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?)
What are the GCC’s air defence capabilities?
The Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) Joint Defence Council held an emergency session in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday, to discuss urgent regional security measures in response to the recent Israeli strike on a Hamas office in Qatar’s capital, which killed six people. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi said the attack on the State of Qatar can be considered an attack on all GCC countries. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list AlBudaiwi said member states would activate joint defence mechanisms, enhance intelligence sharing, coordinate aerial positions, activate an early-warning system against ballistic missiles and carry out joint training exercises, including a regional air force drill. Qatar is the seventh country Israel has bombed since the start of this year. (Al Jazeera) Which countries make up the GCC, and what do they spend on their militaries? The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic bloc which was formed in 1981. It brings together six Arab states on the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates (UAE) The GCC was established to promote cooperation on security, economics and politics, and it often coordinates positions on regional and international issues. In 2023, GCC countries collectively spent $114.5bn on their militaries. Saudi Arabia accounted for the largest share, budgeting for at least $69bn and ranking as the world’s seventh-largest military spender, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at $20.7bn, Qatar at $9.02bn, Kuwait at $7.77bn, Oman at $6.5bn and Bahrain at $1.4bn, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Military Balance 2024. (Al Jazeera) Where are the US military bases in the Middle East? The US has operated military bases in the Middle East for decades. Advertisement According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the US operates a broad network of military sites, both permanent and temporary, across at least 19 locations in the region. Of these, eight are permanent bases in five of the six GCC countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – as well as in Egypt, Iraq and Jordan. (Al Jazeera) The strategic partnership between Qatar and the US Al Udeid Air Base was established in Qatar in 1996 and is the largest US military base in the Middle East. Covering an area of 24 hectares (60 acres), the base accommodates almost 100 aircraft as well as drones. This base, which houses some 10,000 troops, serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command (CENTCOM) and has been central to operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Following Israel’s attacks on Doha, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Qatar, arriving the day after he attended meetings in Israel. During his visit, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, emphasised the country’s strategic relationship with the United States, particularly on defence matters. He added: “We are determined to defend our sovereignty and take measures to prevent any recurrence of such an attack.” US President Donald Trump gestures on stage as he tours the Al Udeid Air Base on May 15, 2025, in Doha, Qatar [Win McNamee/Getty Images] Saudi-Pakistan defence pact On Wednesday evening, Saudi Arabia signed a “strategic mutual defence agreement” (SMDA) with nuclear-armed Pakistan. The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an act of aggression against both. The pact came just days after nearly 60 member states of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) gathered in Doha in a show of regional solidarity with Qatar in the wake of the recent attack. A handout picture provided by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on September 17, 2025, shows Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ahead of their meeting in Riyadh (AFP) Which air defence systems do Gulf states rely on? The six Gulf states have built layered air defence networks combining US, European, Russian and Chinese systems. Their arsenals range from long-range interceptors to point-defence missiles and anti-aircraft guns. Long-range systems cover threats beyond 100 km (62 miles), medium-range protect targets 30–100 km (19–62 miles) away and short-range systems defend assets within 1–30 km (0.6–19 miles). (Al Jazeera) Saudi Arabia possesses the Gulf’s largest air defence network, anchored by US-made THAAD systems and long-range Patriot PAC-3 batteries. Advertisement Its layered arsenal also includes medium-range US-made I-Hawk missiles, short-range French Crotale, Shahine and MICA systems, as well as a large number of American and French point-defence launchers such as Stinger, Avenger, Mistral and MPCV. Complementing these are extensive anti-aircraft guns from several countries, including the US-made Vulcan, Swiss/German Oerlikon, and Swedish Bofors L/70 models. Saudi Arabia is the only GCC country to deploy the Chinese-made Silent Hunter laser system, which tracks and neutralises low-flying drones and other small aerial threats by emitting a high-energy beam that can disable or destroy them. (Al Jazeera) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) operates US-made THAAD and long-range Patriot systems, alongside a version of the Israeli-made Barak air defence system. For medium-range threats, the UAE relies on the South Korean-made Cheongung II. Its short-range defences include French Crotale and Mistral, Russian Igla and Pantsir-S1, Swedish RBS-70 and British Rapier systems, all supported by a variety of European anti-aircraft guns. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the only two GCC countries which operate the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) system, giving them advanced missile interception capabilities against ballistic threats. (Al Jazeera) Qatar has invested in US-made Patriot systems and NASAMS III for long- and medium-range air defence, while its short-range defences feature a mix of Russian Igla, US Stinger, Chinese FN-6 and French Mistral systems, supported by German Gepard and Skynex anti-aircraft guns. Kuwait fields US-made Patriot PAC-3 batteries for long-range defence, Italian Aspide launchers paired with Skyguard systems for short-range defence and Stinger, Starburst and FIM-92 missiles for point defence, complemented by German Oerlikon GDF anti-aircraft guns. Bahrain has recently acquired the Patriot PAC-3 MSE system, joining Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait as the GCC countries with advanced long-range, surface-to-air missile capabilities. For medium- to short-range threats, it relies
