The Trump administration plans at least $927 million in White House construction, including an East Wing ballroom, security upgrades, a visitor screening facility and a helipad.

About $875 million has been routed through a maintenance account that normally receives just $2.5 million annually, using a mix of federal transfers and private donations.

Source: WaPo

New details reveal that three of Trump’s closest longtime aides — Dan Scavino, Natalie Harp and Walt Nauta — accompanied him during his secret departure from Air Force One in Ankara, while no Cabinet officials did.

Trump left the plane via a catering truck following a potential Iranian assassination threat.

The group then covertly transferred to a smaller C-32A and flew to Britain, while senior officials, journalists and other personnel remained aboard the original plane, which served as a decoy.

Source: WaPo

BREAKING: Turkish Air Force F-16 jet crashed in Türkiye’s Yalova province during a training flight.

The pilot survived the crash.

Trump:

Mediators told Hamas that Washington remains committed to Trump’s 15-point Gaza agreement "even if it angers Netanyahu."

The US reportedly intends to preserve the deal and implement what was already agreed, while outstanding disputes may be pushed until after Israel’s October 27 elections.

Source: Al-Araby Al-Jadeed

Afghan Dissidents in Alarm: Merz Grants Taliban Diplomatic Access in Exchange for Deportations

Berlin has established an unprecedented arrangement permitting Taliban officials into diplomatic missions in exchange for accelerating migrant deportations.

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Iranian General Mohammad Reza Naqdi on Palestine:

Iran has only one thing to say about occupied Palestine. The leadership there must be chosen based on a majority vote by the people who are connected to that land.

This will certainly not be done with a nuclear bomb. But we certainly prefer if the Zionist regime did not exist.

Source: PBS News

Iranian General Mohammad Reza Naqdi:

We have to attain deterrence so that the enemy never dares to attack us, so we can live with security.

One way is to prolong this war until we get to the next term of the presidency and cause attrition, so that if anyone else wants to attack Iran, they will know there is a cost.

Source: PBS News

Iranian General Mohammad Reza Naqdi:

Even if this war lasts for years, until the last day, Iran's rockets will be launched.

If there comes a day when Iran has no more missiles left, that's when we will be even more dangerous for America.

America has thousands of economic interests throughout the world, and all of them can be easily destroyed.

Source: PBS News

Q: Why has Mojtaba Khamenei never been seen in public during this war?

Iranian General Mohammad Reza Naqdi: The strategy belongs to him. Our enemy is criminal and doesn't abide by any law.

Q: So is it because of security reasons?

Naqdi: Naturally it is due to security. Certainly there is no other reason.

Q: Have you seen him?

Naqdi: Let's leave this matter alone.

Source: PBS News

Iranian General Mohammad Reza Naqdi on the Trump Administration:

Not only do these people not work for the benefit of humanity, they don't even work for America. They work for their own interests.

As soon as the stock market closes, they start hostilities, and the stock market opens, they send positive messages to raise stock prices.

All the while they are buying and selling the stocks themselves.

Source: PBS News

Iranian General Mohammad Reza Naqdi:

The longer this war lasts, the more experience we gain.

We had never seen a real war to gain real experience, to learn how to fight with America.

In these five months, we have learned how. We have also seen how the American military is weaker than what we perceived.

Source: PBS News

Ecuadorian fishermen say mysterious English-speaking men wearing U.S. flag patches attacked their boats with explosive drones, leaving some dead or missing.

NYT flight-data analysis found a privately registered maritime patrol plane based at a Salvadoran military facility repeatedly tracked the boats before the attacks.

The U.S. and El Salvador deny involvement, but the plane’s links to military facilities and the attackers’ apparent organization have raised questions about whether a U.S.-linked military contractor was behind the strikes.

Source: NYT

Turkish President Erdogan meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara.

UAE Offers to Deploy Dark-Transit Tactics to Shuttle Iraqi Crude Through Hormuz

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. is utilizing dark-transit shipping tactics to shuttle Iraqi crude through the Strait of Hormuz.

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Ukrainian drone-training commander says GTA players who completed the infamous helicopter mission became some of their best FPV drone operators.

Gaming controller skills apparently transfer surprisingly well to real drone piloting.

Source: Ukrinform

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz:

We will not withdraw—not from Lebanon, not from Syria, and not from Gaza—from the security zones.

This is our policy, and we will continue it.

We are up here, they are down there. Residents are outside, soldiers are inside, and the houses are destroyed.

Trump:

The U.S.A. has total control over over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!

Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, “A WALL OF STEEL,” and there is nothing Iran can do about it.

They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, their remaining soldiers are unpaid, the IRGC is decimated and fleeing, and their “Leadership” is uncertain, at best!

They have No Money - Their country is “shot.” All they have is FAKE NEWS and 300% INFLATION, and getting worse!

Iran is all talk and no action, the Bully of the Middle East No Longer.

Praise be to Allah!

Trump:

Praise be to Allah!

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Ahead of US-South Korea Military Drills

North Korea launched a ballistic missile off its east coast on Wednesday, traveling 700 kilometers, days before major joint military exercises between the US and South Korea.

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Netanyahu is using some interesting language on Instagram as the Israeli elections get closer.

“It’s kinda chic to be Big Yahu.”