5 things you need to know this morning: Sept. 19, 2022

Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.

Five things you need to know

1. Millions evacuated as typhoon batters Japan

Nine million people have been instructed to evacuate their homes in Japan as the country is hit by a devastating typhoon. Officials said the tropical storm has killed two people and injured nearly 100.

Millions of people in Japan under evacuation warnings Monday as Typhoon Nanmadol brings strong winds and heavy rain to the southwest of the countryhttps://t.co/jDrVqDZpfx pic.twitter.com/t6pXwpTu9o

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 19, 2022

2. Thirteen killed amid blasts in Donetsk

Thirteen people have been killed and many wounded after a series of blasts in the Russia-aligned Ukrainian city of Donetsk. The mayor of the city blamed Ukraine.

Thirteen people have been killed by Ukrainian shelling in the country’s eastern, separatist-held city of Donetsk, its Russian-backed mayor says.

🟠 LIVE updates: https://t.co/Sn0YLGrkwg pic.twitter.com/JJzjj3Cc25

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 19, 2022

3. Chinese health chief warns citizens against touching foreigners

A senior Chinese health official has warned citizens against touching foreigners. Wu Zunyou, the chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said the advice was designed to prevent "possible monkeypox infection."

A top Chinese health official has warned people against touching foreigners, a day after mainland China confirmed its first case of monkeypox.https://t.co/xfQLHVn8P2

— CNN International (@cnni) September 18, 2022

4. Nearly 100 killed in fighting between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

Close to a hundred people have been killed in fighting along the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border. Both sides blame the other for the violence.

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan say that nearly 100 people have died in their border conflict, as a fragile cease-fire between the Central Asian nations extends into a second day. https://t.co/k5hyzinrx7

— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 19, 2022

5. Biden says US will defend Taiwan if China attacks

President Joe Biden has repeated that the US would send its soldiers to defend Taiwan if the island were attacked by Communist China. As on previous occasions when Biden has made similar remarks, his officials in the White House quickly contradicted the president.

Biden says US would defend Taiwan if China launches an 'unprecedented attack' https://t.co/9kMDmDdoIa

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 19, 2022

And lastly...

In happier news, a Palestinian farmer has uncovered an "exceptional" Byzantine floor mosaic while planting an olive tree. Experts said the mosaic is one of the finest treasures ever found in Gaza.

Ancient mosaic floors were found near the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Tourism and Antiquities Ministry announced earlier this month.

Read more here: https://t.co/KBYBguxI8M

Credit: Reuters. pic.twitter.com/owbfEsIerF

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) September 19, 2022