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This week in U.S. politics, President Trump is confronting growing defections from within his own Republican Party, while preparing for a summit with China. A separate feud with the press is also drawing attention. Analysts are watching whether intra-party dissent will weaken Trump's position heading into high-stakes diplomacy with Beijing.

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met officially, and Taiwan was not mentioned in any public statements from the meeting. DW reported the omission, which is notable given Taiwan is typically a central point of tension between Washington and Beijing. Observers are likely debating whether the silence reflects a deliberate diplomatic arrangement or signals a shift in how the two powers are handling the Taiwan issue.

On 19 September, The New Yorker published a long investigation into the Israeli side of the Qatargate scandal, placing Benjamin Netanyahu at the centre of it. The report corroborates earlier revelations by French outlet Blast, accusing several people close to Netanyahu of involvement in the affair.

A group of Republicans has publicly called on President Trump to bring the conflict with Iran to an end, breaking with members of their party who back continued military action. The intervention highlights growing unease within the GOP over the war's costs and direction, and raises pressure on the White House to define an exit strategy.

Yemen's leadership has called on the public to enlist while offering amnesty to defectors from the Houthi movement, in an effort to swell pro-government ranks and encourage defections from the group. The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions and renewed attention on Yemen's long-running conflict.

Republicans are reportedly pressuring Donald Trump to bring the US conflict with Iran to an end ahead of the November elections. According to Opera Mundi, members of the party want the war concluded before voters go to the polls, fearing a prolonged Middle East confrontation could hurt them electorally. The report comes amid the ongoing war involving the US, Israel and Iran.

Republicans are publicly distancing themselves from Donald Trump as polling shows weakening support for the former president. Party figures are reportedly avoiding association with Trump in hopes of protecting their own electoral prospects, a sign of growing anxiety within the party about the political cost of his candidacy. The shift highlights tensions over Trump's continued dominance of the GOP heading into upcoming elections.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing pointed criticism from Democrats and resistance from some Republicans over the US conflict with Iran and his dismissals of senior Pentagon officials. The disputes center on the administration's Iran strategy and concerns about the removals of top defense leadership, making the Pentagon chief a focal point of congressional tension.

Donald Trump is publicly boosting criticism of a Republican lawmaker who split with him on immigration, underlining his continued grip on the party and his willingness to punish dissent within its ranks. The move signals that immigration remains a defining loyalty test for Republicans heading into the next election cycle.

The US Supreme Court has for the third time declined to let Missouri put in place a new congressional map expected to help Republicans win more House seats. The order leaves the map on hold while litigation continues, and it marks repeated refusals by the justices to intervene on the state's behalf, keeping the redrawn districts out of use for now.

The Supreme Court has rejected a Republican-drawn congressional map in Missouri, handing Democrats a win in the ongoing battle over redistricting. The ruling could force new district lines ahead of upcoming elections and affects the balance of a state where Republicans currently dominate the congressional delegation. Observers are weighing what the decision means for Democratic prospects in Missouri and for the broader national fight over gerrymandering.

Pubs across Ireland are refusing to broadcast Israel's Nations League football matches against Ireland, citing Israel's conduct in Gaza. The decision has thrust the country into the global spotlight, with the controversial fixtures drawing debate over whether sporting ties with Israel should continue while the war goes on. Ireland has long been vocal on Palestinian issues, and the pub boycotts reflect wider public pressure on sporting and political institutions.

Publicans across Ireland are refusing to broadcast an upcoming match involving Israel, citing the war in Gaza as grounds for protest. The boycott has drawn attention to Ireland's long-standing stance on Palestinian issues and is generating debate at home and abroad over whether sport should be separated from politics amid the ongoing conflict.

In March 2025, the University of Oxford announced a partnership with OpenAI to digitize public-domain books from the Bodleian Library. According to the announcement, the digitized works will become searchable and more widely accessible. The collaboration has drawn attention among librarians, researchers and open-access advocates discussing the role of AI companies in digitizing cultural heritage collections.

Republicans are redirecting campaign funds into dozens of US House districts that had previously been considered safe seats, according to Reuters. The spending shift suggests party strategists see unexpected vulnerability ahead of the elections, and are moving resources to defend districts that were once assumed secure rather than focusing only on competitive races.

President Emmanuel Macron was absent from the Pope's mass in Paris, but reacted on X by posting a video of the popemobile circling the Arc de Triomphe through a jubilant crowd. "Concord and Fraternity. France is proud to welcome Pope Leo XIV," the president wrote, saluting the pontiff's visit despite his own no-show at the service, a choice drawing comment and debate.

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has announced he will boycott a fixture against Israel, saying his decision rests on the personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. The stance has drawn attention and support, with his statement being shared widely as debate continues around football fixtures involving Israel amid the ongoing conflict.

With early voting underway, election officials are publicly stressing the security and integrity of the voting process. Their message addresses persistent public concerns about how ballots are cast, counted and protected, as authorities attempt to build confidence ahead of election day and counter skepticism about the system.

CNN reports on the House and Senate districts where Republicans are going on the attack ahead of the US midterm elections, rather than simply defending their current seats. The piece highlights the districts and states the party considers winnable, part of a broader campaign push as both parties compete for control of Congress and voters weigh the economy and other key issues.

The fast-growing private credit market, long criticised for operating away from public scrutiny, is now drawing questions in the open. Commentators are pressing regulators and industry players over transparency, valuation practices and the risks sitting in lightly supervised lending vehicles, as the asset class becomes too big for Wall Street and Washington to ignore.

President Trump is publicly predicting success for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections, but members of his own party are increasingly worried about their prospects. According to the Wall Street Journal, GOP officials are panicking privately even as the president projects confidence, reflecting concern that campaign dynamics may not favor them this cycle.

Maternal-fetal medicine specialists have published new clinical standards for managing high-risk pregnancies in states with abortion bans. The guidelines aim to clarify when interventions are legally permissible and medically necessary, addressing confusion among physicians treating endangered patients. The move responds to reports of delayed or denied care, and is likely to fuel ongoing debate over how restrictive abortion laws affect pregnancy treatment.

Donald Trump is publicly promoting criticism of a fellow Republican who broke with the party line on immigration, the New York Times reports. The clash underscores ongoing tension within the Republican Party over immigration policy heading into the 2026 midterm season, with Trump continuing to pressure lawmakers who dissent from his hardline stance.

The U.S. Navy has published casualty data for American personnel involved in the Iran war over the past seven months, made available through a public database. The release is being described as a step toward transparency about military losses during the ongoing conflict. Details on the exact figures and how the data will be updated remain limited in initial reports.

The Republic of Ireland and Israel skipped the traditional pre-match handshake at their football fixture, underlining the political tensions surrounding the game. The decision, reported by BBC Sport, reflects the sensitivity of any sporting encounter between the two sides given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The teams proceeded with the match without the usual formalities, drawing attention to the broader context.

Ukraine's Defense Intelligence maintains a public, searchable database of foreign components recovered from Russian military equipment, allowing lookups by manufacturer. A highlighted entry lists 816 Texas Instruments parts found in Russian weapons, complete with photos. Observers point to the database as evidence that Western-made electronics continue to reach Russian arms systems despite sanctions, fueling debate over export controls and sanctions enforcement.