- The House passed a sanctions bill with 262 votes in favor.
FIFA Forward Enterprise project abandoned
FIFA abandoned its FIFA Forward Enterprise project, a plan to sell a stake in its competitions to outside investors, after a global backlash.
- Google's Gemini AI hacked three companies during a May 2026 cybersecurity test.
- A suicide attack targeted a mosque during Friday prayers in Kohat, Pakistan.
- Construction of the border wall began in Texas' Big Bend region.
- Saudi Arabia issued air raid alerts for Riyadh and other cities after warning of a hostile aerial threat.
- The alerts were lifted without casualties or damage, but followed recent Houthi missile and drone attacks.
- The UN Security Council condemned Houthi attacks and called for enforcing an arms embargo.
- Israeli forces set fire to a government hospital in Mays al-Jabal, southern Lebanon, on Friday.
- Lebanon's Health Ministry called the act a 'brutal crime'; no casualty figures yet.
- The attack follows a US-brokered agreement for Israeli withdrawal, but Israel continues operations.
- A suicide bomber attacked a mosque at a police compound during Friday prayers.
- At least 31 people were killed, including 16 police officers, and over 100 were injured.
- The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the coordinated assault.
- Security forces killed 11 militants in Panjgur and Chagai districts.
- Operations were part of the ongoing military campaign Operation Radd-ul-Fitna 3.
- Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the militants during the operations.
- Greece and Egypt led the Medusa 15 exercise on Crete, ending September 19, 2026.
- France, Italy, and Cyprus joined the drills, with observers from several other countries.
- The exercise reflects growing Mediterranean military cooperation amid regional uncertainties.
- Pat Ryan introduced a bill to grant Iran war casualties full benefits.
- The bill follows a case where a widow was initially denied benefits.
- A report says 22 troops died in the Iran conflict, more than officially listed.
- A drone hit the cooling tower of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia on Thursday.
- The reactor was operating at full capacity at the time, with only minor damage and no fire.
- IAEA warned against attacks near nuclear infrastructure to prevent a nuclear accident.
- A suicide attack targeted a mosque during Friday prayers in Kohat, Pakistan.
- At least 16 people, including police, were killed and many others injured.
- The Pakistani Taliban is suspected to be behind the attack.
- Drone incidents at UK military sites rose to 340 in the year to August 2026, up from 250 in 2025.
- Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood attributes many incidents to Russia and Iran, warning the UK is unprepared.
- UK government expands restricted airspace and quadruples counter-drone spending in response.
- German police arrested a 24-year-old Iraqi man in Brandenburg for planning a church attack in Bremen.
- He allegedly supported Islamic State ideology and had acquired a firearm for the planned attack.
- The arrest follows a July attack in Berlin and new government measures against Islamist terrorism.
- Poland's PM warns Russia plans hybrid drone or rocket strikes on NATO countries.
- Russia will pretend attacks are accidental to weaken NATO's response.
- Russia targets border crossings to disrupt Ukraine's supply lines.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards struck the Togo-flagged tanker Trend for attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
- The US military disputed Iran's claim that the El Gaia hit mines, saying it was struck by a missile and a drone.
- South Korea considers expanding naval operations in the Gulf of Aden to protect its ships and oil routes.
- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to de-escalate the war if Russia does the same.
- US President Donald Trump announced that Ukraine and Russia agreed to stop strikes on energy targets.
- EU countries delayed sanctions renewal after France pushed to remove billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the blacklist.
- Iran's intelligence services used criminal groups to attack Jewish targets in Sweden, Australia, Britain, and the U.S.
- The U.S. sanctioned Sweden's Foxtrot network for an embassy attack; Australia reported arson at a kosher restaurant and synagogue.
- Britain sanctioned HAYI for seven attacks; U.S. alleges HAYI burned a synagogue in North Macedonia.
- An F-16 fighter jet crashed in Michigan during a training mission.
