Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Trump and Netanyahu agree new US peace plan for Gaza and warn Hamas to accept it in 3-4 days (LINK) — ground.news: 610 media reports (LINK) 30 September 2025

Dutch-flagged vessel on fire off Yemen after being struck in apparent missile attack by Houthi Rebels, UK military says (LINK) — ground.news: 98 media reports (LINK) 30 September 2025

Car bomb outside Pakistan's security force headquarters in Quetta kills at least 10, dozens injured (LINK) — ground.news:40 media reports (LINK) 30 September 2025

— No group immediately claimed responsibility, though suspicion is likely to fall on separatists who often target civilians and security forces in insurgency-plagued Balochistan, where Quetta is the provincial capital.

UN Security Council approves a military force to fight gangs in Haiti (LINK) 30 September 2025

EU to allocate over $2 billion for drones for Ukraine, von der Leyen says (LINK) 30 September 2025

Devex Exclusive: US seeks ouster of Egyptian UN drug and crime agency chief Ghada Waly, several weeks before her planned departure in November, in favour of U.S. national (LINK) 30 September 2025

— It remained unclear why the U.S. decided to press for a change so late in Waly's term. But it signaled a more proactive U.S. role at the U.N. drug agency at a time when the U.S. is militarizing its own policy towards the international drug trade.

Key takeaways from Trump's speech to US military generals: president tells top military officers they will play part in 'war from within' in major US cities. (LINK) 30 September 2025

Hegseth: all non-white military leaders were DEI promotions: The SecWar smeared every minority and person of color in the military. (LINK) 30 September 2025

US citizen sues after twice being detained by immigration agents (LINK) 30 September 2025

Thailand appeals court upholds royal defamation prison sentence for progressive lawmaker (LINK) — ground.news: 9 media reports (LINK) 30 September 2025

Heavy rains and flooding after Typhoon Bualoi raise death toll to some 20 in Vietnam, with as many more still missing, having already killed at least 20 people in the Philippines (LINK) — ground.news: 43 media reports (LINK) 29 September 2025

— Over 100,000 houses were damaged, mainly in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, while 88 people suffered injuries due to the storm.

Covid cases rising with new variants Nimbus and Stratus: do not appear to pose any bigger threat than previous types of Covid or make people feel more ill. But recent genetic changes the virus has acquired may make infections more likely (LINK) 30 September 2025

European Aquatics joins World Aquatics in uprooting out of Switzerland in favor of a cheaper location closer to the action of the sport: Belgrade, Serbia (LINK) 30 September 2025

Roger Federer on Switzerland and his foundation (LINK) 30 September 2025

Some 60% of customers tip at restaurants in Switzerland (LINK) 30 September 2025

— In German-speaking Switzerland, most guests tip around 10% of the bill amount, while in French-speaking and Italian-speaking Switzerland it is 5%.

Monday, 29 September 2025

A Moscow group used $8 billion in crypto to evade sanctions and impact Moldova's elections (LINK) 30 September 2025

— A recent investigation by the London-based blockchain analytics firm Elliptic has unveiled a leak of documents linked to Ilan Shor, a Moldovan fugitive and ally of Vladimir Putin. The data sheds light on Shor’s alleged involvement in using crypto to evade sanctions and influence the parliamentary elections in Moldova. Convicted in 2017 for his role in the $1 billion theft from three Moldovan banks, Shor fled to Israel and later to Russia, where he was granted citizenship. In 2022, he was sanctioned by the United States for his alleged efforts to disrupt democratic processes in Moldova. Per the report, Shor has been behind extensive vote-buying schemes for pro-Russian candidates and orchestrating disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting the pro-European government.

— Shor's recent activities have centered around the A7 group of companies, which he founded in 2024 to help Russian businesses navigate sanctions and engage in cross-border transactions. A7 is partly owned by Promsvyazbank (PSB), a state-owned bank implicated in financing Russia's defence sector and facilitating election interference in Moldova. The US sanctioned A7 in August 2025, further complicating its operations.

