Ata mārie and welcome to your Monday recap of international business and political news.
First, Ukraine accused Russia of striking the country with "hundreds" of drones and missiles over the weekend, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, the AFP and Reuters reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said about 500 drones and more than 40 missiles had been launched during the attack. "Moscow wants to continue fighting and killing and deserves only the harshest pressure from the world," he said.
Russia's defence ministry said it had carried out a massive strike on Ukraine, claiming to have hit military airfields and other facilities. The attacks followed a warning from Russia to Nato against acting in response to alleged incursions into airspace covered by the military alliance.
Last week, officials from the UK, France, and Germany raised concerns about an incursion by three MiG-31 fighter jets over Estonia, according to unnamed sources.
It was alleged the violation had been a deliberate tactic by Russian commanders. Russia denied their planes crossed into Estonian airspace.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian military flights were guided by international rules.
Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In the Middle East, Hamas said it had lost contact with two Israeli hostages held in Gaza City and urged Israel to pull troops back and suspend air strikes for 24 hours, Reuters reported.
There had been increasing talk of a diplomatic resolution to end the conflict. US President Donald Trump said a deal on Gaza seemed likely. Hamas said it had not yet received a new proposal to end the war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas must lay down its arms or be defeated, Reuters said.
Elsewhere, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reinforced a strong relationship with the UK and "my mate" Keir Starmer, the ABC reported.
Speaking at the UK Labour Party conference, both leaders appeared together to underline their commitment to the AUKUS defence pact, before Albanese spoke against "the low politics of fear and resentment" on the rise around the world.
"We all know this is a time when trust in governments and institutions is under challenge. We all sense this is an era when our capacity for peaceful disagreement is being tested.
"Tearing things down is easy but it doesn't leave you with anything. The low politics of fear and resentment are easy, but they only divide the country, they don't advance it," he said.
Meanwhile, a rival to Starmer accused the UK prime minster of presiding over a “climate of fear” within Labour, Bloomberg reported.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham criticised his party for suspending MPs for liking social media posts by opposition politicians and for voting in favour of lifting a cap on child benefits.
The comments sparked speculation that Burnham wanted Starmer’s job.
“I’ve been accused of all things in the last week as you can probably see I’ve done nothing more than launch a debate,” Burnham said.
“We can make this government work. We can find that more hopeful direction, and we can win again at the next general election.”
In Vietnam, 100,000 military personnel have been deployed to help people evacuate as Typhoon Bualoi moves towards the country, Al Jazeera reported.
Officials warned locals to be ready and prepare for powerful winds, heavy rain, flash floods, landslides, and coastal inundation.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for the “highest level of readiness”. In Da Nang, the largest city where the typhoon is impacting, local media reported that the government was evacuating more than 210,000 residents, while more than 32,000 people living near coastal areas were being moved to safer areas.
In the United States, consumer confidence has eased to post-World War II levels, raising concerns about spending appetite and economic growth.
Overall, consumer sentiment fell in September to a reading of 55.1, the University of Michigan survey showed. The reading was the seventh-lowest on records going back to 1952.
“Consumers continue to express frustration over the persistence of high prices, with 44% spontaneously mentioning that high prices are eroding their personal finances, the highest reading in a year,” survey director Joanne Hsu said.
Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell.
Staying in the US, Trump posted a cartoon image depicting him firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, CNBC reported.
The post on Truth Social was an image of himself pointing his finger and shouting “YOU’RE FIRED!” to Powell, who was holding a box with his belongings.
Trump had repeatedly criticised Powell for his cautious approach to cutting interest rates, nicknaming him “Too Late Powell.” The central bank lowered rates earlier this month for the first time this year. Powell’s term as chair ends in May 2026.
Finally, luxury department store Harrods warned customers their personal data may have been taken in an “isolated” IT systems breach, the BBC reported.
It said personal information was taken from the systems of a third-party provider, including names and contact details but not passwords or payment details.
"The third party has confirmed this is an isolated incident, which has been contained, and we are working closely with them to ensure that all appropriate actions are being taken. We have notified all relevant authorities," Harrods said.
