Around the world today: World brief 2026-09-14: The United States confirms for the first time that it has deployed a weapon in Earth's orbit. Air Force secretary Troy Meink says the highly classified weapon is necessary to "safeguard U.S. forces" against potential enemy action. A perspective from Hong Kong.
Around the world today: News pulse 2026-09-15 · Mining Reports: The Brazilian public prosecutor's office files a civil action against Vale, the world's largest iron ore producer and one of Brazil's biggest companies, as well as the national mining agency and the Minas Gerais state government. The lawsuit is based on a containment overflow of two sumps at the Mina de Viga site in Congonhas in January, which caused the site to be shut down. A perspective from Tokyo.
Around the world today: News pulse 2026-09-08 · Reuters: Bosnia and Herzegovina declares two Serbian embassy diplomats, military attaché Milan Dulanović and Security Intelligence Agency representative advisor at the embassy Darko Maksimović, as personae non gratae after attending the funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić in Belgrade. A perspective from Honolulu.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-08-30 · Space.com: NASA launches the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket from Florida, United States, to survey the universe, study dark matter and dark energy, and search for exoplanets and supernovae. A perspective from Kyiv.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-09-04 · AP: Around 22 people are killed in a blaze of unknown origin at a wedding party in Lingwala, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A perspective from London.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-09-12 · Japan Today: May el-Toukhy's film Woman Unknown wins the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in Italy, while Lee Chang-dong's Possible Love and Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor's NAZA win the competition's Grand Jury Prize and Special Jury Prize, respectively. A perspective from Mexico City.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-08-29 · AP: The Cameroon-flagged Turkish cargo ship MV LUTUF, which was hijacked on August 17, is freed by Somali and Turkish forces off the coast of Somalia. Conversely, the Puntland ministry of security says a ransom was paid. A perspective from Mexico City.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-08-30 · Reuters: A Ukrainian missile strike on Belgorod, Russia, kills two people and injures 16 others, according to regional acting governor Alexander Shuvaev. A perspective from Bucharest.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-09-04 · AP: Around 22 people are killed in a blaze of unknown origin at a wedding party in Lingwala, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A perspective from Helsinki.
A story worth mapping: World brief 2026-09-14: The United States confirms for the first time that it has deployed a weapon in Earth's orbit. Air Force secretary Troy Meink says the highly classified weapon is necessary to "safeguard U.S. forces" against potential enemy action. A perspective from Delhi.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-09-02 · ERR: Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise, the only candidate, is elected by the Riigikogu as President of Estonia. She will be sworn into office on October 12, succeeding Alar Karis. A perspective from Tokyo.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-09-10 · France 24: Sri Lanka's Supreme Court overturns a 2019 presidential pardon granted to Buddhist monk Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara and orders him to serve the remainder of his six-year prison sentence for criminally intimidating human rights activist Sandya Eknelygoda. A perspective from San Francisco.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-08-17 · AP: Three people are killed when a private helicopter crashes on Sifnos, South Aegean, Greece. A perspective from Miami.
A story worth mapping: News pulse 2026-08-20 · The Japan Times: Four railway workers on the Tōbu Nikkō Line are killed after being struck by a Limited express train in Kanuma, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. A perspective from Dublin.
The global conversation: News pulse 2026-09-10 · Israel National News: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet confirm that they have killed Hamas senior leader Farah Hamed, a senior member who was accused of carrying out the 2003 attack that resulted in the killing of, the late husband of Limor Son Har-Melech, in a airstrike in the Gaza Strip. A perspective from Los Angeles.
The global conversation: News pulse 2026-08-31 · Antara News: The Mount Sinabung stratovolcano in North Sumatra, Indonesia, erupts, sending ash 3,500 meters into the air. Residents and visitors around Lake Lau Kawar are ordered to evacuate. A perspective from Los Angeles.
The global conversation: World brief 2026-09-12: Yemeni government forces strike Houthi positions near the port of Mokha, Taiz Governorate, and along the Mokha–Dhubab road, reporting that they destroyed vehicles and weapons and killed Houthi fighters after the group captured the city. A perspective from Los Angeles.
The global conversation: World brief 2026-09-11: Russian drone strikes hit two petrol stations in Kyiv, Ukraine, killing two people and injuring 12 others. A separate attack on a residential building injures eight people, while another strike kills a woman in Kyiv Oblast. A perspective from Toronto.
The global conversation: News pulse 2026-08-30 · Philippine Daily Inquirer: The body of the last missing individual aboard a boat capsized on Thursday on Mapanuepe Lake in San Marcelino, Zambales, Philippines, is recovered, concluding search operations with the final death toll at nine. A perspective from São Paulo.
The global conversation: News pulse 2026-08-31 · Reuters: A South Korean court sentences Unification Church leader Hak Ja Han to two years in prison for bribing officials, including former first lady Kim Keon Hee, in an effort to obtain policy favors. A perspective from Bucharest.
The global conversation: News pulse 2026-09-06 · Sudan Tribune: The Sudanese Armed Forces and Joint Forces advance in Sudan's North Kordofan state, and recaptures the town of Hamrat al-Wiz. A perspective from Oslo.
The global conversation: News pulse 2026-08-31 · Bangkok Post: Ukraine tightens security measures for Kyiv's public transport, schools, and parliament amid increased Russian drone attacks, including restrictions on large school gatherings, possible remote learning, and expanded shelter arrangements. A perspective from Oslo.
The global conversation: News pulse 2026-08-27 · AP: U.S. president Donald Trump signs an executive order directing federal agencies to call Lake Ontario "Lake America." The change applies only to U.S. federal usage; Canada need not adopt it, and no international authority exclusively determines names of shared waters. A perspective from Athens.
The global conversation: News pulse 2026-09-14 · France 24: Nigeria's Dangote Group launches an initial public offering (IPO) of 4.1 billion shares at ₦525 (US$0.40) each, seeking to raise about ₦2.15 trillion ($1.6 billion) to fund the expansion of the Dangote refinery in Lekki, Lagos State. The sale is set to become Africa's biggest IPO. A perspective from Lagos.