Safety concerns on eve of World Cup after Italian skier death
It’s usually not until December or January and after a series of tumbles, twisted knees, torn ACLs and worse that the debate over safety in World Cup skiing becomes an annual topic. Not this season. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The death of Italian skier Matteo Franzoso this week following a crash in preseason training in Chile has resurfaced concerns over how to limit risks in the high-speed sport more than a month before the racing even starts. The debate also comes less than five months before the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Franzoso, who was 25, became the third rising Italian skier to die in less than a year. Matilde Lorenzi, who was 19, died from her injuries after a crash last October. Then in March, Marco Degli Uomini, who was 18, died while testing the course for a regional children’s race. A month later, Margot Simond, who was a promising 18-year-old French skier, died in a training crash, too. In 2017, French downhill skier David Poisson, a former medallist at the world championships, died following a training crash in Canada. He was 35. “How many tragic losses will we have to experience before we finally open the debate on safety, especially during training?” veteran French downhiller Adrien Theaux wrote on Instagram. Added Lucrezia Lorenzi, Matilde’s older sister and a competitive skier herself: “The time has come to stop … You can’t go out to ski and then not return home.” Franzoso crashed through two layers of safety fencing on a course at La Parva and slammed into another type of fence positioned six to seven meters (20-23 feet) outside the course, the Italian Winter Sports Federation said. He was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Santiago, but couldn’t survive cranial trauma and a consequent swelling of his brain. He died two days later — a day before what would have been his 26th birthday. Advertisement The La Parva course has been widely used by World Cup skiers for years. Lindsey Vonn and the US Ski Team were training there a week before Franzoso’s crash and several other national teams have been there this month. Italian veteran Christof Innerhofer had completed a run just before Franzoso’s crash and heard about the crash. Then Innerhofer saw the crash site with his own eyes when he went back up on a chairlift and looked down at his fallen teammate. “Matte, when I saw where you fell, where they were applying emergency aid, with you on the other side of the fence, I lost my mind because I feared for the severity of the situation,” Innerhofer wrote on Instagram. The 40-year-old Innerhofer was so shaken that he abandoned the training camp and flew home to Italy: “These are the toughest days I’ve ever experienced as an athlete,” he said. United States’ Ryan Cochran Siegle crashes onto the safety net during an alpine ski, men’s World Cup downhill in Kitzbühel, Austria in 2021 [Marco Trovati/AP] Franzoso’s death has sparked debate over whether the Switzerland-based International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) should take on a greater role in ensuring safety for preseason training courses in the Southern Hemisphere. Ushuaia in Argentina and Coronet Peak in New Zealand are also popular destinations for World Cup skiers in August and September. The Italian federation held an urgent meeting Friday and called for the FIS to establish dedicated training courses for national teams. “The proposal could include two courses in the Southern Hemisphere for summer training, and a few courses in Europe and North America for fall and winter training,” the Italian federation, known as FISI, said. FISI added that the training courses should have A, B and C safety netting just like courses used for World Cup races. “In the coming weeks, FIS will further intensify dialogue with its stakeholders, always with a single guiding principle: the wellbeing and safety of athletes must come first,” the FIS said in a statement Friday. Starting this season, all World Cup skiers will be required to wear protective air-bag systems under their racing suits for downhill and super-G races; and cut-resistant underwear for all events. The air bags, which inflate briefly when activated by a sophisticated algorithm that can sense when a skier loses control, have been around as an optional safety device for years. The cut-resistant underwear protects against laceration injuries from ultra-sharp ski edges. For example, the underwear may have helped prevent the severe cut and nerve damage to the right calf of Norwegian standout Aleksander Aamodt Kilde during a horrific crash in January 2024. Kilde has been out ever since that fall but hopes to return this season. Advertisement “Moments like this bring into sharp focus the profound risks that are an inseparable part of our sport,” the FIS said. “It is not possible to eliminate the inherent dangers of alpine skiing, but — by listening, by raising awareness, and by fostering dialogue that leads to collective action — we can mitigate the risks.” Franzoso was from the coastal city of Genoa but had moved to the mountains near Sestriere to pursue his skiing career. His funeral will be held on Tuesday in Sestriere — where skiing was contested at the 2006 Turin Olympics. For the Milan-Cortina Games in February, men’s skiing will be held in Bormio and women’s skiing will be held in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Both the Stelvio course in Bormio and the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina have been the site of numerous high-profile crashes in recent years. Mikaela Shiffrin hit the Cortina nets at high speed in 2024, and French standout Cyprien Sarrazin needed surgery to drain brain bleeding after he was catapulted into the air and landed hard on the Stelvio last season. This season’s World Cup circuit opens on the Rettenbach glacier in Solden, Austria, at the end of October. Adblock test (Why?)
