Russia Rains Fire on Danube Ports to Pull the Plug on Ukraine’s Last Western Arms Dock – Expert

Russia Rains Fire on Danube Ports to Pull the Plug on Ukraine’s Last Western Arms Dock – Expert

Sputnik

The Danube ports of Remi and Izmail are now the focus of all Western military deliveries from Romania feeding Ukraine’s war machine, retired Russian Navy Captain First Rank Vasily Dandykin tells Sputnik.

By pounding the ports, Russia is choking off Ukraine’s last major gateway for arriving weapons, ammunition, drones, UAV components and fuel - everything that barges haul up the Danube from Constanta, says the military analyst.
After being pushed out of the Black Sea, Ukraine's entire remaining naval arsenal - riverboats, drone fleets, and command hubs - is now packed into these river ports. 

The strikes also target transport carrying the missiles that Ukraine desperately scrapes from its NATO puppet masters, notes the expert.

Russia’s campaign is also targeting the wider logistics chain feeding these ports – bridges, like the ones at Mayaky and Zatoka in the Odessa region, warehouses, transport hubs and storage facilities.

The pundit underscores that Russian strikes have already paralyzed Ukraine’s Black Sea logistics by targeting the ports of Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny.

All that remains is road and rail transport through Poland, but the volumes are incomparable.

That leaves Ukraine dependent on fragmented deliveries that are “a drop in the ocean compared with what they need to keep fighting.”

The heaviest blow will land on Ukraine's military in the Kherson and Zaporozhye axes, and the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration in the Donbass, where Russia is currently advancing, says the expert.

“The less supply they have, the faster Russia gains ground,” he adds.

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Russian Forces Cripple Ukrainian Supply Lines with Precision Port Strikes

China rejects US demand on Iran

China rejects US demand on Iran

RT

China has refused to join a US plan to “squash” Iran’s economy, rejecting Washington’s push to be part of the “toughest sanctions in history” against the Islamic Republic.

On Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on American allies and other countries to choose sides and stop doing business with Iran, as Washington prepares what he touted as “the greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world.”

In an interview with CNBC, Bessent described the plan, expected to be unveiled on Monday, as “a one-two punch” combining a naval blockade with “the toughest sanctions in history.” He claimed it would “squash” the Iranian economy and “collapse this regime.”

Beijing, however, has rejected Washington’s call.

“Regarding the Iran issue, sanctions and pressure do not help resolve the problem,”Reuters quoted a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington as saying. “China calls on the relevant parties to take responsible actions and resolve the issue through political and diplomatic means.”

Bessent’s remarks followed US President Donald Trump’s announcement on Wednesday of what he called an “economic D-Day” against Tehran, threatening “tremendous Economic Consequences”against countries providing Iran with “any type of lifeline.”

China has also rejected that threat. In response to a question by Bloomberg on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said “sanctions and pressure tactics are not the solution” and called for a “political and diplomatic approach.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also dismissed the threat.

“Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat,” Araghchi wrote on X on Thursday. “US economic terrorism threatens global economy and sovereignty worldwide.”

China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, having purchased more than 80% of the country’s shipped crude in 2025, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters.

Bessent argued that Beijing has a strong interest in cooperating with US sanctions because of its reliance on energy supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming China gets “50% [of their] energy from inside the Gulf.”

Escalation as Turkey seeks Interpol arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israeli officials

Escalation as Turkey seeks Interpol arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israeli officials

Israel National News

Ankara asks Interpol to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and dozens of senior Israeli officials over their alleged involvement in stopping the Global Sumud flotilla en route to Gaza.

Turkey is escalating its legal campaign against Israel: Turkish authorities have asked Interpol to issue international arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and dozens of other senior Israeli officials.

The request was submitted as part of criminal proceedings being conducted in absentia at Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court.

According to reports, the charges relate to Israeli forces’ takeover of the “Global Sumud" flotilla, which attempted to reach Gaza and was stopped by Israel in international waters.

So far, there is no indication that Interpol has accepted the request. A request by a member state does not automatically result in arrest warrants, and the matter is expected to be reviewed in accordance with Interpol’s rules and international law.

Granada seismic sequence exceeds 620 earthquakes, around 600 residents evacuated, Spain

Granada seismic sequence exceeds 620 earthquakes, around 600 residents evacuated, Spain

Teo Blašković

A shallow seismic sequence south of Granada, Spain, has produced more than 600 earthquakes since August 14, 2026, including two M4.8 events. Around 600 residents were evacuated in Las Gabias while hundreds of buildings were inspected for damage.

The sequence has been concentrated around Alhendín, Gójar and La Zubia, approximately 2–12 km (1.2–7.5 miles) south of Granada. Of the 621 earthquakes recorded between 00:00 UTC on August 14 and 11:00 UTC on August 19, most were below M2, 10 were M3 or greater, and 42 had been felt by the population.

IGN said the earthquakes were very shallow, at depths below 10 km (6.2 miles), increasing the intensity of shaking experienced near the epicentral area.

The two strongest earthquakes both reached Mw4.8 and maximum observed intensity V–VI on the EMS-98 scale. The first occurred at 01:04 LT on August 15 (23:04 UTC on August 14), followed by the second at 10:37 LT (08:37 UTC) on August 18.

Three of the strongest earthquakes following the August 18 Mw4.8 event occurred within about two hours — an Mw3.9 at 08:53 UTC, Mw4.2 at 09:34 UTC and Mw4.0 at 10:39 UTC. They were located south of Churriana de la Vega, north of Alhendín and northeast of Gójar, respectively.

The repeated shaking prompted extensive building inspections and evacuations. Around 600 residents were evacuated from six apartment blocks containing 371 dwellings in Las Gabias after damage was identified.

The Granada Provincial Council evacuated and relocated all 77 residents of the Reina Sofía Psychopedagogical Center after damage was identified at the facility. The residents were transferred to other care facilities in the province while emergency repairs and further inspections were arranged.

The strongest measured ground acceleration during the two Mw4.8 earthquakes reached 0.24 g at IGN’s Armilla station, approximately 3 km (1.9 miles) from the epicentral area.

Peru 6.7 earthquake injures 2, damages buildings

Peru earthquake injures 2, damages buildings

Associated Press 

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake shook Peru's southern Andes Mountains on Thursday, injuring at least two people and damaging homes, health centres and schools, authorities said. 

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake occurred at 1 p.m. local time and was centred 38 kilometres northwest of the city of Upahuacho, in the Parinacochas province of the Ayacucho region. It had a depth of 66 kilometres.

The earthquake was felt in several regions of southern Peru, including Ica, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Apurimac and Cusco, as well as in the capital, Lima. 

Luis Vasquez, head of Civil Defence, told reporters that two people were injured while evacuating their homes during the earthquake in Coracora, the capital of Parinacochas province. Authorities also reported damage to 22 homes, six health centres and a school across several districts in Ayacucho and Cusco, including the towns of Puquio, Pullo, Coracora, Upahuacho, San Pedro and Pichari.