UKRAINE - General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Ukraine publicly requested a long list of weapons, including 1,000 howitzers, 500 tanks and 300 multiple launch rocket systems. Journalists noted that they could see Milley's indignation about Kyiv's unbridled appetite. In his speech, the General meticulously listed all the weapons that the international community already supplied to Ukraine:

HOLLAND - Dutch Climate and Energy Minister Rob Jetten told reporters on Wednesday that he has asked German Economy Minister Robert Habeck if Germany’s last three nuclear power plants could be kept open. However, Jetten said that this likely won’t be possible. Germany shut down three of its last six nuclear power plants last year, and is currently set to close the remaining three by the end of this year. The closures will take place even after Germany voluntarily shut down the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia and reduced Russian energy imports through other connections, and as renewable energy delivers lackluster results for Europe’s predominant industrial power. The Netherlands plans to stop importing Russian gas this year, and with its government hesitant to drill in the gas-rich province of Groningen, officials are looking to their neighbor for help.

EUROPE - The EU doesn't have a plan for life without cheap Russia energy, so what happens next? As Germany reports its first trade deficit in 30 years, the prospects for West European industry look grim thanks to the US-led sanctions on Russia. Germany’s May foreign trade balance showed a €1 billion deficit. This has led many analysts to question the future of the country's economy and the outlook for the European Union in general.

WALES - Parents seeking to ban the Welsh Government’s controversial Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) whole-school curriculum, starting this September, are facing administrative bureaucracy. Despite in May, a High Court declared the Government’s plans involve “the consideration of complex constitutional matters with potentially very significant consequences for both parents and children”, Court administrators in Cardiff have decided to delay scheduling the case till after the start of the new academic year. Further, the London-based Queen’s Counsel instructed by the Government is not available till early November!

SAUDI ARABIA - One million Muslim pilgrims gathered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday to begin the largest Hajj, or annual Islamic pilgrimage, the Kingdom has seen since before the Chinese coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020, Arab News reported. “A million pilgrims began the spiritual journey of a lifetime as the first rituals of the annual Hajj began,” the Riyadh-based newspaper wrote on July 7. “Hundreds of thousands of worshippers circled Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah [Mecca]. Many held umbrellas to block the sun as the temperature climbed to 42C [107.6 Fahrenheit],” Arab News observed. “On Thursday [July 7], the pilgrims will move to a vast tented city at Mina, about 5 kilometers [3 miles] from the Grand Mosque, ahead of the main rite at Mount Arafat, where the [Islamic] Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon,” the newspaper detailed. The Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest site in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The journey is required of all able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, as long as they can afford the trip. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which also include a profession of faith, prayer, alms, and fasting.

CHINA - Beijing is acquiring weapons five times faster than the US and at a far lower cost, a Pentagon official has warned. China is building its arsenal of new weapons five to six times faster than the US and at a small fraction of the cost, gaining a strategic advantage that Washington can’t afford to leave unchecked, a top Pentagon official has lamented. “In purchasing power parity, they spend about $1 to our $20 to get to the same capability,” US Air Force Major General Cameron Holt said at an industry conference in San Diego. “We are going to lose if we can’t figure out how to drop the cost and increase the speed in our defense supply chains.” Holt, who oversees all weapons procurement as deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force, made his comments at a conference for federal government contractors last month. The speech came to light this week, however, when an online magazine called the War Zone reported on it.

GERMANY - Almost half of Germans believe Ukraine should cede territory in the country’s east to reach a peace deal with Russia, according to a fresh poll by broadcaster RTL. While 47% of Germans back the idea of Ukraine making territorial concessions to Russia, some 41% oppose it. The remaining 12% of respondents were unsure, according to the poll. A vast majority – some 69% – of Germans do not believe that Kiev will be able to defeat Russia on the battlefield and drive its troops out of the country.

EUROPE - The European Parliament on Wednesday backed EU rules labelling investments in gas and nuclear power plants as climate-friendly, throwing out an attempt to block the law that has exposed deep rifts between countries over how to fight climate change. The vote paves the way for the European Union proposal to pass into law, unless 20 of the bloc's 27 member states decide to oppose the move, which is seen as very unlikely. The new rules will add gas and nuclear power plants to the EU "taxonomy" rulebook from 2023, enabling investors to label and market investments in them as green.

