Global Express | September 11, 2026 Houthis Seize Key Island, Taking Control of Bab el-Mandeb Strait

1. Houthis Seize Key Island, Taking Control of Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Source: Euronews

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis took control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Friday after capturing an island in the middle of the crucial Red Sea waterway, according to a local government official and eyewitnesses. Boats carrying armed Houthi fighters reached Mayyun Island — also known as Perim — after government forces withdrew the day before, the official said.

An eyewitness said gunmen were deploying along the Bab el-Mandeb shore and driving around in military vehicles. Reports said the group also seized the town of Dhubab and the coastal village of Murad, putting all of Yemen's Red Sea coast under Houthi control in an 18-hour push. Government sources said the Houthis had also besieged troops on the Hanish islands.

Source

2. Xi and Modi Set to Meet at BRICS Summit

Source: CNBC

When the BRICS summit gets underway in India, the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be among the most keenly watched events. Beijing confirmed Xi's attendance on Thursday, marking his first visit to India since 2019, after ties deteriorated following deadly border clashes in 2020.

The meeting comes amid thawing relations between New Delhi and Beijing. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met in August and made progress on their border dispute. The two countries have resumed direct flights, and India has relaxed rules around Chinese investment, though border and trade issues remain sticking points.

Source

3. Taiwan's Vice President Makes Rare Europe Visit

Source: Al Jazeera

Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim is making a rare visit to Europe, attending the Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy in Italy alongside Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, the presidential office said. Details will be provided once the two return to Taiwan.

European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno said Hsiao's participation "was kept secret until her arrival to protect her participation" in the conference. "Intimidation cannot decide who participates in our democratic debate," Picierno said. China says Taiwan is one of its provinces, a view the democratically governed island rejects. The conference runs from Thursday to Saturday.

Source

4. Brazil's Supreme Court Halts Sessions Amid Political Chaos

Source: Al Jazeera

Brazil's Supreme Court has cancelled a second straight day of deliberations as suspicions of corruption, political bias and police interference loom over several of its members. On Thursday, Chief Justice Luiz Edson Fachin nixed the session, calling for the court to reconvene on Tuesday instead.

The crisis emerged on September 1, when Justice Andre Mendonca unsealed federal police documents appearing to show disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro seeking advice from another justice, Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over former President Jair Bolsonaro's coup trial. Tuesday's session will see 10 justices discuss whether de Moraes should be investigated.

Source

5. US August Inflation Report Could Steer Interest Rates

Source: NBC News

The US Consumer Price Index is expected to show inflation rose 0.4% in August from July, and stayed flat at 3.4% from a year earlier. Core inflation, which strips out food and energy costs, is expected to rise just 0.2% month-over-month. The report is seen as a pivotal moment in the US affordability crisis.

Investors believe the Federal Reserve's decision next week on whether to raise rates could hinge on Friday's report, with the Fed having held rates steady all year. Governor Christopher Waller said, "if inflation comes in hot, I would consider a rate hike," while also noting "signs of disinflation." On Thursday, US crude rose above $100 a barrel for the first time since May.

Source

6. Oil Eases to $104 as World Shares Trade Mixed

Source: AP News

World shares were mixed Friday following Wall Street losses, while oil prices fell with Brent crude trading at around $104 a barrel after hitting its highest level since May. In early European trading, Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.5% and Germany's DAX gained 0.6%.

Markets mostly declined in Asia, with Japan's Nikkei 225 down 1.9% and South Korea's Kospi down 1.8%. As US-Iran tensions intensified, Brent crude fell 3.3% to $104.09 a barrel after earlier rising above $108, while benchmark US crude dropped 2.8% to $99.63. US diesel prices soared past $6 a gallon on average, a record.

Source

7. America Marks 25th Anniversary of 9/11

Source: The Independent

Across the nation, Americans are marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, remembering the shock, those who died, and the wide-ranging consequences of al-Qaida's attacks. Friday's milestone features memorial ceremonies including wreath-laying, flying flags, silent moments, vigils, the reading of victims' names, and volunteer efforts.

The single morning claimed nearly 3,000 lives. On September 11, 2001, al-Qaida extremists hijacked four commercial jets and crashed them into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Officer Casey Kloepfer, whose father died at the World Trade Center, became a police officer this June to honor him.

Source

8. Philippine Ferry Fire Kills Five, Over 80 Missing

Source: Rappler

Firefighters on Friday boarded a burned-out ferry more than a day after it caught fire on its way from Manila to the western province of Palawan, killing five people and leaving more than 80 missing. A manifest said the ship was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew when it was engulfed in flames on Wednesday night.

The Philippine Coast Guard revised the number of missing from 86 to 84, with 43 people rescued. Survivor Richard Marceliano said a small amount of smoke quickly turned into a raging fire that spread within seconds, and he floated in the sea for nearly two hours before being rescued. The cause of the blaze remains unclear.

Source

9. Anthropic Says It Blocked AI Bioweapon Misuse

Source: ABC News

Artificial intelligence company Anthropic said it blocked several possible attempts to use its AI technology for research that could potentially support the development of biological weapons. Since December 2025, it disrupted dozens of instances of potentially malicious use, including "biological misuse."

The report details five case studies. In one, a researcher outside the US accessed the Claude assistant from an unsupported region to study highly pathogenic avian influenza. Anthropic banned the associated accounts but said it could not determine whether the researchers intended harm. The report came days after a former researcher voiced concerns over increasingly powerful AI systems.

Source

10. 11th Belt and Road Summit Closes

Source: China News Service

The 11th Belt and Road Summit, co-hosted by the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, closed on September 10. The two-day forum drew more than 6,200 business and political figures from over 70 countries and regions. For the first time, it featured a special section on helping mainland enterprises expand overseas.

During the forum, more than 300 investment projects were showcased and over 800 one-on-one project matching sessions were held, yielding more than 60 cooperation memorandums and agreements. New exhibition zones covering universities and green technology displayed research results and green solutions.

Source