Europe Warns Moscow Over Airspace Incursions
Trump Blocks Israeli Annexation Plans
Pentagon Orders Unusual Generals’ Gathering
Microsoft Curbs Services To Israeli Military Unit
Europe Plans Drone Wall After Danish Incursions
TikTok US Deal Set At Only $14 Billion
Amazon to Pay $2.5 Billion in FTC Settlement
Starmer Set To Unveil Mandatory UK Digital ID Plan
Sarkozy Gets Five Years Over Libya Funds Case
Comey Indicted On False Statement, Obstruction
On this day ……
On this day in 1984, Britain and China agreed the terms for Hong Kong’s return.
Representatives of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Premier Zhao Ziyang initialled the Sino-British Joint Declaration, setting out that Hong Kong would revert to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 under the principle of “one country, two systems.”
The deal promised that Hong Kong’s political and economic freedoms would remain unchanged for 50 years after the handover.
The agreement was seen as a diplomatic compromise between two powers with little common ground. It remains a landmark in modern diplomacy, and a reference point in today’s debates over Hong Kong’s autonomy.
European diplomats privately told Moscow this week that NATO is ready to respond with force if Russian aircraft continue to violate allied airspace. The warning followed an incident in which three Russian fighter jets entered Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, an episode European officials concluded was deliberate despite Russian denials. In recent weeks, drones have also been reported over Poland, Romania and possibly Denmark, adding to the sense of escalating pressure.
The talks in Moscow were confirmed by German officials, who said Britain, France and Germany jointly conveyed that such incursions must stop. Hungary also intercepted five Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea. NATO has already invoked Article 4 twice this month for consultations after incidents in Poland and Estonia, while Denmark is weighing similar action.
Moscow has dismissed the warnings, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accusing NATO and the EU of waging war through support for Ukraine. President Donald Trump has backed European allies, saying NATO should shoot down intruding Russian aircraft.
Sources: Bloomberg, Kyiv Independent
President Donald Trump has said he will not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank, rejecting calls from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition. The statement, made ahead of Netanyahu’s speech at the UN, puts Washington at odds with Israeli leaders who have pursued annexation as a political goal. Trump gave no details on what measures he might take, and his consistency was questioned by analysts.
The remarks came as Arab and Muslim leaders warned of grave consequences if annexation proceeds. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said the message was conveyed clearly to Trump in meetings this week. At the same time, several countries, including France, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal, formally recognised Palestinian statehood in an effort to keep the two-state option alive.
Israel’s settlement expansion, illegal under international law according to the International Court of Justice, has further deepened tensions. Far-right ministers continue to promote projects that would effectively rule out a Palestinian state.
Sources: Al Jazeera, South China Morning Post
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered hundreds of US generals and admirals from around the world to assemble next week in Quantico, Virginia, without explanation. The directive, issued on short notice, covers nearly all senior officers in command roles and their advisers. Officials said they could not recall such a mass summons in recent history, and some expressed concern that it could leave commands overseas diminished.
The Pentagon confirmed that Hegseth would address the officers but gave no details on the agenda. President Donald Trump suggested the gathering would include reviews of military equipment and said many commanders wanted to attend. Vice President JD Vance also dismissed the significance of the move. Yet speculation persists, with theories ranging from personnel changes to structural overhauls.
The meeting comes after a series of firings and orders to cut senior ranks, part of Hegseth’s wider effort to reshape the Defence Department.
Sources: Washington Post, CNN
Microsoft has disabled selected services used by a unit of Israel’s defence ministry after an internal review found evidence supporting media reports of mass surveillance of Palestinian phone calls. Company president Brad Smith said Microsoft does not provide technology for mass surveillance of civilians. The review cited the ministry’s consumption of Azure storage capacity in the Netherlands and use of AI services, leading Microsoft to “cease and disable” specific subscriptions, including cloud storage and AI.
The company said the step will not affect its cybersecurity services to Israel or other Middle Eastern countries, and that its review remains ongoing. Israel’s defence ministry had no comment. After the original investigation was published, Israel’s military said its work with firms such as Microsoft is under legally supervised agreements, later adding that Microsoft is not and has not been working with the military on storage or processing of data.
