Turkish President Erdogan on the Mecca Alliance:

It would not be correct to view the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement as an alliance established against Iran, Israel or any third country.

This agreement is an expression of our shared responsibility to build a safer, peaceful and prosperous future.

For a long time, we have emphasized that regional issues must be addressed by the countries of the region themselves. We seek to strengthen our security, enhance our deterrence and reinforce lasting stability in our region.

Source: Newsweek

Turkish President Erdogan:

The relations that Greece or any other country develops with third countries are a matter of their own choice. Türkiye does not view every bilateral relationship as a threat directed against it. Nonetheless, we closely monitor any actions that may jeopardize our national security, lawful rights, and interests.

Türkiye has a strong position and influence in NATO. Rather than debating the ramifications of a hypothetical military confrontation for the Alliance, it would be more prudent to focus on diplomacy to prevent such a possibility from arising.

Source: Newsweek

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

We are developing these new partnerships while continuing to work closely with our principal ally, the United States, and our major trading partner in China.

Australia stands for a safer world where no country dominates and no country is dominated.

Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Gaza:

The peace plan on Gaza agreed last October was welcome, but it has not fundamentally changed the reality on the ground.

Israeli strikes continue. Humanitarian aid remains blocked. Civilians continue to suffer.

We, the international community, have failed Palestine.

Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Sudan:

We need to act decisively to support the people of Sudan to end this conflict. We must support their aspirations for democracy, justice, and development.

Sudan has become a forgotten war despite its devastating impacts. We must not allow the absence of daily headlines to become a license for inaction.

Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Iran:

Ireland has consistently stated that Iran must cease its attacks on its neighbors and also end its destabilizing activities across the region, including strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Vessels must be allowed to transit the strait safely and without tolls in line with international law. If we are to build greater stability, Iran must never have a nuclear weapon.

Iran’s destabilizing influence across the region must cease. We need dialogue to achieve a negotiated settlement.

Trump:

Very productive meeting with President Xi for both the U.S.A. and China. Tremendous things will be happening.

Like almost everyone else, he seemed to like calling the poorly and inaccurately named Artificial Intelligence to a far more accurate and important name, SUPER INTELLIGENCE. That would be “SUPER!” Everyone last night agreed, also.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung criticized Zelensky for publicly revealing Ukraine’s transfer of two North Korean prisoners captured while fighting for Russia to South Korea.

Lee said the matter was highly sensitive for diplomacy and national security and that the disclosure violated a confidentiality agreement.

He called it “deeply regrettable” and said such issues should be handled based on national interests rather than political gains.

Yemen’s Houthis have told the EU they will not target European ships in the Red Sea, saying their campaign is aimed at Saudi Arabia rather than disrupting international shipping.

The Houthis also assured the U.S. they would not target American ships after Oman-facilitated talks with Washington.

Source: FT

A Fire broke out on the Greek-flagged car ferry Blue Car Carrier II north of Mykonos.

The vessel had 29 people on board and nearly 200 trucks and cars.

No injuries were reported, and passengers were being transferred to the nearby island of Tinos.

EU's Kaja Kallas:

EU Member States have agreed on the terms for releasing €6.6 billion European Peace Facility funds for Ukraine.

That’s good news for Ukraine and bad news for Russia.

Starbucks will close 250 underperforming coffeehouses in North America as CEO Brian Niccol continues efforts to revive sales.

The closures, representing about 1% of the company’s roughly 18,000 North American stores, will cost about $300 million in restructuring charges and are expected to be completed by the end of fiscal 2026.

Source: Reuters

German investigators suspect Russia’s military intelligence agency GRU was behind a September 3 arson attack in Munich targeting a construction site near defense and technology companies Rohde & Schwarz and Helsing, which supplies drones to Ukraine.

Two Bulgarian nationals were arrested and are suspected of being low-level agents allegedly recruited by a GRU-linked team operating from Slovakia.

Source: FAZ

Manchester City have been found guilty on all but one of the 115 charges related to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, according to sources briefed on the matter.

The sanctions have not yet been decided, with possible punishments ranging from fines and points deductions to expulsion from the Premier League. City are expected to appeal and continue to deny the allegations.

The charges, brought in February 2023, relate to alleged financial breaches between 2009 and 2018, including claims that the club failed to provide accurate financial information and breached UEFA and Premier League regulations.

Under Sheikh Mansour’s ownership, City have won multiple domestic trophies and the Champions League, while the club has consistently denied the Premier League’s allegations.

Source: The Athletic

Trump to Xi:

We have a lot of respect for you, a lot of respect.

Iraq's PM al-Zaidi:

Our ambition is for Iraq to be a global hub for energy production and to leverage its potential to promote regional and international security and stability in a sustainable manner.

We are working to diversify our oil export ports and develop energy corridors linking Iraq, Türkiye, Jordan, and Syria in order to reach global markets, with the aim of contributing to energy security and diversified supply routes.

Iraq's PM al-Zaidi:

Here at the United Nations headquarters, there is a replica of the study of the Babylonian king Hamurabi.

It has an inscription which reads, "Laws are made to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak."

In today's world, we find the weak being oppressed because it is the law of the powerful that governs, not the power of the law.

There will be no room for security in the Middle East without a just solution for this issue and without establishing the right of the Palestinian people to their land, to self-determination, and to establishing their sovereign state.

Iraq's PM al-Zaidi:

Iraq is the heart of history beating in the modern world.

Iraq is a nation worthy of partnership as we move toward the future.

Reporters ask Trump interesting questions as he welcomes Xi to the White House.

He ignores them.

Xi Jinping:

Trump and I are like two people that's charting the course for the great ship of China-U.S. relations.

When Trump visited China in May, we agreed on the vision of building a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability.

This time, we've agreed to add new substance to it, that the relationship will be a constructive one of strategic stability on the basis of respect, fairness, and reciprocity.

One can see that the prospects for this relationship will get more brighter.