Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from Wednesday to Friday, Beijing’s foreign ministry has confirmed.

In an official statement on Monday, the ministry said Xi would visit the US from September 23 to 25.

The trip – Xi’s first state visit since 2015 – will also mark his second face-to-face meeting this year with US President Donald Trump, as the world’s top two economies seek to stabilise a relationship tested by trade, technology and national security disputes.

According to Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun on Monday, Xi was visiting at the invitation of the US president.

Xi would “have an in-depth exchange of views with Trump on major issues concerning bilateral ties and world peace and developments”, Guo said at a regular press conference.

“The exchange of visits by the two presidents within the span of half a year will mark a milestone of historic significance,” Guo said, stressing the importance of head-of-state diplomacy in Sino-US relations.

Beijing pledged to enhance dialogue with Washington under a framework of “constructive strategic stability” to manage differences and bolster global peace and prosperity, the spokesman added.

Xi and Trump last met in Beijing in May, a summit that ended with a pledge to pursue a “constructive relationship of strategic stability”.

In the United States this week, the two leaders are expected to discuss trade, technology and other areas of friction, with artificial intelligence (AI) likely to be among the top issues on the agenda.

In a rare presidential gesture, Trump will personally greet Xi at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday ahead of a two-day summit in Washington, the US has confirmed.

The state visit begins on Thursday with a State Floor arrival ceremony at the White House and a Rose Garden military review, followed by sit-down talks.

The East Room state dinner later will be attended by top US executives including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Apple chief Tim Cook and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

Musk, Huang and Cook were among more than a dozen top American executives who accompanied Trump on his May 13-15 state visit to China.

On Friday, Trump will host Xi for a private White House tea followed by a tour of the National Archives before the Chinese leader departs.

The South China Morning Post reported earlier this month that Beijing was considering sending a group of top executives from the technology, electric vehicle and aerospace sectors to accompany Xi on his visit to Washington.

The selection was being modelled on the US business delegation that accompanied Trump to Beijing in May, sources told the SCMP.

One source familiar with the planning said both sides were treating every aspect of the visit as a matter of reciprocity – including the composition of the business delegation.

On Sunday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng met in New York for a final round of discussions, agreeing to establish a dialogue on artificial intelligence and to put into operation a bilateral trade body.

Both sides agreed in May to launch an intergovernmental dialogue focused on AI safety and governance, though no formal talks on this track have been publicly confirmed.

Washington accuses Chinese companies of obtaining advanced AI capabilities through the unauthorised extraction of US models and has been closely watching how Chinese firms gain access to advanced chips.

Beijing has rejected the allegations as groundless, warning that any attempt to use such claims to curb China’s technological development or constrain its AI sector could trigger retaliation.

The AI friction comes as both sides try to preserve a fragile trade truce struck after Trump and Xi met in Busan, South Korea, last year.

A fresh wave of economic disputes is also testing relations.

In recent months, Washington has expanded its blacklist targeting alleged forced labour in China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, banned Chinese robotics and power inverters, and sanctioned Chinese firms doing business with Iran – prompting swift retaliatory sanctions from Beijing.

Last month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Washington to help “remove interference and overcome obstacles” to high-level exchanges during a meeting with US ambassador David Perdue in Beijing.

And in a phone call with US counterpart Marco Rubio last week, Wang said that the two sides should “send a positive message that China and the United States are committed to advancing a constructive relationship of strategic stability and jointly promoting world peace and development” – echoing the core outcome of the May presidential summit.

Ahead of his meeting with Trump, Xi has sought to reinforce China’s diplomatic position through a series of international engagements, most recently at the Brics summit in New Delhi.

Addressing the summit on September 12, Xi called for deeper cooperation on AI and indirectly criticised US policies as he promoted China’s vision of a more inclusive approach to global governance.

Trump and Xi could meet in person two more times this year – at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in south China’s Shenzhen in November and the Group of 20 summit in Miami in December. (SCMP)

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President Donald Trump said Friday that he was barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House due to what he called unfavorable coverage and “fake news,” and threatened that more such media bans could be coming — the latest salvo in the president’s increasingly aggressive response to media coverage he finds unfavorable.

Like many of Trump’s other confrontations with news organizations — some of which are playing out in the legal arena — this threat has potential First Amendment implications. There was no immediate indication, though, that he was following through.

Trump wrote on his social media site that effective immediately, “I am banning” CNN, MS NOW and Politico “from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Minutes later, speaking at an event in the Oval Office, Trump was asked to explain his statement.

“Because they’re fake news,” he said. “You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news. When you look at CNN, it’s just fake. That’s why their ratings are no good. When you look at MS NOW … , it’s fake news.”

“And when you look at Politico … the stories they wrote are fake. So there’s a lot of news and there may be others to join them, and maybe they can get better,” he said. “But our country has to have honest news.”

He gave no further details on how the ban would be implemented. Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were still on the White House grounds as of late Friday afternoon with no signs of being removed.

CNN denounced the move, saying it stands behind its White House team and their “fair and accurate reporting.”

“We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government,” it said in a statement posted on X. “Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally-protected right.”

Politico said it would “continue to fairly report on this White House and future ones. We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them.” MS NOW did not immediately return an email asking about the ban.

Trump provided no details

In his social media announcement, Trump did not provide details on how the ban would be implemented.

It came moments before he spoke to reporters in the Oval Office as part of a health care event. He later planned to take the press pool to his golf club in Virginia for a meeting and dinner sponsored by his Super PAC before spending the weekend at Camp David — one of the few places reporters don’t follow him.

“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” Trump wrote. “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”

At the event, Trump doubled down on his opinions about various media outlets.

“The New York Times is so fake. Washington Post is disgusting,” he said.

Trump’s defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, applauded the decision in a post on X. 

“The Department of War fully supports President Trump’s decision to kick CNN, MS NOW and Politico to the curb so they can publish their Fake News from outside the White House,” Hegseth wrote.

In the 1977 case Sherrill v. Knight, a federal appeals court ruled that although the White House is not required to open its doors to the news media, once it establishes press facilities for credentialed journalists, it cannot deny access based on the content of a journalist’s coverage.

The court held that any denial must serve a compelling government interest and that the journalist must receive notice, the chance to respond and a final answer in writing. (AP)

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A Chinese vessel has rammed a Philippine government ship in the South China Sea, according to Manila.

