🇦🇲🇷🇺 - Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin claims the West is attempting to open a "second front" in the country:

The Kremlin expects that our Armenian allies will not allow the Russophobic forces in the West to use their beautiful country to open a "second front" of confrontation with Russia.

🇨🇦 - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to address the province shortly about "path with federal government" following meeting with caucus.

🇨🇦 - Alberta to hold a referendum in 2025 about its relation with the federal government, which may include a question on secession if a popular initative in its favor succeeds.

⬆️ A little break from the usual news. Thanks to our friend TabZ for sharing.

🇷🇺 - Russian sources say Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov reportedly requested to step down from his position.

🇮🇳🇵🇰 - Pakistan claims India has conducted missile strikes at multiple locations.

🇮🇳🇵🇰 - Indian AD active.

🇮🇳🇵🇰 - Indian media ANI says blackout in Amritsar.

🇹🇷🇪🇺 - European Parliament believes Turkey's EU accession process cannot resume, citing "democratic backsliding".

🇨🇦 - About the referendum in Alberta.

We need pipelines now. Because if we try to do them later, it might be too late.

We can't just refuse to validate Alberta's alienation during a potential referendum campaign. I've heard stuff that told me that even Calgary could vote for secession in a referendum if the campaign goes bad enough for the yes side.

Potential reasons that would increase the risk of a Canadian failure in the Alberta referendum notably includes the lack of civil society ties that Ottawa has in Alberta, that may complicate any late-night operation, say, use Edmonton to "find the votes" the Canadian side win (Along the fact Edmonton is demographically small).

🇻🇦 - WHITE SMOKE THERE IS A NEW POPE

🇻🇦 - New Pope is Robert Francis Prevost, who will reign under the name Leo 14.

🇻🇦 - Leo XIV is a clear signal that the church will be a lot more agressive in attacking neoliberalism as an economic ideology and libertarianism in general. Maybe not as progressive as Francis on social issues, or at least not as much ostensibly.

Robert Francis Prevost as a name is a clear sign the pope may descend from the millions of French-Canadians who fled Quebec during a wave of poverty that struck the province during the early 20th century.

🇻🇦— Notably, Pope Leo XIV is the first American Pope, raised in Chicago. He follows Pope Francis, who was the first elected from outside of Europe in modern history.

An image for those not yet familiar with Pope Leo.

🇺🇦💥🇷🇺 — Ukrainian forces are allegedly carrying out a landing operation on the south bank of the Dniepr River near Kherson, reports Rerum Novarum citing sources in the Russian military.

🇪🇨🇮🇱 - Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa says Israel wants to "help" with intelligence against cartels.