'Big rumble': 5.4 quake rolls over B.C. coast, in 'wake-up call' for larger tremor

"A 5.4-magnitude earthquake rocked British Columbia's southwest coast shaking up residents,

and issuing a reminder that the area is seismic zone.
Natural Resources Canada said the quake was centred 24 kilometres north-northeast of Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast and while it originally set the quake's magnitude at 5.1. However the quake shook major population centers including Metro Vancouver and Victoria for several seconds and was felt as far away as Prince George in central B.C., about 800 kilometres away.
The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said there was no risk of a tsunami." AP

Ukraine prepared for deal with US — Zelenskyy after meeting with Kellogg

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the U.S. Special Representative for

Ukraine and Russia, Gen. Keith Kellogg. “Meeting with General Kellogg: good conversation, lots of details,” Zelensky wrote in a Telegram post.
“Grateful to the United States for all the help and bipartisan support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.” NV

Hamas Evil Never Stops: Body of 'Returned Hostage' Is Not Mother of Murdered Bibas Children

"Hamas terrorists have proven again and again that they’re capable of indescribable acts of evil that most people can’t even begin to fathom. On Oct. 7, 2023, they unleashed a savage

surprise assault on Israel and killed innocent men, women, and yes, babies, and they took hundreds of hostages back with them to the Gaza Strip.
On Thursday alone, the sadists celebrated like it was Mardi Gras as they handed over the bodies of two children who they apparently killed in captivity. They also returned their mother, as agreed—or did they? Turns out the twisted psychopaths had another cruel trick up their sleeves, and in fact the Israel Defense Forces say they actually turned over the corpse of an unknown person who was not an Israeli hostage at all.
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that human beings can descend to such depths." RS

Zelensky would lose if elections were held now

"Polls show that former Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny would win with 65% of the

vote. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky would lose to his former commander-in-chief, Valery Zaluzhny, by a large margin if elections were held in Ukraine today, The Economist reports, citing internal polling.
Zelensky’s five-year presidential term expired in May 2024, and he has refused to hold elections since, citing martial law.? RT

Liz Truss Calls For Elon To Investigate 'British Deep State'

"Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss told the audience at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that her country is "failing," and needs a MAGA-type movement to save it.

"We now have a major problem in Britain that judges are making decisions that should be made by politicians," said Truss, speaking from National Harbor, Maryland, and adding that the British judiciary is "no longer accountable" due to reforms by her predecessor, Tony Blair, who handed power over to an "unelected bureaucracy."
"There’s no doubt in my mind that until those changes are reversed, we do not have a functioning country. The British state is now failing, is not working. The decisions are not being made by politicians," Truss continued.
Truss also said that UK voters have grown increasingly angry because they keep voting for change - only to be let down over and over, including by current PM Keir Starmer." ZeroHedge

Ukraine's air defenses down 87 Russian drones overnight

"Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 87 drones launched by Russian forces in a massive air assault on Ukraine." Ukrin

121 combat engagements on frontline over past day

"121 combat encounters were recorded between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and the Russian invaders on the front line.
Over the past day, aviation, missile troops, and artillery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces hit eight clusters of personnel, weapons, and military equipment, a command post, two EW stations, and 10 artillery systems of the Russian invaders.

In the Kharkiv sector, the Ukrainian forces successfully repelled three enemy attacks near Vovchansk and Zapadne.
In the Kupiansk sector, seven combat encounters took place between Ukraine’s Defense Forces and the Russian troops near Zahryzove and Petropavlivka.
In the Lyman sector, the Ukrainian forces stopped five enemy attacks. The Russians concentrated their efforts near Yampolivka and Kolodiazi.
In the Siversk sector, near Bilohorivka, the Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled two enemy attacks.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the Ukrainian forces stopped four attempts by the invaders to advance near Vasiukivka and Chasiv Yar.
In the Toretsk sector, the enemy attempted to advance 10 times near Toretsk.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 34 Russian attacks. The enemy’s activity was most intense near the settlements of Promin, Pokrovsk, Pishchane, Lysivka, Vodiane Druhe, Serhiivka, Nadiivka, Bohdanivka, Sribne, Andriivka, and Ulakly.
Ukraine’s Defense Forces continue to hold the enemy back in the Novopavlivka sector. In the areas of Kostiantynopil, Rozdolne, Novoocheretove, and Pryvilne, the Russian invaders attempted to break through the Ukrainian defensive lines 12 times but were repelled.
In the Huliaipole sector, the enemy attempted to advance three times near Novosilka and Novopil.
In the Orikhiv sector, the Russian forces carried out five assaults on the Ukrainian positions near Novoandriivka and Stepove.
In the Prydniprovske sector, the enemy did not carry out any active actions over the past day." Ukrin