The Philippine Coast Guard on Friday accused a China Coast Guard vessel of carrying out dangerous military manoeuvres before hitting the BRP Datu Magat Salamat off the coast of Palawan province. The collision is the latest in a series of flashpoints between ships from the two nations in the disputed area of the sea.

No injuries were reported in the incident, as debris spilled across the deck of the struck vessel, which belonged to the Philippine government’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and was on a mission to supply fuel to Philippine fishermen.

Coastguard spokesman Jay Tarriela said the Chinese ship initially cut across the path of the Philippine vessel at a distance of about 10 metres (33ft).

Some 10 minutes later, it repeated the manoeuvre and rammed the ship, causing severe damage to one side, added Tarriela, who released video footage allegedly showing the incident.

China rejected the account, placing responsibility for the collision with the Philippine side.

Citing information from the Chinese coastguard, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said the Philippine vessel had ignored warnings, intentionally altered its course, and suddenly accelerated ahead of the bow of the Chinese ship.

Sovereignty claim

Such incidents have become common in the area, as China seeks to back up its claim to sovereignty over nearly the entirety of the South China Sea.

In July, Manila accused Beijing of firing a water cannon at government vessels near the Scarborough Shoal and hitting a Philippine Navy staff member with a wooden baton in the head.

A month before the altercation, China barred the Philippines’ Minister of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro from entering the country.

Teodoro said in a a statement he would continue protecting Manila “in the face of the wickedness they [China] are committing here and even in our seas”.

Chinese Minister of National Defence Dong Jun has called on other countries to halt “provocative” actions in the sea.

The United States has voiced concern over Beijing’s military activities in the area, as well as criticising a Chinese-designated nature reserve it says is designed to try to reinforce China’s territorial claims.

Manila, a US ally, has continued to push back against Chinese assertiveness in those waters it considers part of its territory.

A United Nations-backed tribunal in July said China’s sovereignty claims have no legal basis. (Al Jazeera)

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Google’s Gemini model hacked three companies in a test of its cybersecurity capabilities, the tech giant has confirmed to Al Jazeera.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Friday that the first known breakout by Gemini occurred in May as part of a test run by the company Irregular. It was the latest breach in a number of incidents in which AI models escaped testing environments and hacked other companies.

The model had improper access to the internet when it was tasked with retrieving information from a fictional company. In the first incident, the model accessed a real company’s service after guessing a password.

Google’s vice president of security engineering, Heather Adkins, told Al Jazeera’s John Hendren that in the other instances “the model found public information online and guessed credentials to access websites it thought were part of the test”.

The company also said this happened three times and each time the model stopped before completing the act.

Irregular notified Google about the hacks at the end of July, The Wall Street Journal reported. Google said the behaviour was not an example of model misalignment and did not warrant public disclosure because Gemini’s safety measures worked.

Other breakouts

Similar incidents linked to Irregular were previously disclosed by Meta, Anthropic and OpenAI. Irregular said it was working on improving practices for securely conducting AI cybersecurity tests.

Unlike Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude model didn’t stop after realising it was accessing real companies.

Anthropic’s disclosure came after OpenAI revealed that its models improperly accessed the internet and went rogue during testing. Anthropic recently disclosed a fourth AI hacking incident after a researcher quit over safety.

Earlier this week, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for a slowdown in the rate of AI progress, warning that AI could soon pose potentially catastrophic risks to humanity itself. The call was endorsed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk.

Last week, US President Donald Trump dismissed the need to place checks on artificial intelligence development, saying he is worried about ceding the US’s lead to China. (Al Jazeera)

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“What stands in the way becomes the way,” Marcus Aurelius writes in Meditations. Nearly two millennia later, the idea captures Pakistan’s strategic dilemma with remarkable precision. Islamabad must convince Saudi Arabia that its defence commitment carries real weight without being drawn into another Middle Eastern war or rupturing its relationship with Tehran. That obstacle may itself have become Pakistan’s most useful instrument: strategic ambiguity, writes Dimitra Staikou.

On 10 September 2026, following Houthi attacks against Saudi targets, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Sajjad Haider Khan said there was no discussion of an immediate military response under the new defence agreement. Yet only a day earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had warned that continued aggression against Saudi Arabia could make the pact operational.

The contradiction may be more calculated than accidental. On 13 September, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed Pakistan’s complete solidarity with Mohammed bin Salman. Two days later, fresh missile and drone attacks against Saudi targets brought the question of collective defence closer to reality. Pakistan is trying to reassure Riyadh that it will not stand alone while avoiding any clear definition of when political solidarity becomes military involvement. At the same time, Islamabad is keeping channels with Tehran open and leaving Saudi Arabia’s adversaries uncertain about where Pakistan’s real red line lies. But September’s events suggest that the space for such ambiguity is narrowing. The central question is no longer whether Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are security partners, but how far Islamabad is actually prepared to go when deterrence is tested.

That question has become more urgent because the relationship has changed institutionally. On 7 August 2026, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, declaring that an armed attack against any one of the three would be regarded as an attack against all. On 31 August, their foreign and defence ministers and military chiefs met in Istanbul to begin institutionalising the arrangement, agreeing to establish a permanent secretariat in Saudi Arabia and deepen joint defence-industry cooperation, technology development and production. This is therefore more than another declaration of political solidarity. The Makkah Alliance is beginning to acquire the machinery designed to make collective deterrence credible.

The military relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia itself stretches back decades. Pakistani officers have trained Saudi forces, Pakistani troops have periodically been deployed in the Kingdom, and Riyadh has reciprocated with economic and political support. Yet the most important episode for understanding the limits of this relationship came in 2015. When Saudi Arabia assembled its coalition for the intervention in Yemen, Riyadh sought Pakistani military support. On 10 April, Pakistan’s parliament unanimously backed neutrality, effectively rejecting direct participation while pledging to defend Saudi Arabia if its territorial integrity were threatened. The distinction was crucial: Islamabad was prepared to defend the Kingdom, but not automatically to participate in its wars. In 2026, that very red line is being tested.

The Riyadh-Islamabad rapprochement does not mean that Saudi Arabia is abandoning the United States. It does, however, demonstrate that the Kingdom no longer wants its security to depend exclusively on Washington. The limited US response following the attacks on the Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities in 2019, followed by Washington’s 2021 decision to end support for offensive operations in Yemen, had already exposed the limits of American protection. That uncertainty resurfaced this September. Mohammed bin Salman sought military assistance from Donald Trump against the Houthis, but the US president declined to authorise direct American strikes, with Washington instead offering intelligence-sharing and targeting support. On 12 September, Trump said Iran was probably responsible for the attack on Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline and described Mohammed bin Salman as a “good friend”. The United States remains an indispensable Saudi partner, but not always a willing combatant. Pakistan gains importance in precisely this space: not as a replacement for America, but as an additional regional pillar of Saudi security.

