Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Secretary Rubio hosts an Arctic 7 meeting
Secetary Rubio hosts an Arctic 7 meeting
U.S. Department of State
Sep 21, 2026 #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy
Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosts an Arctic 7 meeting in New York City, New York, on September 21, 2026.
----------
Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President's chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President's foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
Xi is going to be in America, but not at the UN: Why China’s president chose Trump over the General Assembly
&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium)
Xi Jinping and Donald Trump Photograph: (AFP)
Story highlightsChinese President Xi Jinping will be in the United States this week, but he will not be taking the podium at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Instead, Xi is heading to Washington for a state visit and a closely watched meeting with US President Donald Trump. The UN General Debate opens in New York on September 22, bringing together more than 130 world leaders at a moment marked by wars, economic tensions, artificial intelligence risks and questions over the future of the multilateral system. Yet Xi's three-day US visit begins on September 23, with his most important engagement taking place at the White House on September 24.
Xi Jinping is skipping the UN podium to meet Donald Trump in Washington, putting China-US ties, trade, AI and Taiwan at the centre of his US visit
The decision means Xi will be hundreds of kilometres away from the UN podium while Trump addresses the General Assembly in New York. But Beijing has not presented Xi's absence as a rejection of the UN. China has officially said Xi is travelling to Washington at Trump's invitation from September 23 to 25, where the two leaders will discuss China-US relations as well as international issues involving peace and development.
Washington takes centre stage
For Beijing, the immediate diplomatic priority appears to be direct engagement with Washington. The White House has planned a high-profile reception for Xi. Trump is scheduled to personally greet the Chinese president at Joint Base Andrews on September 23, followed by a state arrival ceremony at the White House on September 24. The visit comes more than a decade after Xi's previous White House visit.
That symbolism matters. Rather than participating in the crowded diplomatic environment of UNGA, Xi will have direct access to Trump in a bilateral setting where trade, technology, Taiwan and wider geopolitical issues can be discussed without the constraints of a multilateral forum. The meeting also comes after years of friction between the world's two largest economies, including tariff disputes, technology restrictions and tensions over Taiwan.
Trade, AI and Taiwan on the table
The Trump-Xi meeting is expected to cover several of the most sensitive areas of the relationship. Trade remains a central issue, with both sides having an interest in preventing another escalation in tariffs and economic restrictions. Artificial intelligence and technology controls are also increasingly important areas of competition, particularly over advanced chips and access to critical technologies. Taiwan is another major fault line. US arms sales to Taiwan and Washington's broader security relationship with Taipei remain highly sensitive issues for Beijing.
Not a Chinese withdrawal from the UN
It would be misleading, however, to interpret Xi's absence as China walking away from the United Nations. China continues to participate in the UN system, and Chinese officials remain involved in the General Assembly and other diplomatic discussions. Xi's choice is better understood in the context of his unusually significant Washington agenda this week.
Why the timing matters
Xi's decision comes at a moment when Washington and Beijing are attempting to manage competition without allowing it to spiral into a broader confrontation. The two leaders have already met earlier this year, and the September visit is being presented by Beijing as another important high-level engagement. The White House, meanwhile, is giving Xi a formal state welcome, underscoring the importance Washington attaches to the meeting.
For Xi, the Washington meetings offer an opportunity for sustained, direct discussions with the US president on issues that affect China's economic and strategic interests. For Trump, hosting Xi during UNGA week puts the US-China relationship at the centre of an already crowded diplomatic calendar.
P.S.
Global leaders head to UN, Xi Jinping will go to White House
Kremlin says UN Security Council should add new permanent members, keep veto power that Erdogan urged scrapping
By ReutersSeptember 22, 20266:38 AM EDT
The United Nations emblem can be seen at the entrance to the general assembly hall as the United Nations prepares for world leaders to convene for the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York City, US, September 21, 2026. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado
MOSCOW, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Russia believes the UN Security Council should expand its number of permanent members beyond the current five, and that the existing veto system should remain, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to a question from reporters about Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's call to abolish both permanent membership and the veto.
Erdogan has long criticised the council, saying its veto-carrying permanent members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the US - are not reflective of the international community and are unable to take swift decisions.
Peskov said Russia wanted the council to be reformed, and the permanent membership expanded.
