bolsonaro’s trial. Yet in an unexpected turn, Trump, speaking immediately after Lula, said the two had met briefly and planned to hold talks next week. His remarks lifted Brazilian markets, with the real strengthening about 1% and the Ibovespa index closing at a record high. Both leaders described their brief exchange as cordial despite sharp rhetoric.
Sources: South China Morning Post, The Guardian
Iran and Europe’s E3 held talks in New York to try to avoid the return of UN sanctions before a 27 September deadline. The E3 triggered a 30-day “snapback” on 28 August, accusing Iran of breaching the 2015 deal.
European ministers, joined by the EU’s Kaja Kallas, offered to delay sanctions for up to six months if Tehran restores inspector access, addresses enriched-uranium concerns and engages with the United States. Diplomats said gaps remain, though both sides left room for continued diplomacy.
A French source said the “ball is in Iran’s court,” while the IAEA’s Rafael Grossi described “intense” conversations and said an inspection team is ready if a deal emerges. President Trump told the UN Iran must never have nuclear weapons; Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran does not need them and rejected negotiations with Washington. European officials warned chances of a solution are slim.
Sources: Reuters, RFI
Argentina secured accelerated funding from the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, though the measures fell short of the sweeping support suggested by the United States. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington was willing to do “whatever is necessary” within its mandate, including options such as a currency swap, dollar purchases, or acquiring Argentine debt. President Donald Trump added that Argentina did not need a “bailout,” leaving questions about the scale of US intervention.
Markets responded positively. The peso rebounded nearly 4% after heavy losses, while stocks and bonds gained and country risk spreads eased. President Javier Milei has struggled to stabilise the peso, with the central bank spending billions from meagre reserves in recent days. His credibility is tied to controlling inflation and defending the currency ahead of midterm elections on 26 October, where his party seeks a stronger position in Congress to continue reforms.
Sources: Bloomberg, El Pais
Drug-resistant “nightmare bacteria” infections in the United States rose nearly 70% between 2019 and 2023, according to new research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The increase was driven by bacteria carrying the NDM gene, which are resistant to almost all antibiotics. Only two drugs are effective against these infections, both expensive and administered intravenously.
Once considered rare and linked to overseas patients, NDM cases in the US have grown more than fivefold. Researchers found over 4,300 carbapenem-resistant infections across 29 states in 2023, with 1,831 of them NDM-related. Experts warn the true total is higher because many states lack full testing and major states like California and New York were not included.
The surge is attributed in part to heavy antibiotic use during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising fears that common illnesses may become untreatable.