UK Ministry of Defence:

Major Paul Wilks, 40, has died in a road traffic incident in Ukraine, away from the front lines, on 12 September.

Turkish Foreign Ministry:

We strongly condemn the Houthi drone attack targeting the holy city of Mecca.

We reaffirm our support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of Saudi Arabia, and once again emphasize our solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

We reiterate our call for the immediate cessation of these attacks, which also threaten regional stability and security, and urge all parties to refrain from any actions aimed at further escalating tensions.

Yemen’s Houthis said they intercepted two Saudi F-15 fighter jets over Taiz Governorate using locally made surface-to-air missiles, forcing them to leave the area.

Italian PM Meloni:

I read the continuous Russian provocations as a form of nervousness, as if they wanted to shift attention onto a conflict that is not going as it should.

Germany will send four Eurofighter jets to Latvia ahead of the Oct. 3 parliamentary election to help protect its airspace amid concerns over repeated drone incursions near NATO’s eastern flank.

The jets will operate from Lielvārde Air Base under NATO’s enhanced Air Policing North mission from late September into early October, following Latvia’s request for additional allied support.

Source: POLITICO

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. is open to discussing “shared risks” with China on AI, while reiterating that “the United States remains the leader in AI.”

The talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are set to take place this weekend in New York and will cover AI, trade, rare earths and other economic issues ahead of the Trump-Xi summit on Sept. 24.

Source: Axios

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.25 percentage points.

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh:

The plain fact is that inflation is too high and has been for too long.

Israel, Morocco, and the U.S. agreed at a New York summit to upgrade diplomatic relations, appoint ambassadors, expand economic cooperation, and advance the Abraham Accords.

Britain’s First Sea Lord Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins warned that the Royal Navy must rebuild its capabilities to counter Russia, calling for more warships and drones to protect the Atlantic.

He said the UK must “strengthen our warfighting readiness” and “rediscover what it means to be a maritime nation,” warning that “the greatest threat to our security today is Russia.”

Jenkins said Russia’s submarines, long-range weapons and undersea capabilities were becoming harder to counter:

Russia retains advanced submarines that are increasingly difficult to track, long-range precision weapons, and specialist systems designed to operate deep underwater.

He warned that Moscow was testing Western weaknesses:

Russia is probing, testing and mapping. It seeks advantage in the grey zone, particularly around the critical undersea infrastructure on which modern societies rely.

Arguing that Britain’s security depends on naval strength, he said:

The sea is not peripheral to Britain – it is existential.

Source: The Telegraph

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

There was a fear that events would move toward a path of revenge and similar things.

One of the objectives was to advise people not to let the euphoria of joy take them toward situations of revenge, especially in areas that had suffered great harm, such as the city of Hama and others.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

Many revolutions may win, but then enter a cycle of disputes and conflicts.

This was something we were monitoring from the very first moment, as well as the behavior of those working in the revolution — from the military and others.

We would perhaps sit with the military groups before the beginning of the battle; 70% of the discussion was only about the method of dealing with people, and 30% was about the military plans and how to organize them.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

We wanted to prevent the perception among countries that the revolution had achieved victory here and could then move somewhere else.

We cut off that possibility, and whoever was thinking in that direction, we blocked that path from the very beginning.

We brought forward the mechanisms for state-building and related issues. We were also conscious of the importance of calm and measured messaging.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

Economic integration between us and the Arab countries is something necessary, and it is separate from what is happening in Hormuz.

A rational mind always looks for multiple secure routes. It does not make sense for trade between the East and the West in the world to depend on only one route. We must use all available routes.

I believe that after the new situation in Syria, a suitable environment has been created for connecting the land routes and transportation networks, especially given Syria’s strategic location — linking Syria, Jordan, and Türkiye with the Gulf countries, Europe, and others.

Even if conditions in Hormuz become easier, one must always look for alternatives, because economic integration is a necessity and a benefit for everyone.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

The media must always be, as you know, characterized by independence and the credibility of the news.

This is the most important thing — to approach events from multiple perspectives and provide analysis of the ongoing developments.

Canada is in early talks to join the EU’s Erasmus+ student exchange programme as part of a new cooperation framework short of full EU membership.

Source: Euronews

Trump:

Interest Rates in the United States should be 1%, or less, because we are the Best Credit in the World — BY FAR.

Our Country is BOOMING with new Investment! If we stopped Trading with every country that we have a Deficit with, which is most of them, we would make, at least, 1.5 Trillion Dollars a year. The word “Deficit” is nothing more than a fancy word for LOSS.

We are “carrying” almost every country in the World, and that cannot go on any longer. LOWER THE INTEREST RATES FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND FAST!

Mitch McConnell was instructed on how to vote to advance the Farm Bill out of committee.

Macklemore announced he will donate his $1 million in net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to organizations supporting Palestinians, including the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Heal Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA National Committee and Anera.

The move comes after Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s tour following a September performance where he said “free Palestine.”

Macklemore said:

Palestinian lives are worth protecting. A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth.

He added that his focus would remain on “the Palestinian people and their fight for liberation,” saying:

When the news cycle moves on, which it will, don’t move with it. Free Palestine.

Algeria has revoked the accreditation of Sky News Arabia’s Algiers bureau, shortly after cutting diplomatic ties with the UAE and accusing Abu Dhabi of a “growing number of provocative or hostile acts” and “unjustified behavior.”

The decision comes as tensions deepen between the two countries, with Algeria also closing its airspace to UAE-registered civil and military aircraft.

The reasons for targeting Sky News Arabia have not been officially disclosed, but the broadcaster is based in Abu Dhabi and owned by Emirati media group International Media Investments.

Italian PM Meloni on Spain:

It has happened at least 400 times in Europe that Schengen has been suspended. It has happened several times against us as well.

It is not done against someone, it is done to clearly defend and secure one’s own interests. That is what we did this time as well.

And some statements from the Spanish government, frankly, seem a little out of place.

However, I believe that it should be clear by now that using overly heated tones with us, or threats of repercussions, is not exactly the most convincing argument.