"At the same time, we believe that the institution of permanent members of the Security Council, as well as the right of veto, are very important elements of the entire structure of the United Nations," he said.
Reporting by Dmitry Antonov Writing by Alessandra Prentice Editing by Mark Trevelyan
Vatican’s UN diplomat: Hate speech violates command to love one’s neighbor
by Gina Christian - OSV News
September 18, 2026
Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia el-Kassis, the Holy See's new permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, poses in an undated photo with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. At a conference sponsored by the U.N.'s Alliance of Civilizations Sept. 17, the archbishop said in an address, "Hate speech of any kind "contradicts the commandment to love one's neighbor, poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution. Credit: OSV News photo/Eskinder Debebe, courtesy United Nations
(OSV News) — Hate speech “contradicts the commandment to love one’s neighbor,” said the Vatican’s top diplomat to the United Nations.
Archbishop Christophe Z. el-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and the Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N., shared his thoughts in a statement during the Sept. 17 “Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech.”
The conference, which took place at the U.N.’s New York headquarters, was sponsored by the U.N.’s Alliance of Civilizations, created in 2005 to address social and cultural polarization.
In his address — which came one day after three Vatican dicasteries released a new note on the importance of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue — Archbishop el-Kassis said hate speech “poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution.”
Such damage is inflicted regardless of whether hate speech is “directed against individuals or communities on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, or any other characteristic,” he said.
While “freedom of expression is a fundamental right that must be protected,” said the archbishop, “this freedom carries corresponding responsibilities.”
“Speech that deliberately incites hatred or violence cannot claim the protection of liberty,” he said, since “it erodes the very conditions in which genuine freedom can flourish.”
(OSV News) — Hate speech “contradicts the commandment to love one’s neighbor,” said the Vatican’s top diplomat to the United Nations.
Archbishop Christophe Z. el-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and the Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N., shared his thoughts in a statement during the Sept. 17 “Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech.”
The conference, which took place at the U.N.’s New York headquarters, was sponsored by the U.N.’s Alliance of Civilizations, created in 2005 to address social and cultural polarization.
In his address — which came one day after three Vatican dicasteries released a new note on the importance of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue — Archbishop el-Kassis said hate speech “poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution.”
Such damage is inflicted regardless of whether hate speech is “directed against individuals or communities on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, or any other characteristic,” he said.
While “freedom of expression is a fundamental right that must be protected,” said the archbishop, “this freedom carries corresponding responsibilities.”
“Speech that deliberately incites hatred or violence cannot claim the protection of liberty,” he said, since “it erodes the very conditions in which genuine freedom can flourish.”
A New Sin: Ecological Sin. Vatican Office Publishes Document Addressing Sins Against Creation
The document, Caring for Our Common Home: A Responsible and Fraternal Response to the Triune God, runs to more than 29,000 words and was developed by a subcommission that worked between 2022 and 2025. Its central argument is clear: the ecological crisis is ultimately inseparable from the crisis of the human person.
(ZENIT News / Rome, 09.02.2026).- The Catholic Church’s ecological teaching has taken a significant step forward with a new document that argues environmental destruction cannot be understood merely as a scientific, political or economic problem. It is also a matter of sin.
In a text published on September 2, the International Theological Commission calls for what it describes as an authentic ecological conversion and proposes a more precise expression for the moral reality involved: a “sin against creation and against the Creator.”
Environmental ethics workshops
The formulation deliberately goes beyond the more familiar expression “ecological sin.” For the commission, the problem is not simply that human beings damage forests, water, air or biodiversity. Environmental abuse also represents a failure to recognize the divine meaning of creation and humanity’s responsibility within it.
The document, Caring for Our Common Home: A Responsible and Fraternal Response to the Triune God, runs to more than 29,000 words and was developed by a subcommission that worked between 2022 and 2025. It was approved by a majority of the commission’s members in July and authorized for publication by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, after being presented to Pope Leo XIV.
Its central argument is clear: the ecological crisis is ultimately inseparable from the crisis of the human person.
The commission traces the present situation to what it calls a “triple transformation” in humanity’s relationship with nature. Over the centuries, the perception of the natural world as God’s creation weakened; an increasingly exploitative form of anthropocentrism emerged; and environmental degradation eventually developed into a crisis of planetary dimensions.