If the American position explains why Riyadh is seeking more strategic options, China points towards the direction in which the wider security system may be moving. Beijing is one of Islamabad’s most important strategic and military partners, while simultaneously developing an increasingly close relationship with Saudi Arabia. In April 2026, Xi Jinping told Mohammed bin Salman that China wanted to deepen “mutual strategic trust” with the Kingdom. On 2 September, Xi argued that regional states should work towards “a new security architecture for the Middle East” and hold their future in their own hands. His remarks were not about the Makkah Agreement and should not be interpreted as Chinese endorsement of it. They do, however, reflect a broader shift: a Riyadh seeking greater strategic autonomy, an Islamabad deeply connected to Beijing, and a China seeking a greater role in shaping the regional order. The issue is not a secret trilateral alliance, but the potential convergence of Saudi capital, Pakistani military power and Chinese technological and strategic support.

There is also an unavoidable nuclear dimension. Pakistan is a nuclear-armed state outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; Saudi Arabia is not a nuclear weapons state. Nothing publicly released about the Makkah Agreement establishes a Pakistani nuclear guarantee to Riyadh, and there is no evidence that Islamabad intends to deploy nuclear weapons on Saudi territory. Yet that absence of clarity is itself strategically significant. Pakistan’s nuclear capability sits behind a collective-defence commitment whose public language does not specify where conventional deterrence ends and strategic deterrence begins. For Iran, Israel, Washington and European capitals, the question is therefore not whether Saudi Arabia has suddenly acquired a Pakistani nuclear umbrella — it has not — but whether potential adversaries may now have to calculate against that possibility in an extreme crisis. Deterrence often depends as much on uncertainty as on declared doctrine.

For Europe, this shift is anything but distant. On 9 September, France expressed full solidarity with Riyadh following the Houthi attacks. In Berlin, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul assured his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan of Germany’s solidarity, while on 11 September the German Foreign Office warned that growing Houthi pressure around Bab al-Mandab could restrict oil and LNG supplies, with consequences for global markets. In Brussels, Kaja Kallas had already put “freedom of navigation” in the Red Sea on the European agenda, asking publicly what more Europe could do. These concerns are tangible: energy security, maritime trade routes and regional stability are becoming intertwined in the same crisis. The attacks of 15 September have made the danger even clearer, with renewed strikes against Saudi targets adding to pressure on energy markets and further threatening the routes connecting the Gulf, the Red Sea and Europe.

There is another reason Europe cannot treat the Makkah Alliance as a distant development: Türkiye. Ankara is simultaneously a party to the new collective-defence architecture and a member of NATO. That does not mean the Makkah Agreement automatically engages NATO obligations, nor that the two systems are inherently incompatible. But it does create questions that European allies should address before, rather than during, a major crisis. What happens if Türkiye is asked to participate in collective action under the Makkah Agreement? How would Ankara manage parallel commitments if escalation involved Iran or another regional actor? And how much strategic consultation should occur within NATO before such a scenario materialises?

Brussels cannot afford to wait for the agreement to be activated for the first time before deciding how to respond. Europe needs deeper dialogue with Riyadh and Islamabad on non-proliferation and missile technologies, stronger protection for navigation in the Red Sea and a clear discussion within NATO about Ankara’s new defence commitments. It does not need to treat the emerging security architecture as hostile. But it does need to understand what happens when that architecture moves from declarations to action.

The real test of the Makkah Alliance will come when Riyadh asks Islamabad to demonstrate what it means for an attack on one to be treated as an attack on all. At that moment, the strategic ambiguity that today gives Pakistan room to manoeuvre may become the problem itself. And the question — whether Pakistan is genuinely prepared to fight for Saudi Arabia — will no longer concern Riyadh and Islamabad alone. The answer could reshape the security balance from the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea all the way to Europe. (EU Reporter)

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The United States has again denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, preventing him from travelling to the annual gathering of world leaders for the second consecutive year.

The Trump administration has extended visa restrictions on officials of the Palestinian Authority and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization ahead of next week’s UN General Assembly. A source familiar with the matter confirmed that Abbas is among those affected. 

The US State Department accused the PA and PLO of failing to meet commitments to Washington and cited their efforts to pursue cases involving Israel at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, as well as moves seeking international recognition of a Palestinian state outside direct negotiations. 

Palestinian officials have argued that decades of US-mediated negotiations have failed to end the Israeli occupation and secure an independent Palestinian state. 

The decision comes despite the United States’ obligations as host of the UN headquarters in New York. Under the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, the US is generally required to facilitate access for foreign representatives attending UN meetings, although Washington maintains that visa restrictions can be imposed under certain circumstances. 

Abbas was also denied entry for the UN General Assembly in 2025 and instead addressed the gathering by video. The 193-member General Assembly is expected to vote on allowing him to again submit a video address for this year’s meeting. (Newswire/ Reuters)

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Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency amid a spike in infections as the Pacific nation grapples with a correlating rise in methamphetamine use.

The country’s health and medical services minister, Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, said in a statement on social media that an outbreak-level response was no longer sufficient to address what he described an “epidemic”.

“Today I am formally declaring a national health emergency in Fiji,” he said. “This decision recognises the seriousness of the epidemic and the urgent coordinated response our country now needs.”

The health minister said the government estimates that one in every 60 adults in Fiji is now living with HIV.

“Five years ago, the estimate was one in 167. In 2025, we recorded 2,060 new HIV diagnoses,” he said, adding that one in 50 pregnant women has HIV.

The emergency declaration followed on from a cabinet decision on 9 September and would require a coordinated response, he added.

Home to less than one million people, the Pacific nation is facing one of the sharpest increases in new HIV infections globally, according to UNAIDS, which said that new infections spiked 12-fold between 2010 and 2025.

Fiji’s location as a drug-running hub coupled with the escalating use of methamphetamine locally has fuelled the rapid spread of HIV, a situation worsened by unsafe injecting and a lack of access to clean needles. Low health awareness, cultural stigma and inadequate testing and treatment have exacerbated the crisis. 

Among HIV cases in Fiji with a known mode of transmission, over half were linked to sexual transmission and more than 42% to injecting drug use, according to UNAIDS.

