Earthquake in Afghanistan Kills 2,200; Israel Advances in Gaza Amid Regional Tensions – 9/4/2025, 8:28:39 PM

The latest world news as of September 4, 2025, includes intensified conflict in Gaza, a major military parade in Beijing, a deadly earthquake in Afghanistan, and political developments in the US and Europe.

• Israeli forces have killed at least 84 Palestinians in the past day as they advance further into Gaza City. Israeli leaders rejected a Hamas offer to release hostages in exchange for an end to the assault. In a related development, far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich has proposed annexing 82% of the occupied West Bank, a move condemned by the United Arab Emirates as a threat to regional peace and the Abraham Accords[2][5].
• Beijing hosted a large military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. President Trump criticized the gathering, suggesting it signals anti-US alignment, though he also praised the ceremony’s spectacle. Putin highlighted China’s economic power and commented on ongoing Ukraine peace efforts[1][4].
• A devastating earthquake in Afghanistan has killed over 2,200 people, causing widespread destruction near the Pakistan border[4].
• In Ukraine, Russia issued a warning against any foreign troop presence as European leaders met with President Zelenskyy in Paris. Russia also bombarded western Ukraine, prompting NATO air patrols from Poland[4].
• Other notable events:
  • Nepal has blocked Facebook, X (Twitter), and YouTube for not registering with the government[4].
  • At least 15 people died and 18 were injured after a streetcar derailed in Lisbon, Portugal[4].
  • Hurricane Lorena weakened off Mexico’s west coast, but risk of flash floods remains[4].
  • In the US, President Trump is appealing to the Supreme Court to protect his tariffs, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces Senate scrutiny regarding CDC turmoil[3].
  • At the Venice Film Festival, the film “The Voice of Hindra,” about a Palestinian girl killed in Gaza, received a record 22-minute standing ovation[5].

These developments reflect major ongoing crises in the Middle East, rising geopolitical tensions involving China and Russia, natural disasters, and significant political moments in the US and Europe.