Philippines Rejects ‘Absurd’ Beijing Demand Over South China Sea

"The Philippines said it will continue to maintain and supply its South China Sea outposts without seeking permission from any other nation, dismissing Beijing’s demand to do so as “absurd, nonsense and unacceptable.” Ano was responding to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning’s comment on Friday that the Philippines should notify Beijing in advance if it wants to deliver provisions or evacuate personnel from its grounded warship in the Second Thomas Shoal." MS

Russian drone with explosives attacks ambulance in Kherson region, driver injured

"In the Kherson region, a Russian drone dropped explosives on an ambulance that was in a hurry to respond to a call. In addition, a 50-year-old man who came under enemy fire was hospitalized. He suffered an explosive injury and a leg injury." Ukrin

Ukraine struggles with energy crisis as 73% of large TPPs out of action

"Most large thermal power plants in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed by Russian strikes, with only 27% of TPPs currently operating, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said."The situation in the energy sector is very difficult, it is obvious," Shmyhal said.
“Russia has destroyed 50% of our electricity generation capacity. In fact, as of today, we have lost 9.2 GW of electricity due to missile and drone attacks, which is half of our capacity, which we used to have last winter, for example.” NV

Russia will not 'stop at Ukraine', Biden says after talks with Macron

“Putin is not going to stop at Ukraine,” Biden said.

“All of Europe will be threatened, we are not going to let that happen,” Biden told journalists during his state visit to France.
“The United States is standing strong with Ukraine. We will not, I say it again, walk away,” he added.
Macron told Biden in front of reporters: “I thank you, Mr. President, for being the president of the world’s number one power but doing it with the loyalty of a partner who likes and respects the Europeans.” France24

Zelenskyy reacts to Putin's words about Ukrainian president's alleged "illegitimacy"

"In reaction to Russian leader Vladimir Putin's remarks concerning the purported "illegitimacy" of Zelensky’s presidency, he stated that Putin is the only person who recognizes the current Russian "president" as legitimate, whereas in Ukraine, the president is elected by the people themselves. Russian leader Vladimir Putin said he believes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's legitimacy has "come to an end"." Pravada

Pro-Hamas Protesters Circle White House, Attack Federal Officer

"Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters — some openly supporting Hamas and other terror groups — surrounded the White House

vandalizing a statue and assaulting a U.S. Park Police officer who tried to protect it. The Statue on the White House’s North Lawn of Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau, a French General who was Instrumental in the Continental Army’s Success during the American Revolution has been Defaced and covered in Graffiti by Pro-Hamas Demonstrators.....anti-Israel protesters were holding a banner that read: "Jihad of victory or martyrdom."" Breitbart

Russian navy vessels to dock in Havana, Cuba insists no threat

"Cuba says fleet does not have nuclear weapons, but arrival comes amid rising tensions between Russia and the United States over Ukraine." UB

101 combat clashes on battlefield in past day

"As many as 101 combat engagements were recorded on the front lines in Ukraine.

In the Kharkiv sector, three Russian attacks are ongoing in the Vovchansk area. The situation there is under control. The invaders lost 136 soldiers there in the past day. Five artillery systems, seven vehicles and a piece of special equipment were destroyed. Some 36 enemy personnel shelters and an ammunition depot were hit.
The situation is tense in the Kupiansk sector. Since the beginning of the day, there have already been three combat clashes. The attack near Makiivka was repelled, and two more are ongoing near Hrekivka and Nevske.
On the Lyman axis, fighting is raging near Terny, without success for the enemy.
On the Siversk axis, Ukrainian forces repelled five enemy attempts to advance near Bilohorivka, Rozdolivka, and Vyimk.
In the Kramatorsk sector, two Russian assaults have already been repelled today near Ivanivske and Andriivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian defenders are taking measures to prevent Russian troops from advancing deep into Ukrainian territory. The enemy attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses near Novooleksandrivka, Sokil and Novopokrovske." Ukrin

Houthis Vow to Continue Targeting US Carrier Group After Unveiling New Hypersonic Missile

"The Houthis will hit the American aircraft carrier parked in Yemen’s backyard harder next time around, militia leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has vowed.