But the document refuses to respond by replacing one extreme with another.
It rejects what it calls “predatory anthropocentrism,” the idea that human beings are absolute masters entitled to exploit everything around them. At the same time, it rejects radical biocentrism and forms of deep ecology that effectively dissolve humanity’s distinctive place within creation.
They Are Preparing the Stage For a Global Delusion (Look Closer)
RISE
Sep 15, 2026
Something deeply troubling is happening right now, and Christians need to look closer at what is being promoted by this event. We are witnessing a massive global delusion that is subtly twisting Biblical truth and leading millions into a modern gnostic deception.
It is happening now behind the scenes of the Christ is king movement, and we must use Biblical discernment to see who is really pulling the strings. Christ is not a "spacecraft" or "comet" sent to rescue us from a Demiurge.
Turn to Jesus Christ today, repent, believe.. be saved by faith in His blood.
And stay awake. The time is short.
Understanding the Alkaline Diet: How It Works and Its Benefits
February 7, 2025
The alkaline diet has gained popularity as a health trend, with numerous claims about its potential to improve overall well-being and prevent diseases. Proponents of the alkaline diet suggest that consuming alkaline-promoting foods can help maintain a balanced pH level in the body, which is believed to be essential for optimal health. In this article, we will explore the principles of the alkaline diet, its potential benefits, and how it can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle.
The alkaline diet has gained popularity as a health trend, with numerous claims about its potential to improve overall well-being and prevent diseases. Proponents of the alkaline diet suggest that consuming alkaline-promoting foods can help maintain a balanced pH level in the body, which is believed to be essential for optimal health. In this article, we will explore the principles of the alkaline diet, its potential benefits, and how it can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle.
What is the Alkaline Diet and How Does it Work?
What Does Alkaline Mean in Terms of Diet?
The term "alkaline" in the context of diet refers to the idea of consuming foods that can influence the body's pH level to become more alkaline. The alkaline diet is based on the premise that certain foods can affect the acidity and alkalinity of our body fluids, including blood and urine. By eating a diet rich in alkaline foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nuts, proponents of the diet believe that you can make your body slightly alkaline, promoting better health.
How Does an Alkaline Diet Affect pH Levels?
The body's pH level, a measure of how acidic or alkaline the body is, plays a critical role in maintaining overall health. The theory behind the alkaline diet is that consuming alkaline foods can help your body maintain a high pH level, which is thought to be beneficial for various bodily functions. While the body primarily regulates its pH levels through the kidneys and lungs, proponents argue that diet can help support these processes by reducing the intake of acidic foods that may cause imbalances.
Is an Alkaline Diet Effective for Everyone?
While the alkaline diet may offer certain health benefits, it is not necessarily effective for everyone. Individual dietary needs can vary based on health conditions, lifestyle, and personal preferences. Consulting with a dietitian can provide personalized guidance on whether following an alkaline diet is suitable for you. It's important to note that while many foods in the alkaline diet are considered healthy, such as fruits and vegetables, the diet doesn't eliminate the need for a balanced intake of nutrients from various sources.
Can the Alkaline Diet Help with Cancer Prevention?
What is the Connection Between Diet and Cancer?
Diet and cancer are closely linked, with numerous studies suggesting that certain foods can influence cancer risk. A diet rich in whole and unprocessed foods, particularly those high in antioxidants and phytochemicals, is often recommended for cancer prevention and treatment. Processed foods and those high in unhealthy fats and sugars are typically considered to increase cancer risk. The alkaline diet encourages a focus on plant-based foods, which aligns with general recommendations for reducing cancer risk.
First We Took Manhattan, Then We Took Berlin
ByDavid Broder
On Sunday, Germany’s socialist party Die Linke won the Berlin elections for the first time. Like New York’s Zohran Mamdani, it beat the establishment parties by offering Berliners concrete action on rents and the cost of living.
Germany’s socialist party Die Linke came first in Sunday’s Berlin election with a huge vote among young Berliners and the multiethnic working class. Now its lead candidate, Elif Eralp, hopes to become Berlin’s new mayor. (Sebastian Gollnow / picture alliance via Getty Images)
Ok, Berlin doesn’t have a socialist mayor quite yet. But left-wing Die Linke, which won Sunday’s Berlin state election, is in a strong position to lead its next government. Even as the far right rises across Germany, Die Linke has distinguished itself with a strong stance in defense of multiethnic society and a constant focus on the cost of living and housing. For this, it was rewarded by many Berliners.