Of an estimated 9,100 people living with HIV in Fiji in 2025, only 39% were aware of their HIV status and only 22% were accessing antiretroviral treatment, the UN said.

Responding to the emergency declaration, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima said in a statement on Wednesday that the situation was a “a stark reminder to the world that AIDS is not over”.

“HIV epidemics can change quickly, and countries need health and community systems that are ready to respond urgently,” said Byanyima. “Fiji has recognised the urgency of the moment and is stepping up its response.”

The UN agency said it welcomed plans to introduce a needle and syringe programme, with legislative amendments expected to go before parliament, as well as efforts to expand prevention, testing and access to treatment. (The Guardian)

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Online behemoth Amazon said it’s increasing the minimum starting hourly wage for its U.S. full-time core operations employees to $20 ahead of the crucial holiday shopping season.

With the $1-per-hour increase across the board for these workers who do jobs like pack and ship orders, the average pay for these employees will reach nearly $24 per hour, the company said Wednesday. 

The retailer said the average total compensation will be more than $32 an hour including the value of its benefits package.

The pay increase is effective starting Sept. 27, the retailer said.

Amazon also said Wednesday that employees will receive new benefits such as a 10% discount on eligible fresh groceries and everyday essentials at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market online as well as 20% off at Whole Foods physical stores. The discount can be combined with existing Prime member discounts, the retailer said.

The discount will be available to every Amazon employee in the U.S. starting Oct. 1, the company said.

Amazon also said it’s rolling out access to qualified employees and their families for a membership in First Tech Federal Credit Union that provides low-cost banking services they can keep for life. Employees can access accounts with no overdraft or monthly maintenance. The company said no credit history is required to open a checking and savings account.

The rollout will start later this year.

In comparison, Walmart last year expanded its 10% employee discount to include nearly all grocery purchases at its stores and online. The discount had previously applied to fresh groceries and general merchandise but didn’t include such groceries as milk, pasta, or meat except during the November and December holiday shopping period.

At Walmart, the starting pay for hourly store workers is $14, with U.S. hourly employees making more than $18.50 on average, according to Walmart. Walmart also noted that the average hourly starting wage is $16.

For Walmart warehouse and other supply network workers, the average hourly wage is $27.50 and the average hourly starting wage is $24.75. (ABC News)

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India has summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi in protest against a collision between the two countries’ navies in the Arabian Sea.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday that a Pakistani naval ship had collided with an Indian warship in international waters the previous day.

The ministry said it had lodged a protest with Pakistan’s charge d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

It accused Pakistan’s navy of “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” leading to a collision with an Indian Navy unit.

It said the incident violated a 1991 bilateral agreement that requires naval ships and submarines of both countries to keep at least three nautical miles apart in international waters.

The ministry said the charge d’affaires was asked to convey to his government the need for military units to respect the agreements between the two sides “to prevent any repeat of such incidents”.

India’s charge d’affaires in Islamabad was also instructed to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s foreign ministry.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan’s government.

This incident is the first case of direct military tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours since they fought a four-day direct conflict last year.

The two countries have not had ambassadors in each other’s capitals since 2019, when they downgraded diplomatic ties after New Delhi revoked the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir.

India and Pakistan have fought three major wars, two of them over the status of Kashmir, since they gained independence from British rule in 1947. (Al Jazeera)

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New Zealand’s parliament on Wednesday passed legislation to implement a free trade agreement with ​India, under which tariffs on about ‌95% of New Zealand exports to India would be eliminated or significantly reduced.

The legislation passed by a ​vote of 93–29, with support from the ​opposition Labour Party.

• More than half of all ⁠products covered would become duty-free from the ​day it takes effect.
• “For exporters, the benefits ​are immediate and substantial,” New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay said in a statement.
• “We expect this high-quality agreement ​to enter into force this year, delivering ​on our promise to complete a free trade agreement with ‌India ⁠this term.”
• Under the deal, all Indian goods will receive duty-free access to New Zealand. Wellington has also agreed to invest $20 billion in ​India over ​the next ⁠15 years.
• Both nations originally signed the trade agreement in April.
• Two-way trade totalled NZ$3.99 ​billion ($2.29 billion) in the year to ​June ⁠2026, with India ranking as New Zealand’s ninth-largest goods and services export market.
• The trade deal ⁠will ​become effective after both nations ​complete their respective ratification procedures.

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New photos obtained exclusively by CBS News reveal for the first time the widespread damage and destruction of buildings and vehicles at multiple U.S. positions across the Middle East, as a result of Iranian missile and drone attacks.  

The images were sent to CBS News by active service members on condition of anonymity because of rigid media restrictions within the military. 

“This is major damage to our bases that hasn’t been communicated to the American public,” one deployed service member told CBS News. “We’re standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face.”

One photo, taken at Prince Sultan Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia, shows a direct hit on the back half of a Boeing E-3 Sentry four-engine aircraft, its tail severed from the charred fuselage that also supported a rotating radar that is essential for collecting midair intelligence.  

Other photos taken from the base show hollowed-out buildings and barracks whose shells ironically stand next to unaffected cement “T-wall” structures, which were once regarded as critical fortifications against grenade and mortar attacks but proved critically ineffective against an aerial assault.

Similarly grim pictures were captured at Camp Buehring in Kuwait, a major staging area for U.S. Army ground troops, armored vehicles and some aircraft; the post is located in a remote desert region far northwest of Kuwait City. 

The Defense Department’s inspector general this week released a fresh report on the war in Iran that revealed “equipment losses” worth up to $3.7 billion — including nearly 60 aircraft. In a first-of-its-kind mandatory report to Congress, the inspector general added that U.S. Central Command reported Iranian strikes at U.S. bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan. 

The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment. 

“These are not ‘squirters’ getting through,” the service member added, referencing language used by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after the deadly March 1 attack on Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait that killed six U.S. troops. “We’re not defending these bases. We’re just watching them get destroyed.” (CBS News)

New photos obtained exclusively by CBS News reveal for the first time the widespread damage and destruction of buildings and vehicles at multiple U.S. positions across the Middle East, as a result of Iranian missile and drone attacks. The images were sent to CBS News by active… pic.twitter.com/MmOX1rQgwN

— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 16, 2026

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A Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737 flying from Mashhad to Iran’s Kermanshah was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after take-off after a tyre reportedly came off one of its wheels, causing an engine malfunction and severe vibrations, according to CNN-News18.

