Chinese Billions Buy Base In Cuba

"Chinese and Cuban officials have conspired to establish a Chinese foothold on the Caribbean

Island, raising concerns about US security.... this new base would grant the Chinese government access to electronic communications within the United States..... Cuba has already breached US borders through secret police stations, further heightening tension." BEN

Is Russia testing a nuclear missile capable of hitting anywhere in the world?

"Increased activity has been observed at a Russian base in the remote regions of Siberia,

according to American surveillance planes and satellites. ....the activity resembles missile tests that Russia has conducted in the past. The missile in question is believed to be the Burevestnik or SSC-X-9 Skyfall missile, which, according to Putin, is nuclear-powered and can be equipped with a nuclear warhead.....this missile could potentially reach most parts of the Earth." MS

Russians drop bomb on Illinivka and launch tank attack Avdiivka

"Russian

occupiers have dropped a guided aerial bomb on the settlement of Illinivka and
launched a tank attack on Avdiivka (both in Donetsk Oblast)." Pravada

Ukraine Accused Of Using Cluster Bombs On Russian Village Near Border

"Russian officials have accused Ukraine forces of using cluster munitions against civilian

targets. The governor of Russia's Bryansk region said that a Russian village came under attack which lies near the border.
Gov. Alexander Bogomaz announced on Telegram that cluster bomblets were observed in a cross-border attack on the village of Klimovo." ZH

Mexico's president slams US aid for Ukraine and sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba

"Mexico’s president slammed U.S. aid for Ukraine and economic sanctions on Venezuela,

Cuba and other nations as the first of two high-level U.S.-Mexico meetings got underway in Washington.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador issued a broad criticism of U.S. foreign policy, saying U.S. economic sanctions were forcing people to emigrate from Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua." ABC

Elon Musk escalates feud with Ukraine with tweet mocking Zelensky for 'going five minutes without asking for a billion dollars'

"Musk posted a meme showing a photoshopped image of the Ukrainian leader and the caption:
'When it's been 5 minutes and you haven't asked for a billion dollars in aid'." DM

Serbian President Denies Military Buildup on Border with Kosovo After Deadly Gun Battle

"Serbia’s president denied U.S. and other reports of a military buildup along the border with

Kosovo, complaining of a “campaign of lies” against his country in the wake of a shootout a week earlier that killed four people and fueled tensions in the volatile Balkan region. Tensions have soared following the violence in northern Kosovo last Sunday involving heavily armed Serb gunmen and Kosovo police officers. The clash was one of the worst since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and prompted NATO to announce it would beef up a peacekeeping force stationed in the country." Breitbart

Russia intercepted five United States-made HIMARS shells

"Russia’s

defence ministry said its forces’ air defences in eastern Ukraine had intercepted five
United States-made HIMARS shells, an air-launched JDAM bomb and 37 Ukrainian drones." AlJazeera

Russian Army Repel Ukrainian Counterattack Near Avdeyevka

"Footage that shows the Russian Army foiling a counterattack by Ukrainian troops near the city of Avdeyevka. The assault groups crashed in the forest belt. Russian forces detected Ukrainian militants via reconnaissance drones. The coordinates of the enemy were transferred to Russian artillery who opened suppressive fire." Sputnik

Pro-Russia party wins Slovakia election, intends to end support of Ukraine

"The pro-Russia Smer-SSD party won the largest share of seats in Slovakia's parliament

during weekend voting, vowing to cut off the country's support for Ukraine.
Smer-SSD, led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico, led all other parties with 22.9% of the vote, official media reported. However it will need to form a coalition with other parties to form a government." MSN

"Premiums Are Going Nuts Everywhere": Plunging US Supply Sends Oil Prices Around The World Soaring

"Buyers of physical oil across the planet are experiencing an acute supply shortage and are

facing some of the highest premiums for supplies they’ve seen in months as plunging stocks at the largest US crude storage hub send shockwaves cross markets from Asia to Europe and the Middle East.
All that’s happening just as the world was already facing a tight supply situation with Saudi Arabia and Russia cutting output. In recent months, the US had helped fill a void left in the market, routinely sending more than 4 million barrels every day to sate global appetite. Between overseas shipments and strong domestic demand, stockpiles quickly declined in the US. Now there’s a question of whether those flows will continue.
“We’re running out of oil – you can see how low storage is at Cushing,” said Gary Ross, a veteran oil consultant turned hedge fund manager at Black Gold Investors LLC. “If we’re running out at Cushing, then we’re running out in Europe, because it relies on US exports. If the US exports less, then where is Europe going to get its oil from?”
“The premiums are going nuts everywhere,” Ross said. “The Saudis have tightened this market up dramatically.” Almost as if Saudi Crown Prince MBS doesn't care much for Joe Biden's sole election "strategy" of keeping gas prices low - fist bumps notwithstanding... " ZH

Pope Expresses Gratitude to Russians, Praises “Great Mother Russia!” – Sparks International Controversy

"Pope Francis’ recent comments praising the historical legacy of the Russian Empire have ignited

controversy, particularly among Ukrainians. Pope Francis, addressing a young group of Russian Catholics via live stream in St. Petersburg, seemed to beg them, “Don’t forget your heritage. You are the descendants of great Russia: the great Russia of saints rulers, the great Russia of Peter I, Catherine II, that empire – educated, great culture and great humanity. Never give up on this heritage. You are descendants of the great Mother Russia. Step forward with it. And thank you – thank you for your way of being, for your way of being Russian.” MS

Russian drones attacked from three directions, attempting to hit air defence systems

"Russians have attacked Ukraine with attack drones from three directions: Cape Chauda

(Crimea), Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk. The drones tried to hit Ukrainian air defense systems." Pravada

UK Defence Secretary Suggests Sending British Troops to Ukraine on Training Missions

"The United Kingdom’s recently installed defense secretary, Grant Shapps has suggested that

British troops could be deployed inside Ukraine for the first time to carry out military training programs. Shapps went on to say that the UK is also considering increasing its Naval involvement in the conflict, in order to protect commercial shipping lanes in the Black Sea from the Russian fleet." Breitbart

Russia threatens to attack German factories

"Medvedev, the Deputy Head of Russia’s Security Council, has issued a stark warning that

Russia will consider German missile manufacturing plants as "legitimate targets" if Germany supplies long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
The statement came after Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the Defence Committee at the German Bundestag, urged the German government to provide such missiles to Ukraine." Dagens