The result is vindication for a party which was on life support just two years ago, after messy internal conflicts. Many of the conditions for its growth were already then in place. Berliners had long seen their rents rising; the establishment center left has for decades cut back social protections and labor rights; the call to mobilize against rising nationalism is hardly new either. Yet only more recently has Die Linke become an outward-facing force, able to galvanize resistance to the current reactionary drift in German politics.
Die Linke’s campaign centered on the cost of living and specifically on rent. West Berlin was historically cheaper than the Federal Republic’s main cities, and even after reunification the capital boasted much empty space. Yet the sell-off of the public housing stock to private profiteers in the 1990s–2000s, plus a lack of new builds, has pushed up costs. While Berliners voted in a 2021 referendum to renationalize the housing stock, the city government didn’t make good on the result. In this election, Die Linke promised that it would do so.
Getting coalition partners to agree may be tougher. The previous “red-red-green” coalition in 2021–23, where Die Linke and the Greens backed a government headed by centrist Social Democrat (SPD) Mayor Franziska Giffey, didn’t deliver. Indeed, polls suggest Die Linke’s success on Sunday owed much to broadly leftish Berliners moving across from the Greens and SPD, as well as to first-time voters. If it’s easy to imagine Berlin as a progressive fortress, in fact all these parties added together only cornered 52 percent of the vote.
Shifts within this electorate were important. Germany’s softer-left parties have routinely governed with conservatives, today subordinate budget policy to military spending, and side with Israel. Die Linke has done better than these nominal progressives in defending basic humanitarian principles. No wonder it scored massively in a multiethnic district like Neukölln 2 (on 53 percent) and among all twenty-five-to-thirty-four-year-old Berliners (48 percent). This stand, too, explains the renewal of its activist base over the last couple of years, and its ability to become an attractive force speaking to a broad electorate.
A Call to Leave the Cities | Country Living - Chapter 1
A Call to Leave the Cities | Country Living - Chapter 1
EllenWhiteAudio - English
May 9, 2026 Country Living - Ellen G. White Audiobook
Country Living contains Ellen G. White's urgent appeals for God's people to leave crowded cities and establish homes and schools in rural areas. Written with prophetic foresight, her counsel addresses the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of country life as the crises of the last days approach.
📖 Listen to all chapters of this audiobook:
Monday, September 21, 2026
Mayor Mamdani Joins U20 Conference Closing Sessions: Key Messages, RatifyCommunique, Reflections
Mayor Mamdani Joins U20 Conference Closing Sessions: Key Messages, Ratify Communique, Reflections
NYC Mayor's Office
4:00 PM | Mayors Convey Key Messages + Ratify Communique
Mayors deliver closing remarks reflecting the shared commitments of the summit, followed by the formal ratification of the New York Communiqué.
4:30 PM | Reflections from national governments + UN representatives
Remarks by representatives from National governments and international institutions.
5:15 PM | Closing Remarks
September 19, 2026
Sunday, September 20, 2026
Greg Casar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greg Casar
.jpg)
Official portrait, 2023
Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2025
Preceded by Pramila Jayapal
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 35th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2023
Preceded by Lloyd Doggett (redistricted)
Member of the Austin City Council from the 4th district
In office January 6, 2015 – February 4, 2022
Preceded by Constituency established
Succeeded by Chito Vela
Personal details
Born Gregorio Eduardo Casar May 4, 1989 (age 37)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Party Democratic
Other political affiliations Democratic Socialists of America (2018–2022)
Spouse Asha Dane'el (m. 2023)
Children 1
Education University of Virginia (BA)
Signature
\ 
Website House website Campaign website
Gregorio Eduardo Casar (born May 4, 1989) is an American politician serving as a U.S. representative from Texas's 35th congressional district since 2023. He served as a member of the Austin City Council from the 4th district from 2015 to 2022.[1] Casar is a member of the Democratic Party and was endorsed by the Working Families Party in his run for Congress.[2] He was first elected to the Austin City Council in 2014, representing District 4.[3] He was reelected in 2016[4] and 2020.[5] He was elected to Congress in 2022.[6]
Casar is the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.[7] He is a member of the Squad, which includes six other members who form the furthest-left wing faction of the House Democratic Caucus.[8][9][10][11]
On August 25, 2025, Casar announced he would seek reelection in the newly-drawn 37th district, instead of his current 35th district, as a result of impending new congressional maps.[12]
Early life and education
Gregorio Eduardo Casar was born on May 4, 1989, in Houston, to two Mexican immigrants and is a Catholic. His father was a surgeon.[13][14][15] He grew up in the enclave of Bellaire and attended Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, where he ran track.[16][17]
Source: Wikipedia
Trump Cuts Camp David Trip Short as US Issues Middle East Travel Alerts
PUBLISHED
SEP 20, 2026 AT 07:43 AM EDT
By Hugh Cameron
Reporter
Donald Trump ended a weekend trip to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland ahead of schedule, following a warning from the State Department that the security situation in the Middle East could “escalate rapidly.”
