World News

Russian Drone Strike Wounds Five in Ukraine’s Odesa: September 13, 2026

KYIV — At least five people were wounded in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Odesa on Sunday morning, officials said, a day after strikes on the city killed two people, Reuters reported.

“Residential areas were damaged in several districts of the city. Authorities are assessing the full extent of the damage,” Odesa military administration head Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram.

Odesa, home to Ukraine’s main port hub, has faced persistent Russian missile and drone attacks in recent months, forcing the closure of seaports crucial to Ukrainian exports. Officials said a Russian drone struck the city Saturday morning, hitting an apartment building and killing two people while injuring 26.

Several other regions in western Ukraine were also targeted overnight and into Sunday morning, regional authorities said, without immediately reporting civilian casualties.

Sources: Reuters

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Swedes Vote in Election That Could Bring Far Right Into Government: September 13, 2026

STOCKHOLM — Swedes were voting Sunday in a closely fought parliamentary election that will either bring a far-right party into government for the first time or shift the country back toward the liberalism it has long been known for, Reuters reported.

Opinion polls this week showed Sweden’s centre-left opposition holding a narrow lead over the ruling right-wing bloc. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who trailed for most of his term, has been catching up, while rival Magdalena Andersson and her Social Democrats have lost ground.

Kristersson has pledged to bring the far-right Sweden Democrats into government if his bloc wins. The right has already agreed on a four-party cabinet if victorious. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time; exit polls are expected soon after they close at 1800 GMT.

Over the past four years, the minority coalition backed by the Sweden Democrats has abolished permanent residency for refugees, tightened welfare rules, and boosted expulsions. Supporters credit those policies with cutting gang violence and immigration; critics say civil liberties have been eroded and households squeezed by weak growth.

Sources: Reuters

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Trump Says He Could ‘Settle’ Falklands Dispute With Argentina: September 13, 2026

DUBLIN — President Donald Trump said Saturday he expects to be called on to “settle” any potential conflict over the Falkland Islands, describing rising U.K.–Argentina tension as a “potential disaster,” The Independent and Bloomberg reported.

Speaking alongside Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Trump questioned whether Britain would “be willing to travel that far” if Argentina invaded as in 1982, saying it would take “weeks by boat.” He added: “I’m sure I’ll be called into that potential disaster, but if they do, I’ll probably be able to settle it out.”

The remarks follow earlier comments in which Trump suggested Washington might not back Britain over the islands and said he was reviewing the traditional U.S. position. Argentine President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, has stepped up sovereignty claims and oil-related sanctions threats over the territory Argentina calls Las Malvinas.

In the Commons on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the United Kingdom would be “relentless” in defending the Falkland Islanders’ right to remain British. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has said the islands “are British and will remain so” because that is the islanders’ overwhelming preference.

Sources: The Independent, Bloomberg

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Carney Explores Canada as EU ‘Associate Member’: September 13, 2026

BRUSSELS — Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney wants closer links with the European Union and is exploring whether his country could become an “associate member” of the bloc, Reuters reported Sunday, citing The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal said EU and Canadian officials described openness to a yet-to-be-created associate membership status. The Canadian embassy in Brussels and European Commission spokespeople did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Canada’s escalating trade war with the United States has added urgency to Ottawa’s pivot toward other partners. Relations with Washington have deteriorated since President Donald Trump returned to office in early 2025, with tariffs covering tens of billions of dollars in cross-border trade.

According to the Journal, Canada and the EU are discussing freer movement of goods, services, and workers in strategic supply chains such as energy, AI, defence, and critical minerals, plus underwater cables, data centres, and energy infrastructure. Carney has spoken regularly with EU leaders, notably French President Emmanuel Macron, about visa-free living and work arrangements; the two are set to meet later this month.

Sources: Reuters

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World Brief, Evening: September 12, 2026

Houthi control of Perim puts Washington in a tighter Red Sea bind as Trump confirms intelligence help for Riyadh but no direct fight; Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline stays shut after drones from Iraq; and BRICS leaders in New Delhi adopt a joint declaration after Iran and the UAE compromise. Ten stories as of Saturday evening, September 12.

