USA - Something really strange is going on, and none of the “experts” can explain why it is happening. Right now, there are more jobs available than ever before. In fact, according to one recent measure there were nearly 11 million job openings in the United States during the month of July. There are literally “help wanted” signs all over the place, and so if you want a job you can go get a job. It may not be the job that you want, but the truth is that there are millions upon millions of jobs available.

GERMANY - Germany's largest mosque will be permitted to broadcast the call to prayer over loudspeakers on Friday afternoons, after an agreement between the city of Cologne and the Muslim community to ease restrictions, the city said on Monday. All 35 mosques in Cologne will now be permitted to broadcast the call to prayer for up to five minutes on Fridays between noon and 3 p.m., under a two-year initiative. The call to prayer would join the bells of Cologne's cathedral - northern Europe's largest Gothic church - as sounds heard by those arriving at the city's main train station, she said. "It shows that diversity is appreciated and lived in Cologne." Some 4.5 million Muslims live in Germany, the largest religious minority group.

HAWAII - Two strong earthquakes struck off the coast of the Big Island in Hawaii on Sunday, rattling residents and causing items to fall off shelves. The US Geological Survey says the first quake had a magnitude of 6.1 and struck about 17 miles (27 kilometers) south of Naalehu. The agency says a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck about 20 minutes later in the same area. The National Weather Service in Honolulu said there was no tsunami threat.

LA PALMA - A fresh river of lava and explosive rock bombs are flowing from the volcano in La Palma. Ash from the volcano has also caused flights to be diverted away from popular winter sun destination, Tenerife. Three weeks after the La Palma volcano first erupted there is no sign of it stopping. Around 21 tremors were recorded on Sunday, the largest measuring 3.8, shaking the ground in Mazo, Fuencaliente and El Paso. Spain's National Geological Institute (ING) published footage of the new lava flow, warning of blocks "as large as three-story buildings" rolling down the hillside. One lava flow is moving at 700 metres per hour with a temperature of 1,240C and was one kilometre from the shore. The regional minister for security on the Canary Islands, Julio Perez, said they cannot expect the volcanic eruption to end anytime soon. Lava has now destroyed 1,186 buildings and around 6000 people have been evacuated from their homes.

USA - This is going to be one tough winter. On top of everything else we are facing, a very alarming energy crisis is rapidly growing all over the world. Supplies of natural gas and coal are getting tighter by the day, and this is dramatically affecting manufacturing in major exporters such as China. So that means that less stuff is going to be coming across the ocean in the months ahead, and that means that the shortages in our stores are going to be getting even worse. This is really happening, and we are going to have to deal with it. Of course store shelves are already getting pretty bare all around the country. They are calling it “the everything shortage”, and it has been intensifying with each passing week. We have never seen anything like this before, and the experts are telling us that the months in front of us are going to be even worse. The “new normal” is here, and it is going to be exceedingly painful. Whatever you think that you are going to need for the winter months, go out and get it now. The shortages are just beginning, and the global economy will never be the same after this.

CANADA - Canadian PM Justin Trudeau sparked an online storm after he used an obscure acronym, 2SLGBTQQIA+, while commemorating missing and murdered members of ethnic and sexual minorities, prompting a collective head scratching. “People across the country are lighting candles to honour Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people who are missing or have been murdered,” Trudeau tweeted on Tuesday, urging an end to the “ongoing tragedy.” The message, however, appeared to be lost on a sizeable portion of netizens who struggled to decipher the cumbersome and seldom-used acronym – which stands for: Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual people, with a plus-sign added for good measure to cover any potentially overlooked groups.

Energy is so hard to come by right now that some provinces in China are rationing electricity, Europeans are paying sky-high prices for liquefied natural gas, power plants in India are on the verge of running out of coal, and the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States stood at $3.25 on Friday — up from $1.72 in April. As the global economy recovers and global leaders prepare to gather for a landmark conference on climate change, the sudden energy crunch hitting the world is threatening already stressed supply chains, stirring geopolitical tensions and raising questions about whether the world is ready for the green energy revolution when it’s having trouble powering itself right now. The economic recovery from the pandemic recession lies behind the crisis, coming after a year of retrenchment in coal, oil and gas extraction.

