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

Rare Local Ceasefire In Ukraine At Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant For Urgent Repairs

"The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that a local ceasefire between

Ukraine and Russia is in effect around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to urgently allow crews to restore the facility's backup power supply.
In a local, mutual agreement along the front lines, the UN nuclear watchdog confirmed both sides agreed to halt fighting in the area to enable work on the damaged line. This is a rare ceasefire moment, even if very localized and brief, which is a positive development that could possibly serve as a model for other such ceasefires along the line of contact." ZH

Ukraine sanctions Russian postal services delivering to occupied territories, Zelensky says

"President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree enacting sanctions on 10 Russian logistics companies delivering cargo to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, the President's Office

said.
The Office said that the entities sanctioned include private Russian companies operating in the occupied territories and providing logistical support to the Russian military, which is currently waging offensives on multiple axes of the front.
The sanctions were imposed to restrict supply channels that are delivering microelectronics from Western countries, the President's Office cited Vladislav Vlasiuk, the president's representative on sanctions policy, as saying. The relevant information had been passed on to Western allies, according to Vlasiuk." KI

Major Combat Operations’ Underway to ‘Obliterate’ Iranian Missile Factories Tells Iranian Troops They Will Be Treated Fairly If They Surrender Now

"President Donald Trump told the Iranian armed forces to lay down their arms or face “certain death” and its people to rise up and “seize control of your destiny” as “major” strikes against Tehran commenced.

Joint American-Israeli strikes against Iran took place over night, with U.S. President Donald Trump addressing both the nation and the people of Iran. Announcing the strikes to eliminate “imminent threats from the Iranian regime” which “directly endangers the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world”, Trump said: “A short time ago, the United States Military began major combat operations in Iran”.
Iranian retaliatory strikes have been launched against Israel.
The strikes are intended to destroy Iran’s stockpiles of missiles and to ‘obliterate’ Iran’s missile production industry, the President said. Most importantly, Trump said, was preventing Iranian nuclear-tipped long-range missiles from ever threatening the American mainland or America’s allies in Europe.
The U.S. President called on the armed forces, paramilitary, and police of Iran to lay down their weapons. If they did so they would receive “complete immunity” and be treated fairly, he said, but else would face “certain death”. 

To the Iranian people, he called on them to take this opportunity to rise up against the government, stating “the hour of your freedom is at hand” and that a second opportunity to take control was likely not coming." 

Breitbart

5.4 Earthquake - 138 km south of Kokopo, East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea

"A strong magnitude 5.4 earthquake hit 138 km (86 mi) away from Kokopo, East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, in the afternoon  at 4.23 pm local time (Pacific/Port Moresby GMT +10). The quake had a shallow depth of 41 km (26 mi) and was reported felt by some people near the epicenter." VD

148 clashes on front lines in past day

"148 combat clashes were recorded between Ukrainian forces and Russian invaders on the front lines.
The Russian army launched guided bomb strikes on Ivanivka, Oleksandrohrad, Kolomiitsi, Pysantsi, Havrylivka, Velykomykhailivka, Levadne, Pokrovske, Huliaipilske, Barvinivka, Kopani, Liubytske, Luhivske, Verkhnia Tersa, Blakytne, Preobrazhenka, Komyshuvakha, Veselianka, Bilenke, and Prydniprovske.
Aircraft, missile forces and artillery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck two command

posts, eight areas where enemy personnel were concentrated, one area with weapons and military equipment, a logistics depot, and a UAV control post of the Russian invaders.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, the enemy carried out 139 shelling attacks, including 17 using MLRS, and launched five strikes using 16 guided aerial bombs.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the enemy attempted twice to break through Ukrainian defensive lines near Vovchansk and Synelnykove.
In the Kupiansk sector, Russian forces launched one attack near Novoplatonivka.
In the Lyman sector, the invaders attacked Ukrainian positions four times, attempting to push forward near Drobysheve and Lyman.
In the Sloviansk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled seven attempts by Russian forces to advance near Dronivka, Siversk, and Rai-Oleksandrivka.
In the Kramatorsk sector, Russian troops attacked three times toward Predtechyne, Malynivka, and Chasiv Yar.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, the enemy carried out 15 attacks near Kostiantynivka, Ivanopillia, Rusyn Yar, Pleshchiivka, Popiv Yar, and Sofiivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled 24 assault actions by Russian troops near Dorozhnie, Bilytske, Rodynske, Shevchenko, Pokrovsk, Udachne, Molodetske, Novopidhorodnie, Myrnohrad, and Muravka.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, Russian forces attacked three times near Ternove and Zlahoda.
In the Huliaipole sector, 37 enemy attacks were recorded near Dobropillia, Pryluky, Zaliznychne, Zelene, Varvarivka, Huliaipilske, Staroukrainka, and Olenokostiantynivka." Ukrin

Russia Calls Speedboat Shooting Incident Off Cuba An 'Aggressive US Provocation'

"The deadly US-registered speedboat shooting incident in Cuba carries the potential to ignite a serious conflict between Cuba and the United States, amid an ongoing investigation into exactly what happened overseen by the White House.