YouTube to pay Trump $22 million for suspending his account after Jan. 6 riot (LINK) 29 September 2025

Trump, Democrats leave meeting without deal to avoid government shutdown (LINK) 29 September 2025

Around 100 Iranians are set to be deported from the US back to Iran, as part of an arrangement between US President Donald Trump’s administration and the Islamic Republic, The New York Times reports, citing Iranian officials. A charter plane carrying the deportees took off from Louisiana on Monday and is scheduled to land in Qatar before making its way to Iran in the coming hours (LINK) 29 September 2025

Israeli settlement activity accelerates in the West Bank, Security Council told (LINK) 28 September 2025

The pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) secured a majority in a pivotal Moldovan election that is set to keep the country on track to joining the EU and out of Russia's orbit. (LINK) 29 September 2025

— With more than 99.9 percent of the ballots counted, and a re-allocation of votes for parties that didn't make the threshold yet to come, PAS is well ahead with 50.2 percent of the vote compared with 24.2 percent for the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc (BEP). The Central Election Commission is tallying results, with provisional counts coming in through the night. The outcome will only be fully verified after the watchdog and external observers present their findings later on Monday morning.

Trump considering supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles, Vance says (LINK) 29 September 2025

— Several people were killed in a 12-hour bombardment in Kyiv on Sunday while more than 70 were wounded across the whole of Ukraine.

Mormon church shooting suspect had Trump sign outside home, records show (LINK) 29 September 2025

— *This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. A family photo posted on Facebook shows suspect posing alongside his wife and 10-year-old son wearing a Re-elect Trump 2020 T-shirt. Thomas Jacob Sanford, who was known as "Jake", joined the US Marines in 2004 after finishing his education at a local high school. He worked in the military as an automotive mechanic and was deployed to Iraq for seven months in 2007-2008 during the US’s war there, according to military records.

UBS said government proposals for Switzerland's biggest bank to hold more capital would weaken the bank, the Swiss financial sector and the country's economy (LINK) 29 September 2025

Swiss Bankers Association sounds alarm as UBS stands firm on new big bank regulations (LINK) 29 September 2025

Swiss Bankers Association sounds alarm as UBS stands firm on new big bank regulations (LINK) 29 September 2025

UBS Group has seven years to meet new capital rules under Switzerland's 'too big to fail' framework, starting in 2028. (LINK)

New Alzheimer's ultra-sound treatment fully restores memory function (LINK) 29 September 2025

Charlie Javice sentenced to 7 years in prison for defrauding JP Morgan by "falsely and dramatically inflating the number of customers" of her company to "fraudulently induce JP Morgan Chase" to acquire Frank for $175 million: The 33-year-old featured in Forbes' "30 under 30" list just six years ago (LINK) 29 September 2025

Sunday, 28 September 2025

Ukraine nuclear plant in fifth day on emergency power as Zelenskyy announces $90B arms deal with U.S. (LINK) 28 September 2025

Zelensky condemns 'vile' Russian strikes lasting 12 hours: more than 600 drones and missiles, predominantly aimed at Kyiv, hit factories and the Institute of Cardiology (LINK) 28 September 2025

Iran sanctions reimposed 10 years after landmark nuclear deal. Iran says the sanctions are "unjust" and "illegal" and has urged countries not to implement them. UK, France and Germany "urge Iran to refrain from any escalatory action". (LINK) 28 September 2025

Swiss voters back electronic identity cards in close vote (LINK) 28 September 2025

Swiss voters back e-ID and abolish rental tax for homeowners — (LINK)

— Final figures show 50.4% of voters backed e-ID and 57.7% approved a reform of home ownership taxes.

Fox: Trump invokes Title 10 to deploy troops into Portland; AG files lawsuit (LINK) 28 September 2025

Saturday, 27 September 2025

UNESCO designates 26 new biosphere reserves in 21 countries (LINK) 27 September 2025

— AP: 785 sites in 142 countries have been designated since 1971. The latest include the Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat, home to three-fourths of Earth's coral species, a stretch of Icelandic coast with 70% of the country's plant life and an area along Angola’s Atlantic coast, the new Quiçama Biosphere Reserve. The programme has also adopted a 10-year strategic action plan that includes studying the effects of climate change. At least 60% of the UNESCO biosphere reserves have been affected by extreme weather tied to climate change. The Trump administration in July announced that the U.S. would withdraw from UNESCO as of December 2026, just as it did during his first administration, saying U.S. involvement is not in the national interest. The U.S. has 47 biosphere reserves, most in federal protected areas.

