- Multiple US Companies Warn Employees Following Assassination of Charlie Kirk.
- Worldwide Demonstrations, Vigils Commemorate Charlie Kirk: Cities around the world were filled with large demonstrations throughout the weekend following the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 at a university in Utah.
- Ukraine launched several hundred drones against the Kirishi oil refinery in Russia. Although starting a brief fire, the scale of the damage was not clear.
- Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, is not cooperating with authorities, says Utah Governor Spencer Cox. Robinson had yet to admit to the murder, and authorities are still unsure as to his motives.
- Pro-Palestinian protesters resulted in the Vuelta a España ending early on Sunday. Winner Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard was prevented from crossing the final finish line in triumph on the 21st stage due to protesters blocking it in Madrid.
- The Emmy Awards are underway. Seth Rogen has nabbed a spot for best comedy actor. At the time of writing, the top drama spots were not yet announced, but expect Severance and The Pitt to win big.
- At the G20 finance ministers meeting in South Africa, the Western Cape’s Ivan Meyer met Canada’s François-Philippe Champagne, who declared, “Canada is open for business”. Meyer said a trade delegation will visit Canada in October to promote the province’s wine and table grapes.
- AstraZeneca has paused a R4.7-billion (£200-million) expansion in Cambridge, shelving 1,000 jobs, after earlier scrapping a R10.6-billion (£450-million) plant. Drugmakers cite hostile UK conditions, higher overseas drug prices and shifting investment to the US amid Donald Trump’s tariff threats.
- Britain and the US will sign a deal during Trump’s state visit to boost nuclear power, supporting new plants. Plans include expanding Sizewell C, developing Rolls-Royce SMRs and building up to 12 reactors via X-Energy and Centrica.
- China’s factory output growth hit a one-year low in August and retail sales fell to a nine-month low, highlighting weak demand. The slowdown pressures Beijing to add stimulus to meet its 5% growth target amid property and job market woes.
- A US delegation led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and a Chinese group headed by Vice Premier He Lifeng meet again today in Madrid for talks. Included in the agenda are national security issues and TikTok. Officials were also expected to prepare for a potential meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping as soon as October.
- Germany’s far-right party tripled support in municipal elections in the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia, intensifying pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government to revive growth and push through reforms. Anti-immigration AfD increased its share of the vote by 9.4 percentage points to 14.5% and narrowly missed winning the mayor’s race in Gelsenkirchen, according to preliminary results.
- The European Central Bank’s current interest rate cycle has come to its end, or very close to it, Austrian central bank governor Martin Kocher told the FT. Meanwhile, Trump predicted a “big cut” from the Federal Reserve this week.
- China’s economic activity slowed more than expected for a second month with a sharp slump in investment, adding to the likelihood that policymakers will roll out more stimulus. Production at Chinese factories and mines expanded 5.2% in August from a year earlier. Retail sales and pre-owned home prices were worse than forecast.
- Trump’s love for the Royal Family has been leveraged by the UK in the months since he retook the White House, in order to curry favor with an unpredictable leader prone to picking fights with allies that often result in diplomatic and economic strains.
- The Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury has refuted claims that the Department of Social Development is a ‘perpetual underspender’ when it comes to spending on critical stopgaps in the fight against hunger, like the provision of food parcels – but conceded that the province’s approach needs urgent revision.
- US tariffs are dealing a heavy blow to jobs, but the country’s factories and fishing fleets were already on their knees after years of ANC policy and governance failures that led to power cuts, collapsing railways and the deindustrialisation of the economy.
- UK news – Britain will “never surrender” to far-right protesters who use the English flag as cover for violence and to instil fear, Keir Starmer has said, condemning attacks against police officers and racist harassment after more than 110,000 people attended an extremist London rally.
- Crime – Christian Brueckner, prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, has refused to be interviewed by the Metropolitan police before his pending release from prison in Germany, Scotland Yard has said.
- US – The Utah governor, Spencer Cox, has said 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Turning Point USA executive director Charlie Kirk, “does come from a conservative family – but his ideology was very different than his family”. Robinson was not cooperating with authorities, said Cox.
