Xi’s Military Crackdown May Disrupt China's War Readiness

China’s removal of senior military leaders has reinforced Xi Jinping’s authority over PLA while leaving command vacancies and raising questions about its ability to manage wartime operations.

READ MORE

Reporter: Do you think Trump is going too far when he says he is considering annihilating Iran? Do you think that helps the peace process?

Mark Carney: There is a war now. He is speaking the language of war.

The UN meets this week to discuss Ukraine, AI, Gaza, Sudan, refugees.

But the same problem from 80 years ago remains.

Five countries can veto any action.

Canadian PM Mark Carney on Iran:

The Iranian threat is one of the biggest threats in the world, the modern world.

For example, there is still an existential threat to Israel caused by Iran and its allies.

It still exists. It is not acceptable. It has never been acceptable.

Italy’s Meloni defends proposed restrictions on face coverings in schools:

These are common-sense rules. They are rules that clearly also serve a security purpose.

There is also an issue concerning equal opportunities and women’s rights, which I pride myself on defending.

It has nothing to do with discrimination. It is about security and ensuring that, in an Italian school, no one can force a young woman to enter with her face covered.

UKMTO says a cargo vessel was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessel is on fire and adrift. The crew was evacuated, with two casualties reported.

A Russian Mi-8 military helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace from the Kaliningrad exclave, Poland’s army said.

The helicopter spent 42 seconds inside Polish territory, reaching about 300 metres beyond the border.

Poland scrambled fighter jets and placed ground forces on standby, saying the incident appeared to test its air defense readiness.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski met with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Sikorski said the meeting was an initial step and that further contacts between officials were taking place.

Al-Sharaa Jokes Trump Should Give Israel New Jersey Not Golan Heights

Ahmed al-Sharaa said he jokingly suggested Trump give Israel New Jersey rather than recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, arguing that no president has that authority.

READ MORE

A Forsa poll shows the CDU losing support in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), while the AfD and Left Party gain ground.

If a Bundestag election were held now, the AfD would be the strongest party in NRW with 24%, ahead of the CDU (22%) and the Greens (18%).

The poll found strong dissatisfaction with Chancellor Merz: only 11% of NRW voters said they were satisfied with him, while 87% were dissatisfied.

At the UN, everyone says they want peace.

Yesterday showed how little they agree on what peace actually means.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

Russia’s status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council is questionable.

When the United Nations decided that China would be represented by the People’s Republic of China, and no longer by the Republic of China, meaning Taiwan, there was a vote on this matter.

But regarding Russia taking the place of the Soviet Union, there was no vote.

Syria's Interior Ministry graduated its first all-women police class, about 150 officers from the new Women's Police Institute in al-Tal, after six months of training.

The ceremony included drill, weapons demos, and an oath, attended by senior ministers and diplomats.

Over 15,000 women had applied.

Graduates will deploy across ministry units nationwide for community policing, women's cases, and other roles.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

Defense budgets are, for some reason, larger the closer a country is to Russia. That suggests something, doesn’t it?

After all, we would all rather spend this money on something else. But we all understand that being a Russian or Soviet colony does not lead to prosperity.

Therefore, unfortunately, we have to bear these burdens.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski on Elon Musk:

I think Elon Musk learned that mixing business with politics is bad for his brand, and the fact that Tesla’s sales fell finally taught him something.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

When land is usurped, when sanctity is violated, people suffer and pay the price.

Falsehood forces people to confront evil.

Many wars were waged over history. Unfortunately, our region has seen many of these wars.

Sometimes the truth prevails. Sometimes the truth does not.

Not all peace is just. Wars have taught us that injustice does not continue forever.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

Last year, I mentioned that Syria came back. Today, I say that Syria is rising, ladies and gentlemen, and our journey in the struggle between good and evil.

The bloodshed was stopped. Destruction was stopped. Syria started the journey of reconstruction and recovery.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

Since liberation, more than 100 states started communicating with us through 4,000 communications.

Our capital has hosted more than 60 diplomatic missions.

Syria has restored its status in the international community.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

3.5 million refugees and IDPs have returned in a safe and decent way.

Syria turned from a crisis to an opportunity.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

Stability and security have been established. We are no longer isolated.

The Caesar Act was repealed. Also, sanctions were lifted, culminating in cooperation with the European Union.

Also, we are no longer part of the list of state sponsors of terrorism.