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What will world leaders be discussing at the UN next Monday?
Every September, world leaders meet in New York for several days of high level debate at the United Nations General Assembly. Who speaks when? In 1945, the United Nations was founded with 51 members. It now has 193 members. Leaders of the Holy See, State of Palestine, and two other non-member observers states, known as the UN's Holy See and State of Palestine, and an observer member of the European Union can also speak. The 81st Session begins this month. Brazil is always the first to speak. In the early days of the UN, Brazil was the first to speak when other nations were reluctant. The United States, which hosts the UN Headquarters in New York City, is the second country to address the General Assembly. The list is then ordered by hierarchy, and in general the order of first come first served. The heads of state are the first to speak, followed by vice-heads of state, crown princes, head of government, ministers, and lower-ranking leaders of a delegaiton. How long will they speak? Leaders should adhere to a 15-minute voluntary time limit. According to UN records one of the longest opening speeches was given by Fidel Castro in 1960, who spoke for approximately 4-1/2 hours. In 2009, Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi spoke more than 1 1/2 hours. WHAT WILL THEY TALK ABOUT? Every session of the General Assembly begins with a specific theme. Leaders may briefly mention the theme before moving onto any topic. This year's theme: "Restoring trust, Managing transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All." The following topics are likely to be discussed by leaders in their meetings held on the sidelines the General Assembly: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. The General Assembly at the high level will convene only weeks after several AI leaders called for a coordinated halt to the development of this increasingly powerful technology. They warned that it could soon become self-sufficient and slip past human control. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated on Wednesday that warnings could not be ignored, and that AI will be a topic he discusses with world leaders in the coming week. Guterres told reporters that countries at the forefront of AI need to communicate to establish "common safeguards" to avoid a race to the bottom which could one day lead to a global disaster. Diplomats say that the UN Security Council could meet next week to discuss AI. In 2023, the 15-member council held its first meeting on artificial intelligence. IRAN. The Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian will address the General Assembly Wednesday, seven months since the United States and Israel went to war with Tehran. His travel to New York is uncertain. Abbas Mousavi said that it is still uncertain how many Iranians will be granted visas to the United States. Although US President Donald Trump, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, and leaders of other countries involved in mediating an end to war will be present at the United Nations this week, it is unlikely that a breakthrough can be made in the diplomatic stalemate. Diplomats say that the UN Security Council could hold an informal gathering with Arab leaders in the coming week. Iran is likely to be a major topic of discussion. UKRAINE. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, will seek to bolster global support for Kyiv at a time when Trump is trying to broker a peace more than four years since Russia invaded their neighbor. He will address the assembly this Wednesday, while Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, will speak on Saturday. Next week, the UN Security Council will also hold a meeting at a high level on Ukraine. The UN Security Council has not been able to do anything to stop the conflict because Russia is a power with veto. Trump has appeared frustrated at times that he is unable to bring an end to the conflict, which he made a priority as he began his second term last January. Trump spoke to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the first week of this month. It is not clear if he will meet Zelenskiy at New York. ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS. Israel's Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza that Israel denies, will address the General Assembly next Thursday. Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, believes that Netanyahu should be arrested but stated in July that he did not have the legal authority. Mamdani stated on Wednesday that he has no plans to attend anti-Netanyahu demonstrations in New York next week. However, he respects the right of New Yorkers who wish to demonstrate. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, will not be attending in person. The United States, an Israeli ally close to the Palestinians, have again refused him a visa. As he did in 2013, he is expected to appear on video, also on Thursday. Diplomats say that a high level meeting is likely to take place next week on the sidelines the General Assembly to promote the two-state solution. However, no progress is expected toward this goal. RACE TO APPOINT A NEW UN SECRETARY-GENERAL. The United Nations is in the process of selecting a new Secretary-General, but no one has emerged as a clear frontrunner. Guterres' second five-year term will end on December 31, 2026. Next week, there will be a lot of discussion about his replacement on the sidelines. The UN Security Council must agree on a candidate that will be recommended to the 193 member General Assembly. This means that the five veto powers of the council, Britain, China France Russia and the US, have to agree. SUDAN. Diplomats have said that a high level meeting will likely be held on the sidelines the General Assembly to discuss the conflict in Sudan. Sudan's conflict, which began in April 2023 after a power struggle between the military forces and Rapid Support Forces, displaced over 14 million people, and has created one of the worst humanitarian crises on the planet. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is scheduled to speak at the General Assembly Thursday. He was appointed head of the Sudanese Army and the head of state in 2019 after the ouster of the veteran leader Omar al-Bashir. CLIMATE. Leaders of the smaller island nations and states most affected by climate changes are expected to urge further action as the world struggles to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels, as agreed in 2015 Paris climate agreement. August marked the first time since November 2025 that the average global temperature was above 1.5 C.
