Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz:

We destroyed 70% of Gaza. We destroyed areas in southern Lebanon; we ruined dozens of villages that served as Hezbollah strongholds.

We evacuated 200,000 residents.

We conquered the refugee camps in the West Bank. The IDF stayed inside. 40,000 residents were evacuated and didn’t return.

The IDF destroyed infrastructure there, killed terrorists, and it is still inside.

German Foreign Minister Wadephul:

Russia escalated, and Russia carried out this hybrid attack, and Russia must now live with the consequences.

I repeat what I said yesterday: it was a necessary and appropriate response.

And we always combine this with our willingness to talk sensibly with Russia again.

German Foreign Minister Wadephul:

We need to discuss how to make the European Union fit for the 21st century.

Europe must be capable of shaping world politics.

And therefore, in our foreign-policy actions, we must also be able to make majority decisions, and we must think about reforms to the system.

Trump’s $100 billion plan to boost Venezuelan oil production is facing major doubts from industry experts.

Experts warn that developing the reserves could take at least a decade and hundreds of billions of dollars, as many fields lack the pipelines, electricity and other infrastructure needed for large-scale production.

Questions have also been raised over the deal’s legality, its political durability and the ability of the relatively little-known company involved to manage such a massive project.

Source: POLITICO

NEW: Canada recruited 64 professors with $541 million in research funding — three-quarters from U.S. schools.

Each gets $500K-$1M annually for 8 years.

It's part of a $1.7 billion talent initiative launched as Trump cuts billions from U.S. science.

Industry Minister Joly:

While certain countries are cutting research and turning their back on academic freedom, we're doubling down on science.

Asked if this is poaching U.S. talent:

The U.S. administration is taking its own decisions and we're taking ours.

A second recruitment round started immediately.

Source: CBC

BIG: Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has called for proceedings to ban parts of the AfD, arguing its extremist wing threatens the country’s constitutional order.

The intervention comes days before the Sept 6 election in Saxony-Anhalt, where polls suggest the AfD could win a majority.

Pistorius accused the party’s völkisch wing of seeking an ethnically homogeneous Germany and said it was naive to believe extremists could be defeated through political debate alone.

Any ban would ultimately have to be approved by Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court.

Germany successfully tested Israel’s LORA ballistic missile in the North Atlantic, marking a step toward expanding its long-range strike capabilities.

The Israel Aerospace Industries missile has a range of up to 500 km.

NEW: Türkiye's Pegasus cancelled 12 flights to/from Moscow Vnukovo today, citing "airspace situation."

Multiple Turkish carrier flights turned back mid-air — one over Lithuania.

This came hours after Zelensky warned Russian skies are "becoming completely unsafe" for civil aviation.

77 flights delayed or cancelled across Moscow's three airports in 24 hours.

The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at Thailand’s Laem Chabang port on September 2 after 286 consecutive days at sea, a modern U.S. Navy record.

Thousands of personnel are expected to visit nearby Pattaya, where local businesses are preparing for a boost in tourism and spending.

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker:

The United States stands in solidarity with Germany and all Allies in the face of efforts to cause harm and chaos on NATO territory.

We remain committed to NATO’s collective defense and clear-eyed about the need for Allies to increase their capabilities to deter all threats to the Alliance.

BIG: China was the sole holdout at the G20 Finance Ministers meeting, blocking consensus on Strait of Hormuz free navigation language, reportedly because it could set a precedent for the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.

China also rejected language targeting its export model and trade surpluses.

Result: 19-1.

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez:

Today I want to thank the people of Ceuta for the serenity, solidarity, and responsibility they have shown during these weeks.

We are mobilizing all the resources at our disposal so that your city can regain full normalcy as soon as possible.

I am sure that next year we will celebrate it with a stronger, more prosperous Ceuta, better prepared for the future.

Happy Ceuta Day.

WATCH: Robot goes full kung-fu mode after being pushed by customer in Russian tech store.

Turkish President Erdogan:

Greece needs to understand this once and for all: Türkiye has no designs on anyone else’s territory, but it will not allow anyone to trample on its rights.

Greece should turn back from the wrong path it has taken and stop militarizing the islands that have demilitarized status.

History is a very good guide for those who learn from it.