Shibbir Ahmed, New York — OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman will brief the United Nations Security Council in person next week as the 15-member body discusses artificial intelligence and international security during the UN General Assembly.

An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed that Altman will address an open Security Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 23. His remarks are expected to focus on international coordination, shared safety standards and measures OpenAI is taking to ensure that artificial intelligence is safe and benefits people globally.

The meeting has been convened by France, which holds the Security Council presidency for September, and will be chaired by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot. A French concept note circulated among council members highlights concerns about the misuse of AI and calls for urgent action to promote its safe and responsible development.

The council is expected to examine risks associated with the loss of control over increasingly advanced AI models, including their potential use in activities that could affect international peace and security. Diplomats have also indicated that senior representatives from Anthropic could attend, although their participation had not been confirmed.

The Security Council first held a dedicated discussion on the risks of artificial intelligence in 2023. Since then, concerns over AI’s potential impact on security, warfare and global stability have become a growing issue at the United Nations.

Altman has previously warned about the potential risks of advanced AI. In a 2015 essay, he described the development of superhuman machine intelligence as a major threat to humanity’s continued existence.

Shibbir Ahmed, Washington DC — U.S. President Donald Trump is set to personally welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews when Xi arrives in the Washington area next week for a high-profile state visit, in a rare protocol gesture by a U.S. president.

Xi is expected to arrive on Wednesday, September 23, ahead of talks with Trump at the White House on September 24. Trump’s decision to greet Xi at the airport marks a departure from the usual practice of receiving visiting foreign leaders at the White House.

The visit will include a formal arrival ceremony at the White House, a military review in the Rose Garden and a state dinner hosted by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. Senior U.S. officials said a number of leading technology executives are expected to attend the dinner.

Trade, rare-earth supplies and artificial intelligence are expected to be among the major issues discussed by the two leaders. The summit comes as Washington and Beijing continue efforts to manage tensions over trade and technology while seeking greater stability in their bilateral relationship.

The upcoming meeting will be the second face-to-face encounter between Trump and Xi this year, following Trump’s visit to Beijing in May. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng is also scheduled to hold preparatory economic and trade talks with U.S. officials ahead of the summit.

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia issued emergency alerts in Riyadh and the nearby city of Al-Kharj early Saturday, warning residents of a potential aerial threat amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Saudi Civil Defence later issued an all-clear, saying the immediate danger had passed. A Reuters journalist in Riyadh reported hearing loud booms after the alerts were issued.

The alerts were the first reported in the Saudi capital since the latest escalation in fighting involving the Houthis. The warnings came hours after Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out what he described as “criminal attempts” in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and vowed retaliation. A large plume of black smoke and flames was later seen near Riyadh’s main airport. Reuters said the cause of the smoke was not immediately clear, and Saudi government officials had not immediately commented.

The latest developments come amid a sharp escalation in Houthi attacks targeting Saudi territory and infrastructure. The Houthis have intensified their military activity in the region since declaring a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July, according to Reuters.

Saudi Arabia has also issued security alerts in several other parts of the kingdom in recent days, including Jeddah, Taif, Khamis Mushait and AlUla. Earlier this week, Saudi authorities said they intercepted a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered the city’s restricted airspace. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca or other Islamic holy sites. The escalation has raised concerns over regional security, energy infrastructure and international shipping, particularly as the Houthis control territory along parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed “deep regret” over the United States’ decision to deny a visa to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for the second consecutive year, preventing him from attending the upcoming UN General Assembly in person. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Friday that Guterres was concerned about the impact of the decision on the ability of the State of Palestine to participate fully in the work of the United Nations.

“The full participation of all delegations in the work of the Organization is essential to its proper functioning,” Dujarric said in a statement. The U.S. State Department announced that visas would not be issued to Abbas and other Palestinian officials seeking to attend the high-level UN General Assembly session, which begins in New York on Tuesday. Members of the Palestinian mission to the United Nations will continue to participate.

Guterres has urged the United States, as the host country, to ensure that visas are issued to members of all delegations in accordance with its obligations. Dujarric said the secretary-general would continue engaging with U.S. authorities on the issue.

Abbas to Address UNGA Virtually

The U.S. decision marks the second consecutive year that Abbas has been unable to attend the General Assembly in person. Last year, he addressed the gathering by video after the Trump administration denied visas to members of the Palestinian delegation. On Thursday, the UN General Assembly voted 152-3 to allow Abbas to address this year’s high-level debate virtually. The United States, Israel and Paraguay voted against the measure, while four countries abstained.