Russia has reacted, on Thursday laying quick blame on the US side for a 'deliberate' act of 'provocation' in order to keep up the pressure on Havana and escalate the situation.
The Cuban version of events is that a speedboat out of Florida entered its sovereign waters and that when a Cuban patrol boat approached, people on board opened fire. The Cuban soldiers then fired back, killing four people and wounding six aboard the US vessel.
Notably, Havana has said the commander of the Cuban border patrol boat was injured. The Cuban government described the incident as a "foiled armed infiltration" of the island-nation.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has vowed to quickly get to the bottom of what happened, also as some US politicians have demanded that Cuba be crushed because of the assault.
"What I’m telling you is we’re going to find out exactly what happened and who was involved," Rubio said. "We’re not going to just take what somebody else tells us. I’m very confident we will be able to know the story independently." 

ZeroHedge

Sweden intercepts suspected Russian drone approaching French aircraft carrier

"Sweden's military jammed a suspected Russian drone that was flying toward the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which was docked in the port of Malmo.
Charles de Gaulle, the flagship of the French Navy, arrived at Malmo as part of the Lafayette 26 exercise in the North Atlantic. The French military said that the drills are meant to strengthen NATO's deterrent and defensive posture." KI

Blasts rock Kabul as Pakistan and Afghanistan exchange strikes

"Multiple explosions shook the Afghan capital, Kabul, and several other regions early Friday morning as Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged military strikes across their volatile border, accusing each other of escalating the conflict.

Islamabad launched Operation Ghazab Lil Haq (“Wrath of Justice”) hours after Afghan forces conducted cross-border attacks against Pakistani military positions. Residents of the Afghan capital reported hearing at least three blasts, but authorities have not confirmed the precise locations of the explosions.
“The cowardly Pakistani military has carried out airstrikes in certain areas of Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia; fortunately, there have been no reported casualties,” Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on X." RT

5.3 Earthquake - 26 km SE of Tāki, India

"The closest larger town where the quake might have been felt is Kolkata, a city of 4.6 million

people in India, in 81 km (50 mi) distance west of the epicenter. People likely experienced light shaking there. Many smaller towns and villages are located closer to the epicenter and might have experienced stronger shaking. In the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, 191 km (119 mi) away from the epicenter, the earthquake was probably felt as weak shaking. The following table shows some of the places that might have been affected (or not) by the shaking." VD

230 combat engagements on front line

"230 combat clashes took place between the Defense Forces of Ukraine and Russian troops.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk axes, Ukrainian defenders repelled one Russian attack over the past day. The enemy carried out four airstrikes, dropping eleven guided bombs, and conducted 112 shelling attacks on Ukrainian positions and settlements, six of them using multiple launch rocket systems.

In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the enemy stormed Ukrainian positions 13 times in the areas of Starytsia, Pishchane, Kruhle, Nesterne, Chuhunivka, and toward Zelene and Okhrimivka.
In the Kupiansk sector, six enemy attacks took place yesterday. The Defense Forces repelled assault actions near Kruhlakivka and toward Kurylivka, Bohuslavka, and Novoplatonivka.
In the Lyman sector, the enemy attacked 14 times, attempting to advance toward Chervonyi Stav, Novoiehorivka, Drobysheve, Stavky, Lyman, and in the areas of Zarichne and Novoselivka.
In the Sloviansk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled eight attempts by the invaders to advance near Yampil and Zakytne and toward Rai-Oleksandrivka.
In the Kramatorsk sector, Russian forces twice attempted to advance toward Ukrainian positions near Orikhovo-Vasylivka and Bondarne.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, the enemy carried out 24 attacks in the areas of Oleksandro-Shultyne, Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, and toward Kostiantynivka, Ivanopillia, Illinivka, Berestok, Stepanivka, Sofiivka, and Novopavlivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian defenders stopped 50 offensive actions by the aggressor near Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Molodetske, Udachne, Muravka, Filiia, and toward Bilitske, Shevchenko, Hryshyne, Serhiivka, and Novopidhorodne.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy attacked Ukrainian positions ten times near Ternove, Zlahoda, and toward Verbove, Vyshneve, and Oleksandrohrad.
In the Huliaipole sector, the enemy attempted to advance 35 times toward Ukrainian defensive positions near Dobropillia, Huliaipole, and toward Zaliznychne, Staroukrainka, Hirke, Varvarivka, Olenokostiantynivka, Sviatopetrivka, and Charivne." Ukrin