Nation and world news — at a glance— for September 14
Sweeping Iraq raid killed 4 Islamic State leaders
(NYTimes) — One of the largest counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State in Iraq in recent years killed four top insurgent leaders last month, the U.S. military said Friday. The raid by American and Iraqi commandos against several Islamic State hideouts in western Iraq on Aug. 29 killed at least 14 insurgents and devastated the group’s top leadership in the country, according to a statement from the Pentagon’s Central Command and U.S. counterterrorism officials. A main target killed was Abu Ali al-Tunisi, a Tunisian national who has been the Islamic State’s most significant designer, manufacturer and teacher in explosives, counterterrorism officials said.
US accuses Russian TV network of conducting covert intelligence acts
(NYTimes) — The United States, Canada and Britain on Friday accused Russia’s global television network, RT, of acting as an arm of that country’s intelligence agencies, announcing new sanctions meant to cut off international financing for disinformation operations around the world. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said RT actively carries out covert operations at the direction of intelligence officials reporting directly to the Kremlin. Those operations have included disinformation campaigns, cyberespionage, fundraising for Russia’s war in Ukraine and the laundering of funds to covertly purchase light materiel. The announcement signaled an intensifying effort by the Biden administration to thwart Russia’s influence operations before the presidential election in November.
China raises retirement age for the first time since the 1950s
(NYTimes) — The Chinese government Friday approved a plan to raise the country’s statutory retirement age, currently among the lowest in the world, in a long-awaited but broadly unpopular effort to address the challenge of its rapidly aging population. This is the first time China has raised its retirement age since the 1950s. It will be phased in gradually, starting Jan. 1. The retirement age for men, previously 60, will increase in increments before finally reaching 63 by 2040. The retirement age for women in white-collar jobs, previously 55, will rise to 58. Women in blue-collar jobs, who previously could retire at 50, will have to work until 55.
Sweden will offer migrants $34,000 to go home
(NYTimes) — Sweden, a nation long known for its open-arms policy toward migrants, plans to drastically increase its cash offer — by 35 times, to more than $34,000 — to those who agree to go home. On Thursday, the country’s right-wing government announced it would raise the existing benefit — 10,000 krona (about $978) per adult — to 350,000 krona per person, and reduce the red tape involved in applying for the grant in a bid to create more awareness about the incentive. The increase, which will take effect in 2026, goes against the advice of a government-appointed inquiry, which said last month that promoting repatriation would hinder migrants’ integration into Swedish society
WHO authorizes mpox vaccine, clearing way for use in Africa
(NYTimes) — The World Health Organization has given its authorization to a first vaccine to protect against mpox, a decision announced in such haste Friday that it caught even the head of the company that makes the vaccine by surprise. The vaccine, made by Danish company Bavarian Nordic, has been approved by regulatory authorities in high-income countries since a global mpox outbreak in 2022. But low- and middle-income countries rely on the WHO to determine which vaccines are safe. The WHO said that it was authorizing the vaccine for adults but that it could be used at the discretion of health care providers for children.
Donald Trump prepares to unveil a cryptocurrency business
(NYTimes) — Former President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was preparing to unveil a new cryptocurrency business, as his presidential campaign aggressively courts the multibillion-dollar crypto industry in the run-up to November’s election. In a video posted on social platform X, Trump said he would be introducing the crypto platform, World Liberty Financial, in a livestream at 8 p.m. Monday. The announcement was light on details and did not explain the extent of his connection to the project. It’s unusual for presidential candidates to start new businesses in the middle of a campaign, and Trump’s business interests have raised concerns about conflicts of interest throughout his political career.
Missouri bird flu case raises prospect of human transmission
(NYTimes) — Someone who lived with a Missouri resident infected with bird flu also became ill on the same day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. The disclosure raises the possibility that the virus, H5N1, spread from one person to another, experts said, in what would be the first known instance in the United States. On Friday night, CDC officials said there was “no epidemiological evidence at this time to support person-to-person transmission of H5N1” but that additional research was needed. The coincidental timing of the illnesses concerned independent experts. H5N1 has been known to spread between close contacts, including those in the same household.
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