Oleksandr Yushchenko, Chief Sergeant of Khartiia Brigade, killed in action

"Oleksandr Yushchenko, Chief Sergeant of the 13th Rapid Reaction Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU), has been killed in a combat mission near the village of Dolynske (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast)." Pravada

Israel steps up airstrikes on Rafah ahead of ground operation

"Israel stepped up airstrikes on Rafah overnight after saying it would evacuate civilians from the southern Gazan city and launch an all-out assault despite allies' warnings this could cause mass casualties.

Medics in the besieged Palestinian enclave reported five Israeli airstrikes on Rafah early on Thursday that hit at least three houses, killing at least six people including a local journalist." MS

US secretly sent Ukraine long-range ATACMS missiles

"Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said. Long sought by Ukrainian leaders, the new missiles give Ukraine nearly double the striking distance." France24

Ariel Henry resigns as Haiti's PM as transitional council takes power

"Ariel Henry resigned Thursday as prime minister of Haiti, leaving the way clear for a new government to be formed in the Caribbean country, which has been wracked by gang violence that killed or injured more than 2,500 people from January to March. Henry presented his resignation in a letter signed in Los Angeles, dated April 24, and released on Thursday by his office on the same day a council tasked with choosing a new prime minister and Cabinet for Haiti was due to be sworn in." France24

Russia To Seize $440 Million From JPMorgan

"Just days after Washington voted to authorize the REPO Act - paving the way for the Biden administration confiscate billions in Russian sovereign assets which sit in US banks - it appears Moscow has a plan of its own (let's call it the REVERSE REPO Act) as a Russian court has ordered the seizure of $440 million from JPMorgan." ZeroHedge

DeSantis: Unruly Anti-Jewish, Pro-Hamas Protesters Will Be Expelled from Florida Universities

"Anti-Jewish, pro-Hamas protesters — such as those seen at Columbia and Yale — will be expelled if they try to pull the same stunts at Florida universities, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) made clear on Thursday.

“You think about what happened when you have these Hamas demonstrators out. They’re taking over bridges, and they’re taking over roads,” he said, noting that these individuals do not have the right to do that. “How do you know if someone — someone may need to get to a hospital. Someone may need to pick up a child somewhere, and you’re just going to commandeer the road,” he said, highlighting the viral instance that saw protesters trying to pull that same stunt in Miami, Florida. In a matter of minutes, police officers responded, dragging the protesters out of the roads." Breitbart

Odesa Mayor honors Darth Vader with award at city council ceremony

"The mayor of Odesa, Hennadiy Trukhanov, honored Darth Vader with an award in a ceremony at the city council building.

The event, which garnered applause from those in attendance, was captured on video and shared on social media. The volunteer, who adopted the name of the famed "Star Wars" character, was recognized for his efforts in rescuing people following Russian attacks on the city." NV

104 combat clashes on front lines in past day

"Over the past day, 104 combat engagements were recorded on the battlefield in Ukraine......the enemy launched air strikes on Vesele, Bilyi Kolodiaz, Vovchansk, Kyrylivka in the Kharkiv region; Serebrianka Forestry, Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region; Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Bila Hora, Andriivka, Yevhenivka, Ocheretyne, Berdychi, Semenivka, Kalynove, Vovche, Oleksandropil, Arkhanhelske, Krasnohorivka, Kostiantynivka, Staromaiorske, Urozhaine in the Donetsk region; Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region; Beryslav, Olhivka, Krynky in the Kherson region.

More than 110 settlements in the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions came under enemy artillery fire. In the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna sectors, Russia maintains a military presence in the border areas, continues to conduct sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling populated areas from its territory and increasing the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine.
In the Kupiansk sector, Ukrainian troops repelled one attack near Berestove, Kharkiv region.
In the Lyman sector, the enemy attacked our defenders' positions 19 times in the areas of Serebrianka forestry, Nevske in the Luhansk region, Terny and Torske in the Donetsk region.
In the Bakhmut sector, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 25 attacks in the areas of Bilohorivka, Luhansk region; Verkhniokamianske, Vyimka, Novyi, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Donetsk region.
In the Avdiivka sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled 27 attacks in the areas of Ocheretyne, Solovyove, Novokalynove, Berdychi and Netailove in the Donetsk region.
In the Novopavlivka sector, the Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, and Urozhaine in the Donetsk region, where the enemy attempted to break through the defense of Ukrainian troops 21 times.
In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders once near Staromaiorske, Donetsk region.
In the Kherson sector, the enemy has not abandoned attempts to dislodge Ukrainian units from their footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro River. Over the past day, the enemy made four unsuccessful attacks on the Ukrainian positions.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to actively inflict losses on the occupation forces and their equipment depleting, the enemy along the entire front line.
"Over the past day, the aircraft of the Defense Forces struck 11 areas of concentration of enemy personnel. Moreover, Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed one Kh-59 guided missile and 3 enemy reconnaissance UAVs. The missile troops struck one enemy manpower cluster," the General Staff of the Armed Forces summarized." Ukrin