According to the White House’s public schedule, Trump was meant to depart Camp David on Sunday but returned to Washington, D.C. a day early. A White House pool report states that he landed at the Ellipse south of the White House just before 8 p.m.
The White House has not confirmed the reason for the shortened trip, though this came amid another escalation in the Middle East, with the Houthi rebels claiming responsibility for an attack on Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh. Saturday also saw a new security and travel alert from the State Department concerning the region.
Read More on News
Xi Jinping Health Rumors Explained: What We Know and Don’t Know 4 min read
“Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” read the notice, which has been pushed out by a number of embassies and consular offices. “Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.”
SEP 20, 2026 AT 07:43 AM EDT
By Hugh Cameron
Reporter
Donald Trump ended a weekend trip to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland ahead of schedule, following a warning from the State Department that the security situation in the Middle East could “escalate rapidly.”
According to the White House’s public schedule, Trump was meant to depart Camp David on Sunday but returned to Washington, D.C. a day early. A White House pool report states that he landed at the Ellipse south of the White House just before 8 p.m.
The White House has not confirmed the reason for the shortened trip, though this came amid another escalation in the Middle East, with the Houthi rebels claiming responsibility for an attack on Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh. Saturday also saw a new security and travel alert from the State Department concerning the region.
Read More on News
Xi Jinping Health Rumors Explained: What We Know and Don’t Know 4 min read
“Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” read the notice, which has been pushed out by a number of embassies and consular offices. “Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.”
FEMA and FCC Schedule 2026 Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System for November 17, 2026
Release Number HQ-26-137
Release Date:
September 16, 2026
WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on Tuesday, November 17, 2026.
FEMA’s Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system made up of thousands of radio, television, cable, satellite and wireline video providers. Through the Emergency Alert System, the President can address the American people or share life-saving information with the public during a national emergency. FEMA is required by law to conduct a nationwide test of the public alert and warning system at least once every three years. These tests allow FEMA to identify technical or operational issues before the system is needed during an actual emergency.
FEMA and the FCC are sharing the test date in advance because it is important that the public understands what to expect on the day of the test. At approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on November 17, 2026, radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers nationwide will interrupt normal programming to relay a test message. This message will state, “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 2:20 to 2:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.” When the test has concluded, normal programming will resume.
FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with stakeholders, including participating communications providers as well as federal, state, tribal and territorial agencies, to prepare for and conduct the test.
Release Date:
September 16, 2026
WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on Tuesday, November 17, 2026.
FEMA’s Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system made up of thousands of radio, television, cable, satellite and wireline video providers. Through the Emergency Alert System, the President can address the American people or share life-saving information with the public during a national emergency. FEMA is required by law to conduct a nationwide test of the public alert and warning system at least once every three years. These tests allow FEMA to identify technical or operational issues before the system is needed during an actual emergency.
FEMA and the FCC are sharing the test date in advance because it is important that the public understands what to expect on the day of the test. At approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on November 17, 2026, radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers nationwide will interrupt normal programming to relay a test message. This message will state, “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 2:20 to 2:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.” When the test has concluded, normal programming will resume.
FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with stakeholders, including participating communications providers as well as federal, state, tribal and territorial agencies, to prepare for and conduct the test.
Last updated September 16, 2026
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)