US Cites Palestinian Policies

Washington has defended the visa restrictions by citing what it describes as the Palestinian Authority’s failure to meet commitments related to peace efforts and reforms. The U.S. State Department has also cited Palestinian efforts to pursue the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through international institutions, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Washington has argued that such moves seek to bypass negotiations through international legal and diplomatic mechanisms.

The United States and Israel have also criticized the Palestinian Authority’s former policy of providing payments to families of imprisoned or killed Palestinians, including individuals accused of carrying out attacks against Israelis. The Palestinian Authority has since reformed the system, saying assistance would be based on families’ financial needs rather than political affiliation or prisoner status.

Continuing Tensions Over Palestinian Representation

The visa dispute comes amid continuing tensions over Palestinian representation at the United Nations and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United States has opposed efforts to internationalize the conflict through international courts and has also disagreed with the position of the majority of UN member states that recognized Palestine at the United Nations last year. According to AFP, 142 UN member states recognized a Palestinian state in 2025.

Despite the visa restrictions, Palestinian diplomats accredited to the United Nations will continue to represent the State of Palestine at UN meetings, while Abbas is expected to address the General Assembly remotely. Guterres has maintained that the participation of all delegations is important to the functioning of the United Nations and said he would continue discussions with Washington over the issue.

DHAKA — Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam has sought support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to expedite the supply of electricity from Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to the national grid.

He made the request during a bilateral meeting between a Bangladesh delegation and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on Thursday, according to an official handout.

The Bangladesh delegation was led by Mahbub Anam. The meeting focused on expanding the peaceful applications of nuclear technology, strengthening nuclear safety and security, and enhancing cooperation between Bangladesh and the IAEA. The minister thanked Grossi and the IAEA for their continued support in promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology and strengthening international cooperation.

The two sides also discussed further strengthening Bangladesh’s capacity in nuclear science and technology through technical cooperation, human resource development, education, training and research. Mahbub Anam said Bangladesh has benefited from the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme for more than five decades in areas including healthcare, agriculture, food security, water management, industry and energy.

He noted that Bangladesh recently signed its Country Programme Framework (CPF) for 2026–2032, which he said would create new opportunities for technical cooperation in the years ahead. Describing the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant as a historic milestone for Bangladesh’s energy security, the minister said the country had made significant progress toward carbon-free electricity generation through fuel loading at Unit 1 of the plant.

“This has opened up new possibilities for meeting the country’s growing electricity demand, ensuring energy security and addressing climate change,” he said. Mahbub Anam reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to maintaining the highest international standards of nuclear safety, security and responsible management. He also highlighted Bangladesh’s accession to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, describing it as a reflection of the country’s commitment to a safe and responsible nuclear programme.

The meeting also discussed cooperation under the IAEA’s Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All initiative. Mahbub Anam thanked Grossi and the IAEA Secretariat for their leadership in advancing the programme. Bangladesh joined the Rays of Hope initiative in 2025 and is working with the IAEA to develop it into an effective national-level programme. The minister said one of the initiative’s priorities is establishing an integrated, one-stop cancer care centre to provide more coordinated, accessible and patient-centred treatment.

He stressed the importance of further IAEA technical cooperation in capacity building, knowledge exchange and developing a sustainable cancer treatment system in Bangladesh. Mahbub Anam also welcomed the IAEA-WHO Impact Review Mission, scheduled for November 2026, saying it would provide an opportunity for an evidence-based assessment of Bangladesh’s national cancer control capacity and help establish practical priorities for improving cancer care.

Emphasising the need to bring the benefits of science and technology closer to the people, the minister said nuclear technology should contribute not only to technological advancement but also to improving living standards, strengthening climate resilience, increasing agricultural productivity and expanding healthcare services.

He urged the IAEA to expand opportunities for international education, training, fellowships and joint research for Bangladeshi students, scientists and researchers. The minister said Bangladesh aims to build a more integrated, equitable and sustainable cancer care system and ensure that the benefits of nuclear science and technology reach people who need them most.

He also called for deeper international cooperation with the IAEA in promoting peaceful nuclear technology, strengthening nuclear safety and security, and supporting sustainable development. Science and Technology Secretary Md Anwar Hossain, Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Representative to Vienna Toufique Hasan, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Dr M Moinul Islam, and Joint Secretary of the Science and Technology Ministry Sheikh Mohammed Tauhidul Islam attended the meeting.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — Russia and China on Thursday vetoed a U.S.-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution that sought to extend the mandate of a panel of experts monitoring international sanctions on Iran. The resolution received 11 votes in favor, while Pakistan and Somalia abstained. The Russian and Chinese vetoes blocked its adoption.