World War III was ‘not so far away’ – Trump

"Trump reiterated his desire to be remembered as “a peacemaker and a unifier” on

Wednesday in Miami Beach during an event. He said that resolving the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine are his key foreign policy objectives.
“There’s no profit for anyone in having World War III, and you’re not so far away from it,” Trump told the audience. “If we would have had this administration for another year, you would have been in World War III, and now it’s not going to happen.” RT

Musk blames Zelensky for death of US journalist

"Billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, has blamed Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky for the death of an American national who criticized his government.

Chilean-American filmmaker and blogger Gonzalo Lira died in a Ukrainian jail in January 2024 while awaiting trial for “systematically justifying the Russian aggression.”
“Zelensky killed an American journalist!” Musk wrote on his social media platform X on Wednesday.
“Zelensky cannot claim to represent the will of the people of Ukraine unless he restores freedom of the press and stops canceling elections!” he added.
Lira, who moved to Ukraine in 2010, was covering the conflict with Russia on YouTube. The Security Service of Ukraine arrested him in 2023 after he jumped bail and attempted to seek asylum in Hungary. Lira claimed that he was tortured in custody. His family accused Kiev of being complicit in his death." RT

122 clashes on front lines

"Ukrainian forces engaged in 122 combat clashes with Russian occupiers, halting 32 enemy assaults in the Pokrovsk sector alone.
Russian airstrikes targeted several locations, including Basivka, Mohrytsia, Yastrubyne, Bilovody, and Uhroidy in the Sumy region, Udy, Chornohlazivka, and Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, Kostiantynivka, Myrnohrad, Chasiv Yar, Novooleksandrivka, Pokrovsk, and Novodarivka in the Donetsk region, Huliaipole and Kamianske in the Zaporizhzhia region, and the city of Kherson.

In the Kupiansk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled four enemy assaults near Petropavlivka, Stepova Novoselivka, and Zahryzove.
In the Lyman sector, the enemy launched 12 attacks, attempting to breach Ukrainian defenses near Balka Zhuravka, Yampolivka, Kolodiazi, Makiivka, and toward Hryhorivka.
In the Siversk sector, one Russian assault was repelled near Verkhniokamianske.
In the Kramatorsk sector, Russian troops attacked Ukrainian positions four times near Chasiv Yar and Vasiukivka.
In the Toretsk sector, 13 enemy attacks were recorded near Ozarianivka, Toretsk, and Leonidivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled 32 assaults near Zelene Pole, Vodiane Druhe, Yelyzavetivka, Novotoretske, Promin, Kotlyne, Nadiivka, Andriivka, and Ulakly.
In the Novopavlivka sector, Russian forces launched 17 attacks in the direction of Kostiantynopil, Rozdolne, Novyi Komar, and Pryvilne.
In the Orikhiv sector, nine enemy assaults targeted Ukrainian positions near Novoandriivka, Mali Shcherbaky, and Stepove." Ukrin

Poland Revives 'Fort Trump' Idea In Effort To Keep US Troop Presence

"Poland is reviving the idea of creating a large military base called "Fort Trump" as European allies walk a diplomatic tightrope with the Trump administration as he pushes for Ukraine peace without their representation.
The country's President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday revealed that assurances have been communicated from the Trump White House over the future of America's troop presence in Poland. There are no plans for a US troop reduction along NATO's 'eastern flank' - he was told." ZeroHedge

Trump Blasts Critics Of His Ukraine Peace Initiative, Including Zelensky, Questions Where Hundreds Of Billions Went

"President Trump in an afternoon press Q&A from Mar-a-Lago went off on those attacking his Ukraine peace initiative, which saw Secretary of State Rubio and national security advisor Walz lead a delegation in 4+ hours of talks with FM Lavrov and the Russians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia earlier in the day.

"I want to see peace. Look, you know why I want it? Because I don't want all these people killed anymore. I'm looking at people that are being killed — and they're Russian and Ukrainian people, but they're people," Trump emphasized.
His tone on Zelensky was decidedly negative, and he defended his administration's stance on holding Kiev to new elections, saying this is necessary if the Ukrainians want a seat at the table.  

