Daily briefing · Wednesday, September 23

Hurricane Polo brings coastal warnings to Mexico

At 09:00 UTC on September 23, the U.S. National Hurricane Center placed Polo about 300 kilometers south of Zihuatanejo, with sustained winds near 250 kilometers per hour. Its strongest winds remained offshore, but a tropical-storm warning covered part of Mexico’s southwestern coast, where rain and rough coastal conditions were expected. Forecasters expected the storm’s center to remain offshore as it turned northwest. The position and forecast are specific to that advisory; conditions along the coast can change as the storm moves. Hurricane Polo Advisory Number 11 — National Hurricane Center

Meta pauses test of human-assisted AI calls

Reuters reported that Meta tested using contractors to handle some calls placed through its Muse AI assistant. Internal posts reviewed by Reuters showed employees raising concerns about disclosure and information callers might share. A Meta executive said the contractor-assisted feature had been rolled back for now; a spokesperson said proper disclosures would be required before any public release. The test illustrates a practical question for AI assistants: when a service places a call on someone’s behalf, users need to know who is actually speaking and listening. Meta testing a human concierge for its new personal AI agent, Muse — Reuters

Investment links persist across the U.S.–China AI divide

A Reuters analysis published Tuesday found that financial ties remain substantial despite U.S. and Chinese efforts to develop separate AI supply chains. Citing LSEG data, it said Wall Street banks had arranged 19 Chinese high-technology equity deals worth $17.2 billion so far this year, nearly 30% of the sector’s issuance. That measures banks’ involvement in raising capital, not a transfer of technology. The figures show that technology restrictions and cross-border investment continue to coexist. As Trump and Xi meet, investors play both sides of AI divide — Reuters

OECD lifts this year’s global growth forecast

The OECD raised its forecast for 2026 global growth from 2.8% to 2.9% and lowered its 2027 forecast from 3.1% to 3.0%. Its new outlook says investment in AI infrastructure is supporting growth, while higher energy costs are expected to weigh for longer. The report separates an economy that has held up this year from a more difficult outlook next year. These figures are projections: the effects of energy prices and the course of the Middle East conflict remain uncertain. OECD expects AI boom to help offset Middle East energy shock for now — Reuters

Eurozone business survey shows faster growth and higher costs

A preliminary survey released Wednesday put the eurozone’s September composite purchasing managers’ index at 53.1, up from 52.0 in August and its highest reading in more than three years. Businesses reported growth in both manufacturing and services, alongside higher input costs linked partly to energy prices. A reading above 50 signals expansion among surveyed firms. The result suggests economic activity has held up despite cost pressures, though the survey records businesses’ responses rather than final economic output. Europe’s economy surprisingly resilient amid war-driven energy shock, surveys show — Reuters

Flights suspended as fighting spreads in Ethiopia

Fighting broke out in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and neighboring Afar and Amhara, Reuters reported Wednesday, as Tigray’s regional leaders said they had entered a new war with the federal government. Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to Tigray. Four sources, including a government official and a diplomatic source, confirmed developments across the three regions to Reuters. The renewed fighting puts pressure on the 2022 peace agreement that ended the earlier Tigray war; the sides dispute responsibility for the escalation. Tigrayan forces seize airport, Ethiopian Airlines suspends flights — Reuters

UN agency reports new displacement in Yemen

The UN refugee agency said Tuesday that fighting in Yemen had displaced more than 130,000 people since the start of September. Most remained within the country, while more than 3,000 had crossed the Red Sea by boat, according to the agency. Its response plan was less than 20% funded before the renewed violence. UNHCR projected that a further 100,000 people could be displaced within three months. That last figure is a planning estimate, not a count of people already on the move. More Yemenis expected to flee from upsurge in fighting, UN says — Reuters

Mediators relay U.S.–Iran contacts at the UN

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said mediators carried messages between U.S. and Iranian representatives during the UN gathering on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States eased military pressure and lifted its blockade on Iranian ports. No agreement was announced. The strait was a major route for global oil and gas shipments before the war, so any reopening would matter well beyond the region. The proposed timetable remains conditional on terms the sides have not publicly agreed. Trump threatens Iran as diplomats push for deal at UN — Reuters