Harry Potter play producer says cost of living made two-part show 'impossible'

BBC - Sep 24, 2026

The London production, which has been running for 10 years, will reopen next month as a one-part show.

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Iran president accuses Trump of 'bullying mentality,' vows no surrender

Sep 24, 2026

Iran president accuses Trump of 'bullying mentality,' vows no surrender

UNITED NATIONS — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused U.S. President Donald Trump of a "bullying mentality" at the United Nations on Wednesday, saying Iran would not surrender in the war with the U.S. but remained open to diplomacy to end the conflict. In a wartime address to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, Pezeshkian said threats would only harden Iran's resolve, rejecting Trump's warning that he could annihilate Iran if no deal were reached. "The remarks made by the U.S. president yesterday ... are a sign of a bullying mentality ... The Iranian people will not bow to pressure ... Those who are terrorists and train terrorists call us terrorists," he said, referring to Trump's description of Iran as the world's leading sponsor of terrorism. Several times during his speech, Pezeshkian said Iran was ready to resolve tensions with the United States through negotiations, but warned that Tehran would not accept the language of force. The United States delegation walked out at the start of Pezeshkian's speech. The U.S. mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to

As 5% Treasury yields lose shock value, investors start worrying about 6%

Sep 24, 2026

As 5% Treasury yields lose shock value, investors start worrying about 6%

LONDON — For years, 5 percent on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury yield was viewed as the point at which global financial markets would start hitting turbulence. That threshold is beginning to look less like a ceiling and more like a waypoint. This month's breach of 5 percent - something that has happened only briefly in recent decades - has forced investors to contemplate an unsettling question: What if 6 percent is the new number that should be keeping them awake at night? The latest move above 5 percent has not lasted long enough yet to properly test that theory. But it has always been a psychological marker rather than an automatic tripwire, according to BlueBay Asset Management's head of market strategy, Mike Bell. "People think of it as if there's a magic number for Treasury yields at which it becomes a problem, (but) it's a relative number, not an absolute number," Bell explained. What matters is how Treasury yields compare with other key investment metrics, particularly the earnings yield on stocks. Bell says that relationship is now approaching an inflection point, potentia

US open to extending China trade truce, or bigger deal, Bessent says

Sep 24, 2026

US open to extending China trade truce, or bigger deal, Bessent says

WASHINGTON — The United States is open to extending the U.S.-China trade truce that expires on November 10 or considering a possibly larger trade deal, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday as he left a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to prepare for a summit between the two countries' leaders. Bessent gave no details about a potentially bigger U.S.-China trade deal following his second meeting with He in four days. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to discuss the issues further at the White House on Thursday. "The Chinese on Sunday came up with the idea of a bigger deal, and given that this could be a historic year where the leaders meet up to four times — this being the second meeting, in Shenzhen and then in Miami — we're open to the idea of just continuing the Busan arrangement or examining the bigger deal," Bessent told reporters. "We're fine with both, and we're going to do what's best for the American people." Bessent earlier described the meeting at World Bank headquarters in Washington as clearing up som

Xi to begin Washington visit with rare planeside welcome from Trump

Sep 24, 2026

Xi to begin Washington visit with rare planeside welcome from Trump

WASHINGTON — When Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington on Wednesday, he's expected to get a rare greeting from President Donald Trump, who will be on the tarmac to welcome his counterpart instead of waiting for him to drive up to the White House. Trump's decision to greet Xi at Joint Base Andrews just outside Washington rather than receiving him at the executive residence shows how far the U.S. president is going to honor China's leader as he makes his first state visit in more than a decade. First lady Melania Trump said her husband decided to personally greet Xi when he arrives in the Washington region because “they have a great relationship.” “He's coming on our soil, and we need to welcome them with the most respect,” she said of Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, during an interview Wednesday on Fox News Channel's ”Fox & Friends." The White House has not released many details about Wednesday's greeting, but Trump is expected to participate in an arrival ceremony at the base with Xi and his wife. The salutation will kick off a three-day visit that's expected to b

Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 15 years in prison for 2006 sex crime in New York

Sep 24, 2026

Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 15 years in prison for 2006 sex crime in New York

NEW YORK — Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced movie mogul, was sentenced in Manhattan to 15 years in prison Wednesday for a felony sex crime in another #MeToo reckoning. Weinstein’s sentencing for sexually assaulting one-time TV production assistant Miriam Haley followed a legal odyssey spanning more than six years. His 2020 conviction was overturned by New York's highest court, citing testimony from other women whose allegations weren’t part of the case. A second jury found Weinstein guilty again at a retrial last year. Once among the most powerful figures in the entertainment industry, Weinstein was an Oscar-winning producer whose hits included “Shakespeare in Love,” “Pulp Fiction” and “Chocolat.” But his downfall came quickly after sexual assault allegations in 2017 set off the #MeToo movement. Weinstein, 74, is expected to appeal. He is now likely to remain behind bars until at least his late 80s. He has denied raping or sexually assaulting anyone. Seated in a wheelchair, he was quickly wheeled out of the courtroom after the sentencing, while some of his accusers hugg

Trump's ban of three prominent news outlets from White House is in court

Sep 24, 2026

Trump's ban of three prominent news outlets from White House is in court

WASHINGTON — The extraordinary showdown between President Donald Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes moved Wednesday to a courtroom in the nation’s capital, where a judge is hearing arguments on whether the president’s move banning three news organizations from White House grounds violates the Constitution. The administration has doubled down on its contention that it has the right to decide who can set foot in the White House. “Access to the White House is a privilege — not a right,” it said in a court filing late Tuesday. It also argued that the reporting of the three outlets — CNN, MS NOW and Politico — poses a threat to national security. In his early comments about the case, Trump focused not on national security but on negative coverage by the outlets and allegations of “fake news.” The proceedings are historic, said Katie Fallow, deputy litigation director at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. “No president has taken this explicit of a step” to ban entire news outlets because he doesn’t like their reporting, she sa

AI leaders warn UN of security risks as systems grow more powerful

Sep 24, 2026

AI leaders warn UN of security risks as systems grow more powerful

UNITED NATIONS — Executives from three of the world's leading artificial intelligence companies briefed the UN Security Council on Wednesday amid warnings that increasingly powerful AI systems could soon improve themselves, slip beyond human control and pose a threat to international security. Among those addressing the 15-member council during the annual General Assembly gathering were OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Hugging Face co-founder Clément Delangue, three of the industry's most prominent executives. "If managed poorly, I even believe that AI could be a risk to humanity as a whole," Anthropic's Amodei told the Security Council. Governments have grappled with how to oversee AI systems that are advancing faster than regulators can keep up while the United States and China — the two dominant players in AI development — remain divided over whether the technology needs global guardrails or should be left largely to market forces. “If AI is to be democratic, the most important decisions cannot be made by labs in San Francisco alone. They must be shaped t

Xi heads into Trump visit after making China into global force since 2015

Sep 24, 2026

Xi heads into Trump visit after making China into global force since 2015

WASHINGTON — When Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a state visit in 2015, he sought to calm the growing unease among the Americans about his country's rapid ascent. Xi largely succeeded, shaking hands with then-President Barack Obama to deepen economic ties and expand cooperation. In the Rose Garden, Obama declared that the U.S. “welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful, stable, prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs.” Those days are over. Returning to the U.S. capital Wednesday for the first state visit in over a decade, Xi — more confident than ever — is seeking stability even as the globe's two largest economies compete over everything from artificial intelligence to space ambitions and global influence. Xi is expected to urge cooperation with the U.S. for the sake of the world. “In 2015, China was a rising power still, profoundly and quickly rising, but rising undeniably,” said Mira Rapp-Hooper, a visiting fellow at Brookings Institution's Center for Asia Policy Studies. Now, “China is risen.” Both economies have grown remarkabl

