UNGA begins general debate to address global issues

Representatives from United Nations (UN) member states, including some 150 heads of state and government, will take turns at the podium of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to deliver an address on global issues during the UNGA general debate that kicked off on Tuesday.

In his address to the UNGA, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world has "entered an age of reckless disruption and relentless human suffering," with the principles of the United Nations "under siege" and the pillars of peace and progress "buckling under the weight of impunity, inequality, and indifference."

Noting that the world is becoming increasingly multipolar, Guterres said multipolarity without effective multilateral institutions courts chaos.

Indonesia, EU sign economic partnership deal

Indonesia and the European Union on Tuesday formally signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Bali.

"From the first round of negotiations in Brussels in 2016, to today in Bali, this nine-year journey has brought us to a historic milestone that reflects our joint commitment to an open, fair, and sustainable economy through CEPA," said Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, in a joint statement with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic.

The agreement covers liberalization of trade in goods, services, and investment. Around 98 percent of tariff lines will enjoy preferential treatment under the pact.

Israel to indefinitely close main West Bank-Jordan crossing

The Israel Airports Authority said Tuesday that Israel will indefinitely close the Allenby Bridge, known to Palestinians as the Karama Bridge, the only land crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan.

The crossing, jointly operated by Israel and Jordan, will be closed to passengers and goods starting Wednesday morning, in line with the directive of the "Israeli political echelon," the authority said.

Nazmi Mohanna, head of the Palestinian Crossings and Borders Authority, also confirmed the closure in a statement, saying the authority received Israel's notification, which will take effect "as of Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, until further notice, in both directions."

Iran's supreme leader rules out imminent nuclear talks with U.S.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Tuesday warned against nuclear negotiations with the United States under the present circumstances, saying it will not serve Iran's national interests.

"Under the present circumstances, negotiation with the U.S. government is, firstly, of no help to our national interests, fails to have any benefit for us and will not prevent any loss," Khamenei said in a televised address.

He added that it would even lead to "major" losses for Iran, some of which could be "irreparable."

Gaza hospitals face shutdown as fuel supplies run out: health authorities

Vital departments in Gaza hospitals are on the verge of shutting down due to halted fuel supplies, health authorities in the enclave said on Tuesday, warning that patients and the wounded face a "risk of certain death."

In a statement, the authorities said technical and engineering measures to ration generator power in hospitals have become ineffective amid the fuel shortage. They issued an urgent appeal to all concerned parties to intervene and replenish fuel reserves.

The warnings come a day after two Gaza City hospitals were forced to cease operations following Israeli strikes, further straining medical services amid ongoing hostilities

Trump signs executive order designating Antifa as "domestic terrorist organization"

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order designating Antifa as "a domestic terrorist organization," a move some experts believe lacks legal authority.

"President Donald J. Trump is right: the violence problem is on the Left. That's why he just designated Antifa -- a network of Radical Left terrorists that aim to overthrow the government through violence and agitation -- as a domestic terrorist organization," the White House said in a document.

It also lists examples of the movement's "long history of terrorizing our communities," including attacks on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, police officers, attendees of conservative political events, and Trump supporters.