IMF, World Bank Leaders Address Global Economy at 2026 Annual Meetings Plenary

IMF, World Bank Leaders Address Global Economy at 2026 Annual Meetings Plenary

NTD News

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, and Annual Meetings Chair Carlos Carvallo Spalding deliver remarks on the global economy during the 2026 Annual Meetings Plenary on Oct. 16.

Satanic prayer causes uproar at city council meeting

CHAD DRURY Courier staff writer


OTTUMWA — An invocation at the beginning of Tuesday's Ottumwa City Council meeting overshadowed everything else that took place over the course of 80 minutes.

Resident and former council member Matt Dalbey read a satanic prayer — capped off by "Hail Satan" — to kick off the meeting at City Hall, leading to a reaction from New Life Center pastor Rick Bick during a contentious opening few minutes of the meeting.

In a private message, Dalbey said the prayer is used by the Satanic Temple of Iowa, of which he is a member, "but has nothing to do with the belief in a satanic deity."

The Satanic Temple of Iowa is "a resolutely non-theistic" religious organization that follows seven core tenants, according to its website.

Soon after Dalbey left the podium and after the council, staff and audience recited the Pledge of Allegiance, Bick had his turn, and was out of turn with the meeting's protocol of speaking on agenda items.

"Let's just reverse this curse that was put on our city. That 'Hail Satan' is not welcome here," Bick said.

Council member Cara Galloway, who has never stood for an invocation, said that Bick should speak during the portion of the meeting where citizens can speak on either agenda or non-agenda items; Bick spoke after the roll call was taken and the council was to discuss the consent agenda.

"It needs to be done now," he said. "I appreciate what Ms. Galloway is saying, but that was a curse put on the city. Most of you know that, and we need to just stop and reverse it."

Mayor Benjamin Foote then called for a 30-second moment of silence "to reflect on whatever it is we need to reflect on at this time," but again, Galloway said "it was time to move forward" before being overruled by the mayor.

Dalbey's invocation was within the scope of the city's invocation policy, which was approved Jan. 20, with Galloway the only council member to vote against it. In part, the policy says:

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.

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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

Edited By Jatin Verma
Published: Sep 22, 2026, 14:53 IST | Updated: Sep 22, 2026, 14:53 IST

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump Photograph: (AFP)

Story highlights

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

Chinese 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.

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.

Source

P.S.

Global leaders head to UN, Xi Jinping will go to White House

Gracie Mansion stakeout ahead of Trump, Mamdani meeting

WCC Reference Group begins Vancouver meeting with renewed focus on Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation and Unity

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Reference Group for the Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation and Unity (PJRU) began its in-person meeting on 17 September at the Vancouver School of Theology (VST), bringing together WCC representatives, church leaders and local ecumenical partners to reflect on the pilgrimage and its role in the life of the ecumenical movement.



Participants of the Vancouver meeting gathered for a photo to express solidarity with the WCC's Thursdays in Black campaign for a world against rape and violence. Photo:
Marcelo Schneider/WCC

18 September 2026
Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation and Unity

The meeting opened with prayer and an acknowledgement of the traditional territories and Indigenous peoples, followed by welcomes from Rev. Janet Anstead, general secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches, and Rev. Prof. Dr Richard Topping, VST president and vice-chancellor.

WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay presented his vision for a WCC-wide PJRU framework, exploring how the pilgrimage can deepen its impact across WCC programmes, commissions, regional partners and member churches.

“The pilgrimage provides an integrating framework for all objectives that we have set aside for ourselves as the council”, said Pillay. “The key question that we have to ask ourselves at all times is how our work is contributing to justice, reconciliation, and unity.”

“WCC is one fellowship with many pilgrimages. We count on the engagement and support of this Reference Group to integrate the work of the fellowship into a Pilgrimage functionality”, added Pillay.

