Daily briefing · Tuesday, September 29

Qatar carries new U.S.-Iran proposals as gaps remain

Qatari mediators held separate discussions with Iranian and American officials about ending the seven-month war, but no agreement was announced. Iran said its seven-day proposal would pair an end to hostilities with sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, followed by renewed nuclear talks. The contacts show that diplomacy remains active, but the publicly described terms leave substantial differences to resolve. Continued restrictions in Hormuz affect a major route for global energy shipments. Iran says Qatar will convey new proposals to US in bid to end war

Morocco appoints its first woman prime minister

King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri to form Morocco’s next government after her Authenticity and Modernity Party finished first in the September 23 parliamentary election. The party won 97 of the lower house’s 395 seats, ahead of the National Rally of Independents with 66 and Istiqlal with 65. El Mansouri becomes Morocco’s first woman prime minister and the second in the Arab world. Because no party holds a majority, the government’s composition and program will depend on coalition negotiations. Une femme dirigera le gouvernement marocain pour la première fois

Australia raises rates as inflation reaches 4%

Australia’s central bank raised its cash-rate target by a quarter point to 4.60%, citing persistent inflation, higher energy and technology-goods prices, and pressure on domestic capacity. Data released the following day showed consumer prices rose 4.0% in the year through August, up from 3.5% in July, while underlying inflation remained at 3.6%. Housing was the largest contributor. The sequence matters: the new inflation report supports the bank’s concern but was published after, and therefore did not inform, Tuesday’s decision. Statement by the Monetary Policy Board: Monetary Policy Decision · Headline inflation jumped to 4pc in August, up from 3.5pc in July

Reported Myanmar airstrike kills 50 in Rakhine state

The United Nations expressed alarm after the Arakan Army and a local aid worker reported that a Myanmar military airstrike killed 50 people and wounded at least 58 near a market in Kyauktaw on Monday. Myanmar’s government did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment; the military has previously said it seeks to avoid civilian harm. The UN said continuing violence means conditions are not safe for refugees and displaced residents to return to Rakhine state. The Arakan Army controls the immediate area. UN alarmed by reports that Myanmar air strike killed 50

AI companies sign voluntary White House safety accord

President Donald Trump and executives from Anthropic, Google, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, SpaceX and other technology companies signed a voluntary AI safety accord. The one-page framework calls for internal evaluations, external audits, board reviews and regular meetings on standards. It does not create a statutory regulator or legally binding enforcement system. The agreement brings major developers behind a shared review structure, but its practical value will depend on the rigor and independence of the audits, what companies disclose and whether failures carry meaningful consequences. Trump and major AI executives sign voluntary controls described as morally binding

Estonia attributes defense-company fire to Russian intelligence

Estonia’s government said its Internal Security Service concluded that Russian special services commissioned an August 15 arson attack on a Tallinn building used by Milrem Robotics, which supplies unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine. Emergency crews contained the fire, no lives were endangered and three suspects were later transferred from Latvia to Estonia. The criminal investigation continues, so the attribution remains an Estonian government finding rather than an independently adjudicated conclusion. The case adds a specific incident to European concerns about suspected sabotage targeting support for Ukraine. Russia Responsible for Arson Attack on Milrem

EU adds €500 million to Horizon Europe research

The European Commission added €500 million to Horizon Europe’s 2026–27 work program, lifting its two-year budget to about €14.8 billion. New cross-cutting calls include €237 million for research supporting a nature-positive economy and €260 million for projects connecting research with investment and deployment. Proposed fields span biodiversity, AI-assisted energy systems, media technology and skills for smaller businesses. The design matters because it links technological development with energy affordability and environmental effects, rather than funding those priorities as isolated research tracks. EU support to research and innovation increases with additional €500 million for research programme Horizon Europe · EC allocates additional €500 million to Horizon Europe and publishes two monitoring reports

Spain approves housing protections that need Parliament

Spain’s cabinet approved two housing decrees, including a proposed extension of protections against evicting vulnerable tenants until 2030 and temporary extensions for some rental contracts. The measures followed protests over the eviction of an 87-year-old Madrid tenant, who has accepted an offer to return home at a lower rent. The policy is not settled law: Spain’s minority coalition still needs parliamentary approval. Its broader effect will depend partly on the final text and whether tenant protections are accompanied by measures addressing housing supply. Spain announces plan to ease housing crisis amid outcry over eviction of 87-year-old

Olivia Miles unanimously wins WNBA rookie award

Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles received all 74 votes for WNBA Rookie of the Year after starting 40 games and averaging 19.8 points, six assists and 4.7 rebounds. She scored 790 points, surpassing Caitlin Clark’s previous rookie record of 769, and recorded a rookie-high 22 games with at least 20 points. Miles also shot 49.2% from the field while helping Minnesota earn the playoffs’ top seed. Those scoring, efficiency and playmaking numbers provide unusually broad support for the unanimous result. Olivia Miles Unanimously Named 2026 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year