Drone attack sparks fire at oil refinery in southern Russia

"An oil refinery in the village of Novominskaya in Russia's Krasnodar Krai caught fire on Feb. 28 following a drone attack, according to the Krasnodar Krai Operational Headquarters.
Falling debris from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ignited the blaze, the Operational Headquarters reported. Emergency crews and specialized services were dispatched to the scene.
The reported target was the Albashneft "mini-refinery" in Krasnodar Krai's Novominskaya, a village that lies roughly 250 kilometers (150 miles) from the front line in Ukraine." KI

Senior Iranian Military Commanders Confirmed Dead After U.S. Strikes

"Multiple senior Iranian defense and military commanders are confirmed dead after a series of U.S. and Israeli military strikes

launched early Saturday morning. The strikes have been described by U.S. officials as the first wave in a military operation that could last for several days.
According to a report from the New York Post, Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), General Mohammad Pakpour, were killed in the strikes. Pakpour had assumed leadership of the IRGC following the death of his predecessor, Hossein Salami, in an Israeli strike during the Twelve-Day War last June." 

TP

Zelensky on Iran Strikes: ‘American Resolve’ Weakens ‘Global Criminals’

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday it is “fair” to give the Iranian people

a chance to remove the terrorists that have been oppressing them as President Donald Trump announced major strikes against Tehran.
He wrote in a social media post:
"Events in the Middle East and the Gulf region are unfolding extremely rapidly. Unfortunately, Ukraine knows all too well what this is about. Although Ukrainians never threatened Iran, the Iranian regime chose to become Putin’s accomplice and supplied him with ‘shahed’ drones, and not only the drones themselves, but also the technologies to produce them. Iran also provided other weapons to Russia." Breitbart

Flaming mud volcano eruption damages infrastructure and kills animals in San Juan de Urabá, Colombia

"A mud volcano erupted in San Juan de Urabá, Antioquia Department, Colombia, damaging a municipal facility and nearby roads. The eruption killed several animals and scorched vegetation before authorities established a security perimeter around the site." W

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei is dead, Iranian state media confirms

"Iranian state media confirmed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has died

following Israeli-U.S. strikes, ending hours of conflicting claims and denials surrounding his state.
The state outlets also reported that several members of Khamenei’s family — including his daughter and granddaughter, as well as his daughter-in-law and son-in-law — were killed in the strikes, too.
Hours before the official confirmation, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Khamenei was killed." KI

Former Norway PM Attempts Suicide After Epstein-Linked Raid, Corruption Charges

"Norway's former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland was hospitalized a week ago after a failed suicide attempt, days after he was charged with "gross corruption" after a police probe into his ties with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Jagland, 75, who gave Barack Obama a Nobel peace price less than nine months into his presidency, was charged on February 12 after police carried out an extensive search of his properties - including apartments in Oslo and in Risør.
According to the report, Norway's Økokrim - which investigates economic and

environmental crimes - took the serious step of sending a letter to the Council of Europe requesting that Jagland's immunity be lifted. It was revoked one day before the raids took place. In the letter, Økokrim says that Jagland and his immediate family used Epstein's private apartments in Paris and New York multiple times between 2011 and 2018, and stayed at Epstein's villa in Palm Beach, Florida - with travel being likely covered by Epstein in connection with one of the stays.
Epstein also reportedly paid for travel and hotel costs for Jagland and five other adults in the Caribbean, and reportedly asked Epstein for a loan, though it's unclear whether that was actually made.
If convicted, and he doesn't successfully kill himself, Jagland faces up to a decade in prison if convicted.
In one 2018 email exchange, Epstein wrote to Jagland suggesting that "I think you might suggest to Putin, that Lavrov, can get insight on talking to me."
Jagland served as Norway's Prime Minister from 1996 to 1997, and held other prominent international roles - including Secretary General of the Council of Europe (2009-2019) and chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee." ZH

South Africa Expresses 'Heartfelt Gratitude' For Putin Returning 17 Citizens Trapped In Warzone

"BRICS allies Russia and South Africa are taking steps to heal tensions related to the Ukraine war and allegations that groups of South African men were 'lured' to fight on behalf of Moscow.
Last December, a Reuters investigation documented that South Africans were being recruited into the Russian armed forces under false pretenses. People were allegedly promised high-

level jobs and elite training in Russia, only to find out they unwittingly joined the Russian military, and eventually found themselves fighting in Ukraine soon after documents were hastily signed. In these cases the implication is that these South African individuals are in desperate financial straits.
The South African government had first confirmed in November its officials had received "distress calls" from 17 men who were trapped on the front line in Ukraine's Donbas, after in some instances having mistakenly joined mercenary groups.
But the saga is coming to a close and with some diplomatic healing as Russia has promptly returned the 17 men. South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday issued a statement of "heartfelt gratitude" to President Vladimir Putin for resolving the issue quickly.
"President Ramaphosa has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Vladimir Putin, who responded positively to his call to support the process of returning the men home," the presidency said in a statement." ZH

5.4 Earthquake - East China Sea, 45 km northwest of Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan

"A strong magnitude 5.4 earthquake occurred in the East China Sea near Miyako Island island,
Japan, in the early afternoon at 2.53 pm local time (GMT +9). The quake had a shallow depth of 35 km (22 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD

China Purges Nine More Military Officers and Ten Legislators

"China’s rubber-stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress, abruptly dismissed 19 of its deputies Thursday afternoon without explanation, including nine military officers. The move came after dictator Xi Jinping purged a series of high-ranking People’s Liberation Army

(PLA) leaders, and only a week before the annual meeting of the Chinese legislature in Beijing.
The removals were announced by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislative authority. Among the deputies dismissed were Li Qiaoming, commander of PLA Ground Forces, and former People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commander Shen Jinlong.
The military deputies included five full generals, three major generals, and a lieutenant general – namely Wang Donghai, political commissar of the National Defense Mobilization Department." Breitbart

132 combat clashes on front line

"132 combat engagements have taken place between Ukraine’s Defense Forces and Russian troops.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, the enemy carried out 112 shelling attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and populated areas, including one using multiple launch rocket systems.

