Taiwan will acquire 25 sea drones and 2 underwater drones for its Coast Guard, partnering with a U.S. defense firm to strengthen maritime security against China's increasing naval and coast guard activity.

The drones are part of Taiwan's asymmetric defense strategy, though some experts argue the island needs hundreds, not dozens, to effectively deter Beijing.

Source: Nikkei Asia

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

We are already the EU's fifth-largest economy. We've just become the 20th economy in the world.

For the first time in 300 years, more Poles are coming back to Poland than emigrating, which is nice. We are issuing more and more passports to Americans.

Actually, the places where we issue the most new passports—new Polish citizens—are the United States and Israel.

And so I think by the end of the decade, within ten years, we will be a regular Western country—perhaps even more dynamic than some.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

We no longer buy energy from Russia, which is Russia's loss.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

Russia has been waging hybrid war against us, the West, for ten years.

This hybrid war has many facets. There are cyberattacks, which can be very dangerous.

If you block the emergency line of a hospital, people may die. They also target financial institutions and tax collection systems.

They also plant worms inside our systems to be activated in case of something more serious.

They interfere in politics by supporting radicals of both the left and the right during elections.

They use Telegram to recruit one-time saboteurs, paying €2,000 for taking photographs of targets and €20,000 for setting fire to them. We've had dozens of arson attacks, including huge shopping malls and entire districts of cities.

They've even tried to set fire to a home owned by the current Prime Minister of Britain. We've had assassinations, state terrorism, railway sabotage, flammable materials placed in DHL parcels, incursions by ballistic and cruise missiles, and Russian drones.

This is all part of Russia's ongoing hybrid war.

Overnight US strikes hit critical transport infrastructure in southern Iran.

Damage:

— Shahid Mirzaei Tunnel (Glogah) — blocked in both directions.

— Two bridges beyond the gorge — bombed.

— Outbound Minab intersection bridge — struck.

— Shur River bridge on Bandar Abbas–Sirjan route — destroyed.

At least 3 killed, 8 wounded in Hormozgan province.

This is night 7 of US strikes systematically cutting road links between Bandar Abbas, Minab, Rudan, and Sirjan — isolating the Strait of Hormuz coast from inland supply routes.

WATCH: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he is in "an active conversation" with the city's Law Department about whether he has the authority to order the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York for the U.N. General Assembly.

"I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," Mamdani said, calling him "a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court."

He added, "Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that's what we will do, but we won't be writing our own laws to that end."

Source: NYT

Rector of Türkiye’s National Defense University, Erhan Afyoncu:

We are one of the only two countries in the world giving drone training in military academies.

There is no such thing in European war colleges or NCO schools.

Our policy is this: every military graduate will leave our academies knowing how to use a drone the way they use a rifle.

The rifle will never disappear, but it will never replace the drone.

Zohran Mamdani:

I believe that we can raise taxes a little bit more on the wealthiest New Yorkers to ensure that everyone can afford life in this city.

Source: NYT

Zohran Mamdani:

I think we have to go beyond the typical indicators of what makes a strong economy. I think we also have to measure whether a working person can breathe.

And yes, it's the wealthiest city and it's also a city where one in four are living in poverty.

So, I will always celebrate continued investment in this city. And I'll also look to ensure that more and more New Yorkers can be a part of those benefits.

Source: NYT

Zohran Mamdani:

It's hard to explain to a New Yorker why their needs are not even being discussed. And yet we have billions of dollars to kill civilians halfway across the world.

Earlier we were talking about the World Cup and we'll be watching the games here, and then you'll look to the news and you'll find that even someone who had gone to Gaza on a relief mission to set up watch parties was then killed by the Israeli military.

There is no respite from a genocide, no matter—even in a moment of joy for the entire world.

Source: NYT

Zohran Mamdani on AOC:

I think she'd make a good president. I think she would make a good anything.

I think she's a great congresswoman. And I think no matter what she decides to do, she's going to bring those same qualities to whatever that work is.

Source: NYT

Zohran Mamdani:

Too often you'll find that there are far more Congress people who will privately tell you that something is a genocide than publicly announce it to be so.

Source: NYT

Zohran Mamdani:

The Democratic Party can become the party of human rights for all people.

That must also include Palestinians. I think people are tired of exceptions being drawn.

And we know that in politics, the more often you draw an exception, the more likely you are to draw another one. And people want consistency.

Source: NYT

Rector of Türkiye’s National Defense University, Erhan Afyoncu:

Europe is no longer "the West" — it has become a cultural zone. It has lost its warfighting capacity, its industrial dynamism, and its population is shrinking.

In Norway, 70% of preschool children are not Norwegian by origin. Europe filled its population gap with migrants — but they couldn't assimilate them.

Rising racism now brings conflict, but they need those migrants.

Rector of Türkiye’s National Defense University, Erhan Afyoncu:

Europe—especially Germany—is an industrial powerhouse, but where are they going to find people to fight?

As you know, Germany recently launched a voluntary military recruitment program, yet they couldn't even recruit 1,000 people.

Rector of Türkiye’s National Defense University, Erhan Afyoncu:

In my view, the events of July 15 were not simply a coup attempt by a group capable of taking over the government. Rather, they would have dragged Türkiye into a civil war.

The true heroes were the people, who took to the streets. They were joined by patriotic members of the police and the armed forces who resisted the plot.

The events of July 15 resulted in the deaths of 253 people, who are regarded as martyrs, and 1,737 people being wounded and recognized as veterans.

It marked the country's escape from what could have been a far greater catastrophe.

China's Moonshot AI has reset the global tech balance by launching world's largest open-weight system.

▪️Features 2.8 trillion parameters, 1M token window
▪️Defeated top US systems in front-end coding tests
▪️Erased US frontier lead at 40% less cost

READ MORE

France and Germany to Work Together to Rival US Giant Palantir

The two EU allies have pledged to develop a European alternative to military software provided by the US company Palantir, aiming to reduce dependence on American defense technology.

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei:

The violation of the agreement once again proves the worthlessness and invalidity of the US President's signature.

Today, the "Great Satan" has once again revealed its true and unmasked face, so that this dark experience of crime and bad faith serves as another strong piece of evidence of the lies, irrationality, unreliability, and wickedness of the United States.

Now that the American enemy is seeking to incite war and bear even heavier costs and greater disgrace, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the Resistance Front have unforgettable lessons for it, and the bravery of the Muslim fighters and the courage of the people of the southern region have demonstrated examples of this in recent days.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei:

Dear people, by continuing to trust the sincere officials in all three branches of government, whose efforts for the well-being and prosperity of the nation are evident, we will continue to be vigilant and active in ensuring the protection of the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The enemy should not perceive any signs of weakness. If we fully observe these precautions, the enemy will inevitably be defeated.

BREAKING: Two U.S. service members in Jordan were killed defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.

One service member is currently missing in action.

Four Americans were medevaced to Jordanian hospitals and have since been discharged.

Others with minor injuries returned to duty.