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Nexperia, the chipmaker that had a falling out with its Chinese parent company, now partners with India's Tata
Nexperia, a Dutch chipmaker, announced on Thursday that it had entered into a partnership with Tata Electronics to manufacture and package computer components in India. This is a further step towards its separation from Wingtech. Nexperia will manufacture some of Nexperia’s power control chip at the $11 billion Tata plant in Dholera. They said that the companies will also work together to test and assemble chips at Tata’s packaging facility in Jagiroad. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The companies will also work together to develop?future technologies. Tata Electronics CEO Randhir Thakur stated in a press release that "This comprehensive partnership... represents an important step in Tata Electronics efforts to build a global competitive, integrated semiconductor manufacturing eco-system in India." Nexperia, a leading manufacturer of simple chips widely used in automotive and consumer electronics, is a major player. The dispute between Nexperia and Wingtech began after a Dutch intervention in September 2025, aimed at preventing Wingtech from moving its operations to China. Beijing responded by temporarily halting the exports of?chips from Dongguan. This caused a shortage of?chips for automakers. The company is still divided along national lines, even though the government has reversed its decision. Wingtech's control has been taken away by a Dutch court, and Nexperia's management board has endorsed the partnership with Tata on Thursday.
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After protests over fuel prices, Syria offers cheaper diesel
DAMASCUS 17th September - Syria is offering cheaper diesel fuel for heating, agriculture, and industry. Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir announced this on 'Thursday. Days after a fuel hike triggered some of the largest protests - since the fall Bashar al-Assad. The government's move is a partial retreat after the increases last weekend sparked protests across the country. Protesters burned tyres and?blocked?roads to demand the increases be reversed. UN estimates say that 90% of Syrians are below the poverty level. Bashir said at a press briefing that diesel will be sold for three different prices, 115,150 and 175 Syrian pounds a litre, depending on its specification and intended use. This was after a Wednesday night meeting with President Ahmed al-Sharaa about the fuel crisis. The government raised the standard diesel prices by 40% to 175 pounds per kilogram from 125 on Saturday. Gasoline and household and industrial gas were also increased between 26% and 28%. Bashir said that diesel produced locally by refineries would be sold for 115 Syrian pounds per kilogram for heating, agriculture, and other eligible uses. The second grade diesel, which Bashir referred to as "friendly" countries, would be sold for 150 pounds per litre in the productive and service sector?and heavy equipment. Standard grade gasoline will remain at 175 pounds/litre. Gasoline and gas prices will also remain unchanged. Bashir claimed that the government is selling diesel at below cost. He put the price per litre at 206 pounds. The subsidy's cost and duration were not immediately known. He announced plans to restart small electrical refineries in Syria, also known as "burners", which have a combined capacity to process crude oil of up to 35 000 barrels per day. Youssef Qablawi, the chief executive of SPC, said that the company is preparing a?implementation program and that the fuel produced by refineries will be distributed via designated filling station. The announcement came on the day Bashir was due to appear before the parliament over fuel price increases. The Energy Ministry requested that the hearing be postponed until Sunday. Parliament agreed to this request on Wednesday. Bashir claimed that the temporary closure of the Baniyas Refinery to undergo a major overhaul increased the reliance on more expensive imports. It is expected that the work will increase refining capability to around 130,000 bpd. Since February, when the Iran War pushed global energy prices higher, Syrian diesel has more than doubled, and 95-octane gas prices have increased by about 86%. Brent crude prices have risen by about 44% in the same time period.
