- Binance’s BNB coin soared past the $1,000 mark for the first time, reaching an all-time high of $1,002.70. The rally is partly down to the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates, which often encourages investment in assets like crypto.
- The rumours were true and global payments giant PayPal is rolling out peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto transfers. Users in the US will soon be able to send bitcoin, ether, and PayPal’s stablecoin (PYUSD) directly to friends, family and even external wallets, with plans to expand internationally.
- The London Stock Exchange (LSE) has launched a blockchain-based platform for private funds. Developed with Microsoft, the system aims to use distributed ledger technology to improve liquidity and investor access to private markets.
- Ethereum erupted in a heated discussion over the 45-day waiting period to unstake it. The delay was called “troubling” by an executive at Galaxy Digital, especially when compared with Solana’s two-day process. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin defended the friction, arguing that staking is a “solemn duty to defend the chain” and not something that should be exited instantly.
- France’s financial regulator is considering blocking crypto firms from operating in the country if they are licensed in other, more lenient EU states. This move challenges the EU’s “passporting” system under the new Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, which was designed to create a single, harmonised market.
- The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has granted temporary licensing exemptions for intermediaries distributing licensed stablecoins. This currently applies only to the AUDM stablecoin and aims to reduce the burden of compliance costs until a full framework is implemented.
- CDC Advisers May Alter Childhood Vaccine Recommendation: The committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may advise the agency to change the current recommendation that all infants receive a dose of the hepatitis B…
- Americans’ Satisfaction With K–12 Education Plummets to Record Low: The lowest number of Americans in more than two decades said they are satisfied with K–12 education in the United States, according to a Walton Family Foundation-Gallup poll released on…
- US Weekly Jobless Claims Fall to 1-Month Low After Sharp Decline: Employment data continue to send mixed signals about labor market conditions as the number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits declined to a one-month low. For the week…
- Obama Says Charlie Kirk Assassination ‘Horrific and a Tragedy’: The assassination of Charlie Kirk was “horrific and a tragedy,” former President Barack Obama said during remarks at the Jefferson Educational Society on Sept. 16, while disagreeing with Kirk’s positions.
- US President Donald Trump moved further away from Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian leader had “let me down” in the wake of August’s red carpet event in Alaska that was intended to help bring Moscow’s war against Ukraine to a close.
- The Bank of England held interest rates at 4%, as economists expected, and left the prospect of more cuts later this year in doubt after growing concerns over a resurgence in inflation. Policymakers also voted to slow the pace at which the BOE is reducing its government bond holdings after gilt-market volatility drove long-term borrowing costs to their highest in almost 30 years.
- Nestle’s new leadership is trying to move past a scandal that rocked its top ranks and return the world’s largest food company to investor favor. New Chief Executive Officer Philipp Navratil this week promised staff that he’ll come up with a plan to revive sluggish performance. Bloated costs, volatile consumer demand and management missteps drove Nestle’s shares down about 45% since a peak in 2022.
- Trump reaffirmed his opposition to a looming UK decision to recognize a Palestinian state, but the US president passed up the chance to personally urge Starmer to reconsider the move. While Britain has been expected to follow through on its promise to recognize Palestine due to Israel not meeting its conditions to commit to a ceasefire in Gaza, officials wanted to wait until Trump’s state visit had concluded to avoid a political clash, we reported earlier.
- Swiss exports to the US fell sharply in August after the highest US tariff levied among developed nations dealt a severe blow. Swiss sales to America excluding gold, adjusted for seasonal swings, were 22% lower in August than in July. That includes significantly fewer watch exports. Gold exports also ground to a near halt, with customs data showing a more than 99% slump to just 0.3 tons in August from July.
- London office real estate is back. New Jersey-based Conversant Capital signed a partnership with private equity firm Castleforge that will invest in more than £1 billion ($1.4 billion) of London offices. While vacancies more than doubled following the pandemic, an acute lack of new development has caused a severe supply squeeze for the best new space, causing rents to rise sharply in the most sought-after districts.
