“The United States Supreme Court has again sided with President Donald Trump in allowing him to freeze $4bn in foreign aid from being disbursed. The ruling on Friday, which reverses a lower court’s order, is the latest victory for the Trump administration in its effort to overhaul the money the US provides to humanitarian and other efforts abroad. It is also the latest example of the conservative-dominated top US court granting a broad interpretation of presidential power. The aid in question had already been approved by Congress, but its authorisation was set to expire by September 30. Trump moved to freeze the aid in a process known as a ‘pocket rescission,’ essentially running out the clock on it being spent.” (09/26/25)
“Thousands of people have taken part in an anti-femicide protest in Buenos Aires, demanding justice for a girl and two young women who were tortured and murdered in a crime that has shocked Argentina. The brutal killings of 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez, and Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, who were both 20, were livestreamed on social media. Police believe a drug-trafficking gang was responsible, and that the crime was broadcast as a warning to others. They had arrested five suspects … but a 20-year-old Peruvian man they say is the group’s leader remains at large. The victims were lured into a van believing they were headed for a party on 19 September, according to investigators. But authorities said this was part of a plan to ‘punish’ the girl and young women for violating gang code, serving as a warning to others.” (09/28/25)
“Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and Steve Bannon are all named in copies of Jeffrey Epstein’s daily schedules released Friday by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee. The schedules make reference to Musk possibly flying to an ‘island’ in 2014, and Thiel and Bannon apparently dining with Epstein as recently as 2017 and 2019, respectively. … Spokespeople for Musk, Thiel and Bannon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. … The schedules come from a third tranche of documents turned over to the panel in response to its subpoena of the Epstein Estate in August.” (09/26/25)
“Keir Starmer never had much of a political honeymoon. Now some members of his political party are considering divorce. Little more than a year after winning power in a landslide, Britain’s prime minister is fighting to keep the support of his party, and to fend off Nigel Farage, whose hard-right Reform UK has a consistent lead in opinion polls. The next election is as much as four years away, but as thousands of Labour Party members gather Sunday for their annual conference beside the River Mersey in Liverpool, lawmakers are growing anxious. A potential leadership rival has emerged in Andy Burhnam, the ambitious mayor of Manchester. Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said the party’s mood is ‘febrile.'” (09/27/25)
“Dozens upon dozens of United Nation delegates orchestrated a walk out before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech on Friday morning. Netanyahu gave his address to a nearly empty room. Delegates from the United States and the United Kingdom were confirmed to have stayed for for Netanyahu’s address. However, neither nation had sent their ambassador to the United Nations to see Netanyahu’s address; instead, the seats were filled by lower-level diplomats, the Associated Press reported. … Meanwhile on Thursday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas gave a virtual address to the United Nations which was met with rounds of applause and a full room. He was unable to attend the United Nations General Assembly in person because United States officials denied his visa, citing Abbas’ support of terrorism.” (09/26/25)
“The FBI has fired a group of agents who were pictured kneeling at a racial justice protest over the death of George Floyd, US media report. The termination letter cited alleged ‘lack of judgement’ in their actions, according to a source cited by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. Between 15 to 20 agents have reportedly been sacked. The agents reportedly took the knee alongside others during a demonstration in 2020. Floyd, a black man, had been [murdered] by a police officer who knelt on his neck in May that year, sparking global outcry. The FBI Agents Association condemned the dismissals, stating that the agents’ rights had been violated. The FBI declined to comment when contacted by the BBC.=” (09/28/25)
“Slovakia’s parliament amended its constitution Friday to state that all citizens are either male or female, limit adoption to married heterosexual couples and ban surrogacy. Several human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the Venice Commission, have raised concerns — particularly over an article in the amendment that grants Slovakia’s national law precedence over EU law in ‘cultural and ethical matters.’ … Since Fico returned to power in October 2023, Slovakia has cracked down on independent media and judiciary, along with LGBTQ+ and artists’ rights, following an ‘illiberal’ playbook sketched out by Hungary.” (09/26/25)
“A report released by the National Park Service on Thursday shows that visitor spending at national parks increased by nearly 10% between 2023 and 2024, partly due to an increase in visitation that comes at an especially precarious time for the park system. Visitors at national parks spent an estimated $29 billion in local gateway regions in 2024, the report states. The highest percentage of that money – 38.29%, or $11.1 billion – was spent at hotels. Restaurants received $5.7 billion in visitor spending, and visitors spent $2.6 billion on recreation industries. The total national economic output of visitor spending at national parks was $56.3 billion, according to the report. In California, visitors spent the most money – $1.8 billion – at the Bay Area’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which saw the second-highest spending figure in the country after Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina.” (09/27/25)
“Atlanta’s airport has forfeited at least $37.5 million because city leaders have refused to disavow diversity, equity and inclusion programs as mandated by President Donald Trump’s administration. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic, declined on July 29 to agree to terms set out by the Federal Aviation Administration. Those terms certify that the airport doesn’t ‘operate any programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws.’ That language mirrors a January executive order signed by Trump banning DEI programs operated by anyone doing business with or receiving money from the federal government.” (09/26/25)
“President Trump on Thursday announced a slew of product-specific tariffs [on American consumers] set to take effect on Oct. 1, including duties on [American buyers of] any pharmaceuticals whose manufacturers don’t have plants in the U.S. The tariffs, which are on top of sweeping reciprocal duties Trump has imposed on [American buyers of goods from] countries worldwide, are likely to spur criticism, particularly when it comes to pharmaceutical imports. Experts have raised concerns that those tariffs could cause supply chain issues and make certain drugs more difficult and expensive to acquire. … Trump separately announced the administration would impose a 50 percent tariff on [American buyers of] all kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and associated products starting on Oct. 1, as well as a 30 percent tariff on upholstered furniture. … The president also said there would be a 25 percent tariff beginning Oct. 1 on [American buyers of] ‘Heavy (Big!) Trucks’ made outside the United States.” (09/25/25)