"We have a situation where we haven't had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law ... the leader in Ukraine, I hate to say it, but he's down at 4% approval rating... the country has been blown to smithereens... the country looks like a massive demolition site."
On a similar theme, at one point he was asked what his message is to Ukrainians who feel betrayed by his administration, again as the US pursues negotiations with Russia while sidelining both Zelensky and EU officials. Trump responded bluntly:
"I hear they're upset about not having a seat. Well, they've had a seat for three years." 

Trump also asked where the billions upon billions given to Ukraine went.
“We gave them I think $350 BILLION… where is all the money that’s been given? Where is it going? I don’t see any accounting!” ZeroHedge

Russian drone attack on Odesa: blackouts, schools shut

"A children's clinic, a kindergarten, a 24-story apartment building, and numerous cars were damaged in the attack.
Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov reported that more than 500 residential buildings in Odesa were left without basic electricity, water, and heat. Classes at schools in the Kyiv district have been canceled in a massive Russian drone attack on Odesa and its suburbs overnight." NV

144 combat engagements on frontline

"There have been 144 combat engagements on the frontline.
According to the General Staff, in the Kharkiv sector, the enemy attempted to advance toward Mala Shapkivka and Topoli, but the Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully prevented this. Cherkaska Lozova was hit by an airstrike.
In the Kupiansk sector, the enemy conducted 16 offensive actions near Petropavlivka, Pisky, Zahryzovo, and Lozova. The Ukrainian units repelled 14 enemy attacks, with two ongoing battles.

In the Lyman sector, the Russian invaders stormed the positions of Ukraine’s Defense Forces 12 times near the settlements of Kopanky, Makiivka, Novoliubivka, and Yampolivka. Two battles are still ongoing.
In the Siversk sector, the enemy attacked four times in the areas of Bilohorivka, Hryhorivka, and Verkhniokamianske, with two battles ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy attacked near Vasiukivka and toward Oleksandro-Shultyne, with one Russian attempt to push the Ukrainian defenders from their positions failing. Two battles continue.
In the Toretsk sector, 15 combat engagements occurred today. The enemy stormed the Ukrainian positions near Krymske, Dyliivka, Toretsk, and Shcherbynivka. Four battles are ongoing.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the enemy attacked 43 times in the areas of Tarasivka, Vodiane Druhe, Malynivka, Promin, Pishchane, Kotlyne, Nadiivka, Kotliarivka, Novooleksandrivka, Zaporizhzhia, Oleksiivka, Novotoretske, Andriivka, Dachne, Shevchenko, and Ulakly. The Ukrainian defenders repelled 32 assaults, and 11 battles are still ongoing.
Preliminary data indicate that 352 occupiers were neutralized in this sector, 191 of them irreversibly. Additionally, the Ukrainian forces destroyed three tanks, seven vehicles, one BM-21 Grad, four mortars, a buggy, two motorcycles, and a gun. They also damaged a tank, a BM-21 Grad, two armored combat vehicles, a quadbike, and two guns.
In the Novopavlivka sector, the Ukrainian defenders repelled 14 enemy attacks in the areas of Rozdolne and toward Kostiantynopil and Burlatske. Two battles continue.
In the Huliaipole sector, the enemy attempted to advance 13 times in the areas of Novosilka and Novopole. Six enemy attacks were repelled by the Ukrainian defenders, while five are still ongoing. Russian aviation launched glide bomb strikes on Huliaipole and Zaliznychne.
In the Orikhiv sector, the Ukrainian defenders repelled three attacks in the areas of Mali Shcherbaky, Stepove, and Novoandriivka. The enemy attacked Piatykhatky with unguided aerial rockets.
In the Kursk sector, Ukraine’s Defense Forces repelled seven enemy assaults, while three battles are ongoing." Ukrin

Italy’s Meloni blasts ‘anti-Trump’ tone at Paris summit

"Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the emergency summit of European leaders in Paris, calling it "anti-Trump".
She arrived at the summit when the negotiations were already underway. After the meeting, Meloni expressed her disagreement with the proposals and the list of invitees, stressing the importance of keeping Brussels as the only place for decision-making by all 27 EU member states.
She also spoke out against the anti-Trump format of the summit." NV