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US invests heavily in uranium in Niger two years after troops departed
According to the developer of the project, the US government approved $414 million in financing for an uranium?project?in Niger. This is a victory for Washington, two years after that nation's expulsion of all US forces. According to a statement released by Global Atomic on Wednesday, the US Development Finance Corp has approved the debt facility of the Dasa project in Africa. The company calls it the highest-grade deposit of uranium in Africa. The investment could boost US access to strategic uranium at a time when Niger, world's 7th largest uranium supplier, is in dispute with French-backed Orano which has long dominated Niger's uranium sector. People familiar with the issue see the financing as a diplomatic breakthrough and a commercial success for Washington. Washington's relations with Niger deteriorated after the military government, which seized power through a coup in 2023, ordered US troops to leave the country in 2024. Niamey’s new leaders have relied upon Russian paramilitaries to provide security instead of the West. According to sources briefed on this effort, the US ambassador urged Washington to rebuild relations?with Niamey?and support the project?after?the Trump Administration took office?with a renewed focus on deal-making?in Africa. They said that the project represented an opportunity to gain access to a strategic resource of energy, which would otherwise be in the hands of rivals. A source familiar with the discussions between Global Atomic, DFC and other parties said that a breakthrough occurred this summer after Chief Executive Stephen Roman traveled to Washington to solve remaining issues holding back approval. The project may also provide a rare bright point in the US-Canada relationship, which has been strained by a trade conflict between the two neighbors. The Niger government has not responded to a comment request. SECURITY AND Logistical?Challenges The project is still subject to significant political and security risks, despite the financial commitment. Over the last year, jihadists have targeted Niger's government and security forces. Mutinous soldiers attacked the presidential office and a military airbase last month. Global Atomic is exploring other routes to export the uranium out of the 'landlocked country' as the transport corridors along the coast are becoming increasingly dangerous, according to a source who was briefed about the discussions. One idea is to invest in an investment route that runs through Algeria, and then across the Sahara Desert. Algeria sent aircraft to Niger to assist the government in responding to the latest coup attempt, highlighting the improving relations between neighbouring countries. Uranium was included on the US Critical Minerals List last year, causing renewed interest in Niger’s reserves. These reserves include uranium stocks caught up in a dispute involving the Niger government and Orano. Orano has initiated international arbitration proceedings following its loss of control over key mining assets.
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Copper prices rise as Chinese buyers return
The copper price rose on Thursday, as Chinese buyers returned to market after a recent selloff. Demand prospects also improved and the market shrugged off the?US rate hike. Benchmark 'copper' on the London Metal Exchange traded 1.2% higher at $14,408 per metric ton. Prices for the metal used in construction and power industries have fallen 4% since September 10, when they reached a record high price of $14,875 per ton. The dollar increased after the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates and reaffirmed their commitment to curbing inflation. The demand for industrial metals has been impacted by the rising dollar, which makes metals priced in dollars more expensive to holders of other currencies. Alastair Munro is a senior base metals analyst at Marex. He said that?Chinese purchasers are back, though the volumes aren't "massive". He said that Chinese demand is not just speculative, but real buying. The Yangshan Copper Premium, a measure of Chinese demand for imports of copper, rose to $118 per ton on Tuesday, its highest level since October 2022. The higher premiums paid on the domestic physical market over the prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange are also indicative of this. On Wednesday, the premiums reached 645 yuan per ton, their highest level since December 2023. ShFE monitors Chinese warehouse stocks, which are at 54,780 tonnes, the lowest level since January 2024. This is partly because traders and producers have been shipping metals to the United States in anticipation of tariffs. Stocks in LME warehouses are also down because of the flow of copper into?the US since President Donald Trump's first mentions about a tax on imports back in February. Other reports of an industrial accident at the Onsan smelter of?Korea Zinc raised concerns over supply. Aluminium, lead, tin, and nickel all saw increases of 1.2% or more.
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Moeve, a Spanish company, says that the energy market has been upended and green hydrogen is now being produced as a EUR1 billion project.