Trump tariffs: Who stands to lose from new US pharma duties? Not clear (LINK) 27 September 2025

Trump says he is authorizing military to use 'full force' in Portland to handle 'domestic terrorists': unclear what "full force" means (LINK) 27 September 2025

— Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said her team has been "provided no information on the reason or purpose of any military mission," and that her office is reaching out to the Trump administration for more information. "There is no national security threat in Portland. Our communities are safe and calm," the Democrat said. "I ask Oregonians to stay calm and enjoy a beautiful fall day."

New drones sighted over Denmark's largest military base (LINK) 27 September 2025

US revokes Colombian president's visa after UN visit: Gustavo Petro told US soldiers to "disobey Trump's orders" while addressing a protest in New York (LINK) 27 September 2025

— "From here in New York, I ask all soldiers in the United States Army not to point their rifles at humanity," he said. "Disobey Trump's order! Obey the order of humanity!" He was already on his way back to Bogota when the US announced it would cancel his visa, Colombian media reports.

More than 30 dead, over 50 injured in stampede at Indian actor-politician Vijay’s Rally in Tamil Nadu, southern India (LINK) — ground.news: 187 media reports (LINK) 27 September 2025

— Vijay's supporters fell while attempting to get closer to his bus, leading to the stampede.

Fromagerie la Côte-aux-Fées' Le Gruyère AOP Vieux is officially the best cheese in the world, according to the 2025 Mondial du Fromage (LINK) 27 September 2025

Delta to drop Geneva, Switzerland, on 20 October after 3 years as transatlantic travel shifts (LINK) 27 September 2025

— The drop in passengers to the U.S. from Switzerland between May and August was over 9% compared to the previous year, as against nearly 2% from Western Europe.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's elder daughter Princess Beatrice has decided to step down from charity role with Outward Bound Trust after six years: at least 6 UK charities had cut ties with the Duchess of York. (LINK) 27 September 2025

— An email emerged in which Ferguson called Jeffrey Epstein a "steadfast, generous and supreme friend" and sought forgiveness for "letting him down".

Friday, 26 September 2025

Trump's 21-point Gaza peace plan leaves door ajar for Palestinian state (LINK) — ground.news: 49 media reports (LINK) 26 September 2025

— The plan would deny Hamas any future role in the governance of Gaza, instead calling for two levels of interim governance — an overarching international body and a Palestinian committee. The plan does not indicate that the US would support the creation of a Palestinian state, but recognizes it as an aspiration of the Palestinians. It includes unconditional release of all hostages.

UN sanctions against Iran set to resume on Sunday over banned nuclear activity (LINK) 26 September 2025

— A last-minute resolution, led by China and Russia, to delay the move by six months only received four votes in the 15-member Security Council. Russia on Friday signed a $25bn deal with Iran to build four nuclear power reactors in southern Iran, Iranian state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Calls grow for first female UN chief in 80 years (LINK) — ground.news: 8 media reports (LINK) 26 September 2025

Analysis: Half of global emissions covered by 2035 climate pledges after UN summit in New York (LINK) 26 September 2025

— China stole the show at the UN climate summit held in New York on 24 September, announcing a pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 7-10% below peak levels by 2035.

Sinking islands, vanishing forests: World leaders call for urgent climate action (LINK) 23 September 2025

Ukraine updates: EU states agree on need for 'drone wall' (LINK) 26 September 2025

Supreme Court lets Trump withhold $4 billion in foreign aid approved by Congress (LINK) — ground.news: 238 media reports (LINK) 26 September 2025

Calls grow for first female UN chief in 80 years (LINK) — ground.news: 8 media reports (LINK) 26 September 2025

Netanyahu vows to 'finish job' in Gaza during UN speech as delegates walk out: Israeli prime minister said recognition of Palestinian state is 'insane' days after countries such as UK and France did so: Israeli loudspeakers broadcast speech into Gaza (LINK) 26 September 2025

Defense Secretary Hegseth’s mysterious meeting with generals will focus on grooming and warrior ethos (LINK) 26 September 2025

Trump-backed WLFI plunges 58% — buyback plan announced to halt freefall (LINK) 26 September 2025

— Just days after launch, WLFI burned 47 million tokens on September 3 to counter a 31% sell-off, sending the supply to a verified burn address.