1. Perim / Bab el-Mandeb. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis reached Perim (Mayun) Island on Friday, putting them in position to choke Bab el-Mandeb after seizing Mocha, Reuters reported. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked Trump for U.S. military help; Trump told him Washington would share intelligence but not intervene directly for now, three sources told Reuters. Trump confirmed Saturday he had spoken to the crown prince and said the Houthis had also contacted his administration asking Washington not to join the fight. Saudi Arabia has leaned on Red Sea export routes since Hormuz disruptions, Reuters reported.

2. Riyadh / oil markets. Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline remained shut as a precaution after drones launched from Iraq hit sites in the Riyadh and Medina regions, causing injuries and damage, the Saudi energy and foreign ministries said. The line had been moving about 4–5% of global oil supply by routing crude around Hormuz, Reuters reported. Riyadh said it would not retaliate for now at Baghdad’s request; Iraq dismissed the Maysan operations commander and opened an investigation, BBC and Al Jazeera reported. Brent settled Friday at $104.61 and U.S. crude at $100.05, down on the day but finishing the week above $100 with a weekly gain of more than 8%, Reuters reported.

3. New Delhi. BRICS leaders unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration on Saturday after Iran and the UAE agreed a last-minute compromise on West Asia language, The Hindu and wires reported. The text expressed “deep concern” over Middle East escalation and called for maximum restraint without directly naming U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran or Iran’s subsequent attacks on Gulf neighbours; it made no separate mention of the war in Ukraine. Chinese President Xi Jinping, after a bilateral with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said China would take the BRICS chair next year. Member leaders continue Sunday at Bharat Mandapam under India’s chair.

4. Stockholm. Sweden votes Sunday in a general election that could see the hard-right Sweden Democrats enter government if the ruling right holds, the Guardian, BBC, and Reuters reported. Final Friday polls left the centre-left opposition ahead, but bloc gaps ranged from about 0.3 points to more than 5 points depending on the survey; the Liberals cleared the 4% threshold in the last readings. Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson remains favorite to return as prime minister. Polling stations close at 8 p.m. Sunday.

5. Kyiv. Russian air strikes across Ukraine on Saturday killed nine people and injured dozens, damaging homes, a grocery store, and Black Sea port areas, local officials told Reuters. President Zelenskiy said Russia had launched nearly 500 drones against Ukrainian targets since early morning and was expanding attacks on the economy. Separately, Zelenskiy said he would be willing to meet Putin at December’s G20 in Miami; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told AFP that was “impossible” and repeated that any face-to-face meeting would have to be in Moscow, RFE/RL reported. Ukraine said it struck a synthetic-rubber plant in Russia’s Samara region.

6. Wonsan / East Sea. North Korea fired several ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea around 5:20 a.m. Saturday; they flew about 250 kilometers, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, Al Jazeera, AFP, Reuters, and AP reported. The launches came a day after U.S.–South Korea–Japan Freedom Edge drills ended. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the event did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. territory or allies.

7. Washington. Trump confirmed Saturday he had spoken to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the Houthi advance and said the Houthis had also contacted his administration asking Washington not to become directly involved, Reuters reported. A senior administration official said the U.S. is focused on freedom of navigation in the Red Sea “while empowering our regional partners to take the lead.” Analysts told Reuters the Houthi move complicates Trump’s effort to keep the Iran fight from further driving U.S. energy prices.

8. Brasília. Newly unsealed Supreme Court records show Senator Flávio Bolsonaro — Lula’s leading right-wing challenger ahead of the October 4 election — has been under investigation since July for alleged corruption and money laundering tied to failed lender Banco Master and film financing linked to banker Daniel Vorcaro, Reuters and ABC News reported. Police examined about $12 million routed through a U.S. fund linked to Eduardo Bolsonaro. Flávio denies wrongdoing and says the film financing was legal. A full-court session on related Banco Master disputes is set for Tuesday.

9. Abuja / Johannesburg. Nigeria’s National Assembly suspended official visits to South Africa and ordered lawmakers to boycott South African-hosted legislative events over anti-migrant violence targeting Nigerians and other Africans, parliament spokesman Akin Rotimi said, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. Nigerian officials have cited dozens of Nigerian deaths in related attacks since 2022; South Africa’s foreign minister visited Abuja in July on the issue.

10. Ambae–Santo, Vanuatu. Inter-island ferry MV Matui sank Friday in rough seas between Ambae and Santo with 34 passengers and 11 crew aboard. Seven people were rescued and about 38 remained missing as searches continued Saturday, police told Vanuatu broadcaster VBCTC, ABC News reported. Luganville harbour master Terry Ngwele said two people were rescued Saturday; communities on Ambae were asked to watch for survivors.

