Trump Claims He Will Void Biden Documents Signed with Autopen 
U.S. Repatriation Flight Carrying 266 Venezuelan Migrants Lands in Caracas 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
Trump Administration Halts Immigration, Green Card, and Citizenship Processing for 19 Countries 
Honduras Election Turmoil Intensifies as Nasralla Blames Trump for Shift in Results 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
Pentagon Probe Finds Hegseth’s Use of Signal Risked Exposing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details 
New Orleans Immigration Crackdown Sparks Fear as Federal Arrests Intensify 
Israel Receives Body of Deceased Hostage as Rafah Crossing Reopening Hinges on Final Returns 
UN General Assembly Demands Russia Return Ukrainian Children Amid Ongoing Conflict 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
A Russian-installed official in the eastern Donetsk region confirmed that Ukrainian forces were still fighting in the town of Soledar. The confirmation comes despite claims by the Wagner mercenary group’s chief that the key town was completely under Russian control.
In broadcasted remarks on Thursday, Russian-installed Donetsk official Andrei Bayevsky undermined the claim by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose forces were fighting at the frontlines in Soledar. Bayevsky said there were still some parts of the town where Ukrainian forces were pushing back but that the western outskirts of Soledar are under Russian control.
“At the moment, there are still some small pockets of resistance in Soledar,” said Bayevsky. “Our guys continue to push the enemy in these places. In general, the operation has been going well, and already the western outskirts of Soledar are completely under our control.”
Western military analysts have also refuted Prigozhin’s claims about Soledar, saying that Russian forces have not fully seized control of the town even with the recent advances. Should Russian forces succeed, it would mark the first territorial advance since July last year.
In a video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces were holding their positions in Soledar, inflicting significant damage on Russian troops. Zelenskyy also thanked the two Ukrainian units engaging in the fighting in Soledar but did not give further details.
Zelenskyy also said he met with senior Ukrainian commanders and discussed what reinforcements are needed in the battle for Soledar and other nearby towns, as well as what measures to take in the coming days.
The Pentagon said that Russia’s shortcomings in the war it is waging on Ukraine are likely the reason for the personnel changes in military leadership, urging Moscow to end the war instead of appointing new generals to oversee the invasion that has been going on for nearly 11 months.
Russia appointed Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov to oversee the military campaign in Ukraine following its appointment of Sergey Suroivkin in the post back in October. Suroivkin will be serving as Gerasimov’s deputy.
“It likely does reflect some of the systemic challenges that the Russian military has faced since the beginning of this invasion,” Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told a news briefing.
