US targets Brazilian justice’s wife with sanctions; will revoke more visas
Six officials will see their visas revoked following the sentencing of Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro. By Reuters Published On 22 Sep 202522 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The United States is reportedly revoking visas for six more Brazilian judicial officials while the US Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on the wife of a Supreme Court justice. In an expansion of its sanctions targeting Brazil’s judiciary, the administration of US President Donald Trump on Monday imposed sanctions on Viviane Barci de Moraes, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list It also imposed sanctions on the Lex Instituto de Estudos Juridicos, a financial entity controlled by Barci de Moraes and other family members that the US government believes could serve as a vehicle to evade pre-existing sanctions, a Treasury Department notice said. Shortly after those sanction notices were published, a White House official told the Reuters news agency that the government is revoking the visas of Brazilian Solicitor General Jorge Messias and five other former and current Brazilian judicial officials. Brazil’s Supreme Court declined to comment. Barci de Moraes’s law firm did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Alexandre de Moraes presided over the criminal case of right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted this month of attempting a coup to stay in power after he lost the 2022 election to current leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison. His lawyers said they will appeal the conviction although jurists said their chances of success are remote. Alexandre de Moraes himself was hit in July with sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, which allows the US to impose economic penalties against foreigners it considers to have a record of corruption or human rights abuses. Advertisement Taken as a whole, the latest sanctions represent a deepening of an ongoing diplomatic crisis between the Western Hemisphere’s two largest democracies. Trump and his political allies have long dismissed the criminal case against Bolsonaro as a political witch-hunt. The US president, who was himself criminally indicted for trying to stay in power after his 2020 election loss to former President Joe Biden, has frequently indicated that he sees a kindred spirit in the former Brazilian leader. Alexandre de Moraes has stood firm on Brazil’s judicial independence after being hit with the US sanctions. “Respect comes from independence. A subservient, cowardly judiciary, one that makes deals just to calm the country down, is not independent,” he said in August. Earlier in July, the Trump administration yanked US visas held by the justice and several of his Supreme Court colleagues. The US also hit Brazil with a 50 percent tariff on most goods. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli attack kills at least 25 from the same family in Gaza City homes
Palestinian family members at the scene say they fear as many as 50 people are trapped under the rubble. The Israeli military has killed at least 25 members of the same family in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City as it ramps up strikes across the besieged enclave. A group of homes were bombed in the early hours of Sunday by Israeli warplanes in the Sabra neighbourhood, where Israeli tanks began advancing in late August as part of a plan to destroy and seize the area. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list At least 17 people have been rescued in the aftermath of the strike, and rescue work was ongoing as people and emergency responders dug with their hands and family members at the scene said they feared as many as 50 people were trapped under the rubble. The Palestinian family made an urgent appeal for help to try to free others still trapped. Family members at the scene said they could still hear voices from the rubble. “I appeal to the whole world: Please lend us a helping hand,” one family member said. “Our relatives are buried alive. We keep hearing their screams from under the rubble, but we cannot reach them.” He said Israeli drones were firing on rescuers working in the rubble. “Every time we try to reach them, the Israeli drones open fire on us. For every five men making an attempt, four are killed, and only one survives.” Footage circulating online showed casualties being rushed away in a small vehicle surrounded by people. The video below shows a mother crying out that she lost “all of my children” in the Israeli attack in the Sabra neighbourhood, located south of Gaza City. Advertisement Seven Palestinians, including four children, were killed in another Israeli air raid in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, an emergency source told Al Jazeera. The attack reportedly hit near a clinic operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Saturday afternoon that at least 65,283 people have been killed and 166,575 others wounded by the Israeli army since the start of the war in October 2023. It said at least four more deaths due to Israeli-induced starvation and famine were recorded over the past day, bringing the total death toll to 440 people, including 147 children. More buildings were blown up by the Israeli military on Sunday as it tries to forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and seize Gaza City despite international criticism and opposition from the families of captives held in the enclave. Mourners react as a relative embraces body bags, during the funeral for members of the Abu Amsha family, who were killed in an Israeli strike on a house on Saturday, according to medics, at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, September 21, 2025 [Ebrahim Hajjaj/Reuters] Many Palestinians are refusing to step outside where they are sheltering since nowhere is safe due to drone strikes and remotely controlled explosive robots planted inside displacement camps and roads, said Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud from the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. “As of now, people’s movement has been very limited by the use of these explosives. The air is still thick with smoke,” he said. The Israeli military estimates that more than 450,000 people have been forcibly displaced from Gaza City since the start of September. Hamas puts the number at under 300,000 people, saying about 900,000 remain. The Israeli military said on Sunday that three divisions are leading a ground invasion in Gaza City and northern Gaza, with another division operating in Khan Younis in the south. It claimed that its soldiers killed “many terrorists who were on their way to carry out terror plots” over the past 24 hours. Pope Leo spoke out against the forced displacement of civilians in Gaza on Sunday, saying, “Together with the pastors of the churches in the Holy Land, I repeat that there is no future based on violence, forced exile, and revenge.” Adblock test (Why?)