- Europe – Poland’s foreign minister has said the Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace was an attempt by the Kremlin to test Nato’s reactions by incremental escalations without prompting a full-scale response, as Romania became the second Nato country to report an incursion in a matter of days.
- Television – It was a full sweep for Adolescence at the Emmys, winning every award in which the show was nominated tonight. Fifteen-year-old Owen Cooper made history as the youngest ever actor to win the Emmy for best supporting actor in a limited series.
- Qatar is a small wealthy country surrounded by bombastic neighbours in a volatile region. Its population is about 3 million, only 13% of whom are Qatari citizens. The rest of the population is made up largely of migrant workers. Qatar made a calculation about a decade ago that in order to remain safe, it must be indispensable to geopolitical superpowers that shape the region. It did so by becoming the global capital of diplomacy.
- Ha Dang will represent Britain in the spreadsheet world championships in Las Vegas this December. The 33-year-old has won himself a slot at the contest after seeing off more than 40 rivals in the inaugural British competition, a feat that has left him “astounded and privileged”.
- One thing working well in South Africa: South Africa’s highly liquid, well-regulated capital markets, anchored by the Reserve Bank’s credibility, have attracted strong foreign investment and helped it avoid the crises plaguing many other emerging markets.
- New South African bank has big problems: A long-time Old Mutual Money Account user’s attempt to switch to the new OM Bank left them without access to their funds for over two weeks.
- One mistake costing South Africa billions: Economist Dawie Roodt said it was a mistake to give trade unions the immense power they wield in South Africa, with the country’s rigid labour market preventing it from achieving the 5% GDP growth needed to address unemployment.
- Ramaphosa losing control: President Cyril Ramaphosa is increasingly seen as a lame duck, with his failure to assert authority over the state and drive economic reforms leaving South Africa vulnerable to political instability.
- Another hammer blow from the US for South Africa: The United States is not likely to extend Agoa, placing further strain on South Africa’s relationship with the world’s largest economy.
- Eskom system breach worse than first believed: Large-scale electricity theft perpetrated by Eskom insiders could be contributing to billions of rands of municipal debt that local governments should rightly not have to pay.
- Online shopping to soar to R130 billion in South Africa: A study has shown that online shopping will account for 10% of all retail by the end of 2025.
- South Africa’s electricity prices have grown three times faster than household income: With electricity prices increasing steeply in South Africa, many households are considering ditching Eskom for solar power solutions.
- One mistake that could cost South Africans over R1 million: With billions of retirement savings withdrawn just one year after the launch of the two-pot system, experts warn that taking out savings early could cost individuals over R1 million by the time they retire.
- South Africa heading for disaster: South Africa’s failure to secure a trade deal with the US has left its exports severely disadvantaged, threatening key industries, cutting growth forecasts, and risking widespread job losses.
- Ramaphosa sends a warning to the ANC: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told his African National Congress party that a failure to tackle municipal dysfunction in next year’s local government elections could cost it dearly.
- The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze, were presented last night. The three-hour ceremony ended only three minutes overtime, after Bargatze challenged winners to keep speeches under 45 seconds. HBO Max’s “The Pitt” nabbed best drama and best actor in a drama (Noah Wyle)—two of the night’s top awards. Apple TV+’s “The Studio” swept up a record-breaking 13 awards this year (including nine Creative Arts Emmys last week), the most wins by a comedy series in a single season. The show took home best comedy and best actor in a comedy (Seth Rogen), with Rogen also winning a directing award. Owen Cooper—the 15-year-old star of Netflix’s crime drama “Adolescence”—separately became the youngest male winner in any acting category when he won best actor in a limited series.
- An estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people protested at the nationalist-populist Unite the Kingdom rally in London Saturday. Some protesters turned violent—punching, kicking, and throwing bottles at police officers—injuring 26 people. Over two dozen people were arrested. The event was organized by Tommy Robinson, an advocate for free speech and British heritage known for his anti-Muslim and anti-migrant views.
- “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” hauls in $70M for the biggest US domestic box office opening weekend ever for an anime film.
- Electric vehicle sales in January through August rise 25% worldwide compared to the same window last year, increase 6% in North America.
- New tsunami alert system from NASA successfully detected 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in late July, provided warning to Hawaii 30 to 40 minutes before waves arrived.
