IDF Kills 36 In Gaza, Bomb Threat Delays Oktoberfest, AI “Actress”

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🗞️ FRONT PAGE​​

Danish newspaper Borsen dedicates its front page to European Union leaders gathering in Copenhagen on Wednesday. The bloc is under pressure to boost European defense after a series of Russian incursions into EU airspace. Ten member states have already backed plans for a multi-layered “drone wall” to quickly detect, then track and destroy Russian drones. Denmark has increased security ahead of the summit, banning all civilian drone flights until Friday and placing heavy restrictions on traffic in Copenhagen.

🌎 7 THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT NOW

• Israeli troops kill dozens of Palestinians in Gaza, Qatar pauses on Trump peace plan. Qatar said that further talks were needed over details of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan aimed at ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza, as Hamas weighs its reply. Trump gave Hamas an ultimatum of “three or four days” to accept his Gaza peace plan or face consequences. Backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the proposal demands a ceasefire, hostage releases, Hamas disarmament and a transitional authority led by Trump. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli forces killed at least 36 Palestinians. Read what France Inter’s geopolitical analyst Pierre Haski has to say about it here.

• U.S. government shutdown begins as partisan division rules Washington. The U.S. government shut down much of its operations on Wednesday as partisan divisions prevented Congress and the White House from reaching a funding deal, setting off what could be a long gruelling standoff that could lead to the loss of thousands of federal jobs. 

• Dozens killed as powerful quake strikes central Philippines. The death toll from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the central Philippines rose to 69 on Wednesday, as authorities set up a rescue effort to find survivors after one of the country’s strongest quakes in a decade. The shallow quake struck late on Tuesday off the coast of the island of Cebu, cutting power and damaging buildings. 

• Zelensky and UN atomic agency head warn of heightened risk at Ukrainian nuclear plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is engaging with Russia and Ukraine to restore offsite power to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as Russian shelling has prevented restoration of power needed to cool nuclear reactors and prevent a meltdown, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said. Meanwhile, a Russian guided aerial bomb attack on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv overnight injured six people and sparked several fires. Follow Worldcrunch’s international coverage of the war in Ukraine here.

• UN security council approves new military force to fight Haiti gangs. The resolution passed by the council Tuesday provides a clear mandate for the force to work with local authorities to “neutralize, isolate, and deter” gangs, secure infrastructure, and seek to secure institutional stability. It would raise the personnel ceiling from 2,500 in the current mission, first approved in 2023, to 5,550 personnel.

• Ex Congolese President Kabila sentenced to death in absentia. Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, who presided over the military tribunal of the Democratic Republic of Congo, said on Tuesday that Kabila was convicted of various crimes, including treason, crimes against humanity, murder, sexual assault, torture and insurrection.

• News Quiz! What’s the name of the AI-generated “actress” that sparked backlash from the Hollywood performers’ union SAG-AFTRA?

A. Scarlett Wigby
B. Tilly Norwood
C. Emily Van der Vald
D. Nicole Bloom

[Answer below]

#️⃣ BY THE NUMBERS

$47.1 billion

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday the country’s defense budget for next year would rise by 8.2% to 66.3 trillion won ($47.1 billion), adding that peace would only be possible on a strong foundation of security. Lee made the comments on South Korea’s Armed Forces Day, highlighting the importance of self-defense capabilities. Lee also said next year’s defense budget, with its “significant” increase, would be focused on investing in cutting-edge technology like drones and robots.

📰 IN OTHER NEWS

🌱 China has halted purchases of U.S. soybeans, cutting American farmers off from billions of dollars in revenue. It is a crucial example of how Donald Trump’s trade war is hitting his own voters, and feeding geopolitical rivalries beyond traditional diplomatic or military areas.
— FRANCE INTER

✝️ Has France’s chronic decline in Christianity reached a low point? That trend now coexists with another dynamic: a second wind of religion among disaffiliated young people.
— LE FIGARO

💻 As AI begins to guide users through sensitive topics like suicide, the legal and ethical lines that once protected tech companies are being tested.
— THE CONVERSATION