President Trump said Saturday he has rejected Iran’s seven-day Hormuz plan; Russian and Ukrainian strikes left at least ten dead as Lavrov accused Europe of blocking talks; and Ethiopia’s Tigray front flared again. Ten stories as of Saturday evening, September 26.
1. Washington / Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday that he has rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting in the wider Middle East war within seven days, Reuters reported. “I reject their proposal,” he said, arguing Tehran wants the strait open because it is “losing so badly.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had floated the plan at the U.N. via Qatari mediators. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told CBS Face the Nation Tehran is ready for talks on its nuclear programme but will not accept “bullying or coercion.” The Wall Street Journal earlier cited officials saying Trump sees a renewed bombing campaign as likely after the November midterms.
2. Kyiv / Zaporizhzhia / Krasnodar. Russian and Ukrainian attacks killed at least ten people on Saturday, Al Jazeera reported, citing AFP and AP. Russian strikes killed four in Ukraine — including two women under rubble in Zaporizhzhia and two in Sumy — while Ukrainian strikes killed six in Russia and Russian-occupied territory, officials said. A Ukrainian drone hit in Krasnodar killed three. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is “not preparing to end the war” and that partners must choose stronger responses. He also said Washington had proposed a Russia–Ukraine–U.S. meeting in the United Arab Emirates and that Kyiv was awaiting a date.
3. New York. Russia’s Sergey Lavrov and Germany’s Johann Wadephul held their first foreign-minister talks since before Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, meeting on the U.N. General Assembly sidelines Saturday, Reuters reported. Wadephul pressed for steps to restore Black Sea grain exports and called for an immediate cease-fire focused on grain and energy infrastructure. Lavrov told a news conference he learned nothing new. At the Assembly, Lavrov accused Europe of doing “everything it can to thwart peace talks” that interest the Trump administration.
4. Tigray / Ethiopia. Intensified fighting between Ethiopia’s federal army and Tigrayan forces raised fears the 2022 Pretoria peace deal could collapse, Al Jazeera reported Saturday. Escalation followed a new seven-group alliance — including the TPLF, Amhara Fano, and Oromo Liberation Army — that seeks to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Fighting spread into Afar and Amhara; Tigrayan forces seized airports at Mekelle, Axum and Shire. The African Union called for an immediate halt and asked former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to re-engage the parties.
5. Bangkok. Authorities declared a flood disaster across all 50 districts of Thailand’s capital on Saturday after nearly 300 millimetres of rain since Thursday, Al Jazeera reported with AFP and AP. Governor Chadchart Sittipunt urged residents near filled canals to move belongings higher; about 980 people were in temporary shelters. Officials later said the situation had “stabilised” but that draining could take two or three days if rain holds off. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut short a London trip to return.
6. Riyadh / Yemen. Yemen’s Saudi-led coalition said early Saturday it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched by Iran-backed Houthis toward the kingdom, Reuters reported. Missiles were headed toward Khamis Mushait and drones toward Riyadh. The Houthis have attacked Saudi targets since declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July, adding pressure on Red Sea routes while Hormuz traffic remains largely blocked. Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish military chiefs met in Riyadh under their new Mecca joint defense pact.
7. Ecuador / Eastern Pacific. The Guardian reported Saturday that U.S. forces, with open support from Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, have destroyed multiple Ecuadorian fishing boats in joint counter-narcotics operations — removing crews before sinking vessels they say were used as floating refuelling stations. Fishers deny the allegations; a local human-rights group says more than 220 fishers have faced violent boardings and vessel destruction this year. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will “still blow up ships if need be.” Noboa has granted U.S. personnel immunity in the operations.
8. Kenge / Democratic Republic of Congo. Congo’s transport ministry said Saturday the death toll from Friday’s plane crash near Kenge, Kwango province, is 17 — all aboard — and immediately suspended TRACEP Congo Aviation’s air operator certificate, Xinhua reported. The Let L-410 had been flying toward Kinshasa when it developed a fault, circled looking for a landing site, then crashed into a residential compound and caught fire; no ground casualties were reported. Senior military justice officials were among the dead. President Félix Tshisekedi had ordered an investigation. Earlier reporting: Al Jazeera.
9. Hobart / Southern Ocean / Antarctica. A seven-metre uncrewed Saildrone vessel has begun a roughly 22,000-kilometre circumnavigation of Antarctica to measure ocean and atmospheric carbon dioxide, The Guardian reported, citing CSIRO scientists. Powered by wind and sun after leaving Hobart, it is expected to take seven to nine months via the Drake Passage and past South Africa. Dr Elizabeth Shadwick said the Southern Ocean absorbs a large share of human emissions and needs better year-round observation, including polar winter.
10. Washington. President Trump said Saturday he wants Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to “settle with Putin,” and hoped a deal might come “before the heavy winter,” as Saturday’s aerial war continued and Russia’s foreign minister insisted Moscow’s war aims would be achieved “no matter the circumstances,” wire reports and Al Jazeera said. Zelenskyy has urged Trump to implement new U.S. sanctions authority against Russia and those financing its war.
Coming up. Monday 28 September — UN General Assembly high-level week continues in New York. Tuesday–Wednesday 30 September–1 October — G20 trade ministers, Milwaukee. Sunday 4 October — Brazil general election (first round; runoff 25 October if needed). The standing calendar is at The Watch.
Sources: Reuters; Associated Press; Al Jazeera; AFP; The Guardian; Xinhua; CSIRO.
