During a Friday afternoon press conference, Interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell told reporters that Ottawa police have made at least 70 arrests (including high profile organizers Tamara Lich, Chris Barber and Pat King) and towed at least 21 vehicles.
Bell said the plan to move in on protesters “methodical” and well thought out, noting officers had control of the situation on the ground.
“Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand all.” Proverbs 28:5
There are snipers on the roof of the Senate and one of the Rideau Centre buildings in Ottawa right now at the Freedom Convoy protest. pic.twitter.com/Ly5QqkLDWU
— Marie Oakes (@TheMarieOakes) February 18, 2022
“We will run this operation 24 hours a day until the residents and community have their city back,” Bell said.
Officers from across Ontario and Quebec, as well as the RCMP, have joined Ottawa police in a bid to end the protests.
Read More @ Zero Hedge HERE
Assessment: Is it a coincidence that Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2014 under the last weak president? …
NATO allies are reportedly concerned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to depart his country this weekend and go to Germany as the threat of Russian invasion looms over the country.
“Allies of the 30-member alliance are reportedly worried that Russia could exploit the president’s absence as tension in Eastern Europe has reached a boiling point not seen in decades,” Fox News reported. “Zelenskyy, who is set to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday, is expected to be a key target if Russia does successfully invade Kyiv.”
The report comes as a massive explosion rocked a gas pipeline in Ukraine late on Friday, according to Reuters.
“Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal.” Ezekiel 39:1
This is bad. All Russian media is reporting that there was an explosion to a gas pipeline in Luhansk. The fact that it is breaking across all Russian media is not a good sign https://t.co/hNg6SqDouj
— Olga Lautman ???????? (@OlgaNYC1211) February 18, 2022
Democrat President Joe Biden said on Friday that he believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin has already made up his mind on whether he will invade Ukraine.
“We believe that they will target Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million innocent people,” Biden said. “We’re calling out Russia’s plans loudly and repeatedly, not because we want a conflict, but because we’re doing everything in our power to remove any reason that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine and prevent them from moving.”
Read More @ Daily Wire HERE
Assessment: The Israel Defense Forces fired an Iron Dome interceptor missile at a small unmanned aircraft that entered the country from Lebanon Friday, but missed it, the military said …
The infiltration and failed interception attempts triggered air raid sirens across wide swaths of Israel’s north.
The IDF said it also scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters to deal with the aircraft, which entered Israel a day after the army shot down two other drones that entered its airspace, one of them from Lebanon.
“Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” Psalm 83:4
(Hezbollah drone shot down by IDF, January 7, 2022)
The Israel Defense Forces fired an Iron Dome interceptor missile at a small unmanned aircraft that entered the country from Lebanon Friday, but missed it, the military said.
The infiltration and failed interception attempts triggered air raid sirens across wide swaths of Israel’s north.
The IDF said it also scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters to deal with the aircraft, which entered Israel a day after the army shot down two other drones that entered its airspace, one of them from Lebanon.
Read More @ Times of Israel HERE
Oil prices extended losses on Friday, and were headed for a weekly fall, as the prospect of extra supply from Iran returning to the market outweighed fears of a possible supply disruption arising from a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Brent crude futures fell 47 cents, or 0.5%, to $92.50 a barrel at 0410 GMT, extending a 1.9% drop from the previous session.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures shed 62 cents, or 0.7%, to $91.14 a barrel, after sliding 2% in the previous session.
Both benchmark contracts hit their highest levels since September 2014 on Monday, but were headed for their first weekly fall in nine weeks amid reports of a deal taking shape to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers.
Diplomats said the draft accord outlines a sequence of steps that would eventually lead to granting waivers on oil sanctions. That would bring about 1 million barrels a day of oil back to the market, but the timing is unclear.
“The downward pressure on crude from the prospect of a deal is likely to sustain … unless the parties end the latest round of talks still in a deadlock
Read More @ CNBC HERE