“The American aircraft carrier Eisenhower will remain a target for our Armed Forces whenever the opportunity arises,” al-Houthi said in his weekly address.
The Houthis that US and UK forces had carried out four new air strikes targeting the airport in Hodeidah, and launched a separate attack on northwestern Yemeni seaport of Salif.
Al-Houthi’s comments Thursday came a day after the Yemeni militia released footage of a new “locally made” hypersonic missile called the Palestine being launched toward the embattled Israeli Red Sea port city of Eilat this week." Sputnik

NATO’s Stoltenberg cancels $108 billion Ukraine support fund

"NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has abandoned a plan to create a €100 billion
($108 billion) fund to support Ukraine. Instead of creating a five-year fund, Stoltenberg is asking countries to maintain their current contributions to Ukraine. The NATO chief had previously faced criticism from Alliance members." UB

Man Dies in Mexico From First Known Human Case of H5N2 Bird Flu

"A 59-year-old man in Mexico has died following an infection from a bird flu subtype - it is the first known case of the H5N2 strain infecting a human. There have been about 900 human cases of another strain, H5N1, since 1996 and about half of those people infected died." Sputnik

Israeli troops free four hostages from Gaza

"Israeli special forces rescued four hostages in a daylight raid on Nuseirat in central Gaza. Andrey Kozlov, a Russian citizen, was among those taken back to Israel under intense gunfire, the IDF said." RT

90 combat clashes in past day, most of them in Pokrovsk sector

"In the past day, 90 combat engagements took place on the front lines over the last day, most of them in the Pokrovsk sector.In the Kupiansk sector, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled four enemy attacks in the areas of Druzheliubivka, Petropavlivka in the Kharkiv region, and Miasozharivka in the Luhansk region.

In the Lyman sector, Ukrainian troops repelled 11 enemy attacks in the areas of Nevske and Serebrianka forestry in the Luhansk region and Terny in the Donetsk region.
In the Siversk sector, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled five enemy attacks in the areas of Verkhniokamianske, Bilohorivka and Vyimka.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the Ukrainian defenders thwarted five enemy attempts to break through the Ukrainian defense lines in the areas of Kalynivka, Ivanivske and Klishchiivka in the Donetsk region.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the Ukrainian forces repelled 36 enemy attacks in the vicinity of Progres, Sokil, Novoselivka Persha, Novopokrovske, Yasnobrodivka, and Kalynove in the Donetsk region, where the enemy, supported with aircraft, tried to dislodge Ukrainian units from their positions.
In the Kurakhove sector, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy. In the areas of Krasnohorivka and Paraskovyivka, where the enemy tried to break through the defense lines of Ukrainian troops ten times.
In the Vremivka sector, the enemy made nine unsuccessful attempts to break through the defense lines in the direction of Staromaiorske and Urozhaine in the Donetsk region and Novodarivka in the Zaporizhzhia region.
In the Orikhiv sector, four combat engagements took place in the area of Mala Tokmachka and Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region.
In the Dnipro River sector, Russian occupiers are attempting to dislodge Ukrainian units from their footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro River. Over the past day, the enemy carried out six attacks against the Defense Forces in this area." Ukrin

Ukraine's air defense units down 48 enemy drones, 5 cruise missiles overnight

"Ukraine's air defense forces shot down five cruise missiles and 48 Shahed-131/136 attack drones in the night." Ukrin

Israeli troops uncover Hamas tunnel entrance inside child's room in Rafah

"Israeli troops discovered an entrance to a Hamas tunnel inside a child's bedroom in Rafah on Thursday.

The IDF says it recovered a trove of weapons and explosives from the tunnel. The operation is the latest of what Israel calls its "precise, intelligence-based, targeted operations" inside Rafah." MS