Last U.S. troops leave Iraq after 12-year fight against ISIS

BAGHDAD (AP) — The U.S. military announced on Wednesday that it has completed the withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year mission to fight the Islamic State group. The last U.S. troops left an air base in northern Iraq under a deal between Baghdad and Washington.

The withdrawal, agreed on two years ago, comes against the backdrop of the ongoing war between the United States and Iran that has also sometimes spilled over into Iraq, with Iran-backed militias firing on U.S. troops and the U.S. striking the groups' strongholds.

Baghdad touted the end of the U.S. mission as a sign of the country's increasing strength and sovereignty.

The withdrawal was also celebrated by Iran-backed groups but raised concerns among some other Iraqis, particularly in the Kurdish region. Meanwhile, questions loom around the future of the Iraqi militias, which the Baghdad government has sought — with little success so far — to disarm.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement that U.S. troops and equipment had completed an “orderly departure” from the air base in Irbil, in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

“This milestone reflects the success of a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region,” he said. “It also marks a transition from a wartime coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by a more normal bilateral security relationship.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over the handover ceremony and described the U.S. withdrawal as the beginning of a “new phase, one defined by Iraq’s sovereignty, the strength of its institutions, the readiness of its forces, the unity of its decision-making, and balanced partnerships with its friends.”

He said Iraqi security forces will continue the fight against IS and the government will ensure that non-state groups no longer hold weapons.

U.S. troops invaded Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein. They departed in 2011, but three years later, Iraqi authorities invited a smaller U.S.-led mission to fight the Islamic State group, which had rampaged across Iraq, seizing large swaths of territory.

With the extremist group reduced to scattered sleeper cells, Washington and Baghdad agreed in 2024 to wind the mission down.

U.S. troops pulled out of bases in most areas of Iraq last year but maintained a small presence of hundreds of troops in the semiautonomous northern Kurdish region. Bases there have regularly come under attack since the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran on Feb. 28. Iran-backed Iraqi militias also have coordinated with Yemen’s Houthi rebels to attack Saudi Arabia.

The Iraqi government initially linked the Sept. 30 deadline for U.S. withdrawal to the disarmament of non-state armed groups by that date.

While a handful of less-influential militias have agreed to turn over their weapons, powerful groups close to Iran rejected the prospect or set conditions for disarming that the government would be unlikely to meet.

Al-Zaidi has since walked back the deadline. He told The New York Times earlier this month that the deadline for militia disarmament has been pushed to June 2027.

The effects of the U.S. withdrawal may not be immediately visible, particularly since the U.S. military presence had already been scaled down. But officials in Iraq's Kurdish region have expressed anxiety about the departure and particularly about the removal of U.S. air defense systems.

The Kurdish regional government's Peshmerga Ministry said the Kurdish region had faced more than 1,000 drone and ballistic-missile attacks during the recent U.S.-Iran conflict.

“The departure of the United States from the Kurdistan Region under these complex regional circumstances, without the provision of a defense system, is a matter of concern,” the statement said.

Iran-allied groups in Iraq, meanwhile, have celebrated the U.S. withdrawal.

“The expulsion of the occupation forces, defeated, from the land of Iraq is the beginning of full sovereignty,” Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a security official with the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia, said in a statement.

He added a warning to al-Zaidi and his government not to carry out American plans, threatening that “any government that does not work for the benefit of the people will be overthrown by all means.”

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Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Istanbul contributed to this report.

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Israel-bound flight diverts to Saudi Arabia after reported fight between pilots

A commercial plane traveling from Dubai to Israel was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, briefly raising concerns about a possible hijacking and prompting Israel to scramble its jets.

Israeli media, citing security officials, said the incident stemmed from a feud between the plane's two pilots, and everyone on board was safe. The plane landed in Tabuk, a civilian and military base in the kingdom.

The FlyDubai plane transmitted an emergency alert shortly after takeoff, according to publicly available flight tracking information.

A regional official briefed on the incident said a fight broke out in the cockpit and apparently involved pilots. It wasn't immediately clear what had caused the fight, the official said.

A second official confirmed that Israel had scrambled warplanes, fearing a hijacking of a plane carrying dozens of its citizens. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned in recent days of unspecified, escalated security threats.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the incident was still under investigation.

Netanyahu's office later said the situation was under control and Israel was working to bring the passengers home.

Emergency landings for personnel reasons are rare yet not unheard of. In 2022, two Air France pilots were suspended after fighting in the cockpit on a Geneva-Paris flight, though it did not have to be diverted and landed as planned.

FlyDubai is the lower-cost sister carrier of Emirates airlines. The United Arab Emirates has become a popular vacation destination for Israeli tourists since the countries normalized ties in 2020.

Israel has not experienced a hijacking in decades but maintains some of the strictest airport security in the world. Commercial flight have flown between Israel and the United Arab Emirates since the countries normalized ties in 2020.

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Last U.S. troops set to leave Iraq after 12-year fight against ISIS

The U.S. military is expected to complete the total withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq on Wednesday after a 12-year presence prompted by the war against the Islamic State militant group ISIS.

It will be the second time that the U.S. has withdrawn all of its military forces from Iraq.

In 2011, the U.S. pulled out after an eight-year presence that began with the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.  U.S. troops returned in 2014 as ISIS conquered wide swaths of Syria and northern Iraq and threatened the approaches to Baghdad.  The U.S. defeated ISIS militarily in 2019, but the continued U.S. presence was seen as a necessary one to prevent a resurgence of ISIS.

Staff Sgt. Pat Caldwell/U.S. Army - PHOTO: A line of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles operated by Soldiers with Company F, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command stand ready to begin a convoy at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Iran live updates

The withdrawal was negotiated with Iraq by the Biden administration in 2024, and the Trump administration has continued with the withdrawal plan that set Sept. 30 as the final pullout date. But the U.S. war with Iran has created a different regional situation for Iraq and the United States than when the deal was agreed upon.

Iraq and Iran have a shared Shiite cultural heritage and Iran has militarily assisted Shiite-militias inside Iraq. It remains a question how far Iran will be able to increase its presence and influence in Iraq and whether ISIS could become resurgent.

Staff Sgt. Luke Kitterman/U.S. Air Force - PHOTO: An Iraqi Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft takes off the runway at Balad Air Base, Iraq, June 17, 2019. The 9th FS has been learning the Air Tasking Order process from air advisors from the 370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron.

In recent years, there had been about 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq.

