Israeli strikes kill at least 17 Palestinians in Gaza

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes have killed at least 17 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including 10 children and three women, according to local health officials, as international pressure for a ceasefire continues to grow. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron told France 24 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York that his country has recognized a Palestinian state on the conviction it “is the only way to isolate Hamas.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at the idea early Thursday before heading to New York himself, saying he would denounce those leaders who had recognized a Palestinian state.

Paris court sentences Sarkozy to 5 years in prison for criminal conspiracy in Libya case

PARIS (AP) — A Paris court has sentenced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy. The court found him guilty of attempting to finance his 2007 campaign with funds from Libya. Sarkozy, who is 70, will be incarcerated even if he appeals. He denounced the ruling on Thursday as a scandalous injustice and plans to appeal. The court also found two of his former ministers guilty of criminal association. However, the court cleared Sarkozy of charges including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing. Despite legal scandals, Sarkozy remains influential in French politics. Sarkozy denounced the ruling, saying he was the victim of scandalous injustice and that he would appeal.

Danish officials believe drone flyovers at 4 airports are meant to sow fear and division

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Drones have flown over four Danish airports overnight, the latest instance of unexplained drone activity that has raised concerns about security in northern Europe amid growing Russian aggression. The Danish defense minister says it appears a “professional actor” was behind the “systematic” flights overnight Wednesday into Thursday. He called the incidents a “hybrid attack” because the flights all occurred within roughly the same timeframe. Authorities say it was not immediately clear who was behind the incidents but there is no danger to the public. A similar incident at Copenhagen Airport grounded flights for hours Monday night, prompting concerns that Russia could be behind it.

‘Palestinians will not leave,’ their president tells world leaders at UN

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Palestinian president is speaking over video to world leaders after the United States revoked his visa. He says his people reject the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and pledged that the militant group would have no role in governing Gaza after war ends and must hand over its weapons. Mahmoud Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly that his country is still going through a nearly two-year war “in which our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement.” His speech came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to New York to give his own address in person on Friday.