Morning Brief: USS America Returns to San Diego, Colombia’s Petro Seeks Trump Probe, Estonia Boosts Border Defenses

· Guy D. McCardle

Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks at the UN General Assembly. (Screenshot/X)

Good morning, here’s your Wednesday, September 24, 2025 brief. At a glance: USS America returns to San Diego as Haiti’s elite face a US crackdown. At the UN, Colombia calls for a probe into US strikes, and Syria-Israel talks show progress. Leaders push global AI governance while the US stands isolated on Gaza. A Gaza aid flotilla reports drone attacks, Israel shuts a key border crossing, and Europe faces major drone disruptions. Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti dies, Boeing secures a big jet order, and Typhoon Ragasa leaves destruction across East Asia.

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USS America Returns to San Diego After Six Years in Japan, Replaced by USS Tripoli

USS America (LHA-6) is set to arrive in San Diego this week after six years as the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship in Sasebo, Japan.

During its deployment, the 45,000-ton vessel took part in key deterrence and response operations against Chinese military activity and joined multiple multinational exercises, including Talisman Sabre in Australia.

The ship will undergo maintenance following its return. USS Tripoli (LHA-7), the Navy’s newest America-class amphibious assault ship, has taken over as the forward-deployed big-deck amphibious warship in Japan.

 

US Immigration Agents Arrest Haitian Businessman Dimitri Vorbe in Miami

US immigration authorities have detained Haitian businessman Dimitri Vorbe, one of the country’s most powerful elites, at a Miami processing center, though no formal charges have been filed. His arrest follows that of fellow businessman and former presidential candidate Réginald Boulos, who is accused of supporting violent gangs in Haiti.

Vorbe’s family owns Société Générale d’Énergie S.A., once a major electricity supplier, and has long held influence through state contracts and political ties.

The detention comes a day after the US sanctioned two former Haitian officials linked to corruption, underscoring Washington’s escalating crackdown on Haiti’s political and economic elite accused of enabling gang violence.

 

Colombia’s Petro Urges Criminal Probe of Trump Over Deadly US Strikes in Caribbean

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday called for a criminal investigation into US President Donald Trump and other officials over three recent US military strikes on boats in the Caribbean that killed at least 17 people.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Petro accused Trump of criminalizing poverty and migration, disputing US claims that the vessels were tied to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang. He argued the passengers were poor young Latin Americans, not traffickers, and condemned the use of missiles against unarmed civilians.

The Trump administration has defended the strikes as part of anti-drug operations but has provided few details on how it determined the targets.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro also accused Washington of using drug trafficking allegations as cover for military action aimed at destabilizing his government.

 

US Envoy Says Syria and Israel Nearing De-Escalation Deal Amid Ongoing Talks

Syria and Israel are close to a de-escalation agreement under which Israel would halt attacks in exchange for Syria refraining from moving heavy equipment near the border, US Special Envoy Tom Barrack said Tuesday at the UN General Assembly.

The deal would be the first step toward a broader security arrangement being negotiated, though progress has slowed due to the Jewish New Year holiday.

Israel abandoned the 1974 truce after Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December and has since carried out more than 1,000 strikes and 400 ground incursions into Syria.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa expressed concern that Israel may be delaying the talks.

 

UN Launches Global AI Governance Effort as Leaders Debate Risks and Safeguards

Artificial intelligence (AI) will be a central topic at this week’s UN General Assembly, with leaders set to launch the Global Dialogue on AI Governance and begin recruiting 40 experts for a new scientific panel.

The move follows last month’s adoption of a resolution creating the two bodies, which aim to establish the most inclusive international framework yet for AI oversight.

The Security Council will also hold its first open debate on AI, focusing on compliance with international law and conflict prevention. While some experts welcome the initiative as a milestone, others warn the UN’s slow bureaucracy risks falling behind a rapidly advancing technology.

Influential researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Anthropic have urged governments to adopt binding “red lines” for AI by the end of 2025, comparing the need for global rules to past treaties on nuclear weapons and biological arms.

 

World Leaders Urge Unity at UN as Trump Pushes ‘America First’

At the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders from France, South Korea, South Africa, and others called for global cooperation to confront wars, poverty, and climate change, warning that divisions threaten stability.

In contrast, US President Donald Trump defended his “America First” agenda, portraying the UN as ineffective while later telling Guterres he supported the institution’s peace potential.

The assembly’s focus included the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, with Trump shifting his stance to say Ukraine could regain all lost territory, while most nations pressed for a Gaza ceasefire and recognition of Palestinian statehood, highlighting US isolation alongside Israel.

Meanwhile, the UN faces a severe funding shortfall, with this year’s $29 billion humanitarian appeal only 19 percent financed.

 

US Isolated at UN as Security Council Presses for Gaza Ceasefire, Palestinian Statehood

The United Nations Security Council held a special session on Tuesday on the Gaza war, exposing the United States’ growing isolation as most members called for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Representatives condemned Hamas’ October 2023 attack but also decried Israel’s ongoing offensive that has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 90 percent of Gaza’s population.