Throughout this year, the U.S. has been consolidating its positions throughout the country into northern Iraq, but has quietly been moving forces out of Erbil since the start of the war with Iran.  In recent months the reduction of forces proceeded along and there has been a very small U.S. presence in northern Iraq for quite some time.

Staff Sgt. Matthew Roberts/U.S. Army - PHOTO: Iraqi Security Forces service members inspect the Humvee fleet divested by the Counter-ISIS Training and Equip Fund (CTEF) during a Humvee divestment at Erbil Air Base, Iraq, Nov. 24, 2025.

Earlier this year the U.S. withdrew its forces from eastern Syria.  That was an unplanned withdrawal spurred by the new Syrian government’s push against the United States' Syrian Kurdish partners.

With Wednesday's expected withdrawal, the U.S. will once again end a military presence inside of Iraq that has stretched for more than two decades and was the scene of approximately 4,500 U.S. military deaths, the vast majority occurring between 2003-2011.

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40 people rescued and several missing after boat capsizes west of Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday that it rescued at least 40 people in open waters after their boat capsized several miles from a tiny, uninhabited island west of Puerto Rico.

Two people were found dead, with survivors reporting an estimated 60 people aboard, the agency said.

Rescue efforts were ongoing as of Monday evening.

Survivors spent more than 12 hours in the water before a boat passing near Mona Island spotted them on Monday around noon and called authorities, helping rescue four people at that moment.

The Coast Guard said the makeshift boat capsized late Sunday following a fight in which people were severely injured by a machete, leading the group to jump into the water without life vests.

It wasn't immediately clear where the people were from. A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said she did not have that information.

Migrants fleeing poverty and violence have long traveled from Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, to Puerto Rico and other islands, navigating the treacherous Mona Passage.

Many of them do so on makeshift vessels that sometimes capsize in rough waters, with Monday marking the latest deadly voyage.

In June 2022, 11 Haitian girls and women were buried in Puerto Rico after the grossly overloaded boat they were in capsized in open waters northwest of the U.S. territory.

Last week, police in the Turks and Caicos Islands detained a makeshift boat carrying 60 Haitian migrants, while in June, another 240 migrants from Haiti were detained near the archipelago.

Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti, where more than 3,050 people were reported killed from January to June, according to U.N. statistics.

Armed men control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and swaths of land in Haiti's central region and beyond.

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3 days of weather chaos bring a nor'easter, major hurricanes and a 'zombie storm'

Flooded neighborhoods, damaged highways and widespread power outages stretched from the East Coast to Hawaii over the weekend. A deadly nor'easter forced water rescues along the Atlantic coast, while Hurricane Nolo brought flooding rain to Hawaii and powerful Hurricane Polo approached Mexico.

If your weekend weather bingo card had major hurricanes, a wildfire, pending volcanic activity and a nor'easter, you nearly had it covered. Then a "zombie storm" came back to life and Monday brought a new tropical storm.

Here is a look at the biggest weather stories from the weekend and what comes next.

Nor'easter leaves more than 200,000 without power

Powerful waves from a nor'easter crash over homes in Scituate, Massachusetts, on Sept. 26, 2026. (Image: Tony Laubach)

The season's first nor'easter flooded roads and homes, disrupted travel and knocked out power to more than 200,000 customers across the Northeast over the course of the storm. A New York City Housing Authority employee was killed by a falling tree on Saturday.

Along the Massachusetts coast, powerful waves crashed over seawalls and homes in Scituate as repeated high tides prolonged the damage.

New Jersey flooding triggers rescues and cuts off roads

Ted Friedli kayaks his way through a flooded section of Florence Ave. during a nor'easter in Long Branch, N.J., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 (Photo credit: AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Water rescues mounted along the Jersey Shore as seawater surrounded homes and submerged streets. First responders in Sea Bright reported about 90 rescues on Saturday. Flooding also forced the Route 72 bridge to Long Beach Island to close.

Wind gusts reached 74 mph on Long Beach Island, and more than 69,000 New Jersey customers lost power.

Outer Banks highway damaged as Virginia streets remain flooded

An aerial view of Highway 12 between Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe, North Carolina, after a coastal storm washed away chunks of the highway. (Image: NC DOT)

Days of onshore winds pushed water across North Carolina's Outer Banks, closing stretches of N.C. Highway 12 because of ocean overwash and damaged pavement. An initial assessment identified roughly 1,000 feet of undermined or broken roadway near the Pea Island Visitor Center.

An emergency ferry route unused for nearly 13 years is carrying people and supplies between Hatteras Island and the North Carolina mainland.

North Carolina Department of Transportation Communications Officer Tim Hass told AccuWeather such severe damage is unusual, even along a highway frequently exposed to ocean overwash.

"It is not common, but the road has been damaged before, notably by Hurricanes Irene and Sandy in 2011 and 2012. Those were also times that the emergency ferry route has been placed in operation," Hass said.

In Virginia's Hampton Roads communities, some neighborhoods could not drain before the next high tide brought more water.

Flooding in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on Sept. 23, 2026. (Image: Leslie Hudson)

Storm uncovers a possible 142-year-old shipwreck

On Nantucket, the nor'easter stripped away enough sand to reveal wooden wreckage believed to be from the Warren Sawyer, a schooner that ran aground in December 1884. A resident spotted the exposed timbers Saturday along the island's south shore.

Nolo brings flooding rain to Hawaii as a separate fire forces evacuations

Members of the Hawaii Army National Guard work with other emergency officials as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo floods a section of Mamalahoa highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Naalehu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Hurricane Nolo strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday while remaining south of Hawaii. Its effects reached the islands, with high winds closing Kohala Mountain Road and three-day rainfall totals exceeding 17 inches at some Big Island locations. Statewide power outages topped 16,000 early Sunday.

On Maui, a separate brush fire erupted Saturday near Olowalu Village, prompting evacuations and temporarily closing Honoapiʻilani Highway. The emergencies unfolded as some Hawaii communities continued recovering from hurricanes Lala and Lowell.

On the Big Island, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists continue to watch for Kīlauea to begin its 55th eruptive episode after some venting activity was spotted ahead of Nolo's close pass.

Polo makes first landfall in Mexico after reaching 180 mph

Hurricane Polo entered the weekend after again reaching Category 5 strength with 180-mph winds Friday. Although weakening, the hurricane remained a serious threat to northwestern Mexico.

