Afternoon Edition, September 18, 2026
Every Lexy News brief, written out. Three stories, three times a day.
Venezuela
Two powerful earthquakes struck north-central Venezuela on Wednesday evening, killing more than 160 people and injuring almost 1,000 as of Thursday morning. Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez said emergency responders were conducting intensive rescue operations and searching for people believed trapped under rubble. The International Federation of the Red Cross said the Venezuelan Red Cross is responding through hospitals and polyclinics in its network that continue to deliver care. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he spoke with Rodriguez and that the United States is sending search and rescue teams to Venezuela.
Sources Abcnews
Zambia
Konkola Copper Mines said it signed a $498 million contract with China’s NERIN Engineering to build a copper recovery plant at its Chingola operations in Zambia’s Copperbelt region. The Vedanta subsidiary said the planned plant is designed to process existing mine tailings. The deal covers design, engineering, procurement, construction and installation of the plant. Copper is central to Zambia’s mining economy, and global demand for copper is tied to electrification and energy-transition industries.
Sources Kitco Mining Technology
Palestine
Israeli police announced the arrest of one suspect in connection with what they described as settler arson and assault in Burqa, a Palestinian village near Ramallah in the central West Bank. The case falls under Israeli police jurisdiction in occupied territory, putting the enforcement response at issue in a region where settler violence in Palestinian communities is a major source of tension. Incidents in villages near Ramallah carry concrete stakes for residents facing displacement fears and possible retaliation.
Sources The Times of Israel
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