Maarten Wetselaar, CEO of Spanish energy company Moeve, said that the Iran War has re-energized demand for cleaner alternatives. The company approved its Onuba project in March, which involved more than 1 billion euros ($1.15 billion), including more than 300 million euros in EU subsidies. This is the beginning of a larger project that will eventually reach 2 GW of electrolysis capacity. Moeve owns 51% of Onuba. Other investors include Hy24, a French public-private financial institution and COFIDES, a Spanish public-private finance institution. Wetselaar, the CEO of the company that officially launched the project in southern Spain, said: "Right now, green hydrogen is competitive because the natural gas prices are very high." He added that "interest in green molecules, in general?and in green hydrogen in particular has increased," without going into further detail. Grey hydrogen is made from natural gas and is green if it is made using renewable energy. Green hydrogen projects around the world have had a hard time attracting customers, as they are still more expensive than natural gas-based hydrogen. Moeve has also built a biofuel plant, which is expected to begin production next year. The total investment to date amounts to EUR2.4 billion. Moeve, owned by the?Abu Dhabi-based fund Mubadala as well as U.S. private equity firm Carlyle Group in 2024, rebranded itself from Cepsa to reflect a shift towards?low carbon businesses within an EUR8 billion transformation plan. Since 2022 it has sold the majority of its oil production assets including Abu Dhabi and South America. Wetselaar stated that he expects the remaining assets of the company in Algeria to be sold by 2030 without providing any details. He said that he would be "very surprised" if those assets were still in the portfolio by 2030. Moeve, Portugal's Galp and their fuel retailers have been in discussions since January to combine their businesses. Wetselaar is confident that it will receive all the necessary approvals by the end the year.
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ROI-LNG spot price surge deters Asian buyers, but saves Europe: Russell
High spot prices are deterring buyers from China and South Asia, resulting in Asia's lowest September imports in eight years. According to data compiled by Kpler, the top-importing continent will see arrivals of?20.09 million tons of super-chilled gasoline in September. This is the lowest figure for this month since September 2018 when 19.88 million arrived. Asia's imports have dropped?from 22.27 millions tons in September of last year and also from 22.25 in August. The slump in Asian LNG demand has freed up cargoes to Europe, where it is struggling to store enough natural gas ahead of the winter. The European Union's natural gas stocks are currently at 68%, or 16 percentage points less than the average for the past five years. Kpler estimates that September LNG imports will reach 7.98 million tonnes, up from 7.55 millions in August. This is the highest since May. Kpler estimates October arrivals at 10,53 million tons, and November arrivals at 10,62 million. These levels are in line with those of 2025. Data shows that Asia has once again opted out of cargoes. This allows Europe to purchase?more LNG at a higher price. The market has become tighter due to the ongoing loss of Qatari LNG as a result of the conflict between the United States of America and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. Before the war began on February 28, Qatar shipped nearly 20% of all LNG globally and competed with Australia to be the second largest shipper after the United States. Qatar's shipments are down dramatically, as Kpler shows that only 70,000 tons or one cargo managed to leave the Strait of Hormuz last August. This is down from an annual average of 6.51 millions tons between the months of February and August. Spot prices have risen 45 months in the absence of Qatari LNG, with cargoes bound for North Asia. The week ending September 11 saw the price of a million British thermal unit (mmBtu), assessed at $26.00. The price of spot LNG is now 150% higher than the $10.40 per million Btu it was in the week ending February 27. This means that the rise in Brent crude oil futures has been 50%. CHINA CURBS China is still reducing its LNG imports. Kpler estimates that September arrivals were 4.32 million tonnes, down from the 5.20 million tons in August and the 5.32 millions in September last. The current spot price of oil is more than double what it would be if China continued to import at fixed prices or oil-linked rates. India, Asia's largest LNG buyer, also shows signs of price pressure, with September imports expected to drop to 1,86 million tons - the lowest since March - and down from 2,09 million last September. In September, Pakistan will receive just 120,000 tons, compared to 490,000 tonnes in the same period last year. The global LNG market's overall dynamics are largely similar to the last major crisis of 2022. This was triggered by the loss in Russian gas pipelines into Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February that year. In August 2022, spot prices in Asia reached a record high at $70.50 per million Btu. While this was only a temporary spike, the price remained above $20 through January 2023. Asia's LNG imports dropped from 2021 to 2022, and then didn't increase until 2024 when they reached a record of 287.16 millions tons. Europe's LNG exports, on the other hand, soared in 2022. They reached a record of 124.54 millions tons, a 59% increase from 2021. In the absence of Russian pipeline gas, Europe's LNG imports have remained high. A new peak?of 125.2 million tons was set in 2025. Kpler has already estimated that imports will reach 117.01 millions tons in 2026. This figure is expected to rise during the final quarter. You like this column? Open Interest (ROI) is your new essential source of global financial commentary. ROI provides data-driven, thought-provoking analysis on everything from soybeans to swap rates. The markets are changing faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, X. These are the views of the columnist, an author for.