USA - The endless drought in the Southwest has become a full-blown national emergency. If Lake Mead, Lake Powell and the Colorado River keep drying up at the rate they have been, millions of Americans could soon be without water and electricity. Despite all of our advanced technology, those living in the Southwest continue to be extremely dependent on a handful of critically important water sources, and if those water sources get so low that they cannot be used we are going to have a major crisis on our hands.

UK - Tracking and surveillance tech is finding its use in yet another segment of public life in the West – road traffic. Starting in 2022, cars in the UK will be fitted with speed limiters as a mandatory measure, and the most commonly used variety is the Intelligent Speed Assistant (ISA). ISA works using GPS data alone, cameras for traffic sign recognition fitted to the front of the car, or a combination of the two. A speed limiter affects the engine power and in that way decreases speed. Like the name suggests, speed limiters are designed to prevent drivers from exceeding certain speed limits, and prompt them via audio, visual, and haptic warnings until they “obey” and slow down. The UK is essentially joining the EU in mandating this technology for all new cars, despite the fact the country has left the bloc. For the moment, they are “opt-in,” since drivers can still turn them off. But, the plan is to remove this option completely.

EUROPE - Germany and the EU depend on Chinese companies for access to Lithium, one of the most important raw materials for the energy transition. Chinese companies dominate the global lithium sector – not only in mining, but also in processing and battery production. For the US to catch up to China in the lithium sector, it could take decades and at least US $175 billion in investments, according to estimates. The required investment would be no less for Germany and the EU.

SRI LANKA - Sri Lanka is rocked by crisis as thousands of protestors storm the president's house in the capital of Colombo over public anger at the government's handling of an economic crisis. A planned rally, one of the largest anti-government marches in the crisis-hit country this year, turned violent as thousands of demonstrators surged into the presidential compound of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Some protesters, holding Sri Lankan flags and helmets, broke into the president's residence, video footage from local TV news NewsFirst channel showed. Two defence ministry sources said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was removed from the official premises on Friday for his safety ahead of the planned rally over the weekend. The island of 22 million people is struggling under a severe foreign exchange shortage that has limited essential imports of fuel, food and medicine, plunging it into the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948.

USA - As our nation faces economic collapse and our greatest enemies literally engage in war games in our backyard, US Military and Defense leaders are focusing on the important things – mainly, creating “safe spaces“, pushing radical leftist ideologies, and – of course – purging the ranks of all dissenters. This week, with tens of thousands of world-class men and women across all five military branches facing dishonorable discharge for refusing to take the experimental vaccine, the United States Air Force began issuing its first cuts, including a highly-decorated, 19-year veteran Master Sergeant named Nick Kupper. In an appearance with Tucker Carlson on Wednesday, Kupper blasted Biden’s “illegal” mandates and warned that tens of thousands of other military members are facing the same fate for refusing the vaccine – unbelievably, as much as 10% of the entire US military could get the ax, according to Kupper.

EUROPE - Polish and Italian Farmers rise up against government elites destroying their family businesses. Farmer protests continued in The Netherlands on Thursday. And now the movement is spreading. Farmer protests were launched in Italy and Poland on Thursday. Reuters reported: Reductions are necessary in emissions of nitrogen oxides from farm animal manure and from the use of ammonia in fertilizer, the government says, estimating a 30% reduction in the number of livestock is needed. High-intensity farming of cows, pigs and other animals has made the Netherlands Europe’s leading emitter of the substances. Construction and traffic also contribute. Dutch and European courts have ordered the Dutch government to address the problem. Farmers say they have been unfairly singled out and have criticised the government’s approach. Traffic jams were reported on the highways. In the Netherlands, the supermarkets are starting to run out of food on their shelves.

GERMANY - There is a huge question mark hanging over the German government’s plan to replace Russian gas with liquefied natural gas (LNG) if Moscow cuts supplies, Bild has reported. According to the newspaper, the country could be in for a “gigantic gas crisis” this winter. In its article on Wednesday, the German daily quoted Brandenburg region’s economy minister, Jorg Steinbach as saying it’s “pretty much certain” that Russia will not relaunch gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline after maintenance work is finished. The report noted that Germany’s economy ministry acknowledged that the “situation is serious,” with officials adding that they “cannot speculate as to what Russia subsequently decides.” Bavaria’s governor, Markus Soder, is already speaking of a “full rationing of gas,” according to Bild. Anticipating such an emergency scenario, the country’s economy minister, Robert Habeck had previously devised a plan, under which Russian gas should be replaced, at least partially, by LNG delivered by ship. However, according to Bild citing several experts, there might simply be not enough tankers out there to satisfy Germany’s gas needs.