- Neuroscientists create miniature wearable microscope allowing imaging of mouse brains in real time; will help link behaviors and perception with specific brain circuits.
- US stock markets close mixed Friday (S&P 500 -0.0%, Dow -0.6%, Nasdaq +0.4%) in lead-up to anticipated interest rate cuts this week.
- Cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, backed by the Winklevoss twins, raises $425M in initial public offering, with shares closing up 14.3%. | What are IPOs and how do they work? (1440 Topics)
- Penske Media—owner of Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, and Variety—sues Google over AI summaries; attributes drop in site traffic, revenue to the rollout.
- Memorial honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk is set for this upcoming Sunday, Sept. 21, in Arizona.
- Taliban rulers say they have reached a deal with the US to swap detainees, with at least six Americans still held captive in Afghanistan; White House has not confirmed as of this writing.
- Romania and Poland deploy fighter jets to protect their airspace following detection of Russian drones.
- When residents of Equatorial Guinea’s Annobón island wrote to the government in Malabo in July last year complaining about the dynamite explosions by a Moroccan construction company, they didn’t expect the swift end to their internet access. Dozens of the signatories and residents were imprisoned for nearly a year, while internet access to the small island has been cut off since then, according to several residents and rights groups.
- AI Can Code Faster Than Humans, but Speed Comes With Far-Reaching Risks.
- ICE Requests Removal of Cuban Illegal Alien Charged With Murder in Texas Beheading.
- China’s factory output and retail sales reported their weakest growth since last year in August, keeping pressure on Beijing to roll out more stimulus to fend off a sharp slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy.
- China’s market regulator said that a preliminary investigation had found that Nvidia violated the country’s anti-monopoly law, marking the latest hit for the US chip giant.
- The United States and Britain will announce agreements on technology and civil nuclear energy during Donald Trump’s unprecedented second state visit this week, as the UK hopes to finalize steel tariffs under a much-vaunted trade deal.
- Old-fashioned barter is on the rise in Russia’s foreign trade for the first time since the 1990s, as companies seeking to outfox Western sanctions swap wheat for Chinese cars and flax seeds for building materials.
- Fitch’s downgrade of France’s credit rating has cast a pall over newly installed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu as he begins talks to draft a budget, while unions plan strikes over spending cuts and employers protest against the threat of tax hikes.
- French oil major TotalEnergies has launched the second development phase at Iraq’s Ratawi oilfield and has begun building an accompanying seawater treatment plant, it said, the final stages of a $27 billion multi-energy project.
- France has warned it may try to block some crypto firms licenced in other EU countries from operating domestically as part of a push to get oversight transferred to the bloc’s central securities regulator, the head of its financial watchdog told Reuters.
- A long-awaited sale hearing expected to complete a US court-organized auction of shares in the parent of Venezuela-owned US refiner Citgo Petroleum is set to begin, with bidders and creditors locked in a bitter dispute over who should win.
- US Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni demonstrates the Typhon, a ground-launched missile system, in Japan, September 15, 2025.
- The US showcased its Typhon intermediate-range missile system in Japan for the first time, underscoring Washington and Tokyo’s growing willingness to field weapons that Beijing has condemned as destabilising.
- Nepal’s interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki unveiled cabinet roles for three figures with reformist and anti-graft credentials to lead the Himalayan nation after deadly violence led to parliament’s dissolution.
- China is intentionally mischaracterizing World War Two-era documents to put pressure on, and isolate, Taiwan, as those accords made no determination of the island’s ultimate political status, the de facto US embassy in Taipei said.
- A Myanmar military airstrike on a school last week killed at least 19 students, an ethnic militia said, as the war-torn nation’s ruling junta steps up a campaign to retake territory ahead of a planned election in December.
- Russia warned it would go after any European state that sought to take its assets after reports that the EU is looking for new ways to leverage hundreds of billions of dollars of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine. Separately, US military officers paid a surprise visit to Belarus to observe war games between Russia and Belarus.