Charlie Kirk mourned as Jimmy Kimmel supporters fear erosion of free speech
NewsFeed As thousands gather for Charlie Kirk’s memorial, debate rages over a clampdown on free speech in the US. Late-night TV hosts have spoken out in support of Jimmy Kimmel following his cancellation, while President Donald Trump reiterated his view that critical coverage of him is illegal. Published On 21 Sep 202521 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Trump to join thousands at memorial for right-wing US activist Charlie Kirk
US President Donald Trump to address Arizona service for assassinated ally. Published On 21 Sep 202521 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend a memorial service in Arizona for Charlie Kirk, the right-wing United States activist and founder of Turning Point USA who was shot dead this month. The event will take place on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, which seats more than 63,000 people. Organisers said additional space has been arranged nearby to accommodate overflow crowds. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several other Republicans will address the gathering, which Turning Point USA has called Building a Legacy: Remembering Charlie Kirk. Kirk’s widow, Erika, who recently became the organisation’s chief executive, is also expected to speak. The Department of Homeland Security has classified the service as an event of “the highest national significance”, a designation usually reserved for occasions such as the Super Bowl. Officials said tight security measures are in place due to Trump’s attendance and the political tension surrounding Kirk’s killing. Kirk, 31, was killed on September 10 during a university event in Utah. Police charged a 22-year-old suspect with murder, saying he carried out the attack alone and killed Kirk because he had “enough of his hate”. Kirk was a polarising figure who called for the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and whips against immigrants at the US-Mexico border; suggested Islam is a danger to American society; and claimed there was “no factual data to back up global warming”. The US right-wing viewed Kirk as a major figure in the Trump movement who played a pivotal role in building support for the US president and conservative causes among young people. Advertisement Trump has been accused of exploiting Kirk’s murder for political gain by linking the killing to what he calls “left-wing extremism” despite law enforcement dismissing claims of a wider alleged assassination plot. His remarks have drawn criticism from opponents who accused him of inflaming political divisions. Kirk established Turning Point USA in 2012 at the age of 18. The organisation has grown into one of the largest right-wing groups in the US with influence across high schools, universities and social media platforms. Adblock test (Why?)
Why is a deal with China on TikTok’s US assets so important to Trump?