The proposed resolution would have extended the mandate of the independent panel of experts for another year. The panel was established to monitor implementation of sanctions imposed on Iran and report possible violations to the 15-member Security Council.

The vote comes amid a wider dispute over the legal status of UN sanctions on Iran. Western countries, including Britain, France and Germany, triggered the “snapback” mechanism under the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement in 2025, arguing that Tehran had violated its nuclear commitments. The move resulted in the reimposition of UN sanctions.

Russia and China reject the Western interpretation and argue that the UN sanctions had expired when Security Council Resolution 2231 reached its scheduled end date in October 2025. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the U.S.-backed resolution lacked a legal basis and urged the parties to resolve the nuclear dispute through political and diplomatic means.

The United States criticized the vetoes, saying the absence of an independent panel would create a gap in monitoring sanctions violations. U.S. Deputy Ambassador Jennifer Locetta said the panel provided impartial, evidence-based reporting on potential violations.

France and other Western members also criticized the veto, while stressing that the veto does not itself remove the sanctions that they consider to remain in force. The dispute has also left the Security Council divided over how to monitor Iran’s nuclear-related activities and enforce sanctions. The UN sanctions include measures affecting Iranian assets, arms-related transactions and ballistic-missile activities.

The latest vote highlights continuing divisions among the permanent members of the Security Council over Iran’s nuclear program, the validity of the sanctions and the role of international monitoring.

GENEVA — United Nations-backed human rights experts said Thursday they found “reasonable grounds” to believe that the United States committed war crimes in two military strikes in Iran, including an attack on a school that killed more than 150 people. The findings come from the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, which investigated the conduct of the United States during the war that began in February, as well as human rights violations allegedly committed by Iranian authorities. The mission’s report is due to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The experts said they found reasonable grounds to believe U.S. forces were responsible for a February 28 strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, southern Iran. Iranian officials said more than 150 people were killed, including about 120 schoolchildren.

According to the mission, the school was a clearly identifiable civilian facility and investigators found no evidence that it was being used for military purposes. The experts concluded that the attack was indiscriminate and caused civilian deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure, amounting to a war crime under international law.

The mission also examined a strike on a sports center in Lamerd. Investigators said the attack damaged nearby residential buildings and a school and killed or injured 22 civilians. They concluded that the strike was indiscriminate and therefore constituted a war crime.

U.S. Central Command said in March that American forces did not conduct strikes in Lamerd on the day in question. U.S. officials have also previously said that American military operations are carried out in accordance with the law of armed conflict.

The report also addressed Iran’s response to nationwide anti-government protests that began in late December. The experts said Iranian authorities carried out a widespread and systematic attack against civilians, including unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances, which they characterized as crimes against humanity.

The fact-finding mission is an investigative body rather than a court and cannot initiate criminal proceedings. Its findings, however, can be used in future investigations or proceedings before national courts or international tribunals. The United States and Iran have previously rejected allegations of wrongdoing, and the two governments did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the latest findings.

Shibbir Ahmed, Washington DC — The United States has imposed new sanctions on an Iranian digital asset network accused of helping the Iranian regime evade sanctions and move funds through cryptocurrency. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the measures on September 17 as part of Operation Economic Outcast, a broader U.S. campaign targeting Iran’s financial networks and sources of revenue.

The sanctions target BitBank, an Iranian digital asset exchange controlled by Iranian financier Babak Zanjani, along with its developer, Pishtaz Simorgh Electronic Trade Company. Three individuals associated with Zanjani—Hossein Ali Zaker Hossein, Mohammad Mahdi Zaker Hossein, and Seyed Adel Heidari—were also designated.

According to the Treasury Department, the targeted entities and individuals form part of an Iranian digital asset-based sanctions-evasion infrastructure. U.S. officials said BitBank has been used to transfer payments received by the Iranian regime and that the broader network was involved in laundering funds and transferring hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the action demonstrates that cryptocurrency-based financing linked to the Iranian regime remains within the reach of U.S. sanctions authorities.

The latest measures were issued under Executive Order 13902, which authorizes sanctions targeting certain sectors of Iran’s economy, including its digital asset sector. Treasury said the expanded use of the authority is intended to disrupt Iran’s efforts to use digital assets to circumvent U.S. sanctions.