The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft departed Mashhad airport. The pilot reportedly alerted passengers to an engine problem after a wheel tyre came off.

The aircraft began shaking violently, prompting the pilots to turn around and return to Mashhad, where it landed safely. 

Cabin ceiling breaks as belongings fall

The severe shaking reportedly damaged parts of the cabin ceiling and overhead compartments. Passengers’ belongings fell from the bins, with some items hitting people inside the aircraft.

Footage from inside the cabin, shared on social media, showed passengers praying and crying out in fear as they appeared to believe the aircraft was in serious danger.

No injuries reported

The aircraft landed safely at Mashhad airport. Preliminary reports said no passengers were injured.

The incident is reportedly the second recent incident involving a Sepehran Airlines aircraft at Mashhad airport. (Gulf News)

WATCH: Cabin ceiling falls apart onboard a Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737 after a tire reportedly burst shortly after takeoff from Mashhad Airport causing engine damage and severe vibrations. pic.twitter.com/R7RP1AwZYX

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) September 15, 2026

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Saudi Arabia has said that a drone launched by the Houthis towards Mecca has been intercepted and destroyed, in an escalation that could threaten the holy city.

The Saudi-led coalition spokesperson, Turki al-Maliki, said Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces intercepted the hostile drone before it entered the restricted airspace on Tuesday evening.

Al-Maliki condemned the incident as an attempt to frighten worshippers and harm civilians, warning that the security of the two holy mosques and pilgrims is a “red line”.

The Houthis have previously denied targeting Mecca, saying that they do not target holy sites.

Security alerts

Saudi Arabia issued a security alert on Tuesday in the holy city of Mecca for the first time since the Houthis last attempted to target the sacred area in 2017.

The alert of potential danger in Mecca was swiftly lifted after a few minutes. The same alert was activated for Taif and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city.

In a statement to Yemen’s SABA news agency on Tuesday, a Houthi military source strongly rejected the claim that Houthi forces pose a threat to the city of Mecca or other Islamic holy sites.

“We categorically deny that there is any threat from Yemen directed at the city of Mecca or any other holy sites,” the source said, condemning what he described as “misinformation”.

The latest attacks mark a sharp resurgence in a conflict dating to 2015, when Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen after the Houthis seized Sanaa and ousted the internationally recognised government.

A UN-brokered truce in April 2022 largely halted Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, but hostilities have escalated again since the group declared a blockade on Saudi shipping in July and gained control of critical nodes on the country’s Bab al-Mandeb coastline.

In early September, the Iran-aligned group launched missiles and drones at sites across Saudi Arabia, marking a drastic escalation in the fighting. Riyadh has accused the Houthi rebels of launching attacks on civilian and economic sites in the kingdom.

The Saudi-led coalition said it will respond “firmly” to Houthi strikes on urban areas that injured 13 people in the Saudi cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif on Tuesday.

Why is the alert on Mecca significant?

This was the first time in nearly a decade that a security alert had been activated in Mecca.

Mecca is home to the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site. Two billion Muslims around the world face the Kaaba during their daily prayers.

This year, Saudi Arabia welcomed around 1.7 million Muslims for the Hajj season in late May, while the country was vulnerable to direct strikes.

Hajj is considered one of the five pillars of Islam, necessary for Muslims to fulfil once in their lifetime.

Throughout the year, millions of pilgrims travel to Mecca to perform the optional Umrah pilgrimage.

Last autumn, Mecca welcomed more than 11.7 million pilgrims for Umrah between September and October 2025.

Hajj has only been restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when Saudi Arabia barred foreign Muslims from performing the pilgrimage to help prevent the spread of the virus.

It remains to be seen if the attacks on Saudi Arabia will affect pilgrimage to Mecca. (Al Jazeera)

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A TV news helicopter crashed in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening while covering a deadly traffic collision in the Chatsworth neighbourhood. 

The helicopter, according to the Los Angeles Times, went down near N Mason Avenue as a news crew was reporting on a separate crash involving an SUV and a Los Angeles Metro bus.

Helicopter crashes during live coverage

The initial collision occurred on Tuesday when an SUV crashed into the side of a Metro bus. At least two people were killed and six others injured, according to preliminary reports.

As emergency crews responded and news helicopters flew overhead, one aircraft crashed into a parking lot between commercial buildings. The impact sparked a large fire that spread to several nearby vehicles.

The helicopter was preliminarily identified as belonging to NBC Los Angeles, although officials were expected to confirm the aircraft and those on board.

One person killed in helicopter crash

The Los Angeles Fire Department sent crews to the scene shortly after 7 pm to tackle the flames and heavy smoke.

At least three people have been killed including one on the ground in the helicopter crash, according to officials. Emergency responders also worked to determine the condition of the pilot and any other crew members aboard the aircraft.

Officials said the helicopter was ‘pretty well destroyed’ by the fire, making it difficult for responders to assess the situation immediately.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are expected to investigate the crash and determine what caused the helicopter to go down while covering the traffic collision. (First Post)

#BREAKING: NBC news helicopter crashes during live shot of bus crash in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/qEDWEauiST

— Insider Wire (@InsiderWire) September 16, 2026

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India’s drug regulator has issued a nationwide public health alert against two Pakistan-made skin-whitening creams after tests found excessive heavy metals beyond specified limits. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has identified Goree Beauty Cream and Chandni Whitening Cream as unauthorised cosmetics and warned consumers against purchasing or using them. The alert, issued through a public notice dated September 8, 2026, comes amid concerns over unregistered cosmetics entering the Indian market. The regulator has also directed enforcement authorities to ensure the products are not sold, distributed or advertised.

Which Pakistan-made fairness creams has India flagged?

Goree Beauty Cream (Made in Pakistan)

The fairness cream has been identified by CDSCO as an unauthorised cosmetic. The regulator’s testing found excessive heavy metals beyond specified limits.

Chandni Whitening Cream (Made in Pakistan)

The whitening cream has also been flagged for excessive heavy metals and the absence of the required import registration certificate. Product names and country of manufacture as shown in the CDSCO public notice.

What did the CDSCO notice say?

According to the public health notice issued by the Cosmetics Division of CDSCO, the regulator conducted testing and analysis of the two products. The notice states that the creams:

1. Are unauthorised for sale in India.
2. Have not been issued registration certificates for import by the competent authority.
3. Contain excessive heavy metals beyond the specified limits, which may pose health risks, including toxic effects.