After a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump says an agreement is on the way. Millions of TikTok users in the United States will be relieved to hear President Donald Trump say that China had agreed to approve a deal on the future of the social media platform in the US. With US politicians worried that TikTok poses a national security threat and spreads propaganda, Congress passed a bill last year that banned the short video app unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sold its US business. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list But Trump had extended the deadline by which ByteDance was to divest from the platform or face the promised ban, and even went so far as to raise the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a call on Friday. So, why does a deal on this app matter so much to Trump? Presenter: Tom McRae Guests: Richard Weitz – senior non-resident associate fellow at the NATO Defense College Einar Tangen – senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation Maria Curi – technology policy reporter for Axios, focusing on government oversight of social media platforms Published On 20 Sep 202520 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Americans to dominate board of TikTok’s US operations: White House
Six of seven board seats for TikTok’s US operations will be held by Americans, White House press secretary says. Published On 20 Sep 202520 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A deal between Washington and Beijing for the Chinese parent company of video-sharing app TikTok to sell its US operations would see the formation of an American-majority board, the White House has announced. “There will be seven seats on the board that controls the app in the United States, and six of those seats will be Americans,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Saturday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list According to Leavitt, a deal could be signed “in the coming days”. Leavitt’s comments come one day after US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in a bid to finalise an agreement that will allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States amid threats of a ban. While Trump described the conversation as being a “very good call … appreciate the TikTok approval” on his Truth Social platform, China did not confirm any agreement between the two sides. It has been reported that Larry Ellison, the billionaire cofounder of tech firm Oracle, is part of an investor group whose companies are looking to buy the app. Leavitt on Saturday seemed to confirm Oracle’s participation in purchasing TikTok. “The data and privacy will be led by one of America’s greatest tech companies, Oracle, and the algorithm will also be controlled by America as well,” she told Fox News. “So all of those details have already been agreed upon. Now we just need this deal to be signed.” TikTok boasts about 175 million users in the US, making it one of the top five social media apps. Advertisement However, the platform has been beset by controversies when lawmakers under the Joe Biden administration passed legislation to force the platform to divest itself of its ownership by the Chinese internet company ByteDance. Both Democrats and Republicans supported the legislation due to security concerns that Beijing could have access to TikTok data and could spread Chinese propaganda through TikTok’s algorithm. Trump himself proposed banning TikTok during his first term as US president, signing two executive orders in August 2020 that were aimed at restricting the app. However, the US president did a U-turn, pledging to “save” the popular app during his 2024 re-election campaign. China has consistently denied claims by US lawmakers that Beijing pressures apps like TikTok to collect personal information for the state. Adblock test (Why?)
Zelenskyy plans to meet Trump on sidelines of UN as Russia steps up attacks
Kyiv in sanctions push as NATO states on Europe’s eastern flank take preventive action after Moscow’s air incursions. By News Agencies Published On 20 Sep 202520 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyy is preparing to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City next week in a bid to urge him to impose stronger sanctions on Russia. The Ukrainian president shared his plans on Saturday, as Russia intensified attacks on his country following air incursions into Europe’s eastern flank that have sparked anxiety over a potential spillover of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The announcement, reported by the AFP news agency, came the day after the European Union presented its 19th sanctions package. “We now expect strong sanctions steps from the United States as well – Europe is doing its part,” Zelenskyy posted on X on Saturday. This week brought us closer to finalizing the 19th sanctions package – we expect its approval soon. We will quickly synchronize the package in Ukraine. Russia’s energy resources are being restricted. The infrastructure of the “shadow fleet” will face new pressure. Cryptocurrency… pic.twitter.com/JzgvsQQHHQ — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 20, 2025 Trump already signalled last week that he was ready to impose “major sanctions” on Russia, which has so far evaded his attempts for a ceasefire, but only if all NATO allies agree to completely halt buying oil from Moscow. Zelenskyy is also expected to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent future Russian attacks after an eventual truce, though Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that he would not accept the presence of Western troops in Ukraine. Advertisement Moscow stepped up attacks on Ukraine overnight, firing 40 missiles and some 580 drones in one of the biggest barrages of Russia’s war on its neighbour, killing at least three people and wounding dozens. Preventive operations in east NATO countries took measures to strengthen defences on Europe’s eastern flank after Russian drone incursions in Poland and Romania over the past two weeks, and unprecedented reports of three Russian fighter jets entering Estonian airspace on Friday. Poland’s army said that Polish and allied aircraft were deployed early on Saturday in a “preventative operation” to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after Russia launched air strikes targeting western Ukraine, near the Polish border. The United Kingdom said that its fighter jets had flown their first NATO air defence sortie to patrol Polish skies and defend against potential aerial threats from Russia as part of the alliance’s Eastern Sentry mission. On Saturday, Russia’s Ministry of Defence denied that its aircraft flew into Estonia’s airspace the day before, but Estonian officials said the 12-minute violation was confirmed by radar and visual contact. Colonel Ants Kiviselg, the commander of Estonia’s Military Intelligence Centre, said that it still “needs to be confirmed” whether the border violation was deliberate. Adblock test (Why?)