AccuWeather meteorologists said Polo made its first landfall in Baja California Sur on Monday, with a second on mainland Mexico expected early Tuesday. Damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge and flash flooding are major concerns.

Meanwhile, in California, teams raced to save about 200 sea turtle eggs from coastal impacts from Polo. Two olive ridley sea turtles laid the first nests ever recorded in California last week.

Olive ridley sea turtle egg recovery event in Huntington Beach. (Credit: Aquarium of the Pacific)

The recent busy Pacific hurricane activity fits a familiar El Niño pattern: Warmer waters and reduced wind shear favor storm development in the eastern and central Pacific, while stronger wind shear tends to suppress activity in the Atlantic.

'Zombie storm' Fay keeps its story going

Tropical Storm Fay's complete track, including the "zombie" portion, shown in red.

Fay entered the weekend after an unusual comeback. The Atlantic system lost its tropical characteristics Tuesday, then reorganized and regained tropical storm status late Wednesday - earning the unofficial nickname "zombie storm." By Monday, Fay was a tropical depression.

Monday brings Tropical Storm Hanna and gradual relief in the Northeast

Tropical Storm Hanna formed late Monday morning about 850 miles northeast of Bermuda, becoming the Atlantic season's eighth named storm. It had sustained winds of 45 mph and was moving east. AccuWeather meteorologists do not expect direct impacts on the United States.

Meanwhile, the nor'easter was slowly pulling away. Conditions were expected to improve significantly by late Monday, although lingering coastal flooding could persist where water was slow to drain.

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Texas Gov. Abbott declares disaster as diesel prices soar to average $5.86 a gallon

Gov. Greg Abbott declared a statewide disaster on Monday over soaring diesel prices and a worsening fuel shortage created by wars abroad.

The 30-day disaster declaration, which can be extended indefinitely, allowed Abbott to lift some restrictions on commercial transportation, which he said will alleviate some of the elevated costs. Diesel fuel is used in farming and commercial shipping, so elevated fuel prices are passed through to consumers in the form of higher costs for goods at the grocery store.

The declaration expands the use of dyed diesel on Texas roads, suspends Texas Low Emission Diesel rules to the limit the federal government authorizes and raises the allowable weight for fuel, agricultural and timber loads. The governor also requested the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to waive federal ultra-low sulfur diesel requirements to boost supply.

“Texas agriculture and freight run on diesel,” Abbott wrote in a statement. “Record prices put both industries at risk and raise costs for every Texas family. Farmers and truckers can now use dyed diesel on Texas roads, and fuel, crop, and timber loads can move at a higher weight. These steps cut costs on the farm, on the road and at the store.”

Dyed diesel is chemically the same as regular diesel available at gas stations, but it is tinted the color red and used in off-road farm and construction equipment. Because it’s exempt from federal and state motor fuel road taxes, typically its use on public roads is prohibited and violators are subject to fines for tax evasion, according to state law.

Removing restrictions on the use of dyed diesel could reduce prices by increasing the supply of diesel available for everyday use.

Abbott’s order does not waive the underlying fuel tax, which is a flat 20 center per gallon on both gasoline and undyed diesel.

The governor’s disaster declaration and order comes as AAA reports an average diesel price of $5.86 per gallon in Texas. Monday also marks seven months since the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, leading to an extended disruption of oil and gas exports from the Middle East. The ongoing conflict has created elevated gas and diesel prices across the world.

Diesel was $3.30 per gallon in Texas in early February.

Affordability has become central to election season in the U.S. ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Abbott and other statewide Republican officials face competitive elections in a state that no Democrat has won statewide in since 1994.

Abbott’s opponent, Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, called on the governor to waive the state gas tax. Abbott’s office has argued he does not have the ability to unilaterally waive taxes.

The Texas Democratic Party reiterated that position in a statement on Monday, calling on Abbott to suspend the gas tax altogether and blaming President Donald Trump’s foreign policy for the high prices. 

“Abbott must also demand that Donald Trump lift his absurd tariffs and halt the unnecessary war that are driving up costs for Texans,”  TDP executive director Terri Burke said. “Abbott cannot keep asking working families to shoulder the burden of his political loyalty to Trump while Texans pay the price.”

In 2024, Abbott last waived restrictions on dyed diesel amid wildfires in The Panhandle.

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British police investigate possible Iran link after arrests near U.S.-run base

FAIRFORD, England (AP) — Police were holding five men on Monday and examining suspected explosives found near a U.S.-operated air force base in England, as counterterror detectives investigated whether the arrests foiled an attempted attack linked to Iran.

The men were detained early Sunday after three vans were spotted near RAF Fairford, a U.K.-owned base that has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East.

Investigators have not concluded whether the incident is a state-backed attack. They are investigating a possible link to Iran, Russia or non-state-backed militant groups. RAF Fairford has also been the focus of protests by anti-war campaigners.

The five suspects, who have not been named, were initially held over suspected explosives offenses, and later also arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. Police can hold them for up to 14 days before they must be charged or released.

Residents were evacuated from 85 homes in the village of Whelford near the base on Sunday and army bomb-disposal experts used a robot to examine three white vans. The villagers had not been able to go home as of Monday morning, and the vans had not yet been moved.

Arrests came after reports of suspicious vehicles

President Donald Trump said the suspects had been detained following cooperation between the U.S. and Britain, and had been “under view” for some time. Police, however, said the arrests were triggered by a late-night call about “suspicious vehicles” near the base.

British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting declined to give details of the operation, but said “it was a proud moment” that Trump had recognized “the work that our police and intelligence services do every day.”

“As and when we can, we will report back to the public about these individuals and about the nature of the threat,” Streeting told Times Radio.

The arrests come at a time of heightened tensions around the threat from hostile states, with British intelligence services saying Russia and Iran have both used proxies to commit crimes on British soil. In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states including Iran increased 50% in the six months to December 2025.

Iran has been linked to a series of attacks in Europe

Britain did not join the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that began Feb. 28 and initially denied Trump’s request to use bases in the U.K. to strike Iran. But then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed in March to let the U.S. use bases in Britain for what he called “defensive” operations against Iran’s missiles and their launch sites following Iranian attacks on U.K. interests and Britain’s allies in the Gulf.

American B-1 and B-52 bombers have taken off from Fairford, 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of London, for operations during the Iran conflict.

Iran has said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.

