Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Russia posed a real threat to the Western Balkans but rejected concerns about Chinese and Turkish influence in the region:

China has no imperial agenda — it is simply a reality that everyone has to deal with.

Türkiye poses no danger in the Western Balkans. I see only brotherly involvement for stability and peace.

Source: Die Welt

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev:

Azerbaijan opened the way for serious geopolitical changes, and those who once said, "Karabakh is Armenia, period," are now saying, "Karabakh is Azerbaijan." They are being forced to say it.

And Armenia’s recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is not simply an expression of goodwill and cannot be regarded as such.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev:

All the previous Armenian leaders are war criminals, and they must receive their punishment.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev:

We do not need anyone’s help or patronage. When we needed help, no one helped us. When we had one million refugees, no one extended a hand to us.

Everything we obtained, we bought with money, including all our weapons — at world market prices, down to the last bullet.

Not once did anyone give us even a one-manat or one-dollar discount. Sometimes they even sold to us at several times the world market price, and we were forced to turn a blind eye to it.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev:

Everyone has some big uncle standing behind them — some have several. But we were alone, while all those big uncles were against us.

The co-chairs of the Minsk Group were against us. Today they are among the leading powers in the world.

Look at whom we fought against. They stood behind Armenia, and they still do today — each in their own way.

The UAE has reportedly warned the UK it could withdraw billions of pounds in future investment after Manchester City was found guilty of Premier League financial violations.

According to The Telegraph, Abu Dhabi could reconsider funding for the Oxford-Cambridge technology corridor, where the UK is seeking £10bn in private investment.

The dispute has put pressure on Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who initially praised City’s UAE owners and said he would be “really concerned” if they sold the club before Downing Street stressed that no team was above the rules.

Manchester City, owned by Sheikh Mansour, was found guilty of all but one of 115 charges and has said it will appeal.

Source: The Telegraph

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev:

Today, we do not leave a single blow against us unanswered.

For one blow, we may return two, five or ten blows — so that everyone knows their place, stays out of our affairs, does not stick their nose into our way of life, and does not tell us what to do.

Everyone should go and take care of their own people and their own state.

UKMTO said a crude oil tanker was struck by an unknown projectile about 4 nautical miles east of Oman on Oct. 2.

All crew are safe and no environmental impact has been reported.

Indian border guards shot and killed two Pakistani nationals and wounded a third near the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, according to Pakistani and Indian media.

Pakistan said the men were unarmed civilians who had walked a few steps beyond a border marker.

Trump:

Dumb! They all think that dumb doesn't have a B.

Trump:

They call me Pinocchio if I lied. I don't lie.

Trump:

Iran had a runoff for the presidency, and there were no participants. Everyone said, “I don’t want it.”

Trump on Iran:

There’s nobody to deal with Iran. Nobody wants to be the president.

I say, “Who do I speak to in Iran?” Knock, knock. Nobody home.

Trump:

I saw a group of people, “Gays for Palestine.” Let’s send them over someday to negotiate.

You will never see them again. They do things that you wouldn’t believe in.

📸 Trump and Xi Jinping in the Oval Office during Xi’s visit to the U.S.

Host: If there are no Palestinians in Gaza, there will be peace.

Ben-Gvir: Period. And we need to want that. I’m not sure everyone on our side wanted it. Bibi didn’t want it.

We had concrete offers, and he didn’t take them.

Host: Why would anyone take Palestinians in?

Ben-Gvir: For money. In exchange for money. It would cost us a lot, but in the end, it saves us money in the defense budget.

Host: But they’ll say we’re selling Palestinians.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir:

If Ireland wants to preach morality to us so much and wants to help the Gazans, then let them take them in from Gaza.

Argentina is launching a “golden passport” program to attract foreign capital and boost its cash-strapped finances.

Applicants can obtain Argentine citizenship by donating $350,000 to the treasury or buying an $800,000 government bond.

The program requires no residency in Argentina. The government says applicants will face checks on their funds, criminal history and reputation.

Source: NYT

Sources identified the FlyDubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain and trying to crash the flight as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam Al Hammami.

Al Hammami is reportedly cooperating with investigators and has indicated that he intended to crash the aircraft in Israel.

Source: ABC News