Ted Cruz breaks with Republicans, slams ‘mafioso’ threats to broadcasters
The US senator has labelled Carr’s comments ‘dangerous as hell’ and something ‘right out of Goodfellas’. A prominent Republican senator has joined the Democrats in criticising threats made by the government of the United States against Disney and local broadcasters for airing Jimmy Kimmel Live. Ted Cruz, who leads oversight of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), said on Friday that FCC chair Brendan Carr’s threat to take regulatory action against networks over the content of their shows sets a dangerous precedent. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Speaking on his podcast, Cruz labelled Carr’s comments “dangerous as hell” and something “right out of Goodfellas”, referring to Martin Scorsese’s iconic gangster movie. “That’s right out of a mafioso coming into a bar going, ‘Nice bar you have here. It would be a shame if something happened to it’,” Cruz said. Carr had threatened to fine broadcasters or pull the licences of those who aired Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday, prompting television network ABC – which is owned by Disney – to suspend the late-night talk show. The owners of dozens of local TV stations affiliated with ABC also said they would no longer air the show. Carr’s threat came in response to the host’s opening monologue on Monday discussing the murder of Charlie Kirk – a friend and political ally of the president – which caused uproar among President Donald Trump’s supporters. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said, speaking of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. Advertisement Cruz’s criticism of Carr marks a rare example of a prominent member of Trump’s own party publicly criticising his administration, highlighting deepening bipartisan concerns over attacks on free speech. “We shouldn’t be threatening government power to force him off air,” Cruz said on his podcast. “It might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel, but when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it,” he added. Trump, however, said he disagreed with Cruz and called Carr “an incredible American patriot with courage”. Trump has himself slammed Kimmel’s Kirk monologue, while he also suggested on Thursday that broadcasters critical of his administration should have their FCC-issued licences revoked. “I’m a very strong person for free speech,” he told reporters at the Oval Office on Friday, when asked to clarify his earlier comments. But he continued that broadcasters were so critical of him that they represent an extension of the Democratic Party, something he said was “really illegal”. “That’s no longer free speech … That’s just cheating, and they cheat,” he said. Prominent Democrats and civil rights groups have condemned the Trump administration’s pressure to punish Kimmel and networks that air his show. Democrat and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Carr is “one of the single greatest threats to free speech America has ever known”, as he called for him to resign or for Trump to fire him. Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Friday also asked the FCC’s inspector general to investigate Carr’s actions and comments. The future of Jimmy Kimmel Live remains unclear and Kimmel is yet to publicly comment on his suspension. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,304
Here are the key events on day 1,304 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Published On 20 Sep 202520 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Here is how things stand on Saturday, September 20: Regional security Estonian officials say three Russian MiG-31 fighters entered Estonia’s airspace “over the Gulf of Finland” for a total of 12 minutes on Friday and called for NATO talks over the “unprecedented and brazen intrusion”. Moscow denied violating Estonia’s airspace, with the Russian defence ministry claiming its jets flew over neutral waters of the Baltic Sea as they travelled from northwestern Russia to the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad. The incident came a week after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace and drew immediate condemnation from NATO and European countries. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart accused Moscow of “reckless behaviour” and said the alliance had scrambled aircraft to intercept the Russian jets. British Defence Secretary John Healey said that Russia’s “reckless and dangerous activity” was “the third violation of NATO airspace in recent days”. France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces also responded, saying in a statement: “This incursion into Estonia is unprecedented for more than 20 years”. United States President Donald Trump said he had not been briefed on the incident but said, “I don’t like when that happens.” It “could be big trouble”, he added. Fighting Ukrainian forces launched a wave of drone attacks on Russia, killing a 55-year-old man in the village of Amon, in the Kursk region, and a truck driver in the village of Otradovka in the Belgorod region, according to an official and the Russian state-run TASS news agency. Ukrainian forces attacked the Belgorod region with more than 100 drones and more than 15 munitions in a 24-hour period, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram. In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said two