British security officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arson and sabotage attempts in the U.K. and other countries, many of them targeting the Jewish community. They have previously warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the U.K. if conflicts in the Middle East continue.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Monday that the incident is a “reminder of the threats our country faces.”

Miliband met Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the United Nations in New York last week and told him that “Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on U.K. soil,” according to a U.K. readout of the conversation.

US Air Force says personnel remain vigilant

The U.S. Air Force said its personnel based at RAF Fairford “remain vigilant,” but “for operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures.”

The U.S. Embassy in London has warned Americans in Britain to be cautious and mindful of their personal security.

Trump said authorities had the suspects “under view for a long time and we got them.”

“It was an amazing job. We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort. And working with the British worked out great,” he told reporters in Chicago on Sunday.

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Lawless reported from Liverpool, England. Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.

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Nor'easter winding down after hitting parts of East Coast hard

Remnants of a powerful nor'easter continued to hit parts of the U.S. East Coast early Monday after bringing a fierce combination of heavy rain, strong winds and dangerous waves to multiple states in its path over the weekend. 

In coastal sections of New York and New Jersey, the storm triggered such intense flooding that residents were seen paddling through their neighborhoods on kayaks and canoes, past parked cars that had become partially or nearly submerged in water.

Flood warnings and watches remained in effect for parts of the New York metropolitan area into Monday afternoon and a flood watch was posted for all of eastern Massachusetts through Tuesday morning.

The nor'easter has caused at least one death, in Brooklyn, New York, where officials said 56-year-old New York City Housing Department employee Leighton Brown was hit by a falling tree. A swimmer thought to be missing on Saturday afternoon was later found "alive and well," state police said. They believed he'd disappeared after he was seen swimming off a beach at the Long Island south shore community of Fire Island, but he contacted police himself after learning of their search for him through news coverage.

Flooding was reported in parts of New Jersey, including Long Beach Island, Surf City and Rumson, where Carolyn Cashion spotted a fox swimming in floodwater.

Some 21,000 homes and businesses in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts remained without power early Monday, according to the utility tracker PowerOutage.us. 

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared states of emergency for certain regions.

In its latest forecast, the National Weather Service warned that the nor'easter was expected to dump more rain on mid-Atlantic and northeastern states through Monday night, potentially causing additional bouts of flooding. Rough surf, including rip currents, was also likely to imperil beachgoers as far south as the Carolinas, while wind gusts of up to 50 mph could tear through a block of the tristate area from New Jersey to Long Island, according to the forecast.

The New York Yankees canceled their final game of the season against the Baltimore Orioles, which was supposed to be played at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Sunday, due to the inclement weather.

At MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the New York Giants took on the Tennessee Titans in a week 3 NFL matchup, the strong winds sent several portable toilets sliding across the parking lot.

Swirling winds produced by the storm could knock out additional power lines and topple more trees, the weather service said, adding that excessive rainfall could potentially also cause some flooding in inland sections of New Jersey all the way up to New England. The agency said rain would primarily lead to localized flash flooding, with urban areas, roads, small streams and narrow canyons facing the greatest risks of inundation.

The New York City area could see another 1 or 2 inches of rain through Sunday night, while water levels along the shores of New Jersey and Delaware may swell as much as 12 feet, said CBS News meteorologist Andrew Kozak, adding that bands of heavy rain could persist in parts of Long Island and southern Connecticut, too.

Farther north, sections of New England, including Boston, would likely receive between 2 and 4 more inches of rain, although up to 7 inches was possible, he said. 

Watching high tide

The weather service had urged people along the eastern seaboard to brace for major coastal damage as the nor'easter moved in, writing in an advisory that "repeated rounds of flooding" were expected throughout the weekend, especially around high tide.

"Prepare immediately for significant inundation in low-lying areas near the shore, including roads under water and impacts to homes and businesses," the advisory read.

In Nantucket, Massachusetts, waves uncovered parts of a shipwreck along the island's south shore on Saturday. The Nantucket Current reported that the wreck is likely part of a 19th-century wooden ship that wrecked near Miacomet Beach in 1884.

Just north of the island, footage taken in the coastal town of Marshfield shows sea foam around beachfront houses on Saturday.

The weather service said the storm would coincide with at least one more high tide cycle on Sunday. Kozak noted that the tide posed flooding threats to parts of coastal New York, like areas around Jamaica Bay, bordering the city's Brooklyn and Queens boroughs, and those near lower New York Harbor. He also said New Jersey and Delaware could see moderate tidal flooding, which should ease as the nor'easter weakens.

Dozens of river, creek, stream and coastal flooding incidents, as well as damaging wind incidents, were reported from North Carolina to New York between Friday and Saturday, according to the weather service. As of Saturday, the strongest wind gusts were recorded in Surf City, New Jersey, and Montauk Point, New York, where they respectively approached 74 and 81 mph — mirroring those of a low-grade hurricane.

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U.K. police arrest 5 men on suspicion of terrorism near air base used by U.S. forces

Clipped From Video

British police on Sunday arrested five men on suspicion of terror and explosives offenses close to an airbase in England that is used by US long-range bombers in the war against Iran.

Army bomb disposal units are at the scene while dozens of houses nearby have been evacuated as a precaution with the investigation ongoing.

The arrests were made after information was received from residents in the area soon after midnight, according to Richard Ocone, a senior detective in the county of Gloucestershire. The men have not been identified and no clue has been given about a possible motive.

A senior officer in Counter Terrorism Policing, Vicki Evans, confirmed: “We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody. As you would expect we are working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident.”

On top of the suspected explosives offenses, the men were “further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act,” according to counter-terrorism police. Counter-terrorism laws allow UK police to hold suspects for up to 14 days before they are charged.

US President Donald Trump called the arrests “fantastic,” saying the US and the UK had the men under investigation for “a long time.”

“Working with Britain, it was an amazing job,” Trump told reporters in Chicago. “They were looking to do big damage to our fort and working with the British worked out great.”

“We had them under view for a long time, and we got them,” he said.

However, multiple UK media outlets - including the BBC, the Guardian and the Telegraph - reported, citing sources, that the operation was not intelligence-led, suggesting the vigilance of local residents may have played a key role in alerting authorities.

One resident, who did not want to be named, told CNN she was driving home with her husband around 1:30 am Sunday when she found her driveway blocked by three vans, which she said was “strange.”

Then she saw a group of around eight to ten masked men running away, so she tried to call a Ministry of Defence number given to residents of the area around the base.

But there was no answer, and so she called the police.

