Flash News

TREE NEWS update: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the events in Yemen are unrelated to Iran, in remarks carried by Al Jazeera. The statement addresses the situation in Yemen without further detail on what the events were or when they took place. No additional context or response was given.

TREE NEWS reports: China’s 2026 Mid-Autumn holiday box office surpassed 200 million yuan as of 17:44 on September 26. The three-day holiday window runs September 25-27. Avengers: Endgame (Enhanced Premium Edition), Welcome to Long Restaurant, Eight Immortals!, Old Hand, and Empty Gun currently rank as the top five films of the period.

TREE NEWS reports: Swiss National Bank Chairman Martin Schlegel said record temperatures this year did affect food prices but were not the driver of Swiss inflation, which is almost entirely attributable to petroleum products. He said the SNB is monitoring heat effects on food prices and expects inflation to fall back within its 0%–2% target range through mid-2029, assuming crude prices decline. Schlegel also called the franc’s recent weakening a minor reversal after years of appreciation.

TREE NEWS reports: The assembly cycle for the Kinetica-1 (Lijian-1) rocket has been shortened to roughly 15 days, down from about three months during its maiden flight phase, as the vehicle moves into high-density, routine launches with near-monthly missions. The Nansha assembly plant now has annual capacity of up to 30 rockets, with different work stations running in parallel rather than a single team following each rocket from start to finish.

TREE NEWS update: Russian President Vladimir Putin said in St. Petersburg that Russia is not preparing for any form of military conflict with Europe. Responding to reporters’ questions, he said many in Europe talk about a possible Russian attack and therefore believe they must prepare for war with Russia. Putin reiterated that Russia has no reason and no real motive to do so.

TREE NEWS update: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said US and Israeli attacks on Iran have killed more than 5,000 people, including hundreds of women and children. Speaking to media at UN headquarters in New York on 25 September, he listed civilian sites struck, including residential areas, schools, hospitals, energy facilities and transport infrastructure, and called the assassinations of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior political and military officials a blatant crime violating international law.

TREE NEWS update: BASF confirmed it is in exploratory talks with Germany’s RAG-Stiftung and Evonik Industries over a potential acquisition of Evonik. The companies said the progress and outcome of the talks remain undetermined. The confirmation, reported on September 26, follows earlier market speculation about a possible tie-up between the two German chemical groups.

TREE NEWS update: The Saudi-led multinational coalition said early on September 26 that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement toward the southwestern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait, and shot down two drones launched toward Riyadh province. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki announced the interceptions on social media.

TREE NEWS update: Chinese President Xi Jinping made a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25 local time, during which the two heads of state held in-depth exchanges on a constructive China-US strategic stability relationship and major international and regional issues. The two sides reached an eight-point consensus on outcomes.

TREE NEWS update: Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing on the afternoon of September 26 after concluding a state visit to the United States. The visit ended with his arrival back in the Chinese capital.

TREE NEWS reports: China Railway said it expects to carry 13 million passengers nationwide on Sept 26, with 644 additional trains scheduled to handle the traffic. The operator reported 21.761 million passenger trips on Sept 25, saying operations were safe and orderly. The figures were released through China Railway’s official WeChat account.

TREE NEWS update: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the UN General Assembly’s 81st session general debate on the 25th that Pakistan opposes the “weaponization” of water, calling the Indus River system the “lifeline” of Pakistan and the wider region. The remarks were delivered in his address to the annual gathering of world leaders.

TREE NEWS reports: Long-term government bond yields across major economies surged, with the US 10-year Treasury yield reaching about 5.2%, its highest since before the 2008 financial crisis. The UK 10-year gilt yield rose to roughly 5.38%, a 30-year high, while France’s 10-year yield climbed to about 4.68%. The bond selloff raises government borrowing costs and underscores risks from heavier sovereign debt burdens.

TREE NEWS update: Heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in Bangkok on September 26, submerging major roads and disrupting traffic. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said the downpours are expected to continue through the day and has set up multiple shelters for residents forced to evacuate.

TREE NEWS update: Drone attacks struck two areas of North Kordofan state in central Sudan, causing dozens of civilian casualties. The state government said the capital El Obeid was hit at dawn, killing 2 civilians and wounding 20 others, and blamed the Rapid Support Forces for targeting displacement camps, a fuel station and residential buildings in violation of international humanitarian law. The RSF has not responded.

TREE NEWS update: Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York on September 25 during the UN General Assembly, and attended a high-level dialogue hosted by China marking the fifth anniversary of the Global Development Initiative, where he read out a congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping and delivered remarks. Han said China will continue to support the UN’s central role in international affairs and align its initiatives with the UN agenda.

TREE NEWS update: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on the 25th. Araghchi briefed his Saudi counterpart on a consensus reached between Iran and Oman on a safe shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz. The two sides also exchanged views on bilateral ties and joint efforts to strengthen contacts in areas of mutual interest.

TREE NEWS reports: Multiple Federal Reserve officials warned inflation risks remain unresolved, with Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack saying inflation has run high for over five years and restrictive policy must be maintained. Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid said the Fed “still hasn’t solved inflation” and flagged extreme U.S. debt levels, while New York Fed President John Williams pointed to repeated supply shocks. CME FedWatch data shows markets pricing a 64.2% probability of a 25-basis-point rate hike in October.

TREE NEWS update: Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan will depart late on September 26 for Qatar to attend the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s 11th annual meeting in Doha. The meeting, themed “Infrastructure for Tomorrow: Impact and Innovation,” will bring together government officials, multilateral development institutions, business leaders and other stakeholders to discuss sustainable infrastructure, cross-border connectivity, green financing and digital transformation, as well as the AIIB’s strategic direction and future work agenda.

TREE NEWS update: Infineon will formally open its semiconductor plant in Thailand on October 1, with project investment exceeding 48 billion baht, or about $1.44 billion. The facility marks a major manufacturing commitment by the German chipmaker in Southeast Asia.