- The pilot ejected safely and is receiving medical care.
- Evacuation orders were issued due to a hazardous chemical spill.
- Abu Zubaydah, held 20 years without charges, appeared at a Guantanamo Bay review hearing.
- His lawyers argued he was never an al-Qaida member and declined bin Laden's request to join.
- The review board will decide if he can be released with security measures like monitoring.
- Migrant sea arrivals to Europe fell nearly 40% in 2026, but deaths rose to nearly 2,300.
- Central Mediterranean route to Italy saw arrivals drop from 48,000 to 21,000, yet deaths increased.
- IOM says true death toll likely higher due to unrecorded shipwrecks and less transparency.
- Russian missile and drone attacks injured at least 19 people in Kyiv and Odesa, including children.
- Ukrainian forces struck targets in Russia, including an oil refinery and a military airfield.
- Ukraine received bodies of 252 soldiers in an exchange with Russia.
- NIA court issued non-bailable warrant for LeT commander Saifullah.
- Saifullah linked to Pahalgam massacre and other attacks in Kashmir.
- Warrant follows arrest of LeT module leader Abdullah in March 2026.
- UN experts found reasonable grounds for US war crimes in Iran strikes.
- Strikes killed at least 178 civilians, including many children.
- US military targeted a school, raising serious legal concerns.
- A US jury convicted Samir Ousman Alsheikh of torture and immigration fraud in March.
- Prosecutors sought at least 80 years; defense asked for 5 years due to age and health.
- Alsheikh was head of Syria's Adra Prison from 2005 to 2008, where prisoners were tortured.
- Romanian border residents live in fear as Russian drone strikes occur near their town.
- Romania shot down four drones this year, the first time since the war in Ukraine began.
- Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruta calls Russia a primary threat and says eastern flank is 'highly fluid'.
- Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger announced a major investment programme to address missile production bottlenecks.
- Skyranger air defense system series deliveries start in 2027, with production capacity up to 400 units per year from end of next year.
- Rheinmetall increased tank ammunition production to 240,000 rounds per year and plans to double truck production.
- Approximately 3,700 visitors were evacuated from the British Museum in London after smoke was detected in a gallery.
- London Fire Brigade identified an overheating light as the likely cause; no fire was found and no injuries were reported.
- The Bayeux Tapestry and the museum's collection were confirmed safe; affected ticket-holders were offered refunds or rescheduled visits.
- Steven Kolb resigned as CFDA chief executive after being filmed restraining PETA protesters at a New York runway show.
- Kolb had led the CFDA for two decades and was known for his role in banning fur from runway shows.
- PETA had planned to meet with Kolb to discuss ending the use of wool and animal skins, but his resignation may affect those talks.
- HBO ordered the series 'The Spread' on September 18, 2026.
- Javier Bardem will star and executive produce the Miami-set drama.
- The show was created by Bill Dubuque and Sean Sansiveri, directed by Matthew Vaughn.
- Cédric Fauq was appointed curator of contemporary international art at Moderna Museet in Stockholm, starting December 1.
- He previously served as chief curator at CAPC Bordeaux and worked at Palais de Tokyo and Nottingham Contemporary.
- The appointment follows the museum's merger with ArkDes and the Public Art Agency Sweden, under new director Tone Hansen.
- The 'revenge dress' worn by Princess Diana is on display at Sotheby's in London.
- It was worn on the day Prince Charles admitted to infidelity in 1994.
- The dress is set to be auctioned with a presale estimate of $150,000 to $300,000.
- Netflix cast Meryl Streep to voice Aslan in the Narnia remake.
- Aslan represents Jesus Christ in C.S. Lewis's Christian allegory.
- Critics argue the casting undermines the character's male symbolism.
- Trump attempted to rename Kennedy Center, court blocked it
- Kennedy Center board voted to close due to finances
- Streisand called Trump's actions 'galling' and 'painful'
- In 2020, a Delta jet dumped 15,000 gallons of fuel over Cudahy, California, near LAX, leading to a $79 million settlement.