Later, she sent a message to the village Whatsapp group to warn them of the incident, she told CNN.

Speaking to Sky News on Monday morning, British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting thanked the woman for making the emergency call.

But, he added: “With respect, though, she does only have a partial picture,” without giving further details.

The US Embassy in London warned Americans in the UK to “exercise caution and be mindful of personal security” in the wake of the arrests.

Aerial footage appeared to show a bomb disposal robot roaming between three white vans in woods near the base. The rear doors of two of the vans were open and large black items could be seen scattered around.

On Sunday evening, CNN teams standing near the perimeter fence of RAF Fairford heard what sounded like two controlled detonations from the direction of Whelford.

Earlier, the Gloucestershire Police told reporters that “the army’s explosive ordnance disposal unit continue to examine three vehicles near” the village. CNN has reached out to the UK Ministry of Defense for comment.

The Daily Mail published video purporting to show several individuals under arrest at the scene in the early hours of Sunday, local time. They appear to be shirtless with their arms behind their backs.

A local resident told CNN that she heard helicopters over Whelford at 2am, and bomb squad vehicles arrived about an hour later.

The village is close to the Royal Air Force base at Fairford which has been used by US B-1 bombers involved in targeting Iran and is a forward operating location for US Global Strike Command, which is tasked with managing long-distance strikes.

A US Air Force spokesperson at Fairford - where the 501st ​Combat Support Wing is based - told CNN: “For operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures.”

The unit “remains vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service ⁠members, civilians, contractors, and their families,” the spokesperson said.

PM being kept informed

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham thanked emergency services on Sunday for their assistance, and local residents for their understanding as “precautionary checks are carried out.”

“I know today’s incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country,” Burnham posted on X.

Earlier Sunday, a government spokesperson said the prime minister was receiving updates on the incident.

“We are grateful to the emergency services, who have acted quickly to detain several suspects and put measures in place to keep the community safe,” the spokesperson said.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing.”

“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with, and it is exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7,” said UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting.

The incident is a reminder of the “threats that this country faces on a daily basis,” the UK’s PA Media news agency cited Streeting as saying.

Planes at RAF Fairford after a major incident was declared Sunday, with armed police manning a cordon near the village of Whelford in Gloucestershire. - Ben Birchall/PA Wire

Police at a road block on the road to RAF Fairford after a major incident was declared Sunday, with armed police manning a cordon near the village of Whelford in Gloucestershire, near RAF Fairford which is used by the United States Air Force. - Ben Birchall/PA Wire

One local resident, who asked not to be identified, told PA Media that there had been heightened security precautions around the base in recent weeks.

“They have put heavy, very heavy, vehicles across all gates… very big tractors and things like that,” the resident said.

Another resident told CNN that it seemed the base had been on lockdown recently. “It’s been like a ghost town all week,” they said.

In March, the UK government gave the US Air Force permission to use Fairford to carry ⁠out strikes on Iranian missile sites used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Months later, the UK said its armed forces were ready to protect the country from any attack after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a warning over allowing US bombers to fly from UK bases.

“Our Armed Forces are ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks, whether it’s on our soil or from abroad. The UK stands ready 24/7 to defend itself,” a government spokesperson said.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Molly English and James Frater contributed reporting.

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Iran insists on diplomatic solution after Trump rejects peace plan

By Trevor Hunnicutt, Yomna Ehab and Jana Choukeir

WASHINGTON/UNITED NATIONS/DUBAI, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Iran insisted on Sunday that only diplomacy can solve its conflict with the United States and Israel, after US President Donald Trump said he rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting.

"Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is ‌contingent on these conditions being met," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi posted on social media. "Only a negotiated solution can get them out of this deadlock."

Iran announced a peace proposal last week at the UN General Assembly ‌in New York, saying it had been transmitted to the Americans via Qatari mediators. Trump said on Saturday he rejected the plan, and argued that desperation was driving the Iranians’ push for an agreement on the key waterway.

"They want to make a deal to open the ​Hormuz Strait immediately because they're losing so badly," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Keeping the door to diplomacy open, however, Trump told Axios in a phone interview on Sunday that he expected US negotiators to engage in more talks this week.

Araqchi said mediators facilitating Tehran's talks with Washington had not officially relayed a US rejection of the plan.

"We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive views to us, and we will make a decision based on them," Araqchi posted.

The US has imposed an economic blockade on Iran to put pressure on Tehran to stop Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which have drastically reduced shipping through the area even as Trump repeatedly asserts that the ‌US controls the waterway.

The commander-in-chief of Iran's army, Amir Hatam, said the war ⁠was at a critical and decisive stage, adding that Tehran would not accept a situation in which it was unable to trade while foreign powers used the region's strategic waterways.

"If Iran cannot trade, if Iran cannot live, no one will be able to trade or live," he said, in comments reported by state media.

SAUDI ARABIA DRAWN DEEPER INTO WAR

Previous ⁠attempts at diplomacy have failed to end the war, which began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Since then it has alternated between pauses and renewed strikes, killing thousands while degrading the conventional forces of Iran and damaging its already ailing economy.

Iran and its allies have responded by extending the conflict throughout the region. Iran has struck US allies in the Gulf with drones and missiles, while its Houthi allies in Yemen have hit Saudi interests.

Saudi Arabia, the largest of the Gulf ​states, ​has been drawn deeper into the war this month as Houthi fighters have advanced in Yemen, routing forces of the Saudi-backed ​government and threatening Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea.

The Iran-backed Houthis have repeatedly fired ‌into Saudi Arabia and, in a possible sign of further escalation, parents in Riyadh received notices from schools on Sunday saying classes would shift to remote learning for the week, according to people who received the messages.

The notice did not give a reason for the decision. Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Yemen's Houthi-run health ministry, meanwhile, said seven people were killed and 40 wounded, including children, in a strike on shops at a market at the Mawiya junction in Taiz province, in the southwest.

Later, Yemen's internationally recognised government said its forces had targeted a Houthi military camp and vehicles at the same junction.

CONFLICT HAS DISRUPTED OIL FLOWS, HARMED GLOBAL ECONOMY

The Iranians also engaged their Saudi rivals regarding the Strait of Hormuz during the brief flurry of diplomacy in New York, underscoring the stakes of a seven-month-old conflict that has disrupted oil flows through a critical shipping ‌lane and taken a toll on the global economy.