- Israel destroyed a score of buildings in Gaza City, killing at least 16 Palestinians, local health authorities said, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
- US President Donald Trump said that he would call a national emergency and federalize Washington, D.C., adding to a move critics have called federal overreach, after Mayor Muriel Bowser said its police would not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- The man arrested in the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk is not cooperating with authorities, but investigators are working to establish a motive for the shooting by talking to his friends and family, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said.
- Emergency room saga “The Pitt” was toasted as the year’s best television drama, and show-business satire “The Studio” was crowned best comedy, as Hollywood stars handed out trophies at the annual Emmy Awards. Missed out on the Emmys? Here is a list of key winners.
- From Gaza to Europe, via jet ski: A daring escape story – It took more than a year, several thousand dollars, ingenuity, setbacks and a jet ski: this is how Muhammad Abu Dakha, a 31-year-old Palestinian, managed to escape from Gaza to reach Europe.
- Plastic pollution, discarded fishing nets and coastal development are taking a heavy toll on Nigeria’s sea turtles. An additional threat to sea turtles comes from brisk demand for their meat, shells and eggs in Nigeria, both for consumption and traditional ritual uses.
- Redemptive reading: Uzbekistan has approved a law that will allow prisoners to reduce their sentences by up to 30 days per year by reading selected books.
- Storm Amy arrives: The Met office has released a Yellow wind warning as the first storm of the season blows through the UK.
- Amazing awards: The Emmys took place over the weekend, with one powerful show dominating the wins.
- Ancient assumptions: The excavation of an ancient burial site dating back over 5,000 years could upend old stereotypes about the roles of women in Stone Age societies.
- From NSFAS to universities and colleges, Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela says all systems are ready for 2026, despite limited spaces for first-year students across higher learning institutions and funding pressure as more students qualify for aid.
- Veteran Cape Town journalist Sandiso Phaliso was assaulted and had his phone confiscated by the SAPS twice in five days this month, News24 reports. Daily Maverick journalist Julia Evans was injured by a police rubber bullet last week.
- The three people accused of orchestrating the theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm pleaded not guilty as the trial kicked off today.
- A US official warned that they will proceed with their TikTok ban if China doesn’t drop its demands for reduced tariffs and technological restrictions as part of a divestiture deal with Chinese-owned ByteDance.
- Russia claims it is “obvious” that Nato is fighting a war against Russia by arming and funding Ukraine’s war effort, claiming the alliance “is de facto involved in this war”.
- Utah Governor: Charges Against Kirk’s Suspected Assassin to Be Filed on Sept. 16.
- ICE Requests Removal of Cuban Illegal Alien Charged With Murder in Texas Beheading.
- Texas Rep. McCaul Announces He Will Not Run for Reelection Next Year: Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) announced during a Sept. 14 interview on ABC “This Week” that he will not run for reelection next year. McCaul, 63, said in the interview that…
- Thousands Honor Charlie Kirk at DC Prayer Vigil: WASHINGTON—Thousands of people came together to remember Charlie Kirk and offer tearful tributes at the John F. Kennedy Center on Sunday. “I’m a better person for knowing him, and we’re…
- Trump Hints TikTok Deal Reached With China, Will Speak With Xi on Friday: President Donald Trump suggested in a social media post on Sept. 15 that a deal had been reached on the fate of TikTok, as top U.S. and Chinese negotiators met…
- Trump Says He Will Declare National Emergency If Washington Stops Cooperating With ICE: President Donald Trump on Sept. 15 threatened to declare a national emergency in Washington after Mayor Muriel Bowser said local police would no longer cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
- Visits from foreign heads of state are nothing new in Windsor but Donald Trump’s promises to be different. The US president is due to stay overnight at Windsor Castle with King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Wednesday.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday, nearly a week after the Israeli military launched an airstrike targeting Hamas negotiators in Qatar, incensing much of the Arab Middle East.
- Is New Zealand broken, and a place that young people should be escaping from? According to Stuff columnist Verity Johnson, it may well be. “I guarantee that not one person, of the 201 leaving NZ today, is thinking of coming back.
- The South Korean government says it is investigating potential human rights violations during the raid and detention of Korean workers by US authorities.
World News – 15 September 2025
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The difference between the South African football team and a tea bag is that the tea bag stays in the cup
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Fun South African Fact: Can you think of any other place in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners lived on the same street? Both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu had houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto.