Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a fiery address to the UN in New York, decrying what he called a global anti-Jewish conspiracy and criticizing those who highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He branded Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a “tyrant,” referred to Zohran Mamdani as the “antisemitic mayor of New York,” and insisted that Israel's war in Gaza is not genocide, but “the opposite of genocide.”
Protests and Walkout at the UN
Netanyahu spoke just hours after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said his delegation was “unlawfully” denied visas by the Trump administration to attend the meeting. Dozens of delegates, inspired by a Palestinian call, walked out of the General Assembly Hall as Netanyahu took the stage.
On the streets, more than 100 people were arrested outside the UN headquarters as hundreds of Jewish, Palestinian, Iranian, and Lebanese New Yorkers protested during Netanyahu's address. Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder were among those detained.
Other Global Developments
US rapper Macklemore, removed from Ed Sheeran's US tour after supporting Palestine, has announced a Free Palestine tour to benefit humanitarian aid organizations. The charity show will visit Dublin, Paris, and London, with a North American run to be announced.
Iran has said it told Donald Trump it is willing to open the strait of Hormuz in six days and start talks on its nuclear program the day after, provided the US lifts sanctions on Iran's oil exports, ends the war on all fronts including Lebanon, and releases some of Iran's frozen assets. Privately, Iranian officials believe a deal is possible but fear Israel will use its influence to derail the proposal over Lebanon demands.
Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic effort to end the US war against Iran, voting down a House-passed war powers resolution. The measure failed in the Senate by a 49-50 vote, attracting some Republican support but not enough to pass. Saudi Arabia says it intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, with the attacks pushing oil prices to a one-week high.
US Domestic and Political News
Texas' highest criminal court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the case of Crystal Mason, a Black woman sentenced to five years in prison for casting a provisional ballot that was not counted, will end with an acquittal. Mason has been appealing since her 2018 conviction.
The Department of Homeland Security wrongly identified 185 people on Nevada's voter rolls as non-citizens, state officials said, raising concerns about the government's methodology. In California, a state supreme court ruled that Republican sheriff Chad Bianco must return more than 650,000 ballots his department confiscated earlier this year, a move that violated election law.
Xi Jinping has called for extensive cooperation with Washington to avoid a military collision course amid tensions over AI, trade, and Taiwan. He said conditions for “achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again go hand in hand” should be the goal.
Other Headlines and Investigations
Mary Peltola's campaign says reports of her using slurs and shoving a staffer are exaggerated but acknowledges the Democratic nominee in Alaska's Senate race struggled after the deaths of her husband and mother. Trump's FDA commissioner nominee, Dr Heidi Overton, has said the MMR vaccine is “safe and effective.” US mortgage rates passed 7% for the first time since January 2025. Lula's presidential campaign has accused Donald Trump of wanting to “colonise” Brazil to capture its natural resources.
A Guardian investigation has revealed that 7-Eleven and Circle K stores often fail to honor advertised prices, charging more at the pump and register for gas, snacks, and other items amid soaring living costs. Meanwhile, at Roland Garros airport on Réunion island, a unique ceiling design funnels a light tropical breeze into the terminal, eliminating the need for air conditioning.
