A rudderless United Nations amidst international disorder

• Washington and Beijing are exploring a new framework to manage their rivalry as Donald Trump considers his second-term diplomacy. • The U.S. is weighing the costs of prolonged confrontation, including trade uncertainty and China's control over critical minerals.

• The DID Press Agency reported that the security and political order of the Middle East is undergoing a significant transformation due to recent regional conflicts. • The agency cited the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation, direct confrontations between Iran and Israel, and Ansarullah's influence over Red Sea security as primary drivers of this change.

• Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik criticized the UN General Assembly for its inability to address escalating conflicts in Ukraine, Iran, Palestine, and Sudan. • UN development programme administrator Alexander De Croo described the current global state as a series of crises piling up on one another.

• A Group of Friends of the Process has proposed the Muscat Process to address international diplomacy during a period of geopolitical fragmentation. • The initiative focuses on the economic dimensions of diplomatic crises, specifically targeting impacts on energy prices, shipping, insurance, and supply chains.

• Acting UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov reported that Palestinians in Gaza are seeking a return to normal life. • The UN is currently working to overcome major challenges regarding humanitarian access, the restoration of essential services, and reconstruction efforts.

Jessica Watkins, the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit, is making her second trip to the space stationFour astronauts rocketed into orbit on Thursday on a space station mission that will stretch until spring, among them a Canadian whose wife will give birth while he is away.SpaceX launched commander Jessica Watkins and her crew for Nasa after a three-week delay to fix the capsule’s leaking fuel system. Thick clouds threatened all morning to halt the countdown but in the end, the skies cleared enough to allow for a safe liftoff. Continue reading...

Wife and brother of Minneapolis woman killed in immigration crackdown allege wrongful deathThe family of Renee Good, the woman killed by immigration agents in January in Minneapolis, filed two federal lawsuits against the agent who shot her and several top officials in the Trump administration on Thursday.In the lawsuits, Good’s partner, Becca Good, and her brother, Brent Ganger, alleged wrongful death and other violations of federal law, according to a press release issued by their lawyers. Continue reading...

Collaboration regarded as ‘really big thing’ for retailer in some quarters despite backlash around designer’s antisemitic remarks in 2011A month after it was announced that a planned exhibition dedicated to fashion designer John Galliano at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art would not proceed, his debut collection for fast fashion company Zara has been released.Called Re{form}, it was, according to a press release, “authored by the couturier John Galliano. Built from our memory. Made for now.” Continue reading...

President also doesn’t rule out declaring state of emergency before midterms and deflects responsibility for Iran warDonald Trump deflected responsibility for misleading Americans about the length of the Iran war, dismissed low poll ratings as “fake numbers” and refused to rule out the possibility of declaring a state of emergency before the midterms, in a wide-ranging interview with Time magazine.When confronted with questions about the length of the Iran war, the US president blamed the media for reporting his remarks in which he said the conflict was projected to last “four to five weeks”, in March. Continue reading...

Alternative ways being used to move fuel out of Gulf region, but flows of refined products such as diesel still constrainedExports of crude from the strait of Hormuz have largely returned to levels seen before the outbreak of the Iran war, as oil producers and the shipping industry have found alternative ways of transporting crucial fuel out of the Middle East.Pipeline exports and ship-to-ship transfers are among the methods being used, according to analysts tracking the situation, while the US military continues to escort some vessels. However, flows of refined products such as diesel remain constrained, pushing prices higher. Continue reading...

West Ham co-owner and former pornographer lodges high court claim over episode, in which several women accused him of abusing powerDavid Sullivan is suing the BBC for £150m over multiple claims of sexual misconduct made in a documentary.Lawyers acting for Sullivan, who remains West Ham United’s co-owner, have lodged a high court claim against the corporation over its Panorama investigation “Predator: The Billionaire Football Boss”, which was broadcast in June. Continue reading...