Washington (AFP) – US President Donald Trump bashes US media coverage that he claims is unduly negative and therefore “illegal,” stoking a debate over free speech following the suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s TV show by ABC.
Yiwu (China) (AFP) – Tariff fears are hurting World Cup merchandise orders at Shang Yabing’s Chinese knitwear factory, where racks of scarves bear the logos of national teams from Ireland to Tanzania. Manufacturers in China’s export hub Yiwu would normally already be inundated with World Cup orders ahead of next summer’s football tournament, this time hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. But a rollercoaster ride of a trade war between Washington and Beijing is causing uncertainty for international buyers.
Moscow (AFP) – Farmers travel from across Russia to take part in Moscow’s annual ‘Aptekarsky Ogorod’ giant vegetable exhibition, pitting their giant pumpkins, zucchini and watermelons against each other. This year’s winning pumpkin weighs in at 969kg.
Salzburg (Austria) (AFP) – The European Commission presents a fresh package of sanctions against Russia for approval by member states, as the bloc seeks to up the pressure on Moscow over the war on Ukraine. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says the package would target crypto and banks, and seek to speed up the phase-out of Russian fossil fuel imports.
Nairobi (AFP) – Surrounded by incubators, a red tube snaking into her tiny nose, four-day-old Grace-Ella is being fed donated breastmilk at Nairobi’s Pumwani Maternity Hospital. It is the only facility in Kenya offering the life-giving service. “Before I accepted, I was a bit sceptical because it gave me some feeling of guilt like I could not give my daughter my own breastmilk,” says her mother, Margaret. “If it can help her not to starve, then why not?”
Korissía (Greece) (AFP) – Deep-sea divers inspect the wreck of the HMHS Britannic, the Titanic’s sister ship that sank off the coast of Greece in 1916. A first batch of objects has been recovered from depths greater than 120 metres (394 feet). The ship was one of three transatlantic passenger lines built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, the first of which was the infamous RMS Titanic.
Unknown (AFP) – US President Donald Trump says TV networks whose hosts criticise him on their late-night shows could “maybe” have their broadcasting licenses revoked, after ABC indefinitely suspended host Jimmy Kimmel. “They’re not allowed to do that. They’re an arm of the Democrat Party,” Trump says on his return flight from a state visit to Britain.
Lyon (AFP) – French protesters stage a day of nationwide protests and strikes in a show of anger over President Emmanuel Macron’s austerity policies, causing widespread disruption. Public transport stalled and schools closed as hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets for demonstrations marked by sporadic clashes with the police.
Geneva (AFP) – World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says Gaza’s health system is “overwhelmed by the influx of mass casualties”. Israel has began an offensive on Gaza City, sparking international outrage with the territory already devastated by nearly two years of war.
Nuseirat (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Long lines of Palestinians head south along the Al-Rashid coastal road near Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip. On September 16, Israel launched its US-backed ground offencive on Gaza City, pledging to destroy Hamas in the area.
Port Moresby (AFP) – Papua New Guinea marks its 50th anniversary of independence from Australia, as the island nation seeks closer ties with its former colonial ruler through a mutual defence treaty. Widely expected to be signed on 17 September, the accord has been delayed due to the independence day celebrations, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said.
Tirana (Albania) (AFP) – Albania’s new AI-generated minister addresses parliament for the first time, defending her role as “not here to replace people, but to help them”. The world’s first AI government minister, Diella has been appointed by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama, who said she would be entrusted with all decisions on public tenders, making them “100 per cent corruption-free”.
