Zelensky visits war-torn southern city as battles rage

"Zelensky visited the war-damaged southern city of Mykolaiv on Saturday for the first time
since the Russian invasion as "fierce battles" raged again in the eastern Donbas region. Russian forces have directed their firepower on the east and south of Ukraine in recent weeks." France24

Japan deploys MSDF fleet to Indo-Pacific with eye on China

"Japan has dispatched a Maritime Self-Defense Force flotilla on a deployment to 11 Indo-
Pacific countries and one foreign territory as part of joint naval exercises with the United States and other countries undertaken to counter a more assertive China.

In the annual deployment that will run to Oct 28, the MSDF fleet will make port calls in the Pacific island nations of the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Fiji for the first time, according to the Defense Ministry.

The fleet will also take part in the Rim of the Pacific exercise -- the world's largest multinational naval exercise -- the Pacific Vanguard exercise involving Australia, Japan, the United States and South Korea, and other drills, the ministry said." JapanTimes

Abbott Infant Formula Plant Closed Again After Flooding

"EleCare specialty infant formula production at Abbott's Michigan plant has been halted after
severe storms triggered flooding in the plant. The closure comes less than two weeks after the factory resumed production following a months-long shutdown that fueled a national formula shortage." 

U.S. News&WorldReport

Thousands of cattle dead amid continuing heat wave

"Thousands of cattle in Kansas have died in recent days due to high heat and humidity, dealing
a blow to one of the country’s leading cattle production states as the industry grapples with extreme weather and rising production costs linked to the war in Ukraine." ABC

Russian-flagged ships transporting Ukrainian grain to Syria

"Russian-flagged ships have been carrying grain harvested in Ukraine last season and
transported it to Syria, U.S. satellite imagery company Maxar said." JustNews

5 injured as Ukrainian ballistic missile intercepted over Donetsk

"Five people have been injured in the town of Komsomolskoye in the southeast of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in the wake of a Ukrainian missile strike that was intercepted by the local militias." RT