ICE arrests top educator: superintendent of the largest school district in the state of Iowa, accusing him of overstaying his student visa (LINK) 26 September 2025

Trump fired US attorney who told border agents to follow law on immigration raids — from 15 July (LINK) 26 September 2025

LA car wash owner sues for $50m after being slammed and detained in ICE raid: Rafie Ollah Shouhed, 79, a US citizen, was held for 12 hours after sustaining broken ribs and a traumatic brain injury (LINK) 26 September 2025

Bitcoin loses 1,000 millionaires a day since start of the week (LINK) 26 September 2025

Jimmy Kimmel's show back on Sinclair and Nexstar thanks to viewer feedback (LINK) 26 September 2025

Botswana launches citizenship by investment programme to boost economy beyond diamonds (LINK) — ground.news: 7 media reports (LINK) 26 September 2025

Retired Soros financier Howard Rubin charged with sex-trafficking: Playboy models 'tortured' in sex dungeon in NYC penthouse (LINK) — ground.news: 87?? media reports (LINK) 26 September 2025

— The charges relate to a scheme spanning from at least 2009 to 2019, in which Rubin, 70, and his former assistant Jennifer Powers, 45, enlisted numerous women to participate in paid sexual encounters in New York. FBI Assistant Director Christopher Raia stated the defendants spent more than $1 million to finance a national trafficking network causing severe physical trauma and silencing victims with legal threats. Rubin and Powers face mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years if convicted.

Thursday, 25 September 2025

Russian foreign minister says Moscow is in a ‘real war’ with NATO, Europe (LINK) 25 September 2025

President Donald Trump is putting import taxes of 100% on pharmaceutical drugs, 50% on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, 30% on upholstered furniture and 25% on heavy trucks starting on Oct. 1 (LINK) 25 September 2025

French ex-president Sarkozy sentenced to 5 years in prison in Libya campaign financing case (LINK) — ground.news: 167 media reports (LINK) 25 September 2025

— Sarkozy, French President between 2007 and 2012, was found guilty of criminal conspiracy but not guilty of receiving illegal campaign financing from the late Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi. In a surprise move, the judge said he would be jailed regardless of whether he appeals the verdict, which usually suspends sentencing. He was not sent straight to prison, however, with the start date of his sentence yet to be decided.

DW: The Russian economy is in trouble. Growth has stalled, energy revenues have plunged, and the budget deficit is growing. If the EU and US step up sanctions, things could get more serious still. (LINK) 25 September 2025

Native News: Hegseth says cavalry soldiers who massacred hundreds at Wounded Knee get to keep their medals of honor (LINK) 25 September 2025

— In July 2024, then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had established a five-member panel to reassess the commendations awarded to troops for their actions at Wounded Knee. For several years, native organizations have urged Congress to pass the Remove the Stain Act that would rescind the Medal of Honor to those awarded for their violent deeds at Wounded Knee.

Spain and Italy send warships to protect pro Gaza flotilla (LINK) — ground.news: 52 media reports (LINK) 25 September 2025

— On 23 September the Global Sumud Flotilla came under drone attack south of Crete, with more than 10 drones dropping explosives over three hours, threatening over 500 unarmed participants.

Indian authorities impose security restrictions in remote Ladakh after deadly clashes (LINK) — ground.news: 60 media reports (LINK) 25 September 2025

— Four people died and at least 80 were injured during the unrest following a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body, which has sought statehood for Ladakh for five years.

Abu Dhabi royal family to take 15% stake in TikTok US under Trump deal (LINK) 25 September 2025

Swiss central bank keeps zero-rate as tariffs take their toll (LINK) — ground.news: 28 media reports (LINK) 25 September 2025

Peter Mutharika wins Malawi's Presidential election with 57% of vote (LINK) — ground.news: 103 media reports (LINK) 25 September 2025

— Mutharika lost in 2020 but campaigned on a 'return to proven leadership' amid economic challenges and widespread dissatisfaction under Lazarus Chakwera.

Indictment of former FBO Director James Comey regarding leaks to media outlets that Comey was asked about in 2017 and 2020 congressional testimony (LINK) 25 September 2025

— In the grand jury room, 14 of at most 23 grand jurors decided prosecutors had probable cause to indict Comey, subsequent court proceedings revealed. Comey, the long-time nemesis of Donald Trump from the early days of Trump’s first term, has been criminally charged with two felonies, both related to a lie he allegedly told Congress in 2020.