In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the enemy stormed Ukrainian positions six times near the settlements of Pokrovka, Prylipka, Vovchanski Khutory, Chuhunivka, and toward Zybyne. One engagement is still ongoing.
In the Kupiansk sector, the enemy attacked twice toward Kurylivka and near Borivska Andriivka.
In the Lyman sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled five attacks toward the settlements of Stavky, Lyman, and Drobysheve.
In the Sloviansk sector, the enemy attempted five times to advance toward Rai-Oleksandrivka and in the areas of Zakytne and Dronivka. Two clashes are still ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy did not conduct offensive operations.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, Russian forces carried out seven assaults near Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillia, Illinivka, Stepanivka, and toward Novopavlivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the enemy launched 22 attacks, attempting to advance in the areas of Toretske, Nove Shakhove, Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Udachne, Kotlyne, Molodetske, and toward Novooleksandrivka, Hryshyne, and Novopidhorodne. Two engagements are still ongoing.
According to preliminary estimates, 31 Russian soldiers were killed and 11 wounded in this sector today. Ukrainian forces destroyed three vehicles, 10 units of special equipment, two artillery pieces, and one UAV control point. One tank, three artillery systems, five vehicles, one unit of special equipment, four UAV control points, and 45 enemy shelters were damaged. A total of 167 UAVs of various types were destroyed or suppressed.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy attacked twice near Sichneve and Ternove. Havrylivka and Velykomykhailivka were hit by airstrikes.
In the Huliaipole sector, 37 attacks took place near Huliaipole, Myrne, and toward Dobropillia, Pryluky, Zaliznychne, Sviatopetrivka, and Varvarivka. The enemy also carried out airstrikes on Charivne, Zirnytsia, Novoukrainka, and Dolynka. Four clashes are ongoing.
In the Orikhiv sector, the occupiers did not conduct assaults but launched an airstrike on Bilenke." Ukrin

Panama Seizes China-Linked Ports Amid Trump-Beijing Dispute

"Panama published a Supreme Court decision, issued in late January, that voided key port

operations held by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison. The Balboa and Cristobal terminals have become entangled in a legal dispute involving Washington and Beijing. The timing is important, as it comes about a month before President Trump's planned late-March trip to China.
On Monday, the ruling authorized the Panama Maritime Authority to take over the Balboa and Cristobal terminals near the Panama Canal, ending concessions held by Panama Ports Company (PPC), a CK Hutchison subsidiary, for more than two decades.
The ruling stated that the Panama Maritime Authority will occupy both ports for "reasons of urgent social interest" and take control of all cranes, vehicles, computer systems, and software." ZeroHedge

Venezuela’s Interim President Delcy Rodríguez Calls Trump a ‘Friend and Partner’

"“Interim president” of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez, who has run the country since the American arrest of deposed dictator Nicolás

Maduro in January, referred to President Donald Trump as a “friend” and “partner” during an event next to Maduro’s son, lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra.
Rodríguez used the words in the context of President Trump similarly referring to socialist Venezuela as a “new friend” of America’s following Maduro’s capture. Trump has repeatedly referred positively to Rodríguez, a hardline socialist who was among Maduro’s closest confidantes, as someone Washington could work with. He has also implied that Rodríguez is not actually in charge of the country, but carrying out orders from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom polling shows is the most popular politician in Venezuela." 

Breitbart

Trump Declares Ayatollah Is Dead, Vows Bombing To Continue 'Uninterrupted'

"US official confirms to Fox that US believes Khamenei and 5-10 top Iranian leaders killed in initial Israeli strike on compound; agree with Israel’s intelligence assessment.

No U.S. casualties reported, 12 hours after Washington launched Operation Epic Fury alongside Israel, targeting Iran’s security and military infrastructure, CENTCOM says. Al Jazeera reporting over 200 killed in Iran. Likely the death toll will climb.

AFP: Two Israeli TV networks report photo of Khamenei's body shown to Trump:

The United States has launched a major military operation alongside Israeli forces against the Islamist regime in Iran on Saturday, in what is being described as one of the largest regional concentrations of “American military firepower in a generation”.

U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “is dead”. Writing on his Truth Social platform, President Trump described Khamenei as “one of the most evil people in History.”
“This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS. He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” President Trump wrote.
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country. We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us,” he continued." Breitbart

Iran hit empty US base in Bahrain

"Iran hit an empty quarter of a US military base in Bahrain, Bahraini political analyst Dr. Ahmed Alkhuzaie told The Jerusalem Post on Saturday after Reuters reported smoke billowing from the Juffair area housing on the US Naval base.

The state news agency later reported that Bahrain has successfully 'dealt with' missiles in its airspace.
The US Embassy in Bahrain urged citizens to shelter in place while citing media reports of threats of missiles and drones over Bahraini airspace.
The Bahraini Interior Ministry later confirmed that a warning alarm siren had been activated, with citizens and residents requested to head to the nearest safe place.
Bahrain hosts the US Central Command's 5th Fleet.
Additionally, US Embassy in Qatar implemented shelter-in-place for all personnel, recommending that all of its citizens to do the same until further notice." msn

Iran has launched air strikes on targets in all countries in the Gulf except Oman

"Iran has launched air strikes against targets in all countries in the Gulf region with the exception of Oman.
The US military has thousands of personnel stationed at air and naval bases across the region, and these are believed to be the targets of Iranian missiles." msn