Zelensky wants talks with China

"Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said on Thursday he would like to speak “directly”
with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, as he urged Beijing to use its economic and political leverage to stop the conflict in his country.

Zelensky said he believes China has the means to make Russia stop its offensive." RT

Ukrainian Cities Shelled, Including One near Nuclear Plant

"Powerful explosions rattled the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv on Thursday and a city
close to the country's biggest nuclear power plant sustained a barrage of shelling amid Russian attacks in several regions." NEWSMAX

Taiwan Faces Urgent Fighter Pilot Shortage

"Taiwan’s military is its dire shortage of pilots. While Taipei is protected by a relatively large
and modern fleet of fighter jets, the democratically governed island could need as many as 50 years at the current rate to train enough pilots to fill the cockpits of the jets they expect to get by the middle of this decade." Yahoo

Chinese Military Drills A Rehearsal For Taiwan "Reunification Operation"

"Citizens watch from beaches while rockets soar as if beholding a patriotic spectacle.......In
another ominous sign signaling China intends to escalate its threatening and retaliatory military drills now encircling Taiwan, state-run Global Times has cited a source saying that a PLA aircraft carrier group with a nuclear-powered submarine has now joined the ongoing exercises off Taiwan.

Additionally, the English-language government mouthpiece GT is now calling the five-day drill that have commenced a rehearsal for a "reunification operation" - and says that after Pelosi's provocative and damaging visit, "exercises blockading" Taiwan are to "become routine". " ZH

Intense Flooding Hits Russia's Black Sea Resort Sochi

"Russia's largest resort city Sochi experienced major flooding over the weekend as record
rainfall washed out the city on the Black Sea coast.

Local power supplies were cut off, apartment buildings were flooded, cars were seen being washed away and a river overflowed, leading to one civilian death and several injuries." MT

Moscow Tells Norwegian Envoy That Consul Who Said She 'Hates Russians' Cannot Stay in Country

"An employee of Norway's Consulate General in Murmansk, Russia, was caught on record in
the middle of an emotional rant during which she confessed that she "hate[s] Russians". The consul was complaining about a room booking mix-up taking too long to resolve and her room being insufficiently clean.

The Norwegian ambassador in Russia, Rune Resaland, was summoned by Moscow to be notified of the "unacceptable" behavior of one of the employees of Norway's Consulate General, consul Elisabeth Ellingsen. Resaland was also informed that Ellingsen can no longer stay in the country following her statements.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that although Oslo apologized for Ellingsen's behavior, she nonetheless must leave the country." Sputnik

Russian Prosecutors Seek 9.5-Year Prison Term for US Basketball Player Brittney Griner

"A Russian court has found US basketball player Brittney Griner, who was accused of
smuggling the controlled substance hash oil into the country, guilty of the crime. The court sentenced her to nine years in prison and ordered her to pay a one million ruble ($16,600) fine.

Previously, a Russian prosecutor requested a 9.5-year prison term for Griner. This is close to the strongest punishment possible for this type of crime. The prosecutor also requested that Griner be slapped with a one million ruble fine." Sputnik

China Fires Missiles in Taiwanese Waters

"Long-range armed live fire precision missile strikes were carried out on selected targets in the eastern area of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan acknowledged the missile launches as credible, claiming they detected them instantly." PJM

Japan makes claim about Chinese missiles

"Five Chinese ballistic missiles have landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, Defense
Minister Nobuo Kishi claimed on Thursday. China had earlier scrapped a high-level diplomatic meeting with Japan, and fired a salvo of missiles into waters near Taiwan.

Kishi told Kyodo News that the incident marks the first time that a Chinese ballistic missile touched down in Japanese waters." RT

Ballistic Missiles Soar Over Taiwan, "Hundreds" Of PLA Fighters Breach Airspace, As 5-Day Drills Commence

"China has kicked off its latest round of war drills Thursday aimed at encircling and
pressuring Taiwan in the wake of this week's House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visit to the self-ruled island, the day after she departed and continued on her Asia tour to South Korea. According to China's People's Daily, this has included PLA command dispatching "hundreds" of fighter jets to enter airspace off the northern, southwestern and southeastern airspaces of the island, at a moment Taiwan's defense forces are on a heightened state of alert." ZH

Ireland insists Sabina Higgins letter on Ukraine has not embarrassed the government

"The Irish premier has said the controversy over a letter about the Ukraine conflict written by the president's wife has not caused embarrassment.

Micheal Martin said Sabina Higgins has clarified the matter after she issued a statement in defence of the letter which critics claimed drew an equivalence between the actions of Russia and Ukraine." CNBC

“Widespread Civil Unrest” Looming in UK Over Cost of Living Crisis

"The chance of “widespread civil unrest” occurring in the UK as a result of people being unable to afford to pay their bills due to the cost of living crisis is “inevitable,” according to one campaigner.

With energy prices set to soar even higher in October as a result of the sanctions on Russia, many Brits have resolved to refuse to pay their bills as part of a growing backlash some are comparing to the poll tax riots.

A similar movement under the umbrella of the Don’t Pay organization is now urging people to cancel their direct debits in October if energy prices continue to rise.

Average energy bills in the UK for dual fuel are expected to rise to £3,615 by January 2023, an increase of 283 per cent on March levels." IW

Senate Votes to Add Sweden, Finland to NATO

"The Senate voted to admit Sweden and Finland into NATO.

The Senate overwhelmingly approved the application for both countries 95-1. Democrats and Republicans overwhelmingly approved of the measure, while Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) voted no, and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voted present." Breitbart

Taiwan fires flares at ‘Chinese drones’ flying over heavily-fortified Kinmen Islands

"Suspected Chinese drones flew over Taiwan and hackers attacked its defense ministry website, authorities in Taipei said on Thursday, a day after a diplomatic visit from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi outraged the Communist nation. That has never happened before and a senior ministry official described the potential move as ‘amounting to a sea and air blockade of Taiwan’." MS