The United States, which vetoed last week’s ceasefire resolution supported by the other 14 members, argued the measures did not sufficiently condemn Hamas and warned recognition of Palestinian statehood undermines peace efforts.

Israel was absent due to the Rosh Hashana holiday, while allies including Denmark criticized the council’s paralysis and urged all members to support ending the war.

 

Gaza Aid Flotilla Reports Drone Attacks and Explosions off Greece

Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a Gaza-bound aid mission, said late Tuesday that multiple drones targeted several of their vessels off Greece, causing explosions, jamming communications, and dropping unidentified devices.

Activists reported no weapons on board and described the attacks as intimidation tactics, with videos showing blasts and drones overhead.

The flotilla, now numbering 51 boats near Crete, set sail from Barcelona earlier this month to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

Israel has vowed to block the ships, as it did with previous flotilla attempts in June and July, amid growing international criticism over the humanitarian crisis and famine in Gaza.

 

Israel Closes Key West Bank-Jordan Crossing Indefinitely After Deadly Border Attack

Palestinian and Jordanian officials said Tuesday that Israel will indefinitely close the Allenby, or Al-Karama, crossing between the West Bank and Jordan starting Wednesday.

The closure follows last week’s attack in which a Jordanian truck driver killed two Israeli soldiers at the border.

The Allenby crossing is the only international gateway for Palestinians that bypasses Israel.

Israeli authorities have not yet confirmed the closure, which was announced during a public holiday.

 

Copenhagen Drone Disruption Called Denmark’s Most Serious Infrastructure Attack

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said large drones that shut down Copenhagen airport for hours Monday night were the “most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure” to date.

The incident, which disrupted over 20,000 passengers with dozens of flight diversions and cancellations, mirrored similar drone activity recently reported in Poland and Romania.

Danish police described the operator as a “capable actor” but could not identify them, noting the drones flew over the airport for more than three hours before leaving. Authorities chose not to shoot them down for safety reasons.

Frederiksen said Russia could not be ruled out, though Moscow denied involvement.

Oslo airport was also briefly shut after drone sightings the same evening, forcing 14 diversions.

Danish and Norwegian intelligence services are investigating amid warnings of a “high threat of sabotage” in northern Europe.

 

Estonia Expands Border Defenses as NATO Faces Growing Drone Threat

Estonia is extending its border fence with Russia and building anti-tank defenses, but NATO allies warn that drones and electronic warfare pose the greater challenge.

Recent Russian drone incursions into Poland and other countries exposed gaps in Europe’s air defenses, as costly jets scrambled against cheap drones.

Baltic and NATO officials say Europe needs mass-produced, low-cost counter-drone systems, faster procurement, and layered defenses combining sensors, electronic warfare, and small missiles.

European Union ministers will discuss a proposed “drone wall” this week, though officials admit no single solution exists as drone technology evolves rapidly.

 

Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh Dies After 25 Years in Top Religious Role

Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, died Tuesday in his 80s after serving as the kingdom’s top religious authority since 1999.

Blind from a young age, he oversaw decades of religious rulings during a period when Saudi Arabia moved from strict Wahhabi conservatism to sweeping social reforms under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

While he condemned extremists like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, he also issued controversial sectarian and anti-Christian statements earlier in his career. His influence waned in recent years as the crown prince advanced liberalization measures, including allowing women to drive.

Crown Prince Mohammed attended funeral prayers in Riyadh, and the royal court praised Sheikh Abdulaziz’s service to Islam.

 

Boeing Secures Uzbekistan Jet Order as US Envoy Signals China Deal Nearing

Boeing shares rose Tuesday after announcing Uzbekistan Airways will buy up to 22 Dreamliner jets worth more than $8 billion, while US officials suggested a long-awaited aircraft sale to China may be close.

US Ambassador to China David Perdue said negotiations on the China deal could conclude within days or weeks, marking the first major Boeing sale there since 2019.

The Uzbekistan order includes 14 firm purchases and eight options, aimed at expanding the carrier’s international routes.

Boeing declined to comment on both the potential China deal and President Donald Trump’s mistaken claim that Uzbekistan ordered 22,787 planes.

 

Typhoon Ragasa Kills Dozens in Taiwan and the Philippines, Forces Mass Evacuations in Southern China

Typhoon Ragasa battered Hong Kong and southern China on Wednesday with winds up to 241 kph (about 150 mph), flooding streets, toppling trees, and forcing widespread shutdowns.

Nearly 1.9 million people were evacuated in Guangdong province, while Hong Kong and Macao closed schools, halted flights, and sheltered residents in emergency centers.

Earlier, the storm left 14 dead and 124 missing in Taiwan after floods destroyed bridges and homes, and killed at least 10 people in the Philippines, mostly fishermen.

Ragasa, downgraded from a super typhoon, was expected to make landfall in China’s Yangjiang-Zhanjiang area on Wednesday evening.

 

Sources: News Agencies