USA - The energy crisis that is rippling through Asia and Europe could unleash electricity shortages and blackouts in the US, according to Bloomberg. Ernie Thrasher, Chief Executive Officer of Xcoal Energy & Resources LLC, told energy research firm IHS Markit that US utilities quickly turn to more coal because of soaring natural gas prices. "We've actually had discussions with power utilities who are concerned that they simply will have to implement blackouts this winter," Thrasher warned. He said, "They don't see where the fuel is coming from to meet demand," adding that 23% of utilities are switching away from gas this fall/winter to burn more coal. With natgas, coal, and oil prices all soaring is a clear signal the green energy transition will take decades, not years. Walking back fossil fuels for unreliable clean energy has been a disaster in Asia and Europe. These power-hungry continents are scrambling for fossil fuel supplies as stockpiles are well below seasonal trends ahead of cooler weather. "That whole supply chain is stretched beyond its limits," Thrasher said. "It's going to be a challenging winter for us here in the United States."

TAIWAN - A US special-operations unit and a contingent of Marines have been secretly operating in Taiwan to train military forces there, US officials said, part of efforts to shore up the island’s defenses as concern regarding potential Chinese aggression mounts. About two dozen members of US special-operations and support troops are conducting training for small units of Taiwan’s ground forces, the officials said. The US Marines are working with local maritime forces on small-boat training. The American forces have been operating in Taiwan for at least a year, the officials said.

TAIWAN - The US is playing a dangerous game of putting a public face on a policy of defending Taiwan from China, for which it has zero capability to implement. Following a recent escalation of tensions between Beijing and Taipei, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Saturday to pursue “reunification” with Taiwan by peaceful means and warned foreign nations about meddling in the issue.

JAPAN - Japan’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday it would consider its “options” and make necessary “preparations” toward supporting Taiwan if China continues to ramp up its military intimidation of the island. Asked by reporters how Tokyo views Beijing’s record-breaking flyovers through Taiwanese airspace in recent days, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu said he hoped “this matter is resolved peacefully between the two parties through direct talks.” “Additionally, instead of simply monitoring the situation, we hope to weigh the various possible scenarios that may arise to consider what options we have, as well as the preparations we must make,” he said at an October 5 press briefing. “The new government will continue with the harder line, as Motegi is showing. This fits with Japan’s broader push to balance China from a position of strength,” Ward opined.

UK - Experts have raised the alarm, warning of a "significant threat" to food production after the discovery of several superbugs that ruin crops and infests homes. A brown marmorated stink bug has been trapped in Surrey as part of a monitoring study. While native to Asia, it appears to have spread to parts of Europe and the US and it can cause havoc to fruit crops. In the US, they are known for invading homes houses, gathering in their hundreds, and can be catastrophic for farmers. A brown marmorated stink bug has been trapped in Surrey as part of a monitoring study. While native to Asia, it appears to have spread to parts of Europe and the US and it can cause havoc to fruit crops. In the US, they are known for invading homes houses, gathering in their hundreds, and can be catastrophic for farmers.

ISRAEL - Jordan condemns Jerusalem court's decision to permit Jews to pray silently on Temple Mount. 'Temple Mount is a place of worship only for Muslims.' Religious practices on the Temple Mount had relied upon the long-standing status quo established by Defense Minister Moshe Dayan in 1967, as well as the “Kerry Understandings” with Israel, reached with the Israeli government and Jordan in 2015. The status quo forbids prayer by Jews on the Mount.

CANADA - As of November 30, all Canadians attempting to board a flight or take a train in Canada will need to provide proof of vaccination. While Trudeau and Biden have kept the land border closed - Canadians who wish to leave the increasingly authoritarian state of Canada will be unable to do so, just like their Australian cousins. According to the government, starting October 30, all domestic travellers will be asked to provide a vaccine passport or negative COVID test. However, negative COVID tests will no longer be accepted by the end of November. “For travellers who are in the process of being vaccinated, there will be a short transition period where they will be able to travel if they can show a valid COVID-19 molecular test within 72 hours of travel, but that transition period will end on November 30,” a news release from Transport Canada reads. Canadians who falsify information or otherwise fail to comply with the vaccine mandate will face serious consequences, including $5,000 per violation for either travellers or employees, while operators could be fined up to $25,000.

EGYPT - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has hailed the peace agreement signed with Israel in 1979, urging leaders and officials in the region to follow the example of late Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat in overcoming popular concepts in his era. He made the remarks during a cultural symposium dubbed “October 1973: Crossing to the Future,” which was organized by the Armed Forces in celebration of the 48th anniversary of the October 6 War. Sisi praised late President Anwar El-Sadat, who decided to wage the war and assumed responsibility for his decision before heading to peace. Sadat’s initiative to reach a peace deal with Israel reflected his ability to move beyond the entrenched ideas and policies of his era, Sisi affirmed. He urged rulers and those responsible for managing crises in the region to take Sadat’s action as an example and pursue his steps.