- Villas off Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea shores are the latest symbols of the kingdom’s property-market boom. The new homes — some priced as high as $40 million — are being built on a ring-shaped island by a developer owned by Saudi Arabia’s $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund. The properties are key to plans to turn the kingdom into a top holiday destination for tourists and some of the millions who come for the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
- South Africa kept borrowing costs unchanged, even as cooler-than-expected inflation brought policymakers closer to the 3% target at which they now aim. Central bankers maintained the benchmark interest rate at 7%, the lowest level since November 2022. The decision was split among the six-member monetary policy committee with four voting to keep rates unchanged and two seeking a quarter point reduction.
- Walt Disney-owned ABC announced it was pulling Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show off the air, bowing to pressure by conservative activists and FCC Chair Brendan Carr.
- After nearly 30 years of sharing resources and editorial staff, MSNBC and NBC News will officially split beginning next month.
- The Associated Press reports Trump and Starmer signed a US-UK tech deal during Trump’s state visit.
- Erica Orden of Politico reports an immigration judge has ordered Mahmoud Khalil deported to Syria or Algeria.
- Ian King of Bloomberg News reports Nvidia has agreed to invest $5 billion in Intel and said the two will co-develop chips.
- Suzanne Leigh and Daniel Sandford of BBC News report three people have been arrested in Essex, England, on suspicion of spying on behalf of Russia.
- Speakers announced for Kirk’s memorial service, including Trump and Vance.
- Trump and Starmer sign ‘historic’ technology deal at joint press conference, discuss global conflicts.
- Muslim Dearborn mayor tells Christian resident he is ‘Not welcome’ after questioning street sign honoring controversial Arab leader.
- The Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, fly over Windsor as Royals honor Trump at Windsor Castle.
- Tim Walz announces run for third gubernatorial term, slams Trump admin. in new campaign video.
- President Trump and First Lady Melania visit Queen Elizabeth’s burial site.
- Texas State student expelled after acting out Charlie Kirk assassination on campus.
- KwaZulu-Natal police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has alleged various plots to ultimately disrupt investigations into a criminal syndicate in South Africa. These include intelligence leaks and that malicious investigators are embedded in a corruption-busting authority.
- About a dozen New York state and local elected officials were arrested on Thursday at a Manhattan building where ICE agents operate holding cells. The group, which included a city comptroller and 10 state lawmakers, was taken into custody after being refused entry to inspect cells to “ensure compliance” with a court order.
- Chinese AI developer DeepSeek recently claimed it spent just $294,000 to train its new R1 model, which is significantly less than figures reported by its US rivals.
- Donald Trump has applauded Disney-owned ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel and said broadcasters that are critical of him should lose their licences.
- A treasure trove of amber – fossilised tree resin – has been found in the Amazon forest region of Ecuador. It contains well-preserved fossils of prehistoric insects, giving scientists a glimpse into life in the region 112 million years ago. This is the largest amber deposit found to date in South America.
- South African Reserve Bank holds rates to cement inflation target: The decision was close, with four members backing a hold and two pushing for a 25-basis-point cut. SARB governor Lesetja Kganyago said the pause is deliberate – that the bank wants to observe the impact of the 125 basis points in cuts since September last year before moving again.
- China said it trained its DeepSeek R1 model for just R5.1-million ($294,000) using 512 Nvidia H800 chips, far below US rivals’ costs. Its statement reignites debate over China’s AI race, amid US scrutiny of its chip access and alleged model distillation from OpenAI systems.
- Market research firm GfK said UK consumer confidence fell to -19 in September from -17 in August, as Britons grew gloomier ahead of likely tax hikes. All five confidence measures weakened, and savings sentiment slumped.
- Bank of Japan surprise. The BOJ stunned markets by announcing a plan to offload its massive exchange-traded fund holdings accumulated as part of its monetary easing program that ended last year. Policymakers kept interest rates unchanged at 0.5% as expected, but two board members pushed for a hike, putting the October meeting in play. The Nikkei 225 slid.
- Let’s talk. US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to hold a call today to determine the fate of TikTok—and potentially ease trade tensions. The Washington Post reported Trump has declined to approve a military aid package for Taiwan as he pursues a deal. China is also seeking an edge by shunning American soybeans for the first time in decades.
