Germany's Chancellor Merz:

The answers offered by radical parties, whether from the left or the right, may sound tempting, but they do not build—they destroy.

They divide our country and, if they were ever to assume political responsibility in Germany, they would lead it into the abyss.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz:

We did not ask anyone for permission to enter Lebanon, and we do not need anyone's permission to remain in Lebanon.

NEW: Iran launches missiles toward Jordan.

Epstein Survivors Accuse Former Assistant of Lying to US Congress

Multiple survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network accuse his longtime assistant, Lesley Groff, of repeatedly lying to a US House oversight panel.

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Volkswagen is considering closing several German factories as part of a major restructuring plan that could affect around 40,000 jobs.

Production at the Zwickau and Emden plants could end within five years, followed by Hannover in 2032 and Audi's Neckarsulm plant in 2034.

CEO Oliver Blume also reportedly aims to cut 50,000 jobs by 2030.

Source: Spiegel

A Greek Air Force F-16 fighter jet made an emergency landing at Zakynthos Airport on Thursday after reportedly catching fire during flight.

The pilot landed safely and was unharmed.

Jordan's military says it intercepted eight Iranian ballistic missiles launched toward its territory.

EU Weighs Total Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements

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Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias says Greece will "try hard" to prevent the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye.

Footage showing the aftermath of a Greek Air Force F-16 that made an emergency landing and caught fire.

Luke Coffey, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute:

Türkiye is leading by example, and many other NATO members should follow what Türkiye is doing.

The Secretary-General has been very clear in recent weeks highlighting what Ankara is doing with its defense industry.

It's world-beating; everyone is looking at what the Turkish defense industry is doing.

The European Union is talking about playing a bigger role on defense issues, especially the defense industrial base, yet they don't want to include countries like the UK or Türkiye. Strategic autonomy is impossible unless you include all the actors.

Türkiye is a leader and should be encouraged.

Palm Beach International Airport officially became President Donald J. Trump International Airport on July 9 after a Florida law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis took effect.

For now, travelers will still see the airport code PBI on tickets and flight information. The new code, DJT, won't take effect until Aug. 18.

Belgium's Defense Minister Theo Francken:

Türkiye... is a very strong army.

Very good technology as well, a lot of innovation.

Twenty years ago you just made the shift towards creating your own defense industry on a high-tech level.

We're very interested in working together.

We need Türkiye.

Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac | Palestinian Theologian & Activist | Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church:
 

Israel is deep in the system. Theology & religion serve a political & colonial movement - providing legitimacy where it would otherwise be absent.
 
The Zionists needed legitimacy. The British needed justification for their presence. The US needs Israel today.
 
Biden said it plainly: "If Israel did not exist, we would have to create Israel to serve our interests in the region."
 
Religion provides the cover: this isn't colonialism, it's Jews returning to their land. Naive believers accept it because they believe the Bible says so.
 
Christian Zionism is the weaponization of theology for a colonial movement. It cannot be treated as simply a theological issue.

FULL INTERVIEW

Putin Rejects Peace Talks, Prepares to Escalate Ukraine War in Coming Months

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Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac | Palestinian Theologian & Activist | Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church:
 

Christian Zionists like Ted Cruz promote a theology where God conditions His relationship to humanity based entirely on how we treat a modern ethno-nationalist state.

In this framework, God does not care about true faith, charity, or feeding the hungry. You gain divine favor if you bless Israel blindly.

Does Ted Cruz genuinely believe God calls him to support Israel? Or is it AIPAC money dictating his action than his reading of scripture?

FULL INTERVIEW

Netanyahu:

You have to build new alliances and develop new relationships.

That's what I'm doing right now with India.

Netanyahu:

We are not Austria with F-35s.

We are not a country sitting peacefully in Europe.

We are the state of an ancient people that returned to its homeland.

Netanyahu:

Attacking Iran is like removing cancer from your body.

If you don't remove the cancer, you'll die.

Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac | Palestinian Theologian & Activist | Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church:
 

Is the Bible a land deed? Is it a book that grants political rights to one ethnic group at the expense of others?
 
Christian Zionists are telling the world that God decided thousands of years ago this land belongs to the ethnic seed of Abraham.
 
In their understanding, international law doesn't matter. Human rights doesn't matter.
 
Thus Palestinians who have lived, farmed, built cities & kept the Christian presence alive for centuries must leave.
 
Really? Is this how we solve disputes? Is this the God of the Bible? No, these ideas are foreign to Christian theology & to scripture itself.

FULL INTERVIEW

Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac | Palestinian Theologian & Activist | Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church:
 

The famous phrase "if you bless Israel, God will bless you" is not in the Bible.
 
What is in the Bible is God telling Abraham: "I will bless those who bless you." God is speaking to Abraham - not a modern ethno-nationalist state.
 
The covenant with Abraham was never about supremacy & entitlement. It was about God using Abraham to bless all of humanity.
 
Jesus said God can raise children of Abraham from stones. It is not confined to ethnicity. God is not racist. Faith, obedience & good deeds matter.
 
If Muslims claimed the same thing we would call them fanatics. But when Christians apply the same logic to Jews - it's accepted.

FULL INTERVIEW