TV News LIES

Officials in Cuba reported an island-wide blackout Monday in the country of some 11 million people as its energy and economic crises deepen and its power grid continues to crumble.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines on X noted a "complete disconnection" of the country's electrical system and said it was investigating, noting there were no failures in the units that were operating when the grid collapsed.

It was the third major blackout in Cuba over the past four months.

Tomás David Velázquez Felipe, a 61-year-old resident of Havana, said the relentless outages make him think that Cubans who can should just pack up and leave the island. "What little we have to eat spoils," he said. "Our people are too old to keep suffering."

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Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in central London on Sunday for the annual Al-Quds Day rally, after British authorities blocked the traditional march through the capital.

The event, held each year in support of Palestine, was heavily restricted following a government decision to ban the procession. Instead of marching through the streets as in previous years, participants were permitted only to hold a stationary rally.

The restrictions intimidated many supporters from attending.

Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan acknowledged that turnout was lower than expected, saying “fewer people attend than we had anticipated”, adding that the conditions imposed by police meant some participants “chose” to stay away.

The restrictions intimidated many supporters from attending.

Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan acknowledged that turnout was lower than expected, saying “fewer people attend than we had anticipated”, adding that the conditions imposed by police meant some participants “chose” to stay away.

The Al-Quds Day protest, organised in the United Kingdom by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), is typically held toward the end of Ramadan and calls attention to Palestinian rights and Israel’s decades-long occupation.

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Israel informed the US this week that it is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors as the conflict with Iran rages on, US officials told Semafor.

Israel had reportedly entered the current war already low on interceptors that were fired during last summer’s conflict with Iran. Israel’s long-range defense system has strained under Iran’s attacks; CNN reported that Iran was adding cluster munitions to its missiles, which may exacerbate the depletion of the stock.

The US has been aware of Israel’s low capacity for months, one US official said: “It’s something we expected and anticipated.”

This official emphasized to Semafor that the US is not running similarly low on interceptors of its own. That comment comes amid broader concerns about interceptor depletion from a longer military engagement in Iran leaving the US in a poor position.

It’s also unclear whether the US might seek to sell or share any of its own interceptors with Israel, which would pose its own strain on domestic supplies. The US has included missile defense assets in past provisions of military aid to Israel.

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Colonel Oleksandr Dovgach, commander of the 39th Tactical Aviation Brigade and a Hero of Ukraine, was killed during a combat mission on the eastern front on March 9, the Ukrainian Air Force reported.

According to the Air Force, Dovgach died while carrying out a mission in conditions of significant Russian air superiority and intense activity from Russian air defense systems.

In a statement posted on Telegram, the Air Force described the loss as a painful blow for Ukrainian aviation and the country.

“Unfortunately, we have another painful loss for our aviation family and the entire country. We express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones… Honor to the Hero!”

The Air Force said Dovgach died in the afternoon while completing a combat task.

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A Maronite parish priest, Father Pierre Al-Rai, was killed and at least five people were injured this afternoon by an Israeli strike on the Christian-majority village of Qlayaa in southern Lebanon. Fr Pierre al-Rahi, had stayed in the village, defying an Israeli order to leave, in order to protect his parishioners.

Three days ago, Father Pierre welcomed the Lebanese government's declaration that any military or security activity outside the authority of the state was illegal - referring to the government's move to ban Hezbollah's armed activity.

In a speech delivered on Friday in front of a church, Fr Pierre said the people of his community defend their land peacefully by remaining on their land. "None of us carries weapons," he said. "The only weapons we carry are peace, love, and prayer."

Today a house in the village was hit by Israeli tank, injuring the husband and wife who lived there. When several neighbours, the Red Cross and Fr Pierre rushed to help them, the house was hit a second time, injuring Fr Pierre and four others. AFP report that the priest died soon afterwards.

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At least 10 people, including two children, were killed and 10 injured in Kharkiv after Russia attacked Ukraine with ballistic missiles and drones overnight, officials said.

A countrywide air raid alert was issued at around 3am local time to warn people against incoming Russian projectiles.

Kharkiv oblast governor Oleh Syniehubov said fires were reported as a result of a ballistic missile attack, which killed four civilians and injured 10, including two children.

Explosions were first reported in Kyiv at around 1.30am local time, the Kyiv Independent reported, followed by more blasts at around 1.40am local time.

The attack came hours after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he had visited the eastern front on Friday.

Zelensky said he gave awards to soldiers defending positions near Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka in the eastern Donetsk region where Russian forces were concentrated in preparation for a spring offensive.

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