Rev. Karin van den Broeke, co-moderator of the WCC Pilgrimage Reference Group, expressed her thankfulness for the warm companionship. “It is impressive to hear how theology in the Vancouver School of Theology is informed and transformed by walking with indigenous people, and how walking together is transforming injustices done to indigenous peoples. And this 'walking together' is exactly what the pilgrimage is about”, she added.

The day concluded with a pilgrimage encounter at VST, during which participants learned about the context and legacy of the historic WCC 6th Assembly, held in Vancouver in 1983, and received an overview of Vancouver’s ecumenical landscape and theological education.

The meeting of the Reference Group continues until 22 September, with an agenda that integrates moments of close engagement with local processes of truth and reconciliation, alongside further work on the theological and methodological foundations of the PJRU.

Source

US blocks Palestinian leader from UN meeting in New York for second year in row

Tom Bateman,State department correspondent and Tabby Wilson

Reuters


The US has denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas an entry visa to attend the UN General Assembly in New York next week, two Palestinian sources have told the BBC.

It comes after the US said it was extending visa sanctions against Palestinian officials, without naming Abbas, accusing them of failing to live up to peace process commitments.

Sanctions were initially imposed in August last year, when 80 Palestinian officials were denied visas for the annual UN meeting in New York.

In its statement, the US accused the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) of "glorifying terrorism" and attempting to "internationalize" the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) was established by the Oslo peace accords. The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was recognised after the same process as the official representative of the Palestinian people in return for it recognising Israel and renouncing violence.

In a statement on Thursday, the Palestinian foreign ministry called the visa sanctions "an unjustified measure that runs counter to efforts to rebuild trust, develop Palestinian-US relations, and create the necessary political climate for implementing the two-state solution and achieving peace and stability".

Palestinian officials have rejected the long-held accusations of the Trump administration and Israel, adding they have a right to seek accountability against an occupying force under international law.

After the visa decision last year, a representative for Abbas said the move stood "in clear contradiction to international law and the UN Headquarters Agreement".

Gallagher meets with Putin's advisor and strengthens his contacts with the Moscow Patriarchate

by INFOVATICANA | August 27, 2026


The representative of the Holy See discussed with Yuri Ushakov “current issues on the international agenda” and visited the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where he prayed before the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. This Thursday, the visit focuses on the Catholic community in Russia.

The visit of Mons. Paul Richard Gallagher to Russia has included in recent hours a meeting with Yuri Ushakov, advisor to Vladimir Putin on foreign policy, and a visit to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, the main church of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Secretariat of State confirmed this Thursday Gallagher’s meeting with Ushakov, scheduled for Wednesday the 26th, and reported that both addressed “current issues on the international agenda”. No further details on the content of the conversation have been provided so far.

The meeting with one of Putin’s top advisors represents the closest contact to the Kremlin within Gallagher’s agenda during his stay in the Russian capital.

It took place after the meeting that the head of Vatican diplomacy held on Tuesday with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov.

Read also: Gallagher to Lavrov in Moscow: “This war must end”

Gallagher visits the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

The agenda also included a new approach to the Patriarchate of Moscow, following the meeting Gallagher previously held with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of external relations for the Russian Orthodox Church.

Gallagher visited the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, seat of Patriarch Kirill, accompanied by the Apostolic Nuncio to Russia, Mons. Giovanni d’Aniello.



The representative of the Holy See was received by Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Vice-Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow.

During a visit lasting more than an hour, Gallagher toured the church and stopped to pray before the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, one of the Marian images most venerated by Russian Orthodox faithful.

The visit to the cathedral continued the contacts maintained in recent days between the Vatican delegation and the Patriarchate of Moscow.

This Thursday, the agenda focuses on the Catholic community

After the meetings with Russian authorities and contacts with the Patriarchate, Gallagher is dedicating this Thursday, August 27, the final part of his agenda in Moscow to the Catholic community.

The program includes a meeting with priests, religious brothers and sisters, and the celebration of Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow.

