Morning brief: Niger junta says open to dialogue, and more

Taiwan's defence ministry said on Sunday (August 20) that 25 planes of the Chinese air force crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line in the last 24 hours, with officials warning that China will likely conduct military exercises near the island.

In Niger, junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani said that neither the junta nor the citizens wanted war, and remained open to dialogue. "But let there be no misunderstanding: should aggression be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park that some believe it to be," Tiani added.

And as the war rages on in Ukraine, Kyiv announced training had begun for Ukrainians to operate upon F-16 fighter jets. Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov in a TV interview informed about the training, adding that it would take at least six months or possibly longer to complete it.

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Taiwan's defence ministry said on Sunday (August 20) that in the last 24 hours, 25 Chinese air force planes crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line, which previously served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides.

Niger coup leader General Abdourahamane Tiani said on Saturday (August 19) evening that neither the junta nor the citizens wanted war, and remained open to dialogue.Niger has been placed under a coup since July 26.

Provincial officials have orderedthe evacuation of approximately 30,000 individuals in western Canada's British Columbia, amidst escalating wildfires, media reports said. Bowinn Ma, British Columbia's minister of emergency management and climate readiness, spoke about the dynamic nature of the wildfire crisis

A couple of days after the United States approved sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and Netherlands, Kyiv announced training had begun for Ukrainians to operate upon the machine.

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