Araqchi told reporters at the UN on Friday the proposed deal would trigger ​a seven-day countdown to reopening the strait and a pause in regional fighting.

"If there is seriousness on the US side to come ​to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared," Araqchi said. If the US ​were to agree, the warring parties could start wider talks "on mutually agreed subjects."

That could potentially include discussions of Iran's nuclear programme. Trump has cited preventing Tehran from ever acquiring a ‌nuclear bomb as a key goal, along with ending its ability to attack its ​neighbours and creating conditions for Iranians to topple their leadership.

US ​envoy to the United Nations Mike Waltz said on Sunday in an interview with CNN's State of the Union that Trump had rejected the Iranian proposal because it required the immediate lifting of sanctions and release of frozen assets.

"So the bottom line is they were asking for everything up front with a promise that they would then talk," Waltz said. "The president's just not confident that the Iranians are ​coming in good faith and that they will truly negotiate the end of ‌their nuclear programme."

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in an interview with the CBS show "Face the Nation", said Tehran was ready for talks on its nuclear programme and other issues, but would not accept "bullying or ​coercion".

"Iran is not seeking war, but will defend itself against pressure, threats and attacks,” Pezeshkian said, adding that it had already agreed that "we're not supposed to develop nuclear weapons".

(Reporting by Reuters ​bureaux; Writing by Timothy Heritage, Michelle Conlin and Alex Richardson; Editing by Jamie Freed, Alexander Smith and Jan Harvey)

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Two mass shootings in South Africa leave 27 dead

Gunmen torched vehicles as they fled the scene of a mass shooting at bar near Johannesburg [Getty Images]

Twenty-seven people have been killed in two mass shootings hours apart in South Africa, the latest gun violence to hit the country.

Seventeen people were killed when eight gunmen stormed a bar close to Johannesburg on Saturday evening, with 15 more injured.

In a separate shooting in the early hours of Sunday morning, 10 people were killed outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town and a further 11 were injured.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world and has struggled to contain gang-related gun violence in recent years. Police have not indicated a motive for either of the latest attacks.

In Johannesburg, gunmen opened fire on customers outside the bar before continuing the attack inside and torching two vehicles before fleeing.

Police said thirteen men and four women were killed.

Deputy provincial police commissioner Maj Gen Fred Kekana said the attack may have been a retaliation for an incident last month, in which one person was killed and another wounded, according to AFP news agency.

Speaking at the scene, he said police had clear pictures and in some cases names for the suspects.

In Cape Town, five victims died at the scene and a further five people died in hospital.

No arrests had been made in either case on Sunday morning.

The two mass shootings came days after 11 people were killed in the city of Durban when gunmen stormed a house in the KwaMakhutha township.

Armed security forces were deployed to the scene of a mass shooting in Cape Town on Sunday morning [Reuters]

Illegal weapons are prevalent in South Africa and gun violence has been a persistent problem for decades, with about 60 murders recorded every day in the country of 62 million.

But a recent spate of mass shootings has raised fears that the problem is deepening, with violence often linked to turf wars between gangs engaged in drug trafficking and illegal mining.

In February, President Cyril Ramaphosa called organised crime "the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development".

Earlier this year the military was deployed alongside police in areas with the highest murder rates in an effort to reduce armed violence.

On Saturday a tenth woman's body was found in Ekurhuleni, to the east of Johannesburg, with local police saying they were unable to rule out a serial killer operating in the area with similarities between the deaths.

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U.K. police make several arrests under Explosives Act in 'major incident' near U.S. air base

British police announced on Sunday morning that several people were arrested "on suspicion of offenses under the explosives act" close to a major U.S. air base in the southwest of England.

"A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident," Gloucestershire Police said in a statement. "It follows the arrest of several men on suspicion of offenses under the explosives act."

Toby Shepheard/Reuters - PHOTO: A police officer blocks a road near the RAF Fairford airbase, which hosts United States Air Force (USAF) personnel, in Fairford, U.K., on Sept. 27, 2026.

The village of Whelford is located around 2 miles from RAF Fairford, which hosts the U.S. Air Force and has since February been serving as a key hub for American operations against Iran -- including for heavy bombers like the B-1 Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress.

"The Army's specialist explosive ordnance disposal team are currently examining a number of vehicles," the police statement said.

Local residents were evacuated to a nearby recreation center, with a cordon put in place. "We believe this incident is contained," police said. "We are working closely with our partners and are enacting the well-rehearsed plans we have in place."

Toby Shepheard/Reuters - PHOTO: A B-1 Lancer bomber is parked at the RAF Fairford airbase, which hosts United States Air Force (USAF) personnel, in Fairford, U.K., on Sept. 27, 2026.

ABC News' Rashid Haddou-Riffi contributed to this report.

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Iran stands firm on Hormuz plan after U.S. rejection

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi proposed a "seven-day plan" to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU)

Iran stood firm Sunday on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, despite US President Donald Trump's rejection of the proposal that had created some optimism for breaking the Mideast war stalemate.

The waterway is key to the world's energy supply and is now central to the conflict between Washington and Tehran, which was triggered nearly seven months ago with deadly strikes on Iran.

Iran's plan called for a cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East, including in Lebanon, according to Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and fulfilling conditions in the ceasefire deal that fell apart months ago.

That agreement, which dissolved during fighting over Hormuz, called for the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade.

"Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent upon these conditions being fulfilled. We will not back down from them," Araghchi said on Sunday, state broadcaster IRIB reported.

"We have never closed the door to diplomacy or negotiations, but at the same time, we have never backed down from our rights."

But Trump said on Saturday that he rejected the truce deal.

"They want to make a deal where they open the Strait immediately because they're losing so badly," he told reporters. "They want to make a deal and I think that's fine. I like making a deal too."

Araghchi said on Sunday that the Iranians "saw the first reaction from the US president, but so far, nothing has been conveyed to us by the mediators".

"We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive positions to us, and we will make a decision based on them," the foreign minister added.

- 'Tool for pressure' -

Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in June that aimed to end the war, to reopen the strait and to launch talks on Iran's nuclear programme.

But the deal broke down shortly afterwards when Iran fired on commercial ships in Hormuz that it accused of deviating from its approved route through the waterway.

Iran requires ships to obtain authorisation before passage, citing security and sovereignty reasons. 

Ships that refuse to comply are regularly targeted, while the United States sporadically bombs Iranian coastal areas in retaliation.

At the UN, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan complained that the "international community has been absent" and is failing to live up to the responsibility to keep the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab open.