- It’s a wrap. Trump’s state visit to the UK dazzled with royal pomp and helped smooth over policy differences with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. While no major diplomatic breakthroughs occurred, the leaders emphasized their “unique bond” and celebrated £250 billion in bilateral investments, despite lingering disagreements on Gaza and trade.
- The EU plans to accelerate its phaseout of Russian liquefied natural gas imports, people familiar said. The US has called on Europe to quicken its wind-down of Russian fuel imports and has pressured allies to impose higher tariffs on India and China for their purchases of Russian oil.
- It’s iPhone day. The time has finally come for Apple customers that have been waiting for a fresh design before buying a new phone. In a first since 2020, Apple is rolling out several new iPhone designs. Initial signs show that the Pro models are selling well. Apple’s been having a tough time in China, where iPhone sales fell 6% ahead of the iPhone 17 launch, outpacing the overall market’s decline.
- MI6 has launched a dark web portal called Silent Courier to recruit spies securely. Interested? The agency will post instructions on YouTube to help recruits pass on information about hostile intelligence activity or terrorism.
- Gaza – More than a quarter of a million people have been displaced from Gaza City in the last month, new figures from the UN reveal, with tens of thousands more forced to flee makeshift homes and shelters daily in the face of a new Israeli offensive.
- UK news – The Bank of England has left interest rates on hold at 4% and will slow the pace of its “quantitative tightening” programme in the year ahead to avoid distorting jittery government bond markets.
- Immigration – The first Channel migrant has been deported to France under the controversial one in, one out deal, the Home Office has confirmed.
- UK politics – An extraordinary split has opened between Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana in the formation of their new leftwing party, with the former Labour leader suggesting he will take legal action over an unauthorised membership portal promoted by his co-leader.
- US news – Donald Trump suggested on Thursday that TV networks which cover him “negatively” could lose their licenses after his celebration of ABC suspending late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Trump said that Kimmel was “not a talented person” who “had very bad ratings”.
- South African homeowners face financial disaster: High inflation and interest rates have pushed many South Africans into mortgage arrears, leaving homeowners at risk of foreclosure and financial ruin.
- ANC policies crushed South Africa’s economy: South Africa’s business confidence has collapsed over the past 15 years due to poor government policies that ignore what companies need to invest locally and grow.
- South Africa has run out of options: South Africa’s only path out of its economic decline is deregulating economic sectors to unlock private capital for infrastructure investment, as the state does not have the financial space to invest.
- SARS is coming after these investments in South Africa: Proposed tax changes to Collective Investment Schemes mean that investors could soon see higher and earlier tax bills, less flexibility in restructuring investments, and possible double taxation risks on distribution.
- Eskom fast-tracking new, secure prepaid vending system after breach: Eskom says it has already reduced fraud linked to prepaid electricity tokens and is accelerating the development of a new, secure vending system for prepaid customers.
- Get ready for National Minimum Wage changes in 2026: The Department of Employment and Labour has given the National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission more time to get public input and submissions on adjustments to the NMW for 2026.
- Less than 15% of public schools have a functioning library: There are 22,511 public schools across the country, but only 26% have an on-site library, and just over half of those are stocked.
- Rand set to soar: US interest rate cuts are unlikely to be coupled with a reduction in local rates, potentially driving significant short-term rand strength.
- Reserve Bank votes to keep interest rates the same: Despite a decrease in inflation, the Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee has chosen to keep the repo rate at 7% and the prime lending rate at 10.50%.
- Andre de Ruyter calls for big BEE changes: Former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter argued that South Africa must drastically change BEE and expropriation policies, and adopt means-based empowerment to unlock faster economic growth.
- South Africa sleepwalking into a recession: The shift in United States trade policy has fuelled global economic uncertainty, heightening fears of a recession and threatening South Africa with slower growth, fewer jobs, weaker wages, and higher living costs.
- Sinclair Broadcast Group, the nation’s largest ABC affiliate owner, outlined demands yesterday for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to return to its stations after the host’s remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel suggested Kirk’s killer came from the MAGA movement, though prosecutors later indicted a suspect whose views were described by family as politically left-leaning.
