World
Zelensky Tells U.N. That Ukraine Sent Two Captured North Korean Soldiers to South Korea
The two men were captured in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025; Seoul has not formally confirmed their arrival, saying it must protect them and their families.
Trump Signs Law Authorizing Tariffs Up to 100% on the Five Largest Buyers of Russian Oil and Gas
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 became law on September 18; it does not set any tariff by itself, and India, the second-largest buyer of Russian crude, says it is weighing its response.
Takaichi Meets Trump and Zelensky at U.N., Two Days Before Trump-Xi Summit in Washington
Japan's prime minister held a roughly 35-minute meeting with President Trump on China and economic security, pledged continued support to Ukraine's president, and used her first U.N. speech to ask that Japan's "enemy state" label be cut from the U.N. Charter.
Russia's FSB Orders 10-Day Night Movement and River Limits in Two Districts Bordering Estonia
The order covers the Kingisepp and Slantsy districts from Sept. 16 to Sept. 26; Estonian border officials call the measures unusual but say the threat level has not changed.
Pezeshkian Departs for U.N. General Assembly; Trump Says Iran Faces Being "Wiped Out" or Economic "Rot" Without a Deal
Iran's president left Tehran on Sept. 22 to address the 81st U.N. General Assembly, about seven months into the war with the United States and Israel, with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz still disrupted.
UN Spokesman Says the UN Would Investigate Sudan Chemical Weapons Claims If Given a Mandate
Stéphane Dujarric said on Sept. 21 that the UN stands ready to probe allegations against Sudan's army, which denies them, as Washington pushes to widen the arms embargo on Sudan.
Taiwan's Labor Minister Attends APEC Meeting in Nanjing, First Cabinet-Level Trip to China Under Lai
Hung Sun-han flew to Nanjing on Sept. 20 for an APEC human resources meeting; both governments say the visit followed standard APEC practice, while a pending U.S. arms package remains unresolved.
AfD Takes 38.2% in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Die Linke 25.7% in Berlin; Merz's CDU Falls Below the 5% Seat Threshold in the Northeastern State
Two German states voted on September 20, 2026; the CDU finished second in Berlin and won no seats in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the results a "disaster."
United Russia Takes 57.83% of Party-List Vote in Russia's First Duma Election Since the 2022 Invasion
Russia's Central Election Commission reported a preliminary 355 of 450 seats for the ruling party and 59.32% turnout, after the OSCE was not invited to observe and the one anti-war party was struck from the federal ballot.
Ukrainian Drones and Missiles Hit Moscow Oil Refinery on Final Day of Russia's Duma Election; Officials Report Three Killed
Russia's Defense Ministry said it downed 1,110 drones across 19 regions and Crimea overnight, while Ukraine's General Staff said it struck three processing units at the Gazprom Neft refinery in Moscow's Kapotnya district.
Israeli Man Killed in West Bank Shooting Near Neve Tzuf; Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian Driver Near Jenin Hours Later
Israeli forces arrested a wounded suspect at a Ramallah hospital, and Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered village closures, arrest raids and the demolition of the suspect's home.
Saudi-Led Coalition Says It Intercepted a Houthi Ballistic Missile Aimed at Riyadh; Fire Burns at Airport Fuel Depot
The coalition said air defenses destroyed a missile fired at the Saudi capital early Sept. 19, while the Houthis claimed successful strikes on Riyadh and on Aramco facilities in Yanbu.