BIG: The Trump administration is considering signing business deals with Russia before the war in Ukraine ends, marking a shift from Trump’s earlier position that economic agreements should wait until a peace settlement.

Officials believe offering Moscow economic incentives could help persuade Putin and members of Russia’s elite to support an agreement.

Possible areas previously discussed by Russian officials include rare earths, aluminum, Arctic projects and energy.

Source: NYT

A China Coast Guard vessel collided with and damaged a Philippine government boat during a fuel resupply mission for Filipino fishermen near Sabina Shoal, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

The Philippines accused the Chinese vessel of deliberately ramming the boat after dangerous manoeuvres. No injuries were reported.

China disputed the account, saying the Philippine vessel ignored warnings and cut across its bow, and blamed Manila for the collision.

South Korea will not deploy troops or military assets to intervene in the Iran war, President Lee said Friday.

“There will be no involvement or intervention in the war,” Lee said, adding Seoul would carry out only “the minimum necessary activities” to protect South Korean merchant ships and oil routes.

Venezuela’s government and opposition are close to a deal to move about $4 billion in central bank gold from the Bank of England to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Delcy Rodríguez’s interim government would gain legal control of the gold but could not immediately sell it. The reserves could instead be used as collateral for borrowing.

The U.S.-backed deal could end a seven-year dispute over the gold, but it has not yet been finalized.

Source: FT

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung:

For peace and stability, we have to communicate and cooperate. If communication is cut off and hostility grows, the risks increase.

But the North is clearly refusing to communicate with the Republic of Korea.

We have continued trying to communicate and hold dialogue, and we will keep making those efforts going forward.

Trump counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka:

You cannot have a relationship with Allah. Okay? A human being can't do that.

Trump counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka:

Allah could decree tomorrow that murder is just. Our God can't do that.

There can be no limitations on Allah. Therefore, he can have a capricious attitude to morality.

Trump counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka:

If you are a fundamental originalist, the Quran isn't something you read on Friday. It is a religious text, it is a political text, it is a military strategist text.

Trump counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka:

I don't really care about the price of gas because the price of gas will be cheap when we win, which will be soon.

And it's not about the midterms. It's about dealing death to those who wish to kill Americans.

If you think that's less important than the price of gas, you're not an American. End of story.

UKMTO says a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a fire that was later extinguished.

The crew is safe and authorities are investigating.

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir:

We must stand on every stage and before every critic and say clearly: the IDF is the most moral army in the world!

We do everything possible to strike those who seek to harm us while avoiding harm to uninvolved civilians.

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir:

To all our critics who preach morality from a distance, I say: you continue to criticize, and we will continue to fight.

Mock coffins of Netanyahu and Trump appear in Tehran again.

The UK government is urging people to prepare for severe disruption, including stockpiling food and water, strengthening civic resilience, and planning for the possibility of war, as it updates its decades-old "war book."

Source: BBC

During a Sept. 5 meeting at the Kremlin, Trump administration envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Putin to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

Putin reportedly told the U.S. envoys that Russian forces would capture the entire Donbas region within months.

Kushner challenged Putin over the repeated prediction, saying:

“With all due respect, you told us exactly that a year ago. What are the chances we come back here in another year and you are again saying the same thing? Maybe we don’t lose a year?”

Source: NYT

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said an Italian Eurofighter F-2000 jet was damaged in an attack on Saudi Arabia’s Ta’if Air Base on Thursday night.

No Italian military personnel were injured, and no other vehicles or infrastructure used by Italian forces were damaged, he said.

Japan’s central bank raised its key interest rate from 1% to 1.25%, the highest level since 1995, as it continues to move away from decades of ultra-low borrowing costs.

The Bank of Japan has raised rates six times since 2024 to tackle inflation pressures, including rising energy costs linked to disruptions from the Iran war.

Japan is also dealing with a weak yen, higher prices and a shrinking workforce.

Türkiye Dismantles Israel-Linked International Scam Network

The justice minister said Turkish authorities targeted an Israel-linked international fraud network accused of using investment schemes to deceive foreign nationals, with 175 suspects detained.

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Zelensky:

We are launching a new format, the C8 – the Carpathian Eight – which unites us and our neighbors in Europe:

Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, Austria, Hungary and, of course, the European Union as a whole.

This is a significant beginning of a movement that aims to further strengthen ties between our countries and deepen EU-level cooperation on security, energy, logistics, cross-border trade and support for our communities.