Pam Bondi transfers people who received Biden commutations to supermax prison in Colorado (LINK) 25 September 2025

The Transformation Office (Bureau de la transformation) of the University of Geneva replaces the Digital Transformation Office (BTN). It supports teams and projects in their strategic, organisational, and collaborative change initiatives. (LINK) 25 September 2025

— "Our projects are like open-air laboratories, allowing us to explore new ways to support change, raise awareness about complex issues, and test innovative approaches before rolling them out more widely. Serious games, participatory design, collective intelligence, visual storytelling... each project mobilises different tools, but pursues the same goal: to help our community transform in a thoughtful, creative, and engaging way."

— Some recent projects:

• A generative AI worskhop to promote best practices in the use of AI tools at the university
• A card game to raise awareness about digital sobriety and ethics
• A mini video series highlighting extra-curricular activities intended for students

Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Ukraine's Zelenskyy issues a stark warning about a global arms race and AI war (LINK) 24 September 2025

— "It's only a matter of time, not much, before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves, fully autonomous and no human involved, except the few who control AI systems," Zelenskyy said, calling for global rules on how AI can be used in weapons.

DRM News: Finland's President delivers most inspiring, powerful UN speech yet on multipolar world order (LINK YouTube 20 min) 24 September 2025

— President Alexander Stubb laid out a roadmap to end the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, warned about global power shifts, and demanded urgent UN reform, saying the current system cannot last.

Slovenian President addresses United Nations general debate: "International law appears to stand at the precipice of irrelevance" (LINK TouTube) 24 September 2025

Israeli forces kill 22 more Palestinians, including children, in Gaza (LINK) — ground.news: 12 media reports (LINK) 24 September 2025

The oceans just hit an ominous milestone: acidification of the seas breaches the seventh of nine "planetary boundaries" (LINK) 24 September 2025

Dallas ICE facility shooting: 2 detainees killed and 1 injured, officials say: shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound (LINK) 24 September 2025

China gives up developing-country treatment in bid to boost WTO in face of Trump tariffs (LINK) 24 September 2025

France refuses to grant asylum to anti-whaling activist Paul Watson, 74, founder of Sea Shepherd (LINK) 24 September 2025

— The dual US/Canadian citizen has an outstanding arrest warrant from Japan relating to damage caused to a Japanese whaling ship in 2010. Ofpra, the French agency that handles asylum cases, said his fears were “unfounded”, as both the United States and Canada are “democracies governed by the rule of law", according to a document seen by AFP.

Bitcoin Nation-State FOMO — 27 in, 13 about to join (LINK) 24 September 2025

Safety mechanism caused Trump escalator malfunction, UN says: president's videographer "may have inadvertently triggered the safety function" while capturing his arrival, the UN says (LINK) 24 September 2025

Shipping faces 'stormy seas' as trade slows and costs rise, UNCTAD warns (LINK) 24 September 2025

US recalls 500,000 Amazon products over safety hazards (LINK) — ground.news: 30 media reports (LINK) 24 September 2025

S&P 500 is up 30% since R. Kiyosaki 'biggest stock market crash in history' prediction (LINK) 24 September 2025

Swiss Senate revises and approves bill for foreign investment controls (LINK) 24 September 2025

— The project aims to introduce a review of purchases by foreign state investors of Swiss companies operating in a critical sector. Examples include military equipment, electricity production and hospitals. Eighty percent of EU and OECD countries already have such a system. The dossier will now go back to the House of Representatives.

Swiss 2024 storm-cost biggest in 20 years: CHF904m, almost 85% concentrated in June. 13 storm-related fatalities, worst for 25 years (LINK) 24 September 2025

Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Man arrested in UK over alleged cyberattack that affected European airports (LINK) 24 September 2025

— The U.K.'s National Crime Agency said the suspect was held in West Sussex on Tuesday on suspicion of offenses involving the misuse of computers and was released on conditional bail. Starting late Friday and lasting through the weekend, airports in Berlin, Brussels and London were hit by disruptions to electronic systems that snarled up check-in

Swiss 2024 storm costs biggest in 20 years: CHF904m, almost 85% concentrated in June. 13 storm-related fatalities, worst for 25 years (LINK) 24 September 2025

