FBI Director Kash Patel is expected to travel to Russia later this year, though the exact reason is not yet known. According to a report by Politico, cited by Reuters, the visit will take place in the second half of October. The director of the U.S. FBI may travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg.
For the time being, Hungary will not have a “chess master” as a resident of the presidential palace. World-renowned grandmaster Judit Polgár has declined Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s offer to assume the largely ceremonial presidency.
Starting September 22, the Netherlands will impose an import ban on goods produced in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen announced this in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Iran has once again carried out attacks on Bahrain and Jordan, as tensions in the Gulf region continue to escalate following new U.S. airstrikes on Iranian territory. Bahrain says it intercepted multiple Iranian attacks, and Jordan reports that it shot down five drones from Iran before they reached their targets.
The United States is imposing additional 50 percent import tariffs on Canada for a wide range of products, in response to what Washington describes as discriminatory treatment of American goods. President Donald Trump signed three proclamations to that effect on Monday, further escalating the trade conflict between the two neighboring countries.
The European Commission has imposed a record fine of 550 million euros on AliExpress for failing to adequately address illegal, unsafe, and counterfeit products on its platform. The question is not only whether the Chinese e-commerce company will actually pay, but also what the EU will do with that money and how long the legal proceedings might drag on.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega says there will be no more elections in his country. The announcement is intended to prevent the opposition from using next year’s presidential election as an opportunity to try to seize power, now that Ortega’s term is coming to an end.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has fired the governor of Ardahan Province, Mehmet Fatih Çiçekli, following controversy over his cycling outfit. The governor came under scrutiny after photos surfaced showing him cycling in tight leggings and athletic wear.The incident has sparked fierce criticism in Turkey.
Vladimir Putin received North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui at the Kremlin and thanked her for Pyongyang’s support in the war against Ukraine. According to Russian state media, he emphasized that Russia will not forget North Korea’s support and the efforts of North Korean military personnel.
In Ukraine, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find enough soldiers, and this mobilization crisis is increasingly turning violent. Heavy casualties are being suffered on the front lines, but tensions are also rising in the rear among recruits, draft dodgers, military personnel, and civilians who are tired of the war. This is according to reports by France24 and BBC News.