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Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his state visit to the United States on Friday. As he departed Washington, senior U.S. government officials saw him off at the airport, where a 21-gun salute was fired in a formal farewell gesture. The visit and its ceremonial send-off are drawing wide attention, with observers weighing what the trip signals for the state of U.S.-China relations.

Ukraine has begun striking Russian border crossings with Belarus, responding to recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian border crossing points. A Ukrainian drone strike reportedly landed next to a crossing on the Russia-Belarus border. The exchanges mark an expansion of cross-border attacks, with border infrastructure on both sides now targeted as the war's front lines of logistics and supply come under pressure.

Russian forces are urgently redeploying thousands of troops toward the Lyman frontline in eastern Ukraine, according to war monitoring reports. The move comes as Ukraine's 3rd Corps continues to make large advances in the area, with reports suggesting a degree of panic among the Russian command over the deteriorating situation there.

The United States and China have reached a trade deal to lower tariffs on roughly $30 billion worth of "non-sensitive goods", following a meeting between President Trump and President Xi this week. The agreement is expected to reduce prices on a range of consumer products, including small appliances, toys and holiday items, and is drawing wide attention as a step toward easing trade tensions between the two economies.

President Trump says he expects talks with Iran to begin this week, telling Axios this shortly after his administration turned down an Iranian proposal. The comments point to renewed diplomatic activity between Washington and Tehran despite the rejected offer. Officials and observers will be watching whether the talks materialise and what terms the US is now seeking.

New data indicates the current El Niño is the strongest ever recorded, driving a major shift in global weather patterns. The warming of the eastern Pacific is expected to bring droughts, floods and altered rainfall across multiple continents, with scientists warning communities to prepare for extreme conditions. The findings have prompted widespread discussion among climate experts and the public about what the record-strength event means for weather forecasts, agriculture and disaster planning worldwide.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to resume raising its key interest rate as policymakers lose patience with stubbornly slow progress on inflation. Economists are weighing the timing and size of the next move, with households and markets bracing for the return of monetary tightening after a pause.

Health authorities are tracking a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with officials and media outlets detailing what is known so far about how the virus is spreading. The report outlines the affected areas, response efforts, and the challenges of containing transmission. The outbreak has drawn international attention as health agencies monitor the risk of wider spread.

The Ukrainian Air Force says its MiG-29 jets carried out a strike on a Russian command post in the northern sector of the front. According to the unit, Russian forces had been concentrating personnel in the building for some time and had been moving equipment and ammunition into the site. The claim is being widely shared, with supporters framing it as a sign of Ukraine's continued ability to hit high-value Russian targets behind the lines.

US intelligence has reportedly warned Spain, France and Italy that Russia may be preparing drone attacks against targets in Southern Europe. The warning was reported by Spain's El Mundo, which said the intelligence was shared with European governments following CIA Director briefings. The news is spreading quickly across European social media, with users discussing what the reported threat could mean for southern Europe's security.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, laying out what Tehran describes as its red lines on nuclear weapons, Israel and regional security. His remarks underscore Iran's insistence that it does not seek nuclear arms while pushing back against Israel and Western pressure. The speech drew wide attention as tensions over Iran's nuclear programme and the region remain high.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for de-escalation as fighting intensifies in Ethiopia. The appeal highlights growing concern over the impact of renewed hostilities on civilians, and comes amid reports of worsening conditions on the ground. Observers are watching for whether the parties to the conflict respond to international pressure to step back.

Chinese President Xi Jinping missed the dinner for world leaders at the G20 summit in New Delhi because he was unwell, according to people familiar with the matter. The report has fueled fresh speculation about the 70-year-old leader's health, coming just days before he was scheduled to travel to the United States, and has drawn wide attention and debate about his condition and absence from a key diplomatic gathering.

Reporting by The Atlantic describes a covert administrative apparatus Russia is constructing in occupied Ukrainian territories, including proxy governance, local collaborators, and parallel institutions that consolidate control behind the front lines. The article argues this is a deliberate effort to make annexation permanent, shaping how analysts and policymakers view the prospects for any territorial settlement in the war.

Germany's foreign minister met Russian counterparts in a rare direct encounter, urging Moscow to abandon what Berlin called a dangerous escalation of the war in Ukraine. The meeting stands out amid the near-total breakdown of high-level contacts between Berlin and Moscow since Russia's full-scale invasion, and is being watched for signs of any diplomatic opening.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that Iran will never seek to build a nuclear bomb, ahead of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The pledge, made shortly before his address in New York, is being read as an attempt to ease tensions with Western powers over Iran's nuclear programme and to signal Tehran's position on the international stage.

French President Emmanuel Macron used his final address to the UN General Assembly to criticise Israel and condemn what he called Donald Trump's 'shameful' diplomacy over Gaza. The speech, delivered amid the ongoing conflict and stalled ceasefire efforts, signals sharp French frustration with US handling of the war.

A new NBC News poll shows President Donald Trump's approval rating falling to 41% among registered voters, a second-term low, with 55% disapproving. More voters are also criticizing his handling of the economy, a shift that matters as the closely watched midterm elections approach and both parties gauge voter sentiment heading into the campaign season.

US intelligence has reportedly warned Spain, France and Italy that Russia may be preparing drone attacks against targets in Southern Europe. The alert was shared with European governments following contacts involving the CIA director, according to Spain's El Mundo. The report is drawing wide attention across France, Italy and Spain as governments face renewed questions about Russian activity on European soil.

Mike Waltz, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, said Iran was not negotiating 'in good faith' in efforts to end the war. The accusation, reported by The Guardian, adds to diplomatic tension around the conflict and suggests Washington sees Tehran's engagement in talks as insincere, complicating prospects for a ceasefire.

A New York Times report says investors on Wall Street are increasingly questioning the wave of spending and IPOs tied to AI data centers. Concerns center on whether massive capital expenditures will generate returns matching the valuations, with data center offerings facing a cooler reception than the broader artificial intelligence frenzy.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, insisting Iran is not seeking a nuclear bomb and framing his message around regional security and 'peace through strength'. The speech drew wide attention amid ongoing tensions over Iran's nuclear programme and the future of negotiations with Western powers. Commentators are weighing whether the conciliatory tone signals a genuine shift in Tehran's approach.

Moscow was struck by a wave of drone attacks that reports describe as the largest ever Ukrainian onslaught on the Russian capital. Details on casualties and damage remain limited, but the scale of the strike has drawn wide attention, with observers calling it a significant escalation in Ukraine's long-range campaign against targets inside Russia.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb delivered a widely noted address at the UN General Assembly, arguing that the international order is entering a period of 'world disorder' marked by weakened multilateral institutions, great-power rivalry and growing insecurity. The speech is being highlighted as one of the assembly's most important interventions, drawing praise and debate for its blunt framing of the global situation.

At the UN General Assembly, Iran, Türkiye and Qatar used their addresses and right-of-reply to condemn Israel over the war in Gaza, delivering some of the sharpest criticisms of the session. Their speeches accused Israel of aggression and violations of international law, keeping Gaza at the centre of the assembly's diplomatic agenda.