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Haniel sells majority stake of BauWatch to Carlyle CVC
The private equity firms announced on Thursday that Haniel had agreed to sell a majority stake in the Dutch security technology provider BauWatch. According to two sources who are familiar with the deal, the value of the company is around EUR1 billion ($1.15billion). Carlyle, CVC and Haniel each will acquire 45% of the company, while Haniel retains a 10% stake. BauWatch, founded in Apeldoorn, central Netherlands 17 years ago, provides video surveillance systems and alarms for construction sites, critical infrastructure, and industrial facilities. BauWatch has seen its revenue increase from EUR59m to EUR153m since Haniel purchased the company in 2021. Haniel has taken another step towards its transformation from a holding company into a diversified group of investment. Haniel CEO Joachim Drees stated that the proceeds from 'the sale, along with the planned sale its 'Ceconomy?stake would strengthen the financial position of the company and support its strategy. Simon Pex, Carlyle's?director of research and development, said: "We are interested in?technology driven growth stories." BauWatch is currently the number one brand in Germany and Benelux, but it has a lot of potential in Europe.
Why is Radiant World in the news and what is it?
Radiant World, a commodity trader, is being scrutinized by counterparties who have stopped doing business after hearing that the authorities are investigating a report that it provided banks with invalid documents.
Radiant called the claims "inaccurate" and "unsubstantiated", and said it conducts its business according to the highest legal and commercial standards.
Here are some details about?Radiant World.
What is RADIANT World?
Radiant World was founded by Indian Pinkesh Nahar in the early 2000s.
According to its website, with offices in Britain and China, India, Singapore Switzerland, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates it has become one of the largest iron ore traders in the world, handling over 80 million metric tonnes of this raw material for steelmaking each year. The company has grown its base metals business, including copper and aluminum.
Singapore corporate filings show that its operating entity had revenues of $9.6 Billion?in the period from September 2025 to the end of 2018.
Why has Radiant World made headlines? Bloomberg News reported in late July that Cargill and Vitol, global trading houses, had stopped trading with Radiant World due to the invalidity of invoices.
Bloomberg News reported that Deutsche Bank and KBC Group NV froze Radiant World's Singapore -bank accounts while other lenders suspended credit lines. Glencore, a trading house, has stopped all new business with Radiant World. It said it had taken an?amount related to the firm. Meanwhile, some steelmakers from China, which is the world's largest metals consumer, also stopped dealing with Radiant. On August 19,?reported the U.S. listed broker Marex had frozen Radiant's derivatives trading accounts. Bloomberg reported that the Singapore Police Force announced on August 20 that it was investigating Radiant. The U.S. Department of Justice and Commodity Futures Trading Commission are also looking into the firm's transactions.
Who does business with RADIANT World?
Radiant purchases minerals, such as iron ore, from mining companies before selling them to customers like steel plants.
Trading houses conduct business with one another despite the intense competition in commodities. A merchant might have the exact cargo that a rival needs at the perfect time and place.
The banks are also a part of this equation, as they provide letters of credit and loan to allow trading houses purchase cargoes prior to selling them. Radiant has a number of creditors who have registered claims against its assets. These include banking giants like Societe Generale and Macquarie as well as Raiffeisen, Barclays and Deutsche Bank. The Japanese company Mizuho is also among them. According to the website of the Singapore Supreme Court, it has petitioned the court for an injunction on the trading entity's operations in the city state.
Previous cases of problematic documents?
In 2014, a Chinese trader Dezheng Resources, was found to have duplicated receipts for warehouses and fake documents.
The company was able to use copper and aluminum cargoes as collateral for securing billions of dollars in loans from both domestic and international banks. Dezheng's founder, Chen?Jihong, was sentenced to 23 years in prison by a court in 2018.
Early in?2023, Indian entrepreneur Prateek Gupta, was accused of delivering low value or worthless cargoes instead of high-grade Nickel to trading house Trafigura. Trafigura sued Gupta at London's High Court, claiming $590 million for what they called a "systematic scam".
In February, a court denied Gupta the right to appeal. Reporting by Tom Daly, editing by Barbara Lewis
(source: Reuters)