"The U.S. government put on a brave face and publicly welcomed the British decision to give away an archipelago of strategic islands this week, but Washington privately warned of the danger of China using them to establish listening stations, a report claims.Britain’s newspaper of record The Times cites unnamed government sources to substantiate its claims that officials in Washington D.C. and London counselled the UK’s fledgling left-wing government against giving away the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), as was announced yesterday. The archipelago includes Diego Garcia, its largest island, a volcanic atoll upon which perches a strategically vital military base.
The base supports long-range bomber and surveillance aircraft, and passing Western warships. A British supply ship docked at the island just days ago. But the base is also understood to fulfil a crucial role as a listening station, gathering radio traffic and other intelligence from the nations and strategic waterways surrounding it.
The Times stated: “private warnings from the United States and concern among officials that doing so could hand China a strategic spying post”." Breitbart
"A Russian Shahed drone exploded in Kalinkavichy, Belarus, causing a power outage in the town, citing the monitoring group Belaruski Hajun and Belsat." RB
"Iran issued its own counterthreats in the wake of several reports saying Israel is readying a major response to the Oct.1st Iranian ballistic missile attack. The Biden administration is said to be in consultations with Israel's security cabinet on the potential of taking out the Islamic Republic's oil and gas sites and vital infrastructure. Nuclear sites could be on the table, but President Biden is objecting to this, at least on a public level.
"The resistance in the region will not back down even with the killing of its leaders," Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared while leading Friday prayers in Tehran. "The brilliant action of our armed forces a couple of nights ago was completely legal and legitimate," he said defiantly in the rare appearance." ZH
"In the past 24 hours, there were 142 combat clashes on the frontlines, with the heaviest Russian activity observed in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors of the front.
The number of combat clashes in the Kupiansk sector reached 11. The Ukrainian forces repelled attacks near Synkivka, Kurylivka, Pishchane, Vyshneve, Petropavlivka, and Pershotravneve.In the Lyman sector, the Ukrainian troops halted 13 enemy attacks, with the invaders focusing their efforts near the settlements of Makiivka, Novosadove, Torske, Druzheliubivka, Hrekivka, and Dronivka.
In the Siversk direction, one attack near Spirne was repelled by the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
Six enemy attempts to advance near Chasiv Yar, Andriivka, Bila Hora, and Stupochky were stopped by the Ukrainian defenders in the Kramatorsk sector. The situation remains under control. The enemy used aviation, striking Chasiv Yar with guided bombs.
In the Toretsk sector, the aggressor launched airstrikes on Katerynivka, Druzhba, and Kleban-Byk, and tried to advance nine times near Toretsk, Dachne, and Nelipivka.
The Ukrainian defenders repelled 30 attacks in the Pokrovsk sector over the past day. The enemy tried to advance near Sukha Balka, Hirnyk, Promin, Novotoretske, and Krutyi Yar. The enemy’s main efforts were concentrated near Mykolaivka and Selydove, where there were nine and seven clashes, respectively; in addition, the enemy bombed Myrnohrad, Bilytske, and Selydove, dropping seven guided bombs.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold the enemy back in the Kurakhove sector. In the areas of Novooleksandrivka, Tsukuryne, Heorhiivka, Kostiantynivka, Trudove, Vozdvyzhenka, Antonivka, and Katerynivka, the invaders attempted to break through the Ukrainian defense lines 23 times.
Three enemy attacks were stopped by the Ukrainian defenders near Bohoyavlenka and one near Maksymivka in the Vremivka sector.
In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy units tried twice to advance in the areas of Kamianske and Novodanylivka.
The operational situation in the Volyn and Polissia sectors remains unchanged, with no signs of enemy offensive groupings being formed.
Along the border with Chernihiv region, the Russians continue to maintain a military presence, conduct reconnaissance and artillery shellings.
The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue their operations in the Kursk sector. Over the past day, the enemy launched one missile and 14 airstrikes on its own territory, using 30 guided bombs; in addition, they carried out nearly 300 shellings." Ukrin