Lee, Trump discussed shipbuilding in brief New York meeting: White House

Sep 24, 2026

Lee, Trump discussed shipbuilding in brief New York meeting: White House

WASHINGTON — A White House official said Wednesday South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed shipbuilding cooperation and other topics during a meeting on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly this week. The official made the remarks in response to Yonhap News Agency's question about the meeting on Tuesday, where Seoul officials said that the leaders discussed key issues, including Seoul's push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and secure rights to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful civil purposes. "President Trump and President Lee had a brief meeting on the sidelines of the Leaders Reception at the United Nations General Assembly, where they discussed shipbuilding cooperation among other topics," the official said in an email. After the 30-minute meeting, a presidential official told reporters that Trump expressed interest in shipbuilding cooperation, as the Trump administration seeks cooperation with South Korea to rebuild the United States Navy and shipbuilding industry. Under last year's bilateral trade deal, So

Mounting inflation pressures put more Fed rate hikes in view

Sep 24, 2026

Mounting inflation pressures put more Fed rate hikes in view

Mounting inflation pressures and a strengthening economy look to be pushing the Federal Reserve towards an interest-rate hike on the eve of critical national elections, with traders on Wednesday piling into bets on a second straight Fed rate increase in late October. A closely watched measure of U.S. business activity, S&P Global's flash U.S. Composite PMI Output Index, jumped this month to its highest level since July 2021, S&P Global reported on Wednesday. The survey's measure of prices paid by businesses for inputs jumped to a nearly four-year high. Oil prices took a leg up on Wednesday, with Brent crude futures rising about 2 percent to $101.09 a barrel, and diesel fuel prices have surged to over $6.50 a gallon, as the US-Iran war continues to disrupt supply. Diesel has particular potential to broaden price pressures, as it powers the equipment and trucks used to make and move goods throughout the economy. The backdrop of rising inflationary risks and a strong economy means the Fed is likely to deliver more rate hikes, Fed Governor Michael Barr said on Wednesday in what's become a r

Venezuela's Rodriguez promises elections in transition to 'full democracy'

Sep 24, 2026

Venezuela's Rodriguez promises elections in transition to 'full democracy'

NEW YORK/CARACAS — Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez told the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that the country would hold elections as part of a transition to "full democracy," but did not give a specific date for the vote. "I want to make this very clear at this General Assembly: there will be elections in Venezuela," said Rodriguez, who came to power after American forces captured then-President Nicolas Maduro in a January raid. Rodriguez said the government had initiated talks with the opposition and would guarantee the participation of all political forces. She added that national institutions were being prepared for the electoral process. "Venezuela has initiated a process of democratic transformation for its rebirth, an orderly, institutional, and verifiable process, to build a country that is freer for all, more prosperous, and more reconciled with itself," said Rodriguez. Venezuelan and U.S. authorities have previously emphasized the need for an election, yet no date — not even a tentative one — has been set. The opposition views the selection of an autonomou

Meta surprises with new handheld AI device called Meta Charm

Sep 24, 2026

Meta surprises with new handheld AI device called Meta Charm

MENLO PARK, California — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a small handheld gadget called Meta Charm for using its new Muse AI assistant in a surprise announcement at its annual device event on Wednesday. Meta said Charm would be ready to ship for holidays in December, but did not give a price. The AI device is about the size of an Apple AirPods case. The social media giant also unveiled virtual-reality glasses to use with a VR console and a pair of camera-free smart glasses for daily use, designed to ease the growing privacy backlash against AI devices that can take videos and pictures of people without consent. Priced at $1,299, the Meta VR Glasses aim to match the capabilities of bulkier and costlier rivals such as Apple's Vision Pro in a device that weighs about as much as a deck of playing cards, a design made possible by moving the battery and processor into a separate puck. They will launch in spring 2027. Meta is betting the VR device, which looks like a pair of dark wraparound frames and responds to eye, voice and hand gestures, can finally take to the mainstream a category lo

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