Coming up. Sunday 13 September — BRICS summit continues, New Delhi; Sweden general election. Tuesday 15 September — Brazil Supreme Court full session (Banco Master disputes). Tuesday–Wednesday 15–16 September — Federal Open Market Committee with projections. Sept. 20 — Russia State Duma election. UNGA high-level week Sept. 22–26 and 28. The standing calendar is at The Watch.

Sources: Reuters; BBC; Al Jazeera; Associated Press; AFP; ABC News (Australia); The Hindu; The Guardian; RFE/RL.

World Brief: September 12, 2026

Houthis hold Perim at Bab el-Mandeb as Trump tells Riyadh the U.S. will share intelligence but not fight them directly; Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline stays shut after drones from Iraq; and BRICS leaders in New Delhi urge maximum restraint in the Middle East. Ten stories as of Saturday morning, September 12.

1. Perim / Bab el-Mandeb. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis reached Perim (Mayun) Island at the mouth of the Red Sea on Friday, putting them in position to choke Bab el-Mandeb after seizing Mocha, Reuters reported. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked Trump for U.S. military help against the Houthis; Trump told him Washington would share intelligence but not intervene directly for now, three sources told Reuters. Trump confirmed Saturday he had spoken to the crown prince. Saudi Arabia has leaned on Red Sea export routes since Hormuz disruptions, BBC and Reuters reported.

2. Riyadh / East-West pipeline. Saudi Arabia shut its critical East-West oil pipeline as a precaution after drones launched from Iraq’s Maysan province hit sites in the Riyadh and Medina regions, causing injuries and damage, the Saudi energy and foreign ministries said. The line had been moving about 4–5% of global oil supply by routing crude to Yanbu and around Hormuz, Reuters reported. Riyadh said it would not retaliate for now at Baghdad’s request; Iraq dismissed the Maysan operations commander and opened an investigation, BBC and Al Jazeera reported. Brent has pushed above $100 a barrel.

3. New Delhi. BRICS leaders unanimously adopted a New Delhi Declaration on Saturday expressing “deep concern” over Middle East escalation and calling for maximum restraint and a multilateral approach, Reuters reported. The bloc includes both Iran and the UAE; the text also flagged concern over unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures. Member leaders are meeting this weekend at Bharat Mandapam under India’s chair.

4. Wonsan / East Sea. North Korea fired several ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea around 5:20 a.m. Saturday; they flew about 250 kilometers, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, Al Jazeera, AFP, Reuters, and AP reported. The launches came a day after U.S.–South Korea–Japan Freedom Edge drills ended. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the event did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. territory or allies.

5. Kyiv / New Delhi. Russian strikes killed civilians and wounded dozens across Ukraine; regional tallies put the overnight toll as high as 11 dead and 96 injured, with Odesa hard hit, Euronews and local officials reported. At the BRICS summit, Putin warned that deploying European troops to Ukraine would mean “a war with Russia,” while denying Moscow threatens Europe, AP and wires reported via The Independent.

6. Beirut / Rome. U.S.-mediated Israel–Lebanon talks scheduled for Rome next week were postponed to October, a U.S. official told Axios; Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors are due to meet in Washington instead, Reuters reported. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Saturday there are “no new negotiations with Israel at present,” insisting on Israeli withdrawal, prisoner returns, and reconstruction as southern Lebanon saw further strikes and demolitions, Al Jazeera reported.

7. Bogotá. Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella formally shut down all peace negotiations with illegal armed groups on Friday, ending Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” talks with the ELN, FARC dissidents, Clan del Golfo, and urban gangs, the presidency said. Negotiators’ credentials were revoked; groups face voluntary submission to justice or military confrontation, Anadolu Agency reported.

8. Dublin / Ottawa. In Dublin with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, President Trump said Canada wants a trade deal “very badly” and that one is likely “fairly soon,” without saying formal talks had resumed, Bloomberg reported. Formal Canada–U.S. negotiations were suspended in August; Canada’s matching counter-tariffs on about $27.6 billion of U.S. goods took effect September 8, per the Government of Canada.

10. Ambae–Santo, Vanuatu. Inter-island ferry MV Matui sank Friday in rough seas between Ambae and Santo with 34 passengers and 11 crew aboard; seven people were rescued and about 38 remained missing as searches continued Saturday, police told Vanuatu broadcaster VBCTC, ABC News reported.