- Filmmaker Walter Thompson-Hernández turned this incident into a feature film about a family's healing and a boy's mythologized absent father.
- The film, which expands his 2022 Sundance-winning short, uses Greek mythology and LA imagery to explore love, pain, and repair.
- Peter de Caluwe will become Salzburg Festival artistic director in October 2027.
- He replaces Markus Hinterhäuser, who was forced out in March 2026.
- De Caluwe will work with interim director Karin Bergmann before starting his term.
- Shakira had not performed in Spain since 2018, before her separation from Gerard Piqué became public in 2022.
- She will now play 12 concerts in Madrid, starting today, at a temporary 50,000-capacity venue.
- The concerts are expected to boost Madrid's economy, similar to Bad Bunny's ten shows earlier in 2026.
- Belle and Sebastian's Perth show was cancelled due to freight delays affecting equipment.
- Frontman Stuart Murdoch invited fans to an impromptu park gathering, which took place at Langley Park.
- The band's Friday show was confirmed to proceed, with tickets from the cancelled show honored.
- Zach Cregger's film reboot of Resident Evil has received positive reviews from critics.
- Previous adaptations of Resident Evil were largely unsuccessful and poorly received.
- The new film is set during the events of the 1998 video game Resident Evil 2.
- Oasis will not headline Glastonbury 2027, Emily Eavis confirmed.
- Fans speculated after Oasis tour left a Sunday gap during festival.
- Eavis also ruled out Madonna as a 2027 headliner.
- Tom Cruise said Taylor Swift taught him football at the Chiefs game.
- Swift knew nothing about football before meeting Travis Kelce.
- Cruise and Swift talked about music and movies during the game.
- Miley Cyrus revealed her final conversation with Dolly Parton before Parton's death on August 25, 2026.
- Parton advised Cyrus to control her emotions during performances, saying music is escapism for the audience.
- Cyrus described Parton as a lifelong mentor who helped her balance public persona and authenticity.
- Ed Sheeran dismissed Macklemore from his US tour after Macklemore said 'free Palestine' at a New Jersey concert.
- All other support acts, including Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga, quit the tour in protest.
- Classic Hits Radio in Ireland removed Sheeran's music from its playlist, citing listener feedback and support for the Irish artists.
- UK's Eurovision entry Look Mum No Computer finished last in 2026 with one point.
- UK has only finished above 15th place once in the last 15 years, with Sam Ryder in 2022.
- UK MPs will investigate the BBC's selection process for Eurovision entries.
- Miley Cyrus's final conversation with Dolly Parton was about her new album Bass Persuades.
- Parton advised Cyrus to use music as escapism and not cry during performances.
- Cyrus paid tribute to Parton on Instagram after her death, saying she has an angel by her side.
- Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi adopted a second child, a son, earlier this month.
- The couple announced the adoption on Instagram with a photo of the newborn's hand.
- Brown has long advocated for adoption, saying she always envisioned adopting children.
- Maria Sten stars as Frances Neagley in the new Prime Video series Neagley, a spin-off of Reacher.
- The series premiered on September 16, 2026, and follows Neagley investigating her friend's death linked to a cult.
- Sten discusses the pressure of being a Black woman leading a major action TV series.
- Whoopi Goldberg will miss The View episodes starting September 22 to film a Netflix movie.
- Former co-hosts Lisa Ling, Star Jones, Sherri Shepherd, and Debbie Matenopoulos will fill in.
- Joy Behar will serve as moderator during Goldberg's two-week absence.
- Madonna will perform at the 2026 VMAs for the first time since 2003.
- She has 11 nominations, including Video of the Year and Artist of the Year.
- The event will be hosted by Snoop Dogg and air on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+.
- Fox ordered the legal drama Katie Greaves starring Edie Falco.
- The series is created by Sharr White and executive produced by Ridley Scott.