"The kingdom rejects any party's use of these vital passages as a tool for pressure, threat, or harm to the interests of states," he said, stressing the waterways' importance to global energy security.

His Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, told member states that "Russia, together with other responsible states, stands ready to constructively contribute to stabilising this strategically important region." 

In New York, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to his office, and said: "Iran has not walked away from the negotiating table but, given past experiences, it no longer trusts the United States."

Araghchi said at the UN: "Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan. If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days."

"The choice now rests with the United States. Iran does not accept coercion, threats or intimidation, and Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure," he added.

Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guards, was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying: "We will not cease punishing the US until Iran's seven conditions are met."

Mohebi had told AFP in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that ending hostilities in Yemen was also among Tehran's demands.

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Vast Paris crowd cheers Pope Leo in largest event of France tour

By Joshua McElwee and Elizabeth Pineau

PARIS, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Crowds stretched the length of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris on Saturday, as Pope Leo urged Catholics to find happiness in faith, not material things, at the biggest event of his visit to France, an ‌outdoor Mass with an estimated 800,000 people.

Chants of "Leo, Leo" and "Long live the Pope" echoed down the roughly 2 km (1.2 miles) tree-lined boulevard, from ‌the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe, as people pressed against security barriers for a glimpse of Leo as he arrived in an open-top popemobile.

The vehicle paused frequently as people ​waved white and yellow Vatican flags and Leo blessed people with disabilities, children and babies passed forward by volunteers.

Attendees included Brigitte Macron, the French president's wife, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who is leading in the polls ahead of next year's presidential election, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Bernard Arnault, the billionaire chairman of French luxury group LVMH.

Cheers rang out in the crowd as Leo thanked God in his sermon for the chance to visit France on a whirlwind four-day, three-city tour, during which ‌he is seeking to repair the Church's standing after abuse ⁠scandals caused nationwide shock.

The pope told Catholics that only their faith would provide true happiness.

"Only God can fill the emptiness within us," said the pope.

Benoit Dedieu-Anglade, 67, said after the Mass that he had been impressed by the speech.

"We must not ⁠give in to the easy path or distractions — and I was moved by how he expressed this in such clear, lucid French," he said.

PRAISE FOR POPE'S PEACE MESSAGE

Attendees began assembling before sunrise to hear the pontiff speak at the mid-afternoon Mass.

The pope, who has forcefully decried the direction of global leadership in recent months, warned in a speech on ​Friday ​at the Paris headquarters of the UN culture and education body, UNESCO, that the UN ​and other multilateral groups were in crisis.

He also repeated his frequent ‌appeal for the world to reconsider the development of artificial intelligence, telling French leaders that AI could create a future where "a paradise of machines" takes control of the Earth.

He has also frequently spoken out for peace, including in remarks with French leaders at the Elysee on Friday, with his comments criticising the Iran war earlier this year drawing a rebuke from US President Donald Trump.

Pierre-Marie Estienne, 36, was in the crowd for Leo's Mass in central Paris with his wife and their four young children.

"We live in an era of great materialism," he said before Leo arrived. "There is a lot of evil around us, so we need a message of ‌hope and love."

POPE VISITS NEWLY BAPTISED CATHOLICS

France, a secular nation where the separation of church ​and state is enshrined in a 1905 law, has witnessed a steady decline in affiliation to ​the Catholic Church since World War Two, mirroring a trend in other ​traditionally Catholic countries.

Although the French Bishops' Conference points to an increase in baptisms of adults, including a record 21,000 last Easter, ‌a report published by the official statistics agency, INSEE, showed that ​only 25% of French 18-to-49-year-olds identified as ​Catholic, compared with 43% a decade earlier.

In a visit on Saturday with newly baptised Catholics at the Catholic University of Paris before the Mass, Leo urged the French church not to be "naively optimistic" about the recent increase in adherents.

"We must recognise, welcome and protect the small flame that ​the Holy Spirit has kindled in the darkness of the ‌night, the tiny seed that strives to grow even amid the thorns," he said.

Leo heads later on Saturday to Lourdes, home to ​a Catholic shrine. He will meet seven French victims of abuse by clergy there on Sunday.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee and Elizabeth Pineau; additional ​reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Alex Richardson, Timothy Heritage and Gareth Jones)

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Trump's approval rating reaches an all-time low ahead of the midterm elections

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's three-day visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping was filled with pomp and circumstance: a red-carpet arrival, a tour of the National Archives and a state dinner of yellow squash velouté and sesame crusted sea bass.

But the hearty welcome left a bad taste in the mouth of the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“Quite frankly, had the White House asked me for advice, I would have suggested the president not invite Xi Jinping to Washington for such a lavish welcome here in the United States of America based on all of the troubling issues we have with President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party,” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said on the Senate floor Sept. 22.

Wicker, one of a growing number of Republicans who have publicly disagreed with the president, may also strike a chord with voters who have told pollsters that the cost of living will be their top priority in the upcoming elections. Lopsided majorities have disapproved of Trump’s handling of foreign affairs and the economy.

Trump has pledged to campaign heavily during the month before the Nov. 3 midterm elections in about three-dozen competitive races, including traditional Republican territory in Alaska and Texas. "In some cases, you can be losing by a lot and we'll bring you over the line," Trump told Republicans at a Rose Garden dinner Sept. 2.

But since Labor Day, the traditional start of the campaign season, Trump has focused on foreign affairs. He traveled to Ireland on Sept. 12 and 13 for a meeting with the prime minister and a golf tournament. And he spoke at the United Nations on Sept. 22, threatening to “annihilate” Iran and predicting the failure of Cuba’s government.

Meanwhile, high gas prices and record-high diesel costs spurred some Republican candidates to distance themselves from Trump by calling for an end to the war on Iran or removing references to Trump’s endorsement from campaign websites.

John Pitney Jr., a politics professor at Claremont McKenna College in California, said involvement in foreign affairs isn’t a problem by itself for Trump because people expect presidents to manage foreign policy. But Trump’s problem is what he says about foreign affairs, Pitney said.

“In May, he said he was focused on Iran and didn't care ‘even a little bit’ about the war's economic impact,” Pitney told USA TODAY. “That hurts. The war itself hurts. People get a reminder of the cost every time they drive past a gas station.”

Trump's hosting of China's Xi Jinping draws criticism from key Senate Republican

Trump said he had "a very good meeting" with Xi on Sept. 24 without elaborating. Key topics of conversation were about technology, security and artificial intelligence.