The regulator has advised consumers not to purchase the two products and not to use them if they have already been bought. The warning applies specifically to the two named products. Consumers should not assume that every fairness or whitening cream is unsafe simply because it is a skin-whitening product.

Why are heavy metals in fairness creams a health concern?

Heavy metals are a major concern in cosmetic safety because certain metals can be toxic to the human body, particularly when exposure is repeated or prolonged. Some skin-lightening products have been associated with harmful substances such as mercury, which can damage the nervous system and kidneys. However, the CDSCO notice provided does not identify which specific heavy metals were found in Goree Beauty Cream or Chandni Whitening Cream, nor does it publish their measured concentrations. This means the notice confirms a regulatory safety concern, but it does not establish the exact health effects that either product has caused in consumers.

Can skin-whitening creams affect the kidneys?

Certain heavy metals, particularly mercury, can affect kidney function. Prolonged exposure to mercury-containing skin-lightening products has been linked to kidney damage. However, there is an important distinction between a potential health risk and a confirmed case of illness. The CDSCO notice says the products may pose health risks, including toxic effects. It does not state that these creams caused kidney problems in Nagpur or elsewhere. The claim that a Pakistan-made fairness cream caused kidney problems in Nagpur needs separate medical and regulatory verification. The supplied notice does not establish that link.

How did Pakistan-made creams enter Indian markets?

The exact route through which the two products entered India has not been established in the CDSCO notice. The document identifies the products as unauthorised and says they did not have the required import registration certificates. It also warns establishments and individuals against selling, distributing or advertising them. The presence of the products in Indian markets raises questions about how unauthorised cosmetics are being brought into the country and how they reach consumers. The CDSCO notice itself, however, does not name an importer, smuggler, distributor or specific route through which the creams entered India.

Did Pakistan-made creams have import registration certificates?

According to the CDSCO public notice, the two identified products had not been issued registration certificates for import by the competent authority for sale in India. This is one of the key findings in the regulator’s warning. Under India’s Cosmetics Rules, 2020, imported cosmetics must be registered with the Central Licensing Authority in accordance with the prescribed rules. Cosmetics manufactured in India require a licence from the State Licensing Authority for manufacture and sale. The notice reiterates that cosmetics sold to consumers must meet applicable safety and regulatory requirements.

What does the nationwide alert mean?

The alert has been circulated to:

• All State and Union Territory Drugs Controllers.
• All CDSCO zone, sub-zone and port offices.
• Stakeholders and consumers through the CDSCO website.

Regulatory enforcement units have been requested to ensure that the unauthorised products are not sold within their jurisdictions. The notice also warns establishments and individuals not to sell, distribute or advertise the creams. This is a regulatory warning and enforcement direction. It does not, by itself, establish that every retailer or online seller of the products knowingly violated the law.

What should consumers do?

CDSCO has advised consumers not to purchase the two named products and not to use them if they have already been purchased. For other cosmetics, consumers should:

• Check the manufacturer’s details and manufacturing licence information.
• Look for the batch number, manufacturing date and expiry date.
• Check the import registration number on imported cosmetics.
• Avoid products with unclear or misleading labelling.

Be cautious of fairness creams that promise rapid skin whitening without clear ingredient and manufacturer information.If you have already used one of the flagged creams and develop persistent skin irritation, swelling, unusual pigmentation or other concerning symptoms, consult a dermatologist. If you are worried about possible heavy-metal exposure, tell the doctor the exact product name and take the packaging with you if available.

Are unauthorised cosmetics entering India?

The CDSCO alert highlights a wider consumer safety concern: whether cosmetics that lack required registration and safety compliance are reaching Indian buyers. The regulator’s warning against Goree Beauty Cream and Chandni Whitening Cream follows earlier directions to strengthen surveillance of imported cosmetics sold without valid registration certificates.

For consumers, the immediate message is clear: avoid the two named products. For authorities, the notice raises the need to identify how unauthorised cosmetics enter the market and ensure that sellers and distributors comply with India’s cosmetic safety rules. The supplied CDSCO notice confirms excessive heavy metals and missing import registration for the two products. It does not establish a Nagpur kidney-disease outbreak, a specific smuggling route or a confirmed causal link between these creams and kidney damage. The alert is listed on the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation website. CDSCO Public Notices: Public Health Alert Against Unauthorised Cosmetics Products. (NDTV)

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The United States has deployed weapons in space and will use them to defend American forces, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said Monday – the first public acknowledgment of such capabilities in orbit and a deliberate signal to those that pose potential threats in the domain.

“Today we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist,” Meink told the Air, Space and Cyber Conference, an annual gathering hosted by the Air & Space Forces Association in National Harbor, Maryland. “This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.”

Meink did not provide specifics on the weapons and, when asked to expand, refused to provide additional details. It’s unknown when the weapons were put into orbit.

President Donald Trump has touted the US Space Force, which he created in 2019 as part of the Air Force, as a historic step toward bolstering US defense capabilities amid an advancing arms race in which China and Russia have challenged America’s space dominance.

“China develops and operates space and counterspace capabilities as part of a military modernization strategy,” the US Space Force says on its website, while “Russia views space as a warfighting domain and believes space supremacy will be a decisive factor in future conflicts.” 

US military officials have repeatedly warned the two countries are testing new offensive space capabilities, citing examples such as Russian satellite constellation training missions that Washington says could demonstrate “attack and defend tactics” for future combat and China’s development of a nuclear capable partial-orbit hypersonic missile.

As CNN reported in 2024, US intelligence suggests Russia has also made efforts to develop a space-based nuclear weapon that would use a massive energy wave, known as an electromagnetic pulse, to potentially knock out a large swath of commercial and government satellites – a claim Moscow has denied.

Such a weapon could have broad, devastating impacts – for example, upending satellites the world relies on to predict the weather and respond to disasters, or even potentially affecting global navigation systems used for everything from banking and cargo shipping to hailing a ride share and ambulance dispatch.

“It is critically important that we maintain our dominance not only in the air but in space, and so we’ve had to take steps to make sure that when we’re threatened, we can take care of that,” Meink said Monday. 

CNN has reached out to the Space Force for comment.

While the 1967 Outer Space Treaty bans nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction in orbit, it does not prohibit the use of conventional weapons in space or the use of ground-based weapons against assets in space – leaving room for interpretation.

Last December, Trump signed an executive order calling US superiority in space “a measure of national vision and willpower,” with an emphasis on developing next-generation missile defense technologies and ensuring its abilities to counter threats, including “any placement of nuclear weapons in space.”