The action is part of Operation Economic Outcast, launched by the Treasury Department on August 24, 2026. The campaign focuses on financial networks, facilitators and channels that U.S. authorities say Iran uses to generate revenue, evade sanctions and finance activities linked to the regime.

Treasury has warned that entities involved in money laundering or sanctions evasion on behalf of Iran could face restrictions on access to the U.S. financial system. The department has also increased the potential exposure to secondary sanctions for foreign entities that continue certain business dealings with Iran.

The latest action follows a series of U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian financial and economic networks, including measures against foreign banks and other entities accused of facilitating Iran’s access to international financial channels.

Shibbir Ahmed, WASHINGTON DC — The United States on Thursday announced new sanctions against eight Cuban entities and three individuals as part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to restrict Cuba’s military capabilities and sources of revenue. The U.S. Department of State said the latest measures target elements of Cuba’s military research and development apparatus as well as entities connected to the country’s nickel and mining sector.

The designations were imposed under Executive Order 14404, issued in May 2026. The order authorizes sanctions against foreign persons involved in specified activities related to Cuba, including operations in the defense, metals and mining, energy, financial-services and security sectors. Four Cuban military enterprises were designated for operating in or having operated in the defense and related-materials sector.

They are the Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo de Simuladores (SIMPRO), which the State Department says develops and manufactures simulators and training programs for Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces and other government entities; the Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo Naval (CIDNAV), involved in research programs for the Cuban Revolutionary Navy; the Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo de Armamento de Infanteria (CIDAI), involved in research related to infantry weapons; and Centro de Investigacion, Desarrollo y Produccion Grito de Baire (GELCOM), which produces electronics and communications equipment.

The United States also sanctioned three senior Cuban military officials associated with those enterprises: Joaquin Francisco Cancio Monteagudo, director general of SIMPRO; Dioglis Pedrera Arguello, director general of CIDNAV; and Julio Hurtado Betancourt, director general of CIDAI.

Four additional entities connected to Cuba’s nickel industry were also designated: SERCONI, CEPRONIQUEL, CEDINIQ and PINARES S.A. The State Department identified them as state-linked organizations involved in technical services, engineering, research and mineral surveying associated with Cuba’s nickel sector.

Under the sanctions, property and interests in property belonging to designated persons that are in the United States or under the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions involving blocked property unless authorized or exempt.

The measures also create sanctions risks for certain foreign persons that conduct specified transactions with persons designated under E.O. 14404 or operate in sectors covered by the order. OFAC says E.O. 14404 operates alongside, rather than replacing, the existing Cuban Assets Control Regulations.

The latest action follows several rounds of U.S. sanctions against Cuban entities and officials during 2026. Earlier measures have also targeted Cuba’s financial channels, energy-related entities and resource-exploitation apparatus. The State Department said the ultimate objective of the sanctions is to encourage changes in behavior by the Cuban government.

Shibbir Ahmed, WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Board of Directors has approved more than $8 billion in new investments aimed at expanding U.S. exports, strengthening critical infrastructure and energy security, and supporting American technology and businesses in international markets.

The DFC said the investments include projects in Ukraine, Jordan, Sub-Saharan Africa and emerging markets, with additional support for critical minerals in West Africa. The agency described the package as part of its effort to advance U.S. economic and national security interests.

One major component will support U.S. exports to emerging markets through a counter-guarantee for the International Finance Corporation’s Global Trade Finance Program. The arrangement is designed to help foreign banks expand trade-finance capacity and facilitate purchases of American goods.

In Ukraine, DFC will provide financing to Vodafone Ukraine to strengthen telecommunications infrastructure, including the development of secure and reliable 5G networks. The agency also approved financing for a 200-megawatt/400-megawatt-hour battery energy storage portfolio across six Ukrainian sites. The project, developed by DTEK with technology from U.S.-based Fluence, is designed to improve the stability and resilience of Ukraine’s electricity grid. DFC said the storage system could provide enough power for approximately 600,000 homes for two hours.

In Jordan, DFC approved a loan for the National Carrier Project Company to support construction, operation and maintenance of a seawater desalination plant and water-conveyance system. Political-risk insurance will also be provided for equity investors Meridiam and Suez.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, DFC will make an equity investment in WIOCC Group to expand digital infrastructure across the continent. WIOCC operates telecommunications, data-center and fiber-network infrastructure spanning 30 African countries, according to DFC.

DFC is also supporting a critical-minerals project in West Africa. The agency said some additional transactions remain confidential because of commercial sensitivities and may require further steps, including congressional notification, before they can be formally committed and closed.