Afterwards, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations is scheduled to meet with the Catholic bishops of Russia.

Gallagher’s visit, the first he has made to Russia since 2021, will conclude this Friday, August 28 with his return to Rome.

Source

Jeffries defends himself following criticism for meeting with Jared Kushner

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Jared Kushner. Getty Images

By Kaanita Iyer

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is defending himself after facing some criticism over his meeting with Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser.

Jeffries recently met with Kushner privately in New York to discuss ways the White House can collaborate with Democrats on key issues, such as immigration, housing and the cost of living, a source familiar with the meeting told CNN.

The minority leader said Tuesday on CNN’s “The Situation Room,” “We have a responsibility to solve problems and sometimes that means meeting with people on the other side of the aisle to figure out what the opportunities will be in order to address the things that the American people definitively want us to address, which from our standpoint, is the reality that the cost of living in this country is way too high.”

When asked by Wolf Blitzer if anything was accomplished in the meeting, Jeffries said, “No, it was just a high-level, topical conversation.”

In an earlier video post on X, Jeffries said that Kushner “asked for a meeting, and I took it to discuss the affordability crisis that exists that is not a hoax.”

“No one is going to get a pass. We’re going to hold every single member of the Trump cartel accountable, beginning on Day 1,” he continued, going on to tout the ways House Democrats have challenged the Trump administration.

He told CNN on Tuesday that he hasn’t ruled out impeaching Trump if Democrats win back the majority in the House.

Jeffries has emerged as a vocal opponent of Trump in the president’s second term. He has repeatedly insisted that Democrats are focused on lowering costs for Americans, which he says have been driven up by the president’s policies.

Anti-Islam protesters expected at Dearborn City Council meeting

 

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President Trump at NATO Summit in Ankara | Meetings with Rutte, Zelenskyy & Erdogan | AC1F

SECRET Toronto War Council EXPOSED: Obama, Soros & Carney's Desperate Plan Against Trump

Watch Live: Trump Meets with President Xi Jinping in High-Stakes Beijing Summit

 

Adventists on Secretary Marco Rubio meeting with Pope Leo during Vatican Visit (An AI Response)

Adventists on Marco Rubio / Pope Leo Vatican meeting


On May 7, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in a high-profile visit aimed at stabilizing diplomatic relations following public friction between the Trump administration and the Holy See. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

While official Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) organizations have not released a formal collective statement on this specific May 2026 meeting, the event aligns with long-standing Adventist prophetic interpretations regarding the "union of church and state."

Key Details of the Rubio-Vatican Meeting

• Purpose: The meeting was framed as an effort to "cool the rhetoric" and return to traditional diplomatic channels after President Trump publicly criticized the Pope, particularly regarding the war with Iran.
• Discussion Topics: Rubio and Pope Leo discussed Middle East peace efforts, humanitarian aid in the Western Hemisphere (specifically Cuba), religious freedom, and the impact of AI.
• Diplomatic Gestures: Rubio presented the Pope with a crystal football paperweight bearing the State Department seal, while the Pope gifted Rubio an olive-wood pen symbolizing peace. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Typical Adventist Perspectives on Such Meetings

Adventists often view high-level political meetings with the Vatican through the lens of eschatology (end-time beliefs). Common themes in Adventist discourse regarding these interactions include:

• Church and State: Adventists strongly emphasize the separation of church and state. Diplomatic "fence-mending" between the U.S. government and the Papacy is frequently interpreted as a precursor to the "healing of the deadly wound" mentioned in Revelation 13, leading toward a global religious-political alliance.
• The "Sunday Law" Concern: A central Adventist belief involves a future "National Sunday Law" in the United States. Events that show the U.S. executive branch seeking counsel or reconciliation with the Vatican are often monitored by Adventist commentators (such as those at Liberty Magazine or Adventist Review) as potential steps toward this prophetic scenario.
• Role of Religious Freedom: While Rubio highlighted "shared concerns" over religious freedom during his visit, Adventist religious liberty advocates often remain cautious. They watch to see if such cooperation favors traditionalist religious agendas over the individual rights of minority faiths. [1, 2, 3]

AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses

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P.S. 