The executive order was a step toward Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system, an ambitious multibillion-dollar plan inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome that officials say would allow the US to intercept missiles from anywhere in the world. 

The US has remained vague on its plans for developing the missile shield, which Trump said he hopes to be completed by 2028. As CNN earlier reported, the Pentagon has scheduled its first major test for just before the 2028 election, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Speaking Monday, Meink also said a US space-based interceptor program had moved “from initial contract to flight-ready hardware in less than one year,” without revealing further details. (CNN)

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India’s fertility rate has for the first time fallen below the level needed to stop the population from shrinking, raising concerns about future labour shortages and an ageing society.

For decades, India has seen rapid population growth. According to government statistics, including the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report — the country’s largest demographic survey — India has had a falling fertility rate for some years, but the reproduction rate remained high enough to keep the population growing.

The latest SRS report, released last month by India’s Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, said that India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) had dropped to 1.9 children per woman – lower than the benchmark level of 2.1 needed to keep the population stable in the long run. TFR is the average number of children that a woman is expected to have in her lifetime. In the 2000s, India’s TFR was around 3.3 births per woman.

So, what is behind reduced fertility? Why does it matter and what are the consequences?

Here’s what we know:

What has led to the falling fertility rate?

For decades starting in the 1970s, Indian governments and policymakers have tried to battle what they argued was overpopulation — too many people, and too few resources to manage for what was then a relatively poor nation.

Many top-down government initiatives — including a brief controversial effort to forcibly sterilise people in the 1970s — aimed to control India’s population.

Despite that, by 2019, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was still warning of a “population explosion”.

But by 2022, the first signs that India was about to tip over into uncharted territory: The National Family Health Survey released data suggesting that India’s TFR was falling fast, across communities. Yet a year later, India surpassed China to become the world’s most populous nation — and the trend of a declining fertility rate was swamped by the headlines of a 1.5 billion population.

Now, latest survey suggests that the prospect of a shrinking population might be more imminent than policymakers had planned for.

Experts say better access to education and contraceptives are among key factors behind the falling fertility rate — along with the increased costs of bringing up children.

“Total fertility rate often drops when more women in society have access to education, contraceptives and more agency in decision-making in households,”  Dipa Sinha, a development economist who works on social policy in India, told Al Jazeera. “It also drops when the economy becomes expensive so raising children also becomes expensive.”

She said there’s another reason too.

As infant mortality reduces, the desire to have more children also decreases. According to the latest SRS report, India has recorded a significant decline in infant deaths from 30 per 1,000 live births in 2019 to 24 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024.

These factors also correlate almost perfectly with the differential levels of fertility rates across the country.

According to the May demographic survey report, India’s poorest states, such as Bihar in northern India with the lowest levels of education and high infant mortality rates, also recorded the highest fertility rate in the country at 2.9, followed by 2.6 in Uttar Pradesh.

By contrast, India’s capital New Delhi — with among the highest levels of education and lowest infant mortality rates — registered the lowest fertility rate, with an average of 1.2 births per woman. Southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, with among the best health and education systems in India, recorded a rate of 1.3.

“A lot of studies on regional development in India from the early 80s have revealed that states in the South have developed faster with respect to both the economy and women’s status in society. So these reasons have contributed to the lower fertility rate,” Sinha said.

What are the consequences of a falling fertility rate?

In 2005, India’s population entered a stage called ‘demographic dividend’, a phase when the proportion of a country’s working age population (15-64 years) is higher than the number of old people and children who are not in the labour force. According to the UNFPA, India’s demographic dividend is expected to last until 2055.

Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong entered this phase in the 1960s and rapidly became developed economies. China entered this phase in the 1980s and — coupled with economic reforms — rapidly rose as an economy. Today it’s the world’s second-largest economy.

In India too, the demographic dividend has helped propel the economy. But millions remain unemployed and — as with China — India is far from a developed economy.

Now, with a declining fertility rate, India might not be able to reap the benefits of a demographic dividend, experts are cautioning, because of a shrinking workforce and a rapidly ageing population.

“If there are fewer children born, then in about 30 to 40 years, India will have more older people who cannot participate in the labour force as much, posing a challenge to the country’s workforce,”  Sinha said.

What is the politics behind India’s population data?

The widely varying fertility rates in different parts of the country mean that northern states — which already have higher populations — will in coming years be home to an ever-increasing share of India’s population.

Southern states have already in recent years been complaining that the Indian federal government — especially under Modi — are being “punished” with fewer funds, Sinha said. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has historically struggled to make major political inroads in southern India, though it has made gains in recent years.

Now, “the distribution of financial resources by the country’s government to state governments” could become an even bigger political flashpoint, she suggested. Later this year, India’s government will introduce a policy in parliament called “delimitation”, which will assign seats to each state according to population figures based on the subcontinent’s new census that began earlier this year and conclude in 2027.

“When delimitation comes into effect, there is a fear that the share of southern seats in the Parliament will reduce,” Sinha added.

Moreover, India’s ruling BJP has long stirred the stereotype that Muslims in India are producing more children than Hindus — fanning fears among Hindus that Muslims might some day overtake them as the majority faith in India. The Hindu far-right has been urging Hindus to have more kids. In February, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief, Mohan Bhagwat, urged Hindu couples to have at least three to four children to prevent the community’s long-term societal decline.

In reality, the Muslim population of India was 13 percent in the last census in 2011. Government data shows that the Muslim fertility rate has been falling faster than in any other religious group, India, including Hindus. The fertility rate among Muslims fell from 4.41 to 2.36 between 1992 and 2021, while it dropped from 3.3 to 1.94 for Hindus.

The latest survey further suggests that India’s fertility rate is falling sharply across faiths.

Is India responding to its declining fertility rate?

While the Indian government has not yet announced a nationwide policy to tackle its falling fertility rate, individual states have been trying to encourage people to have more children.

Last month, the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh said families will receive 30,000 rupees ($314) for the birth of a third child and 40,000 for a fourth child ($418). According to the SRS data, Andhra Pradesh’s total fertility rate is 1.4.

States such as Goa in the west and Karnataka and Telangana in the south have introduced state-funded IVF centres for first-time parents, encouraging people to have more children.

Sinha said the Indian government should respect people’s individual reproductive choices and support them.

“It is important for countries like India to develop a public policy based on its demographic structure and future needs. So if we are going to be an ageing population, then we have to be ready to help a lot of old people,” she said. The country needs “a policy now which guarantees that they have better healthcare, pensions and social security in old age”.