Tuesday, 23 September 2025

AFP: Trump at the UN: He mocked renewables as a "joke", praised "clean, beautiful coal" and declared climate change the "greatest con job ever". (LINK) 23 September 2025

Fox News: World leaders laugh, squirm as Trump blasts UN on climate, Ukraine, Gaza at General Assembly (LINK)

Alternet: 'Your countries are going to hell': 6 of the wildest moments from Trump's rambling UN speech (LINK) 23 September 2025

• Trump claimed that 'inflation has been defeated'
• Trump slammed UN for not living up to its potential
• Trump attacked UN members for immigration policies
• Trump insisted he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize
• Trump chastised EU members for not imposing more tariffs
• Trump ripped European countries for not using more fossil fuels

CNN: Five takeaways from Trump's UN speech (LINK) 23 September 2025

— "What is the purpose of the United Nations?" he asked during his speech. And he added later: "For the most part, at least for now, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up. It's empty words, and empty words don’t solve war."

• A lecture on migration
• Climate change the 'greatest con job'
• No major shift on Ukraine or Gaza – until after the speech
• Broken equipment — and a broken institution
• Veering off-script

'We'll leave you to rot': UN OHCHR report details horrific torture of 508 Ukrainian civilians in Russian captivity (LINK) 23 September 2025

United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights denounces mock executions of Ukrainian prisoners — (LINK)

UBS pays France €835 million to settle tax dispute case dating from 2004 to 2012 (LINK) 23 September 2025

— The French courts convicted UBS in 2021 of aggravated tax fraud and illegal canvassing in France. UBS has set aside the necessary provisions to meet these costs: €730 million fine and €105 million in damages to the French state.

Ryan Routh, former Trump supporter, found guilty in Trump golf course assassination attempt and killing Secret Service agent: tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen in the courtroom after the verdict was read (LINK) 23 September 2025

— Routh, who had pleaded not guilty to all the charges, faces life in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 18. In a brief and disjointed closing argument he tried to argue that there was no crime because he never fired a shot at Trump.

Jimmy Kimmel says silencing comedians is 'anti American', as his show returns to air after suspension (LINK) 23 September 2025

Three West African countries to quit UN top court: Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger (LINK) 23 September 2025

— The three military juntas, who came to power through coups, say the judicial body is 'incapable' of handling 'proven war crimes'.

'AI red lines' by 2026 campaign launches at U.N.: More than 200 Nobel laureates and other artificial intelligence experts plus 70 organizations that deal with AI, signed a letter calling for global "red lines to prevent unacceptable AI risks" (LINK) 23 September 2025

China floods the world with cheap exports after Trump’s tariffs (LINK) 23 September 2025

Authorities' drone attack in gang-controlled slum Cité Soleil in Haiti on 20 September kills at least 8 children, injures 6 others (LINK) — ground.news: 12 media reports (LINK) 23 September 2025

Jeffrey Epstein threatened to destroy Duchess of York in 'Hannibal Lecter-like' call (LINK) 23 September 2025

— Spokesperson said it was understandable that the Duchess had subsequently fired off an email expressing regret at offending Epstein, given the menace of his threat to ruin her life and that of her family. "That call was chilling. It was about two minutes long. But it was a two-minute threat in a Hannibal Lecter-type voice. This was long before the Duke's life had been ruined by his association with Epstein." On 22 September she was dropped by 7 organizations she has represented and championed for years, including the British Heart Foundation, The Children's Literacy Charity and The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. Julia's House, a children’s hospice in Dorset and Wiltshire, was the first to sever its association with her, ending six years of the Duchess’s patronage.

The Swiss sports watch Brad Pitt just made impossible to buy: his on-screen role in F1: The Movie has turned the IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 into an impossible-to-buy icon, skyrocketing values on the secondary market (LINK) 23 September 2025

Robert Reich: The sleeping giant is awakening: After a week of authoritarian excess, the nation is turning on Trump (LINK) 23 September 2025

France: UBS pays €835 million to settle tax dispute case dating from 2004 to 2012 (LINK) 23 September 2025

— The French courts convicted UBS in 2021 of aggravated tax fraud and illegal canvassing in France. UBS has set aside the necessary provisions to meet these costs: €730 million fine and €105 million in damages to the French state.