Coming up. Saturday–Sunday 12–13 September — BRICS summit, New Delhi (underway). Sunday 13 September — Sweden general election. Tuesday–Wednesday 15–16 September — Federal Open Market Committee with projections. Sept. 20 — Russia State Duma election. UNGA high-level week Sept. 22–26 and 28. The standing calendar is at The Watch.

Sources: Reuters; BBC; Al Jazeera; Associated Press; AFP; ABC News (Australia); Bloomberg; Anadolu Agency.

Trump Says U.S.-Canada Trade Deal Likely ‘Fairly Soon’: September 12, 2026

DUBLIN — President Donald Trump said Saturday that Canada wants a trade deal with the United States “very badly” and that an agreement could come “fairly soon,” Reuters reported after his meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.

“Canada has to treat our farmers better. They can’t charge our farmers tariffs,” Trump told reporters, adding: “You’ll probably see a deal with Canada fairly soon.” He did not say whether formal negotiations had resumed after talks collapsed last month.

Asked whether he intended to have the United States leave the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Trump sidestepped the question and returned to demands for better terms for U.S. farmers, Bloomberg and Reuters reported.

Canada’s retaliatory tariffs covering about $20 billion of U.S. goods took effect September 8 after Ottawa suspended negotiations, intensifying an 18-month trade dispute between the neighbors.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg

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Vanuatu Ferry Sinks With Dozens Missing: September 12, 2026

PORT VILA — Vanuatu authorities are searching for survivors after an inter-island ferry carrying 34 passengers and 11 crew sank in rough seas on Friday while sailing between Ambae and Santo, ABC News reported.

Police told national broadcaster VBCTC that MV Matui went down in critical weather. Seven people have been rescued and about 38 remain unaccounted for more than a day after the sinking, with boats and a flying-doctor aircraft continuing the search.

Communities along the Ambae coast were asked to watch for and help possible survivors. Former foreign minister Matai Seremaiah, aboard another vessel, helped rescue survivors. Flying Doctor Mark Turnbull dropped life jackets and helped locate people for rescue boats.

Terry Ngwele, harbour master at Luganville on Santo, told ABC the search would continue. Two additional survivors were spotted from the air late Friday, though darkness complicated retrieval, Seremaiah said.

Sources: ABC News

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Flavio Bolsonaro Faces Corruption Probe Weeks Before Brazil Election: September 12, 2026

BRASÍLIA — Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, a leading right-wing candidate in Brazil’s presidential election, is under investigation for alleged ties to disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro, according to court documents unsealed this week and reported by Al Jazeera and Reuters.

Documents show Supreme Court Justice André Mendonça opened a probe in July, at federal police request, into possible corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion linked to Vorcaro, former head of failed lender Banco Master. Police have put the alleged fraud at roughly $2.3 billion, with some 800,000 bank clients among the victims.

Data from Vorcaro’s phone showed about $12 million transferred to a U.S.-based fund linked to Flavio’s brother, Eduardo Bolsonaro, in 2025, allegedly for the film “Dark Horse” about their father, former President Jair Bolsonaro. Eduardo told Reuters the transfers were not bribes. Flavio has denied wrongdoing, saying he sought private investment for the film.

Voters go to the polls October 4, with Flavio challenging incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Both candidates have called for full transparency in the expanding Banco Master scandal.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters

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Colombia’s President Ends All Peace Talks With Armed Groups: September 12, 2026

BOGOTÁ — Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella on Friday formally shut down all peace negotiations with illegal armed groups, fulfilling a campaign promise to dismantle former President Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” strategy, Anadolu Agency reported.

Executive resolutions revoked credentials for government negotiators and ended dialogue tables involving the National Liberation Army (ELN), FARC dissident factions, the Clan del Golfo cartel, and urban criminal gangs in Medellín, Buenaventura, and Quibdó.

The presidency said the government was ending “dialogue processes, the socio-legal forums, and the ‘false peace,’” and would offer neither political recognition nor judicial leniency to illegal combatants. De La Espriella said more than 7 billion Colombian pesos (about $1.7 million) had been spent on negotiator fees alone, excluding security and logistics costs.

Barely a month into office, he said groups that truly want to disarm must submit to the justice system, while those who keep attacking civilians will face the full force of security forces.

Sources: Anadolu Agency

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