Which other countries in Asia have seen dramatic fertility rate declines?

Other Asian countries such as China, Taiwan and South Korea are also experiencing fast-falling fertility rates.

According to the World Bank, China’s 1.0 fertility rate is well below the 2.1 replacement level.

Taiwan’s interior ministry said earlier this year that its total fertility rate is around 0.86 and likely to fall below that.

The United Nations says South Korea’s rate is approximately 0.75 children per woman – the lowest worldwide. (Al Jazeera)

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China has showcased a highly realistic fish-shaped underwater robot that can autonomously navigate through water, highlighting the country’s growing development of biomimetic robotic systems with potential applications in underwater surveillance and reconnaissance.

According to Chinese news outlet Jimu News, BG-5 Golden Dragon Fish, developed by Boyagongdao Marine Technology Group, was demonstrated at the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing’s Shougang Park. The robot is modelled on the golden arowana and uses a multi-joint tail to reproduce the swimming motion of a real fish.

Jimu News quoted an exhibition staff member as saying that the robot does not follow a pre-programmed swimming route. Instead, its sensors detect obstacles and allow it to autonomously plan its movement. The report said the robot weighs 3 kg and has a three-joint tail divided into seven segments.

According to the company product catalogue, the BG-5 is 640 mm long, 204 mm wide and 90 mm high, with a weight of 3 kg. It has a listed maximum operating depth of 5 metres and a maximum speed of 0.6 metres per second. 

The robot uses fish-tail propulsion, with its multi-joint tail generating movement through an undulating motion rather than relying on a conventional propeller. For navigation, the BG-5 is designed with autonomous obstacle-avoidance capabilities. 

The manufacturer also lists a BG-5V variant associated with capabilities including path planning, task allocation, formation control and multi-robot cooperation. 

Potential defence applications 

Boyagongdao, the developer of the BG-5, has an established defence connection in underwater robotics. The company says it has undertaken a national defence key special project involving an underwater biomimetic detection platform.

It has also developed the ROBO-SHARK biomimetic underwater robot in cooperation with a military unit, according to material published by the World Robot Conference.

The BG-5 fish-like form and autonomous navigation could potentially make it useful for shallow-water reconnaissance and surveillance. Its small 3-kg form factor could allow it to operate in confined or shallow underwater environments where larger unmanned underwater vehicles may be less practical. Its fish-like, multi-joint propulsion could support low-profile underwater surveillance.

Its BG-5V variant with its path planning, task allocation, formation control and multi-robot coordination, potentially enabling multiple underwater robots to conduct coordinated search, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. (TOI)

This isn't a real fish – it's a robot at the CIFTIS!
This bionic fish robot is based on the arowana's look and swimming style, powered by fluid simulation tech. It glides as smoothly and gracefully as a real fish, almost impossible to tell apart. pic.twitter.com/HmEVi7puLO

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) September 12, 2026

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Flights at Misrata International Airport in Libya were suspended after a private jet arriving from Istanbul ran off the runway and caught fire during landing Monday, while the three-member flight crew escaped without injuries.

The Cessna Citation Latitude, registered as TC-AKF, took off from Istanbul Ataturk Airport at 5:45 a.m. and flew to Misrata to pick up passengers, without any passengers on board.

Flights halted after crash

The jet ran off the runway after touching down and caught fire. Airport firefighters responded to the blaze, while ARFF teams rescued the two pilots and one cabin crew member from the aircraft. The crew was reported to be in good condition, and all three escaped without injury.

Libya’s Transportation Ministry said it suspended flights after the incident. Emergency authorities moved in to contain the blaze and ensure air navigation safety at the airport, with measures underway to clear the way for flights to resume, the ministry said.

Misrata International Airport is one of Libya’s main airports, located about 7 kilometers (4.35 miles) south of the city of Misrata. The airport has a passenger capacity of 500,000 and five ground stations, according to Libya’s Airports Authority.

Turkish billionaire owns private jet

The Cessna Citation Latitude is a midsize business jet designed by Cessna, part of U.S.-based Textron, with a capacity of 9 passengers. Turkish media reported that Turkish businessman Hamdi Akin owns the aircraft.

Akin, who leads Türkiye-based conglomerate Akfen Holding, ranks among the top 10 richest people in Türkiye, with a fortune of $2.6 billion, according to Forbes’ list.

In a statement, Akfen Holding confirmed that the aircraft belongs to the conglomerate and is operated by BKNJET Aviation Co. The group added that the operator had informed the company that authorities were continuing their investigation into the cause of the accident. (Turkiye Today)

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Turkish police have detained dozens of people after conducting nationwide raids targeting LGBTQ organisations.

Police swooped on gay bars, offices and homes of activists in major cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Mersin on Sunday, escalating Turkiye’s decade-long hostility towards LGBTQ groups.

State news agency Anadolu quoted prosecutors in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir as saying that at least 63 people were detained, the AFP news agency reported.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said in a social media post on Sunday that prosecutors had launched an investigation into 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses to “protect children, the institution of the family, and public order”.

Turkish authorities targeted current and former members of multiple LGBTQ rights and HIV awareness groups. The organisations’ websites were blocked days before the police raids.

Gurlek said the “My Family is Safe” operations on Sunday aligned with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 10-year “Decade of Family and Population” executive order, which aims to combat Turkiye’s falling birthrate.

“As per the duty to protect families and children given to the state by the constitution, no criminal organization, abuse network or illegal activity which targets children, youths or families will be tolerated!” Gurlek wrote on X.

LGBTQ rights organisation Kaos GL, whose offices were searched and activists taken into custody, said that “nearly 50 defenders of the rights of LGBTQ people … have been taken into custody or are subject to legal proceedings involving interrogations or detentions”.

Judicial authorities in Turkiye’s capital, Ankara, accused Kaos GL of publishing “posts containing obscenity” online and said that the content was accessible to children, according to the rights group. 

Rights activists accused the Turkish government of hardening its rhetoric and restrictions against Turkiye’s LGBTQ community in recent years.

“The real name of this operation is not ‘My Family is Safe’; it is state-led discrimination, politics of fear and the dismantling of civil society,” the Turkish Human Rights Association said on X.

The European Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkiye, Nacho Sanchez Amor, condemned the detentions as “a shocking escalation in the repression” in the country.

The governing AK Party banned Istanbul Pride in 2015. Any attempted gatherings since then have been violently dispersed by authorities. (Al Jazeera)

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