The Economist

North Korea manufactures short-range missiles capable of striking South Korea and intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach any part of America or Europe.

“It also makes short-range missiles that could hit liberal, democratic South Korea and intercontinental ballistic ones that could reach any part of America or Europe.”

Donald Trump stated that North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, "is going to be fine" as long as Trump is president of the United States, because Kim Jong Un respects and likes him.

“As long as Donald Trump is president of the United States, North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, “is going to be fine”, says Mr Trump, because “He respects me and he likes me.””

Kim Jong Un's North Korea possesses between 57 and 120 nuclear bombs and produces enough fissile material for an additional 10 to 20 nuclear bombs annually.

“Mr Kim, a hereditary god-king, has between 57 and 120 nuclear bombs, and his gulag state produces enough fissile material for ten to 20 more each year.”

Student demonstrations in France, which started as a protest against poor conditions and teacher shortages at a school in Créteil, south-east of Paris, spread into a violent movement touching at least a dozen cities during the week of September 29, 2026.

“The student demonstrations in France, which began as a protest against poor conditions and teacher shortages at a school in Créteil, south-east of Paris, spread this week into a violent movement that has touched at least a dozen cities.”

The US Treasury Department declared that the national emergency in Ethiopia has ended.

““The national emergency [in Ethiopia] has expired,” the treasury department declared.”

American officials declared the crisis in Tigray to be over.

America imposed an arms embargo on Ethiopia in 2021 because of serious human-rights abuses.

““Serious human-rights abuses” prompted America to impose an arms embargo on Ethiopia in 2021”

America sanctioned Eritrea's army, senior officials, and state-owned conglomerates in 2021.

“America [...] put sanctions on Eritrea’s army, senior officials and state-owned conglomerates.”

A civil war occurred in Tigray, Ethiopia, between 2020 and 2022.

“Just a few years ago, between 2020 and 2022, a civil war was fought in Tigray, Ethiopia’s northernmost region.”

The Ottoman empire was dismembered by great powers approximately a century before September 2026.

“For the first time since the great powers dismembered the Ottoman empire a century ago, the Middle East’s overarching order will no longer be imposed from afar.”

For decades leading up to September 2026, the United States has held a position of hegemony over the Middle East.

“For decades America has enjoyed hegemony over the Middle East.”

Following the start of the 2026 US-Iran war, war-risk insurance costs soared and Iran launched attacks.

In September 1991, the Soviet Union was nearing its dissolution.

“With the Soviet Union on its last legs, America looked ready to shape a new order in a turbulent region.”

World leaders met for the UN General Assembly in September 1991.

“WHEN world leaders met for the UN General Assembly in September 1991, a period of unchallenged American hegemony in the Middle East seemed at hand.”

Shortly before September 1991, the Pentagon, with allied support, conducted a war to expel occupying Iraqi forces from Kuwait.

“The Pentagon had just waged a swift war, with many allies, to expel occupying Iraqi forces from Kuwait.”

In September 1991, American diplomats were preparing to host the Madrid conference, which constituted the first direct talks between Israel and a group of its Arab neighbors.

“American diplomats were preparing to host the Madrid conference, the first direct talks between Israel and a group of its Arab neighbours.”

The rivalry between Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and Elon Musk includes lawsuits, social media spats, and a refusal to link arms at a summit in India.

“The rivalry among the three men spans lawsuits, spats on social media and a churlish refusal to link arms onstage at a summit in India.”

Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and Elon Musk have expressed a shared fear that the current pace of AI development could lead to the accidental extinction of humanity.

“Their shared fear is that the current breakneck pace may result in the accidental extinction of humanity.”

In the week of September 15, 2026, Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and Elon Musk all called for a slowdown in the development of superhuman artificial intelligence.

“Yet this week all three called for a slowdown in the race to build superhuman artificial intelligence.”

The yield on ten-year American Treasuries exceeded 5% on September 14th, a two-decade high.

“On September 14th the yield on ten-year American Treasuries exceeded 5%, the highest it has been in two decades.”