Talks on Palestinian territories. Washington presented its 21-point peace plan for Gaza to Muslim-majority countries at meetings this week, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said yesterday. He added that he believed it addressed both Israeli and regional concerns. Trump separately told Arab and Muslim leaders yesterday that he would not allow Israel to annex part of the West Bank, meeting attendees told multiple news outlets.
Syria’s return to UNGA. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa called for international sanctions on the country to be lifted in an address to the UN General Assembly—the first by a Syrian leader since 1967. He criticized Israeli airstrikes on Syria but stressed Syria was “committed to dialogue.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that negotiations were underway on a potential security pact between the two countries. In another sign of Syria’s global reintegration, Ukraine restored diplomatic ties with Syria yesterday.
U.S. tariff cut for EU. Washington officially lowered tariffs on EU cars from 27.5 percent to 15 percent, making the measure retroactive to August 1. The filing in the Federal Register also included tariff exemptions for products including aircraft, pharmaceuticals, and certain metals and ores. Both sides previewed these changes in July, though no further details were provided at the time. The EU, for its part, introduced legislation on August 28 to remove some tariffs on U.S. goods.
Taiwan-South Africa tensions. Taiwan lifted its chip export controls on South Africa after just two days, despite citing unspecified national security concerns when announcing the controls. Taipei said today that the suspension was granted in response to Pretoria requesting talks about moving Taiwan’s de facto embassy. The measures were Taipei’s first unilateral chip export controls for any country. China had criticized that move, saying Taiwan was destabilizing global supply chains.
Thailand’s political transition. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced yesterday he will dissolve parliament in four months to call new elections. Anutin’s party left the ruling coalition after a court removed his predecessor last month. He was elected prime minister with the support of a pro-democracy opposition party that conditioned its backing on new elections.
Russia’s economic strains. Russia will raise its value added tax from 20 to 22 percent to help continue funding its war in Ukraine, reversing President Vladimir Putin’s pledge last year to refrain from tax increases until the end of the decade. The country’s finance ministry said the tax hike was needed to fund Russia’s mounting war costs. The economic development ministry also lowered Russia’s 2025 growth forecast to 1 percent of GDP, down from the 2.5 percent projected earlier this year.
Shooting at ICE facility. A shooting at a Dallas, Texas facility for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) yesterday killed one detainee and left two others injured. One of the wounded people is a Mexican national, Mexico’s foreign ministry said. The shooter also died from a self-inflicted wound. Authorities are investigating the incident, which the Department of Homeland Security called “an attack” on ICE law enforcement.
France’s Sarkozy convicted. A court convicted former French President Nicolás Sarkozy today of criminal conspiracy, sentencing him to five years in jail. The conviction follows a three-month trial in which Sarkozy denied receiving illegal campaign funds from late Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi. Sarkozy claimed the case was politically motivated; he is expected to appeal.
