23 Indian Army personnel missing in flash floods in Sikkim, search operations on.

A cloudburst over Lhonak Lake triggered flooding in a valley located in northeastern Sikkim state.

Finnish journalists expose how companies circumvent car export ban to Russia

Finnish investigative journalists have exposed how companies are circumventing the ban on exporting cars to Russia, according to a report published by the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle).

The journalists attached a motion sensor to a Lexus RX350 and tracked it as it was allegedly transported from Canada to Kazakhstan in transit through Germany and Russia.

Transit is not prohibited by the ban, but the journalists found that the car was actually transported to St. Petersburg and then Moscow.

The Lexus was later discovered in a car dealership in Tomsk, where it was purchased and driven around the city.

The journalists believe that the carriers provided the Finnish and Russian border guards with different documents regarding the final point of delivery.

Armenian terrorist organization ASALA has claimed responsibility for the act of vandalism committed yesterday at the World Jewish Center in Yerevan.

The synagogue was painted with red liquid and the windows were broken.

“We, the young followers of the true freedom fighters of the Armenian people, are proud to inform you of the intimidation operation that was carried out on the morning of October 3, 2023 against the World Jewish Center in Yerevan.”

At the same time, Armenian nationalists proudly declared that they would continue to commit this kind of action against Jews and the Jewish world.

“This is a warning: our successful operation in Yerevan is just the beginning. This is just a declaration of our determination. We will continue to burn synagogues in the US, Europe and other countries.”

FT:

Franco-German lack of consensus delays EU decision-making

A lack of consensus between France and Germany, the two most powerful EU member states, is causing delays in multiple high-priority and time-sensitive issues, including financing Ukraine and overseeing national budgets.

The impasse has startled Brussels and other EU capitals, and exposed the difficulty of taking decisions without alignment between Paris and Berlin.

The lack of personal chemistry between German chancellor Olaf Scholz and French president Emmanuel Macron does not help.

“They just don’t seem to get on,” said one person present at recent discussions between the two leaders.

“And that’s at the heart of this.”

The problems stem from both significant policy disagreements between the two countries and the fractious nature of the coalition government in Germany, which has made it harder for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to set a clear direction on issues such as energy.

The tensions have been percolating for more than a year, but they have come to a head in recent months as the EU struggles to respond to the war in Ukraine and its economic fallout.

In particular, there is disagreement over how to fund Ukraine's war effort and how to reduce the EU's reliance on Russian energy. France and Germany have also clashed over issues such as trade and immigration.

POLITICO:

EU, Russia and US held secret talks in Türkiye days before Azerbaijan's Karabakh blitz

Top officials from the United States, the European Union, and Russia held undisclosed emergency talks in Türkiye on September 17, just days before Azerbaijan launched a anti-terror operation in Karabakh.

The meeting, which was not announced to the public, marks a rare — if ultimately unsuccessful — contact between Moscow and the West on a major security concern, after Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 upended regular diplomacy.

A senior diplomat with knowledge of the discussions told POLITICO that the meeting took place in Istanbul as part of efforts to pressure Azerbaijan to end its nine-month "blockade" of Karabakh and allow in humanitarian aid convoys from Armenia.

The diplomat said that the meeting focused on "how to get the bloody trucks moving" and ensure supplies of food and fuel could reach the enclave's estimated 100,000 residents.

The U.S. was represented by Louis Bono, Washington’s senior adviser for Caucasus negotiations, while the EU dispatched Toivo Klaar, its representative for the region. Russia, meanwhile, sent Igor Khovaev, who serves as Putin’s special envoy on relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Russian Lancet kamikaze UAV strikes on mock-up of Ukrainian Buk air defense system.

This is how Azerbaijan detained the former President of Armenia-backed illegal regime in Karabakh, Arayik Harutyunyan.

Reports claim Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev refused to go to Spain, where a meeting with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan was supposed to take place with the participation of the leaders of the EU, France and Germany.

The reason is the destructive position of France, as well as the disagreement of Paris and Berlin to participate in the meeting of Türkiye.

In such conditions, the Azerbaijani side refused to hold negotiations.

#BREAKING Ukrainian media claims Ukrainian Intelligence (SBU) hit Russian S-400 air defence system in Belgorod last night.

SBU kamikaze UAVs reportedly attacked Russian S-400 air defence system near Belgorod.

Russia’s FSB announces the “capture of one of the Ukrainian saboteurs who participated in an attempt to land in Crimea.”

Iranian-made Arash kamikaze UAV launched for the first time against a naval target.

#BREAKING Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (GUR) releases video footage showing GUR forces landing on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula.

Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan:

After this latest incident (attempted terror attack in Ankara), it has become clear that the two terrorists came from Syria and received training there.

All infrastructure and superstructure facilities belonging to the PKK and YPG in Iraq and Syria are now the legitimate targets of our security forces, armed forces and intelligence.

I recommend 3rd parties to stay away from PKK/YPG facilities and individuals.

They will regret committing such an act.

France pushes Germany, EU to take side of Armenia but Germany says non, désolée

The German publication Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna is actively pushing the European Union to "resolutely take" the side of Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan.

Colonna reportedly tried to ensure that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock traveled with her on her last trip to Yerevan, but Germany declined the invitation.

According to the French, it is extremely important that Berlin and Paris act as a united political front on the issue of policy towards Armenia, thus setting the direction for the entire European Union.

Putin:

Russia has many friends in Europe.

There are many supporters of traditional values ​​in the West, they simply behave more quietly than their opponents.

Russian FM spokeswoman Zakharova:

Zangezur corridor will contribute to the process of normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan.

Refusal to a meeting with the participation of EU countries and Armenia is the sovereign right of Azerbaijan.

The length of stay of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh will be determined in contact with Baku based on the situation in the region.

Türkiye’s first indigenous & homegrown manned supersonic jet, light attack, training, patrol and acro team aircraft HÜRJET continues its dual cockpit, high tactical performance tests.

Afterburner and touch-and-go landing tests were successfully performed.

Canada's Le Devoir:

Canada has secretly allowed businessmen to bypass its own sanctions against Russia.

The report is based on an analysis of federal data on international trade, which shows that Russian companies continue to supply materials for construction, geological exploration, and luxury goods to Canada.

In return, Canada is exporting raw materials and equipment to Russia.

Of particular concern is Canada's export of "X-ray machines and devices using alpha, beta, gamma and other types of ionizing radiation" to Russia.

Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak:

I say this to our allies, give [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy the tools, the Ukrainians will finish the job.

We were the first country to send tanks to Kyiv, now more than 10 others have followed.

We were the first country to agree to train Ukrainian pilots, now over a dozen others do too.

NATO Military Committee head Admiral Rob Bauer:

The arms industry needs to ramp up weapons and ammunition production as "the bottom of the barrel is now visible" due to the war in Ukraine.

We started to give away from half-full or lower warehouses in Europe and therefore the bottom of the barrel is now visible.

And we need the industry to ramp up production in a much higher tempo and we need large volumes.

Turkish MoD footage showing airstrikes on PKK targets in northern Iraq.

16 targets including caves, bunkers, shelters and warehouses where terrorists were believed to be located were destroyed.