👋 Goedemorgen!*
Welcome to Friday, where Russia launched a major attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the two victims of the Manchester synagogue attack have been named, and today’s quiz question comes from Japan. Meanwhile, Francesca Sforza writes for Italian media La Stampa about how Israel’s interception of the international Gaza aid flotilla could impact the Middle East conflict.
[*Flemish]
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🗞️ FRONT PAGE
The Manchester Evening News, like most of the UK press, was focused on an attack on a synagogue in Manchester where two Jewish men were killed, Adrian Daulby, 53, and 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz. Three others are in the hospital with serious injuries after a man drove a car at members of the public before stabbing people. Police have declared it a terrorist incident.
🌎 7 THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT NOW
• Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza as Hamas considers its response to Trump’s peace proposal. Israeli strikes killed at least 57 Palestinians in Gaza, as Hamas was still considering its response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal for ending the nearly two-year war. Meanwhile, the Israeli military intercepted the last boat from the humanitarian flotilla seeking to break its siege on war-ravaged Gaza on Friday morning, a day after arresting hundreds of activists from dozens of vessels.
• Czechs vote as frontrunner Babis promises less Ukraine support. Czechs are likely to oust their center-right government in an election on Friday and Saturday, with polls favoring populist billionaire Andrej Babis to return to power on pledges to raise wages and lift growth while reducing aid for Ukraine. The change would boost Europe’s populist anti-immigration camp and could complicate consensus on climate policies.
• Russia-linked oil tanker stopped by France resumes voyage. The Boracay, a tanker from Russia’s “shadow fleet” that was detained by the French navy, resumed its journey towards the Suez Canal, data from maritime websites Marine Traffic and Vesselfinder showed Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the tanker’s detention as an act of piracy and alleged that Paris had initiated the move for domestic policy reasons.
• Russia launched massive overnight drone and missile assault on several Ukrainian regions. These primarily targeted energy infrastructure. The attack included 381 drones and 35 missiles that targeted facilities in the eastern Kharkiv region and also central Ukraine’s Poltava region, where the country’s main gas production facilities are located.
• Munich Airport reopens after drone sightings trigger flight cancellations. Munich Airport suspended flight operations late on Thursday night due to “several drone sightings”, marking the latest incident of unknown drone overflights in the airspace of European Union member states. Air traffic in and out of the airport began again on Friday.
• Papua New Guinea cabinet signs landmark defense treaty with Australia. The Pukpuk Treaty is due to be signed soon by PNG Prime Minister James Marape and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Marape announced in a statement that his government cabinet had given its approval of the deal, and praised the “elevated” ties with Australia.
• News Quiz! Following a major cyberattack that brought factories to a standstill, Japanese convenience stores warned of shortages of what food and drink staple?
A. Suntory whisky
B. Nissin instant ramen
C. Asahi beer
D. Meiji chocolate
[Answer below]
📣 VERBATIM
“It was never just about Ukraine.”
— Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Europe on Thursday that recent drone incursions were a sign that Russia was looking to “escalate,” as he offered his country’s war-honed expertise to help counter the threat. The warning came at a summit of European leaders from 47 countries, who converged on a conference center in Copenhagen under tight security after mystery drone flights rattled Denmark last month. “It was never just about Ukraine, Russia has always aimed to break the West and Europe,” Zelensky said.
📰 IN OTHER NEWS
🇮🇱 Israeli authorities intercepted boats from the international Gaza aid flotilla late Wednesday. But the standoff is bound to continue to weigh on the Middle East conflict.
— LA STAMPA
✊ Gen Z, the first truly digital generation, is uniting across borders to challenge corruption and demand social justice.
— FRANCE INTER
🤝 From Iran and Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, lasting peace can only arise from shared economic interests and the containment of regional power ambitions.
— WORLDCRUNCH
✍️ Newsletter by Emma Albright
Quiz Answer: C. A large-scale cyberattack disrupted Asahi’s ordering and delivery systems, halting most factories across Japan and causing shortages of its popular beer and bottled tea. Major retailers, including 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson, warn of limited stock. Asahi, Japan’s largest brewer, is investigating, with no timeline for recovery, while European operations remain unaffected.
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