❌ Pakistan Police Fire Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets at Pro-Khan Supporters

Protesters demanding the release of ex-PM Imran Khan killed four members of the nation's security forces, the govt claimed Tuesday, as crowds defied police and closed in on the center of Islamabad.

The capital has been locked down since late Saturday, with mobile internet sporadically cut and more than 20,000 police flooding the streets, many armed with riot shields and batons.

"Those who will come here will be arrested," Interior Minister Naqvi told reporters late Monday at D-Chowk, the public square outside Islamabad's government buildings that PTI aims to occupy.

Is Washington about to lose one of its puppet leaders?

@RiseGS

🇷🇺🇺🇦The deputy head of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, has commented on discussions by US politicians and journalists about the transfer of nuclear weapons to Kiev:

The very threat of transferring nuclear weapons to the Kiev regime can be seen as a preparation for a nuclear conflict with Russia.

In addition, Medvedev stressed: 'The actual transfer of such weapons can be equated with a fait accompli of an attack on Russia, and the consequences are obvious.

@ukraine_watch

⚠️ JUST IN: Israel Issues Evacuation Warnings for 20 Locations in Beirut Suburbs - amid expectations for a ceasefire agreement

A significant wave of attacks is expected.

@RiseGS

🔴 US to Deploy Missile Units to Japan Islands

The US military will set up temporary bases along Japan's southwestern Nansei island chain and the Philippines to deploy missile units in the event of a Taiwan contingency, sources familiar with Japan-US relations said to Kyodo News.

The US Marine Littoral Regiment, which possesses multiple-launch High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, will be deployed along the island chain stretching from the Japanese prefectures of Kagoshima and Okinawa toward Taiwan, according to the sources.

@RiseGS

⚠️ US and France to announce Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire at 10pm local time - Al Jadeed

Lebanon’s PM Najib Mikati will offer a statement in parallel welcoming the ceasefire, according to the news outlet.

The alleged agreement is set to take effect at 10am Wednesday.

@RiseGS

⚠️ UK Foreign Sec Rules Out Sending British Troops to Ukraine “At This Time”

David Lammy has spoken out after reports emerged suggesting Britain and France were considering deploying soldiers in Ukraine.

“We stand ready and continue to support the Ukrainians with training particularly, but there has been a longstanding position that we are not committing UK troops to the theatre of action,” the Foreign Secretary said. 

“That is certainly the UK position, and remains the UK position at this time,” he added. 

@RiseGS

📣 Turkey Seeks US Sanctions Waiver to Continue Russia Gas Payments

Ankara is in talks with Washington over a sanctions waiver that would allow Turkey to keep using Russia’s Gazprombank to pay for natural gas.

“If there is no exemption, it may amount to something very big for Turkey,” energy minister Alparslan Bayraktar said. He cited previous waivers on Iran-related sanctions as a precedent.

Russia is Turkey’s biggest gas supplier, providing about 42% of its imports last year, according to regulator data.

@RiseGS

🔶 ‘Problematic reality’: WH seeks $5.7 billion in emergency funding for Virginia-class submarines

The US president’s Office of Management and Budget has issued a request to Congress for about $5.7 billion in emergency funding to tackle extra costs regarding the Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines, American media cited a senior navy official as saying.

Approximately $3.5 would go towards addressing the cost overruns, while the remainder will be split between submarine prime contractors General Dynamics Corp. and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. for increased wages and “other productivity enhancements,” the official said.

The official made it clear that the navy also projects delivery delays of 24 to 36 months for the aforementioned vessels.

“Our Virginia-class fast attack submarine program is not where it needs to be right now. The program and the shipyards are not producing submarines at the rate that our national security strategy and the national defense strategy require,” the source stressed.

This comes after House Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert said that a shortfall in funding for Virginia-class attack submarines is projected to grow to $17 billion over the next six years, adding that the US Navy suffered from persistent delays and cost overruns in the service's shipbuilding program.

The Defense News earlier reported that the situation with the Virginia-class submarines remains “a problematic reality” for the navy, which currently has 49 such vessels, despite a formal requirement for 66.

The National Interest magazine, for its part, noted that the navy’s submarine fleet is “under congressional scrutiny for repeated delays and rising costs” – problems that “won't be easy to fix.”

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⚠️ NOW: “War will not end until its goals are achieved and the residents of the northern settlements return to their homes” - Netanyahu

The Israeli PM currently has an arrest warrant out against him for war crimes against Palestinians.

@RiseGS

🇺🇸🇮🇱🇱🇧 Trump's campaign stated that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon was a result of Trump's election victory, Times of Israel reports.

"His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos will not be tolerated. I am pleased to see concrete steps toward de-escalation in the Middle East," said Mike Waltz, the incoming National Security Advisor.

🔴 @DDGeopolitics

⚠️Von der Leyen Demands EU Countries Increase Defense Spending to Catch Up with Russia

Russia is spending up to 9% of its GDP on defense. Europe is spending on average 1.9%. There is something wrong in this equation," she said in an address to lawmakers in Strasbourg Wednesday.

"Our defence spending must increase," von der Leyen stated.

Adding: “War is raging on Europe’s borders ... We have no time to waste.”

@RiseGS

🔴JUST IN: Lebanese PM Najib Mikati demands Israel abide by ceasefire deal, withdraws from southern territories it occupied

Footage from a Qatari news channel showed Lebanese locals walking past an IDF tank near Metula while gunfire rang out Wednesday - hours after the ceasefire agreement had started.

@RiseGS