Switzerland's Senate has approved a plan to give local radio and TV stations a larger share of the licence fee, endorsing a slightly revised draft already backed by the House of Representatives (LINK) 23 September 2025

Monday, 22 September 2025

The New Humanitarian: aid and AI (LINK) 22 September 2025

— "The assumption that AI inherently reduces costs ignores its hidden expenses. For example, testing and evaluating AI systems [...] carry significant financial costs and time, which are often overlooked or excluded when calculating the costs of AI solutions."

— "A failure to properly test and assure AI systems risks increasing harm to the individuals and communities humanitarians are meant to serve. Without deeper analysis, the sector risks pursuing AI for its own sake rather than addressing structural inequities."

— "On one side, AI could accelerate long-overdue shifts towards decentralization and shared power. On the other, it could entrench existing hierarchies, reversing gains in localization. [...] The sector must interrogate whose interests are being served and how decision-making is structured. Donors must help smaller organisations — particularly those in the Global South — increase access to AI providers and incentivise partnerships between large and small organisations where skills and expertise on AI are shared."

— "Certification in standards related to the non-technical management and deployment of AI (such as ISO/IEEE 42001:2023, which is designed to help organisations responsibly govern their use of AI) should become mandatory, ensuring organisations deploy AI solutions responsibly."

UN General Assembly: High-level week opens with celebration of women's empowerment (LINK) 23 September 2025

— Girls are far more likely to finish school today, than at any other time in history. The number of women in parliament has almost doubled and nearly 100 discriminatory laws have been reversed around the world in the past five years alone. But none of the gender equality Sustainable Development Goals are on track. Furthermore, 676 million women and girls now live under the shadow of deadly conflict, the highest recorded since the 1990s.

Conflict, aid cuts and equality backlash causing ‘stagnation and regression’ of women’s rights — UN — (LINK)

Police are warning of a new trend in Switzerland: paedophile vigilantism. Zurich police recently arrested 6 teenagers after they'd beaten up a middle-aged man. They'd lured the man to a park through social media, pretending to be a girl under 16 (LINK) 22 September 2025

PBS: What to expect at this week's U.N. General Assembly meetings (LINK) 22 September 2025

— Trump addresses U.N. General Assembly live. Zelenskyy anticipates intense diplomacy at UN. Iran threatening to back out of coordination with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

ICC charges ex-Philippines leader Rodrigo Duterte with murder during his anti-drugs campaign (LINK) — ground.news: 39 media reports (LINK) 22 September 2025

Putin offers Trump one-year extension to strategic nuclear weapons treaty that expires in February (LINK) 22 September 2025

US sanctions wife of Brazilian judge who oversaw Bolsonaro prosecution (LINK) 22 September 2025

New Bahamian history textbook, first in 40 years, ready to be distributed to all schools: "act of liberation" from text that taught more about European explorers than Bahamian trailblazers (LINK) 22 September 2025

US Supreme Court in December to consider Trump's power to fire top officials: 6-3 vote already allows the president to remove the sole Democratic official on the Federal Trade Commission, an independent body set up by Congress (LINK) 22 September 2025

Heather Cox Richardson: the Epstein files, the Homan tapes, the Venezuelan fishing boatsheadline (LINK) 22 September 2025

Scientific American: Does Tylenol use during pregnancy cause autism? What the research shows: the evidence is thin (LINK) 22 September 2025

— "There is no simple answer to what causes autism, more than 50 years of scientific research has shown. It is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that arises from a constellation of genetic factors and environmental influences."

BBC: your kitchen is full of microplastics: show to eat less of them: fresh, whole foods or, at the very least, avoiding ultra-processed foods whenever possible (LINK) 22 September 2025

— Microplastics are in fruit and vegetables, honey, bread, dairy, fish and meat from hamburgers to chicken. They are inside the yolks of eggs (and in the whites too). One study of 109 countries found the amount of these plastics people typically consumed in 2018 was more than six times what it was in 1990.

Tesla is being sued in China over not providing self-driving to HW3 cars (LINK) 22 September 2025

Walmart loses $400 million due to unexpected problem in stores: cost of handling “higher-than-anticipated” liability claims (LINK) 22 September 2025

"Preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live!": Sinclair confirms blackout of show on ABC affiliates despite return (LINK) 22 September 2025