🇻🇦🇱🇧⚡️- Pope Leo XIV has landed in Beirut, Lebanon.

He will meet with local authorities, church leaders, leaders of other religions, and younger people and host a public mass at the Beirut waterfront before returning to the Vatican on Tuesday afternoon.

🇷🇺🇮🇳⚡- "India will begin talks with Russia on acquiring Su-57 fighter jets and the S-500 defense system when Putin visits," - Bloomberg.

🇾🇪⚡- Intense military movement observed on both sides of the Ansarullah - Yemeni Southern Transitional Council, STC, border. Pro-Ansarullah tribes and the UAE-backed STC military movement reported.

🇾🇪⚡- Saudi-backed 38th Mechanized Brigade of the Coalition Forces raises its state of alert in the Hadhramaut Governorate, eastern Yemen.

The commander of the brigade, Saleh al-Jaimalani, visited the province earlier today and said any attack on the region would be a 'red line'. Sporadic clashes erupted last night between the Saudi-backed Coalition Forces and pro UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council Hadhramaut tribes.

🇾🇪⚡- BREAKING: Initial reports of clashes erupting between UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council Hadhramaut tribes and the Saudi-backed Hadhramaut Tribal Army in the Hadhramaut Governorate, eastern Yemen.

🇳🇬⚡- "Armed men have kidnapped 26 people including a pastor and a bride in two separate raids in Nigeria," - AFP.

🇸🇳🇷🇺⚡- A third Russian shadow vessel was struck by USVs, this time off the coast of Senegal. The tanker is currently sinking.

🇾🇪🇸🇦🇦🇪⚡- "Saudi aircrafts have landed at Sayun Airport, Hadhramaut Governorate of Yemen, to provide military support for units [Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance] affiliated with the Coalition Forces.

The Coalition Forces have been given the green light to raise combat readiness for any potential conflict with the [UAE-backed] Southern Transitional Council.

Riyadh has made their desire known to avoid escalation that could lead to either Saudi or Emirati intervention," - Abna Hadramawt, Yemeni Hadhramaut-based outlet.

🇺🇸🇻🇪⚡- US issued NOTAMs over sections of Venezuela's southern border. NOTAMs remain active until March 1st, 2026.

🇺🇸⚡- A senior Pentagon official has departed from Washington towards the Carribbean.

🇺🇸🇻🇪⚡- "You [Maduro] can save yourself and those closest to you, but you must leave the country [Venezuela] now," - The White House told Caracas in a phone call.

🇺🇸🇻🇪⚡- "Safe passage would be guaranteed for Maduro, his wife Cilia Flores, and his son only if he agreed to resign right away," - The White House told Caracas in a phone call.

🇺🇸⚡️- US consumer behavior this Christmas season signifies a deteriorating economic situation. Although Black Friday total spending reached record numbers, this increase was driven almost entirely by top earners and older people.

One of the alarming stories under the hood here is the use of "buy now, pay later" short term finance services such as Klarna and PayPals Pay in 4. About 41% of shoppers aged 16-24 used them to buy goods and 48% of households earning above $100,000 used them, Total usage of these services have increased 10% compared to last year, with many using them to pay for groceries.

Total consumer spending in the US is now more dominated by the top 10% than at any time in American history, making up around half of all spending.

🇨🇩🇷🇼⚡- Large scale advances by the M23 over the weekend. M23 have advanced towards the Muta Heights, capturing Bulungu and Matale. The Rwandan-backed group are now 26 km from Muta - Shabunda direction, South Kivu region, eastern DR Congo.

More importantly, M23 have restarted offensive operations along the N2 highway, capturing Kasika and Kalambi. M23 are now less than 9 km from the major town of Mwenga - Kamituga direction, South Kivu region, eastern DR Congo. Front-line sources report that the Congolese military, FARDC, have completely withdrawn from Kibumpa, Iganda and Ilangi towards Mwenga.

There has been non-stop airstrikes over the past 24 hours by the FARDC against M23 positions south of Bukavu to slow-down the M23 offensive. Neither side continues to observe the US-mediated ceasefire agreement they signed last month.

🇹🇯🏳🇨🇳⚡- Tajikistan orders the strengthening of security along the Tajik-Afghan border after two separate drone attacks originating from Afghanistan's territory killed 5 in Tajikistan, including 3 Chinese mine workers.

In a third separate incident, two Chinese citizens were shot dead in the in the Meimi district of Badakhshan province, Afghanistan.

All attacks were reportedly carried out by the Islamic State of the Khorasan region.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡- "In Iran, they announced a $10,000 reward for anyone who provides information about IDF Unit 8200 personnel. Iran is trying to project a sense of recovery and rebuild its military capabilities.

Still, with a population thirsty for water and increasing economic distress in the background, it is hard to see how they can truly go on the offensive. Despite doubts about their readiness, the regime continues the arms race and is working to revive the cyber arm that was severely hit," - i24.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡- "The Iranians are restoring the missile system, and Israel will have no choice but to take action in order not to let it become an existential threat.

The Iranians are learning from the previous attack, but Israel is building a new plan," - i24.

🇾🇪🇸🇦🇦🇪⚡- Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance Chief Amr bin Habrish has called on Saudi Arabia for urgent intervention, against what he described as "UAE backed invasion of the Hadhramaut region" of Yemen.

🇾🇪⚡- Military convoys of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, STC, continue to arrive at al-Mukalla, Hadhramaut Governorate, eastern Yemen.

Al-Mukalla is under pro-STC Hadhrami Elite Forces control.

🇮🇶⚡- Clashes have erupted in Kurdish-controlled Iraq between the Herki clan and the Barzani-led Peshmerga forces.

Fighting began after the Herki clan stood in solidarity with local protests against the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party, KDP.