Sources: Reuters, BBC
European ministers from 10 countries, including Ukraine, will meet on Friday to discuss building a “drone wall” after Denmark reported coordinated drone sightings over multiple airports and termed the events a “hybrid attack”. Sightings on Wednesday night halted flights at Aalborg and affected other sites, while Billund briefly closed airspace; Copenhagen airport was also shut on Monday after three drones were detected.
The European Commission has called the plan “the bedrock of credible defence” and indicated it could draw on the EU’s €150bn Security Action for Europe loans scheme.
Denmark’s defence minister said the pattern pointed to a “professional actor” and that capabilities must expand as technology evolves. Copenhagen is considering invoking NATO’s Article 4 for consultations, and the prime minister spoke to NATO’s secretary general about the situation. The incidents follow recent drone and airspace violations in Poland, Romania and Estonia, underscoring wider regional vulnerability.
Sources: The Guardian, FT
Vice President JD Vance said TikTok’s US business will be valued at about $14 billion as President Donald Trump signed an executive order approving a split from ByteDance and giving 120 days to close.
A new US venture would see Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGX take roughly 45%, with ByteDance at 19.9% and a group of American investors holding the remainder. Trump said China’s President Xi Jinping had given a “go-ahead,” but Beijing has not publicly confirmed approval.
Oracle would oversee TikTok’s recommendation algorithm and data privacy under the arrangement. The deal seeks to meet a 2024 US law requiring divestment, after repeated deadline delays, yet lawmakers remain sceptical. The $14 billion figure is well below some earlier estimates near $40 billion, while TikTok US counts about 170 million monthly users in its most lucrative market, adding uncertainty over valuation and final terms.
Sources: Bloomberg, FT
Amazon has agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations it tricked millions of people into signing up for its Prime subscription and made it difficult to cancel. The deal includes $1.5 billion in refunds to affected customers and a $1 billion civil penalty, one of the largest in US history. The company will also be required to simplify its sign-up and cancellation processes, adding clear options to decline Prime and ensuring cancellations can be made as easily as enrolments.
The settlement spares Amazon from a trial in Seattle that could have generated damaging publicity. Prime subscribers identified as having used the service fewer than three times in a year after a contested sign-up will be automatically refunded, while others will be able to apply. While Amazon denies wrongdoing, critics argue the penalty is small compared with its $60 billion profit last year.
Sources: Washington Post, FTC
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce plans for a compulsory UK-wide digital ID scheme, with a consultation to determine practicalities, including options for people without a smartphone or passport. Ministers argue a system verifying the right to live and work against a central database could modernise services and curb illegal working, following growing pressure over migration. A previous Labour attempt at ID cards was blocked by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, but officials say attitudes have shifted as more checks moved online.
Political reaction is split. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned that a mandatory scheme is a serious step needing national debate, while the Liberal Democrats said they cannot support compulsion. Civil liberties groups cautioned that compulsory digital ID could push unauthorised migrants further into the shadows and risk a “pre-crime state”. The government says a consultation will assess consistency, reduce fake documents and improve access to services, with Estonia cited as an example.
Sources: BBC, The Independent
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy over efforts to secure Libyan funding for his 2007 campaign, becoming the first French post-war leader set to serve jail time.
He was acquitted of corruption, embezzlement of Libyan public funds and personally accepting illegal financing. The court also imposed a €100,000 fine and a ban on holding public office. His lawyer confirmed an appeal has been filed, but the sentence is enforceable, with prosecutors due to inform him on 13 October when to report to prison.
Prosecutors said Sarkozy and aides struck a deal with Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, a charge he rejects as a “scandalous” ruling “of extreme gravity for the rule of law”. Other verdicts included six years for intermediary Alexandre Djouhri, immediate arrest, and terms for Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux; campaign treasurer Eric Woerth was acquitted.
Sources: France 24, Reuters
Former FBI director James Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury in Virginia on charges of making a false statement to Congress and obstruction related to his September 2020 Senate testimony on the FBI’s Russia probe. He has been summoned to appear for arraignment on 9 October and faces a maximum of five years in prison on each count. In a video statement, Comey said he is innocent and expressed confidence in the judicial system.
The indictment followed President Donald Trump’s public demand for prosecutions and changes at the Justice Department, including the appointment of Lindsey Halligan as interim U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia after Erik Siebert’s resignation.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said “no one is above the law.” Court records show the grand jury declined an additional false-statement count. Comey’s son-in-law, Troy Edwards Jr., resigned from the EDVA after the indictment.