- Katie Greaves is expected to premiere during the 2027-2028 TV season.
- Taiwan's sports minister was initially barred from a flag-raising ceremony at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.
- The Taiwan delegation protested by refusing to participate, delaying the ceremony by over an hour.
- OCA president Sheikh Joaan said politicians should not be involved in sports, emphasizing athletes' equal rights.
- Texas Tech defeated Houston 28-26 in a close game.
- Conner Weigman's 2-point conversion attempt failed in the final minute.
- Texas Tech extends their home winning streak to ten games.
- The Pakistan Cricket Board introduced a $200,000 award for the PSL franchise with the best cricket development record.
- Franchises will self-assess their work from PSL 3 through PSL 11, with a five-member committee verifying 80% of the score.
- Fan voting on social media will determine the remaining 20% of the final score for the award.
- Australia beat Zimbabwe by 84 runs in the second ODI, taking an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
- Travis Head scored 112 off 84 balls, his second ODI century, to set up Australia's total of 356-6.
- Zimbabwe's chase faltered, with captain Sikandar Raza top-scoring with 45, as Australia's bowlers shared wickets.
- Rachin Ravindra dislocated his right shoulder during a commercial shoot in Auckland on Wednesday.
- Medical tests cleared major structural damage, but his return depends on rehabilitation progress.
- He may miss the T20 series against India starting October 22.
- Sachem North beat Floyd 35-13 in a Suffolk Division I football game on Friday.
- Luke LaRocca threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 85 yards and a score.
- Sachem North improved to 2-0, while Floyd dropped to 1-1.
- Tajinderpal Singh Toor was replaced as India's male flagbearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony due to a kit delivery issue.
- Pawan Sehrawat took over as male flagbearer, while Manu Bhaker served as female flagbearer.
- Toor was informed of his selection only the day before the ceremony, leaving no time to retrieve his kit from India.
- José Ramírez hit his 1,000th career RBI during a game against the Athletics.
- He is the second player in Guardians history to reach this milestone.
- The Guardians won the game 5-3, maintaining their lead in the AL Central.
- Chinese gymnast Zhang Boheng and teammates waited six hours at Nagoya airport due to registration issues.
- Heavy rain prevented boarding the cruise ship housing 4,000 athletes, forcing them to book hotel rooms.
- South Korea complained about a Japanese warlord at a ceremony, and some athletes waited over five hours at the airport.
- Pirates rallied from 4-0 down to beat Royals 8-5, improving to 77-77.
- Rookie Konnor Griffin had four hits, including a go-ahead RBI single in the 7th.
- Paul Skenes allowed five runs in six innings; his ERA rose to 3.91.
- Miami quarterback Darian Mensah completed his first 24 passes against Wake Forest, setting a program record.
- Miami has thrown 11 touchdown passes and only seven incompletions in its first two games, an FBS record ratio since 2000.
- Mensah has completed 89.9% of his passes through three games, a rate that would break the FBS single-season record.
- Ward Melville beat Brentwood 48-0 in their season opener.
- Quarterback Hudson Philbrick threw five first-half touchdown passes.
- Ward Melville's next game is against Longwood, another undefeated team.
- Kelsey Mitchell surpassed A'ja Wilson's 2024 record of 1,021 points, now holding 1,034.
- Mitchell scored 33 points, extending her WNBA record of 20+ point games to 25 straight.
- Caitlin Clark added 28 points and 14 assists in her first game after winning the FIBA World Cup.
- Jackie Young scored 22 points in the first quarter, tying the WNBA record for most points in a quarter.
- Young finished with a career-high 35 points, leading the Las Vegas Aces to a 114-77 victory over the Seattle Storm.
- The Aces improved to 28-13, while the Storm fell to 8-33, the worst record in the league.
- Pelle Larsson has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Miami Heat worth up to $60M.
- His starting salary for the 2027-28 season will be $13.5 million, increasing thereafter.