“As the leaders of our two nations, President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems, but the ties between our people endure, and we've never gotten along better,” Trump said.

"A lot of very positive things happened," Trump said Sept. 25 while hosting Xi for tea in the White House's Red Room, adding that farmers would be happy without elaborating. "Great things for both countries. It’s been just very, very productive."

But Wicker said he hoped Trump would put the pressure on Xi over multiple issues “while the servers are switching from chardonnay to cabernet at the fancy state dinner.” Wicker said Trump should press Xi on whether China provided Iran with satellite imagery that led to the deaths of American troops, harassment of Filipino fishermen and the status of Taiwan.

Asked about Wicker's comments, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters it is vital for the leaders of the world’s two largest economies and militaries to meet.

“The idea that we would not interact with them at the highest levels is irresponsible,” Rubio said at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23. “It's outrageous."

Trump has argued that any hardship to the economy is worth the price of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He predicted oil prices would fall sharply as soon as the war ends. Trump told reporters Sept. 25 while touring the National Archives with Xi that they had discussed the war with Iran.

"I think we're going to do great," Trump said.

Voters disapprove of Trump's handling of economy, foreign affairs: polls

Trump's approval rating fell to ​32% – the lowest of his political career – as his fellow Republicans soured on his handling of the cost of living amid the unpopular Iran ‌war, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,277 adults nationwide released Sept. 21.

Just ​17% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, which the poll found was the top issue Americans say will determine how they vote in November. Some 82% of poll respondents – including nine in ​ten Democrats and three-quarters of Republicans – said the ​conflict would likely go on for ⁠an "extended period of time."

The cost of groceries, gas and healthcare rank as top pain points for rural voters, according to an Associated Press poll, in partnership with KFF.

Nearly seven in 10 rural voters supported Trump in the 2024 election. But about two-thirds of rural voters were “very” or “somewhat” worried about being able to afford gas or healthcare, compared to about one-third who were not, according to the survey of more than 2,000 registered voters surveyed over two weeks in late August.

About 60% of voters were concerned about the cost of groceries or monthly utilities, compared to 40% who weren’t, the poll found.

About two-thirds of registered voters disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy and the war with Iran, according to a Quinnipiac University poll that surveyed 970 registered voters Sept. 3 to 6.

About 60% of respondents disapproved of Trump’s handling of Russia’s war with Ukraine, trade with Canada and foreign policy.

“While neither (party) gets high marks generally, the Democrats are judged more empathetic when it comes to the concerns of voters," Tim Malloy, a Quinnipiac University polling analyst.

Trump touts investment in US and lower crime rate

Trump gave significant attention to domestic issues during his speech Sept. 22 to the United Nations General Assembly. He promoted investment in the United States, a lower crime rate and heightened border security. He has argued that eliminating taxes on overtime, tips and Social Security benefits, and negotiating lower prices for prescription drugs, should make for a winning ticket in November.

"America is rising. Our nation is growing. Our power is expanding," Trump said. "Our country is doing better than ever before, and our future is very, very bright."

But foreign affairs dominated the speech and headlines focused on his threat to “annihilate” Iran, his prediction that Cuba’s government "will fall" and that the “spoils” of Venezuelan oil from removing that country's president “belong to the victor.”

"While others have ignored threats, I have confronted them,” Trump said. “While others have promised strength, I have used it to make America the most powerful country in the world."

Some GOP candidates distance themselves from Trump over Iran

Some fellow Republicans have lost patience with the war that began Feb. 28. Four Senate Republicans −Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, North Carolina's Thom Tillis, Kentucky's Rand Paul and Maine's Susan Collins −supported a resolution Sept. 24 to end the war, although the measure failed.

Trump initially said the war would last weeks. After six months, he predicted it would end soon after the Nov. 3 midterm elections for Congress.

Fuel prices are up significantly because of Iran’s threat to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Higher costs for diesel fuel ripple through the economy because of the higher cost of transportation.

Gas prices averaged $4.49 on Sept. 25, compared to $2.87 in late January, according to AAA. Diesel fuel averaged $6.50 per gallon on Sept. 25, after breaking $6 on Sept. 11 for the first time ever.

Trump has said higher fuel costs are “a small price to pay” for preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

But former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Michigan, who is campaigning to succeed Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, said on social media Sept. 21 and in a television ad that the Iran war needs to end.

“The war with Iran needs to end and end quickly,” Rogers said in the ad, which features his first name in red and last name in blue.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, who is campaigning to succeed GOP Sen. Joni Ernst, said on social media Sept. 21 that Iowans shouldn’t have to foot the bill for the Iran war with higher grocery prices. But she also voted four times against resolutions to end the war immediately.

“Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran,” Hinson said.

Both candidates supported suspending the gas tax and diesel exports.

Fed raises interest rates days after Trump trip to Ireland

Another setback to Trump’s domestic priorities came days after he returned from a trip to Ireland, when the Federal Reserve Bank raised interest rates Sept. 16 for the first time since July 2023.

Trump traveled to Ireland on Sept. 12 and 13 to meet Taoiseach Micheal Martin and attend the Irish Open golf tournament at his resort in Doonbeg. He advocated Irish reunification and ended tariffs on Irish whiskey, which he’d imposed.

Trump had earlier appointed a new chair, Kevin Warsh, to the Federal Reserve Bank’s board and demanded lower interest rates. But the board voted Sept. 16 to raise rates for the first time since 2023.

Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, who heads the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees taxes, echoed Trump in arguing that “interest rates should be coming down, not going up.”

“American workers, families, and small businesses have waited long enough for relief from high borrowing costs that make it harder to buy a home, start a business, or get ahead,”  Smith said in a statement Sept. 16.

But the Fed typically raises rates to tame inflation by making borrowing more expensive, which can lead to less demand and eventually lower prices. The Labor Department's Consumer Price Index, a key measure of underlying inflation, posted its largest increase in four months on Sept. 11. Mortgage rates surpassed 7% for the first time in a year, making it harder to buy houses.

Trump told reporters in Ireland on Sept. 13 that the country "should be paying the lowest interest rate in the world," no matter what the Federal Reserve's data indicates about inflation and the economy.

“I know more about formulas than anybody, and with the best credit in the world, we make other countries rich," Trump said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rising prices, plunging ratings, lingering war: Trump's dinner plate is full

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