- A vaccine advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meets for the second of two days today. It is expected to recommend delaying the hepatitis B vaccine administered to newborns, and will also discuss COVID-19 vaccines for children.
- Uber Technologies announced plans yesterday to begin aerial food deliveries in partnership with Tel Aviv-based drone operator Flytrex. The service will launch in unspecified test markets later this year; Uber shares closed up 1.9%.
- Police search home of singer D4vd after decomposed remains of missing 15-year-old girl found inside his vehicle last week.
- Elected Officials Arrested at Manhattan Immigration Facility: Federal agents arrested a dozen New York state elected officials inside a federal facility in Manhattan.
- In Pope Leo XIV’s first interview, he signaled a potential change to the Vatican’s China deal, saying he is listening to persecuted Catholics in China.
- Senate Confirms 48 Trump Nominees Under New Expedited Procedure.
- CDC Advisers Recommend Against Combo Vaccine for Young Children.
- Texas Governor Signs Bill Allowing Residents to Sue Mail-Order Abortion Pill Providers.
- Portland to Issue Land Use Violation Notice Against ICE Building.
- President Donald Trump celebrated the suspension of talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel from the airwaves and said TV broadcasters should lose their licenses over negative coverage of his administration, adding fuel to a national debate over free speech.
- A CDC panel has voted to change the recommendations on childhood vaccine schedules. It’s recommending splitting a single vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox into two shots.
- The US Senate confirmed dozens of Trump nominees for diplomatic, military and other administration positions in one bloc after Republicans changed Senate rules to make it easier to confirm his picks.
- Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will seek an agreement to help keep the video app TikTok online in the US and ease tensions between two superpowers locked in a standoff over trade.
- For Keir Starmer, securing record levels of US investment into Britain has validated his offer of an unprecedented second state visit to Trump, a high-risk gamble that was designed to keep the unpredictable president on side.
- A senior British couple who were detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan in February have been released and flown to Doha following Qatari mediation.
- British spies are to use the digital shadows of the dark web to recruit informants and allow them to receive secret information from agents in Russia and worldwide, Britain’s foreign ministry said.
- Spix’s macaw, a vivid-blue parrot with elaborate mating rituals, was declared extinct in the wild in 2019. For more than two years, officials on three continents have been agitating over why 26 of the creatures ended up at a private zoo in India run by a philanthropic venture of Asia’s richest family, the Ambanis.
- Gold prices surge this year amid Trump’s trade war, Fed threats. Above you see daily gold bullion prices in 2025, up to September 18
- Gold hit record highs this week, buoyed by expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut that were confirmed when the US central bank shaved a quarter of a percentage point off borrowing costs.
- Threats to the global economic order have come at a furious pace during Trump’s first eight months in office. But the reaction in terms of world equity and bond markets and economic activity has been a somewhat remarkable shrug: The global economy has kept growing, stock prices have surged and inflation fears remain muted.
- Britain’s borrowing has shot past the official forecasts that underpin the government’s tax and spending plans, compounding the already big challenge facing finance minister Rachel Reeves in her November budget.
- Nvidia’s deal with Intel could put the struggling chipmaker’s next-generation manufacturing technology on a stronger footing, even without a direct commitment from the AI chip leader to use that technology to make its own chips, analysts said.
- Chinese AI developer DeepSeek said it spent $294,000 on training its R1 model, much lower than figures reported for US rivals, in a paper that is likely to reignite debate over Beijing’s place in the race to develop artificial intelligence.
- A memorial service for Charlie Kirk will be held in Arizona on Sunday.
- This year’s UN General Assembly opens in New York City on Monday.
- Thursday sees the Commerce Department issue final US GDP numbers with revisions.
- The United States has ceased all Frameworks to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation and any associated instruments implemented by the former administration.
- The Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission each voted to further extend the date for investment advisers to comply with amendments to Form PF, the confidential reporting form used by certain private fund advisers.