UN Security Council rejects resolution to extend Iran sanctions relief
The United Nations Security Council has voted not to permanently lift economic sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, delivering a major economic blow that Tehran claims is “politically biased”. A resolution on Friday to block the sanctions fell in the Security Council by a vote of four to nine, meaning European sanctions will return by September 28 if no significant deal is reached beforehand. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Russia, China, Pakistan and Algeria voted to stop the sanctions from being reintroduced, while nine UNSC members voted against sanctions relief. Two countries abstained. The vote follows a 30-day process launched in late August by Britain, France and Germany – known as the E3 – to reinstate sanctions unless Tehran meets their demands. “Any attempt by the E3 to reimpose sanctions already terminated is not only baseless but a direct assault on international law and the credibility of the Security Council itself,” Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative and ambassador to the UN, said at the session on Friday. “This travesty unfolds against the backdrop of blatant aggression,” he added, referring to Israel and the United States’s attacks on his country’s nuclear facilities during June’s 12-day war. The council, he added, had “squandered an opportunity for dialogue and consensus”. Iran says Europeans ‘misusing JCPOA mechanism’ Iranian officials have accused the European trio of abusing the dispute mechanism contained in the 2015 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which allows for the application of sanctions under a “snapback mechanism”. Advertisement “What Europeans are doing is politically biased and politically motivated … They are wrong on different levels by trying to misuse the mechanism embedded in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said before the vote. The Europeans offered to delay the snapback for up to six months if Iran restored access for UN nuclear inspectors and engaged in talks with the US. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that Tehran had presented a “reasonable and actionable plan” and insisted Iran remains committed to the NPT. But the E3 accuse Tehran of breaching their nuclear commitments, including by building up a uranium stockpile of more than 40 times the level permitted under the JCPOA. The UN’s nuclear watchdog board also ruled back in June that Iran was not respecting international nuclear safeguards. “However slim, there is still a possibility of diplomatic engagement to fix this already complicated issue,” said Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran. But today’s vote adds another “layer of complexity” and puts Iran “on the very brink” of deeper sanctions that would compound pressure on its economy, he added. ‘Clock is ticking for high-level diplomacy’ The UNSC vote allowing sanctions to snap back is not the complete “end of negotiations,” as the parties have just over a week to come up with a last-ditch deal, said Al Jazeera’s diplomatic editor James Bays, reporting from the UN. “It’s the week where world leaders are all here in New York for the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly, so it sets the stage for high-level diplomacy between Iran and particularly the three European countries,” said Bays. But “we’re reaching the end of this high-stakes diplomacy, and the clock really is ticking.” Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing nuclear weapons but affirmed its right to peacefully pursue nuclear energy. Under the JCPOA – signed by Iran, the United States, China, Russia and the EU – Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. But the agreement unravelled in 2018 after then-US President Donald Trump pulled out and reimposed unilateral sanctions. Tensions escalated further earlier this summer, when Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran, with Israeli and US forces striking several nuclear facilities. “It was the United States that unilaterally tore up the agreement in 2018, reimposing sanctions in open defiance of this Council. It was the E3 that failed to meet their obligations, hiding behind empty promises while quietly following Washington’s lead and instructions,” said Iravani. Advertisement “This contradiction between their rhetoric and actions proves, once more, their real intention is not diplomacy but escalation,” he added. Adblock test (Why?)