people were wounded in a Russian attack on the Dnipro region. Zelenskyy also said on X that Russian forces launched close to 90 drones at Ukraine overnight, targeting Ukraine’s Donetsk, Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions, alongside Dnipro. “Our warriors managed to neutralise most of them,” Zelenskyy said. Separately, a crew of journalists from Ukraine’s Channel Five and their driver were injured by a landmine near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, Ukrinform reported on Saturday. Russian forces seized the village of Muravka in Ukraine’s Donetsk region and Novoivanovka in the Zaporizhia region, according to TASS. Politics and diplomacy Advertisement European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented a 19th package of sanctions on Russia, urging members of the European Union to adopt new curbs on Russia’s exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Zelenskyy welcomed the measures, saying they “marked an important step that will increase pressure on the Russian war machine and produce a tangible effect”. Trump said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed Russia’s war on Ukraine in a call on Friday. “I believe he would like to see it ended,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office of Xi’s view of the war, after the call. Adblock test (Why?)
Portugal to recognise a Palestinian state
Nine other countries, including France and the UK, also plan to recognise Palestinian statehood next week. Portugal has joined Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom in announcing plans to recognise a Palestinian state. In a statement on Friday, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the recognition will take place on Sunday, a day before a high-level conference on Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that Portugal will recognise the State of Palestine,” the ministry wrote in a statement on its website. “The Official Declaration of Recognition will take place on Sunday, September 21st, before next week’s High-Level Conference,” the statement added. According to Portugal’s Correio da Manha newspaper, the country’s centre-right Prime Minister Luis Montenegro consulted with the president and parliament before finalising the decision. It marked the end of nearly 15 years of debate in the Western European country’s parliament, Correio da Manha reported, after the proposal was first put forward by the country’s Left Bloc political party in 2011. People carry a banner with the words ‘Free Palestine’ during a demonstration demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and in support of Palestinians, in Lisbon, Portugal, on April 7, 2024 [Armando Franca/AP Photo] Global outcry Portugal’s announcement comes days after a landmark UN inquiry found that Israel’s war on Gaza amounts to a genocide. At least 65,141 people have been killed and 165,925 wounded since Israel’s onslaught began in October 2023. Many thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble. Advertisement The Portuguese government first announced its intentions on recognising Palestine as a state in July, citing “extremely worrying evolution of the conflict”, as well as the humanitarian crisis and Israel’s repeated threats to annex Palestinian land. Earlier on Friday, an adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron said that Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and San Marino plan to recognise the State of Palestine alongside France at the high-level meeting it is co-organising with Saudi Arabia in New York on Monday. Canada and the United Kingdom have also said they intend to do the same. They will join some 147 countries, representing 75 percent of UN members, that had already recognised Palestinian statehood as of April this year. Portugal was also among 145 countries which voted on Friday to create an option for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the UNGA in New York next week by video, after the United States denied him a visa. Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, as well as Israel and the US, were the five countries that voted no, while six countries abstained. Israel and the US have strongly criticised countries moving to recognise Palestine, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing France’s announcement as a “reckless decision” that “only serves Hamas propaganda”. Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned last year that a new illegal Israeli settlement would be established in the occupied West Bank for every country that recognises Palestine. Luxembourg considers sanctions Earlier this week, Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel told a parliamentary commission that their country intends to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UNGA. Bettel also said that he would propose a bill to parliament so that Luxembourg could take further measures, such as sanctions, according to the country’s broadcaster RTL Letzebuerg. Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, has implored countries to take more measures to end Israel’s war on Gaza, including by imposing sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel. Under its 1947 plan to partition Palestine, the UNGA said it would grant 45 percent of the land to an Arab state. At the time, the UNGA had just 57 member states, with dozens of countries under colonial rule unable to vote. Adblock test (Why?)