- Larsson's performance has improved significantly, averaging 11.4 points per game last season.
- Chop Robinson ruled out for Week 2 due to concussion.
- His absence may impact Dolphins' defensive performance.
- Dolphins to rely on other players to fill the gap.
- Erin Brooks won her third straight World Tour event at Trestles Pro.
- Miguel Pupo defeated Kanoa Igarashi in the men's final.
- Brooks' three-peat is the first since Stephanie Gilmore in 2008.
- Jeremiah Smith is 26 yards from Ohio State's all-time receiving yards record.
- He is also 27 catches and 6 touchdowns from other school records.
- Smith averages 92.7 receiving yards per game, likely breaking the record soon.
- Russia was banned from FIFA and UEFA competitions in 2022 after invading Ukraine.
- FIFA included Russia in the draw for the boys' Under-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan.
- The tournament marks Russia's first FIFA event since the ban, with 191 teams participating.
- Belmont Park in New York reopened after a three-year closure for a $550 million reconstruction.
- The new facility features a futuristic white grandstand, replacing the old brick structure from 1968.
- The reopening drew a sellout crowd of 6,000, with the Belmont Stakes returning in June 2026.
- Ole Miss will bar opposing team gear from its student section for Saturday's game against LSU.
- Mississippi will deploy its largest law enforcement presence ever for a college football game.
- LSU coach Lane Kiffin returns to Ole Miss, where he previously coached, amid heightened tensions.
- Aaron Donald retired after 2023 season and is now expected to play Monday.
- Donald practiced this week and feels like his old self, coach McVay is hopeful.
- Myles Garrett is on injured reserve, so Donald-Garrett duo is delayed.
- Keyonte George signed a five-year, $157.5 million extension with the Utah Jazz, starting in 2027-28.
- George averaged career highs of 23.6 points and 6.1 assists last season for the 22-60 Jazz.
- He joins Victor Wembanyama and Amen Thompson as the first 2023 draft picks to sign rookie extensions.
Briefings
UEFA and CONCACAF demand FIFA pay $10 million to each of its 211 member associations
Get briefed visually
UEFA seeks court discovery in US
UEFA asked courts in Manhattan and Florida to authorize discovery of evidence from Joshua Kushner's investment firm and FIFA related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, for a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland.
UEFA and CONCACAF demand $10 million per member association
We demand that FIFA pay at least $10 million from its reserves to each of its 211 member associations during the 2027-2030 cycle, on top of existing Forward Programme funding.
FIFA reserves will reach $6 billion
FIFA is on course to finish the 2023-2026 cycle with reserves of around $6 billion, the largest in its history.
FIFA Forward Enterprise was unnecessary
Our analysis of FIFA's published financial results and budgets raises an important question about whether the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise deal was necessary to provide greater resources to member associations.
Independent review of FIFA finances needed
We call for an independent review with full access to FIFA's financial figures and underlying assumptions before any formal recommendations are made.
Infantino expected to seek another term
Gianni Infantino is expected to seek another term as FIFA president in the March 2027 election.
UEFA and CONCACAF send letter to Infantino
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani sent a joint letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino demanding $10 million per member association and an independent financial review.
FIFA Council meeting scheduled for October 15
A FIFA Council meeting is scheduled for October 15 in Zurich, where the proposal for $10 million payments and the financial review will be discussed.
Perspectives
perspectiveCharlotte Bennett
Charlotte Bennett on UEFA and CONCACAF demand FIFA pay $10 million to each of its 211 member associations
perspectivePriya Raman
FIFA's $2.1 Billion Payout Demand Is a Governance Power Play, Not a Gift
perspectiveOleksandr Kovalenko
The $2.7 Billion Air Defense Sale Is a Financial Test, Not a Military Fix
perspectiveEthan Caldwell
The $2.7 Billion Air Defense Sale: Financial Engineering That Shifts Burdens and Incentives
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