- Canadian and Mexican leaders pledge closer coordination on trade amid US President Donald Trump’s trade war.
- US president says FCC regulator should consider removing broadcast licences from those who ‘hit Trump’.
- Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Mohy-Eddin Salim, received separately in his office on Thursday a number of heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Sudan.
- Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the federal government to disclose the full list of beneficiaries of the N330 billion reportedly disbursed to poor Nigerians under the cash transfer programme.
- A tsunami advisory was issued for Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, with possible tsunami activity occurring in Shemya, Alaska, at 12:25 AKDT, according to the USGS.
- Scientists have discovered prehistoric insects preserved in amber in South America for the first time.
- A military parade by the M23 rebel group in eastern Congo has raised concerns over an impending peace deal between Congo and Rwanda.
- The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting that a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake has struck near the east coast of Russia’s remote Kamchatka region.
- The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned members of a Sinaloa cartel faction known as Los Mayos.
- A spokesman for Haiti’s National Police says that officers killed former rebel leader Wilfort Ferdinand after they accused him of opening fire at a police checkpoint in the coastal town of Gonaïves this week.
- Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia basilica is ready to raise its immense central tower over the coming months and become the tallest Christian church in Europe.
- The World Health Organization is reporting that 31 of 38 confirmed Ebola cases in southern Congo have resulted in deaths.
- Eskom says it has already reduced fraud linked to prepaid electricity tokens and is accelerating the development of a new, secure vending system for prepaid customers.
- Amazon South Africa has announced the launch of its Shop Mzansi Heritage Month celebration featuring pop-up stores in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
- Less than a week after her husband was killed in the most high-profile political assassination in a generation, Erika Kirk convened a Zoom call for the 1,500 employees at Turning Point USA, the organization Charlie Kirk led until his death.
- Somerset Council launches a public consultation on its first Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), inviting residents, landowners, and organisations to help shape a long-term plan to protect and restore local wildlife and habitats.
- Valuations of Chinese companies have increased this year as the stock market has performed well. But they’re still lower than some other global markets, suggesting there’s potential for further growth.
- France: Barely a week into the job, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu faces rising social unrest on top of political deadlock and financial turmoil.
- Hundreds of thousands of workers took part in strike action across France on Thursday, after trade unions called for a day of protests against budget cuts.
- Tyler Robinson appeared in Utah’s Fourth District Court to face seven charges related to Charlie Kirk’s death, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and witness tampering, among other charges.
- Lawyers for 11 West African migrants sent by the United States to Ghana this month have filed a complaint against the Ghanaian authorities, saying they are being unlawfully detained, held in a secret location against their will.
- The Department of Employment and Labour has given the National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission more time to get public input and submissions on adjustments to the NMW for 2026.
- Important South African businesses, especially in the manufacturing and mining sectors, are facing closure due to the country’s unsustainable electricity price increases.
- Africa’s vibrant economies are increasingly driven by technology, reshaping how businesses operate, consumers spend, and communities connect.
- The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has elected to hold interest rates.
- South Africa’s property market says the Reserve Bank’s latest decision to hold interest rates is another missed opportunity from the central bank to bring relief to bondholders and to boost the economy.
- Johannesburg plans to implement water restrictions this summer as high consumption, illegal connections and infrastructure leaks threaten supplies and risk a “day zero” scenario.
- SAMWU condemned Tshwane councillors for approving a 5% salary increase for themselves, while denying wage hikes to municipal employees. The self-serving move was labelled “unacceptable”.
- Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, condemned plans for European powers to impose sanctions over nuclear access, calling it politically biased, and warning of heightened risks.
- A British couple detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan for eight months have been released and flown to Doha, following months of Qatari mediation.
- The Trump administration has launched a sweeping new crackdown on free speech in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing: Donald Trump has openly threatened to bring RICO charges against his critics. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller pledged to use “every resource we have at the Department of Justice, Homeland Security, and throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and destroy” progressive organizations that he smears as a “vast domestic terror movement.”
World News – 19 September 2025
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Afrikaans knock knock joke.
Klop klop.
Wie is daar?
Bon Joe.
Bon Joe Wie?