Marco Rubio spends two hours at the Vatican 

https://youtube.com/shorts/tXoqNwXa75M?si=Vi_VT9nazU8KiLH4

Rubio attempts to mend relations with Pope Leo in Vatican meeting after Trump’s criticisms

Pope Leo XIV to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 7

Pope Leo XIV and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (@Vatican Media)


Pope Leo XIV will meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 7 at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. They had already met a year ago following the Mass marking the official beginning of the Pope’s pontificate.



Vatican News

At 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 7, Pope Leo XIV will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.

The Holy See Press Office confirmed the meeting after media reports had been published on Sunday. Rubio is expected to arrive at 11:15 a.m.

The U.S. Secretary of State had already met the Pope, who is originally from Chicago, on May 18, 2025, following the Mass for the beginning of his Petrine ministry. U.S. Vice President JD Vance also greeted the Pope during the same event.

On the day following that Mass, on May 19, 2025, a bilateral meeting took place between Pope Leo XIV and both Vance and Rubio.
Meeting with Polish PM

On Thursday 7, the same morning of his meeting with the U.S. delegation, the Pope will also meet the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk.

According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the audience will take place at 9:00 a.m.

Source

Marco Rubio Arrives At Vatican Amid Trump's Feud With Pope Leo Over Iran War | Crux

Marco Rubio Arrives in Rome as US Tries to Repair Relations With Pope Leo & Italy | APT

Pope and first female archbishop of Canterbury meet and pray together

Story by Joshua McElwee and Muvija M

Pope Leo meets Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally at the Vatican, April 27, 2026. Vatican Media/­Handout via REUTERS© Thomson Reuters

By Joshua McElwee and Muvija M

VATICAN CITY, April 27 (Reuters) - Pope Leo and new Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally met for the first time on Monday, in a symbolic encounter in Rome in which the leaders of the long-separated Catholic Church and Church of England exchanged gifts and prayed together.

Pope Leo shakes hands with Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally during their meeting at the Vatican, April 27, 2026. Vatican Media/­Handout via REUTERS© Thomson Reuters

Mullally, the first woman to serve as spiritual leader of the world's 85 million Anglicans, was welcomed by Leo, the first American leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, into his formal office at the Vatican's ornate Apostolic Palace.

Pope Leo holds a jar of Lambeth Palace honey he received from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, during their meeting at the Vatican, April 27, 2026. Vatican Media/­Handout via REUTERS© Thomson Reuters

The two leaders met privately before going together to a 17th-century chapel where they recited prayers in unison.

In formal remarks, Mullally thanked Leo for his new, forceful speaking style. On a four-nation Africa tour, Leo sharply denounced war and despotism, angering U.S. President Donald Trump.

"The world needed this message at this time – thank you," she said. "It reminded us that, despite our sufferings, people long for life in all its fullness, and countless people are working each day for this vision of the common good."

Leo told Mullally that progress had been made in drawing the Catholic Church and Church of England together but lamented that "new problems have arisen in recent decades" without specifying them.

"We must not allow these continuing challenges to prevent us from using every possible opportunity to proclaim Christ to the world together," said the pope.

Mamdani, Obama meet for the first time at Bronx Child Care Center

FULL VIDEO: Mamdani, Obama meet for the first time at Bronx Child Care Center

Eyewitness News ABC7NY

Mayor Zohran Mamdani spent part of his Saturday in the Bronx with young school children - and former President Barack Obama.

Both Obama and Mamdani spoke after the mayor's historic election last year, but the event at 'Learning Through Play Pre-K Center' is the first time they have met face-to-face. They spent their time reading children's books, reading and getting to know each other.