PoliticsEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed on Wednesday that Canada become the European Union’s first associate member. The striking overture comes as threats from US President Donald Trump push Ottawa closer to Europe. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called it a “unique alliance with the EU.”
WorldThe third Russia-Africa Summit is set for Moscow at the end of October as relations continue to deepen. Amid Russia’s isolation from the US and Europe over the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin is seeking greater influence in Africa, while African governments pursue closer economic, diplomatic and security ties with Moscow. Russia has also sought African recruits for its war in Ukraine.
SocietyThe death of Tasia Fortune, a Black woman found hanging in Mississippi, has revived painful memories of the United States’ history of lynching. Jarques Ratliff, who is also Black, has pleaded not guilty to murder, while police and prosecutors have not disclosed a suspected motive.
The Associated Press
PoliticsAs the midterm elections draw near, the Supreme Court is pushing back against the Trump administration’s efforts to alter election rules. NBC News’ Lawrence Hurley reports on mail-in-ballot regulation and the court’s recent decisions.
NBC News
SportsThe World Athletics Championships will be held in Africa for the first time when Kenya hosts the event in 2029. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe called Kenya’s bid “convincing and moving.”
PoliticsA judge ruled Tuesday that President Trump’s name cannot be restored to the Kennedy Center without an act of Congress. Trump responded by threatening to stop the renovation altogether.
PoliticsThe C64 opposition coalition took to the streets of Kinshasa as the DR Congo parliament opened a new session. Its members have spent months opposing a proposed constitutional change backed by the ruling majority.
TechFortell, an AI hearing aid startup founded by Matthew de Jonge, has spent six years developing devices that can understand surrounding sounds in real time and identify what matters. The company recently raised $163 million from investors including Founders Fund, Thrive Capital and Valor Equity Partners CEO Antonio Gracias.
TechCrunch
CultureSeveral French landmarks are honoring Marie-Antoinette this year. More than 230 years after the monarch’s public execution, she still fascinates audiences in France and abroad. The report examines the reasons for that enduring interest and why she might be seen as France’s first influencer.
PoliticsBelarus has released 25 political prisoners in return for the United States lifting sanctions on two companies. Hundreds remain jailed, including journalists, trade unionists and others who supported the 2020 protests against Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s re-election.
SportsSingapore swimming veteran Amanda Lim hopes to make her fifth Asian Games her best, though it could be her final appearance at the continental event. The 33-year-old set a national record of 24.77 seconds in the women’s 50m freestyle in May and aims to carry that form into the swimming programme beginning Sep 20.
HealthHaze from worsening wildfires in Indonesia is driving a rise in respiratory illnesses among people in Borneo. Fire-related cases across seven affected Indonesian provinces more than doubled from about 50,000 on Sep 1 to over 113,000 on Sep 9. Water shortages caused by limited rain and saltwater-tainted supplies have made conditions worse in some areas.
CultureA green, orange and blue Nerf-themed roller coaster inside Galaxyland at West Edmonton Mall is nearing completion. Built by Dutch manufacturer Vekoma, it will replace the decommissioned Mindbender and offer a family-friendly “Core” mode or a faster “Quantum” mode with added inversions and twists. Its name will be chosen through a public competition.
Global News
Politics9:34Left-wing US Senator Bernie Sanders and former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon jointly warned on Tuesday about the dangers posed by artificial intelligence and its promoters. Their intervention suggests rising concern over AI is scrambling political divides. The issue was also discussed with Bernard Benhamou, secretary general of the Institute of Digital Sovereignty.
EconomyCircle CEO and co-founder Jeremy Allaire says he still believes the Clarity Act could become law despite its failure to pass the US Senate. The bill would primarily give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission authority to regulate the digital-asset industry.
Bloomberg Television
TechThe US Congress returned from recess on Monday amid urgent warnings that artificial intelligence could become dangerously uncontrollable. Lawmakers remain deeply divided over whether Washington should intervene and what action it should take.
SocietySingapore’s National Parks Board seized 101 illegally kept wildlife specimens in islandwide raids targeting six people, marking its largest such seizure in recent years. The haul included pig-nosed turtles, ball pythons and leopard geckos, as well as threatened or endangered species. All were non-native and are now quarantined at a wildlife rehabilitation facility.
CultureMaye Musk speaks with “CBS Mornings” about her modeling career, leaving an abusive relationship and life as Elon Musk’s mother. She also discusses her new memoir, “Timeless: The Art of Reinvention and Resilience at Any Age.”
CultureArtist Nora Chipaumire brings dance, installation, music and other forms to Paris through the Résidence Tallard. She is also leading performances and workshops at the Festival d’Automne, saying her work is driven by a desire to shift the world toward a more positive, joyful and equitable place.
EconomyFOX Business’ Charles Payne examines inflation pressures ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision and explains on “Fox & Friends” why he expects policymakers to raise rates.
Fox News
PoliticsIn Wednesday remarks, Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen backed exploring an “associate member” role for Canada, which would be the EU’s first.
WorldFormer Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis warns that Russia’s next move could extend beyond Ukraine and challenge Europe’s security. He discusses the war, mounting pressure on the Baltic states, Russian hybrid attacks, Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russia, what might force Moscow to negotiate, and Donald Trump’s approach to peace.
WorldIsraeli forces demolished at least 10 structures belonging to a Bedouin community in Deir Ballut in the occupied West Bank, families say. Residents say they had about 10 minutes to gather belongings before bulldozers arrived around 6am, without prior demolition notices. The action followed the establishment of a nearby Israeli settler outpost; Palestinians also say more than 4,500 olive trees were uprooted and a road is being paved.
PoliticsSingapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing urged major powers to build trust with smaller states rather than deepen insecurity amid global uncertainty. Speaking at the Xiangshan Forum, he called for a reassessment of what it means to “win”, how power is perceived and where common ground can be found.