diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/build_tests.yaml
index 30be9873..d793ce74 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_tests.yaml
@@ -24,9 +24,10 @@ on:
         type: choice
         options:
           - v4-8
-  push:
-    branches: ["main"]
-  pull_request: # By default this runs for types assigned, opened and synchronize.
+          - v5litepod-8
+#  push:
+#    branches: ["main"]
+#  pull_request: # By default this runs for types assigned, opened and synchronize.
 
 env:
   # Names must be unique in parallel running tests.
@@ -35,77 +36,83 @@ env:
   WORKLOAD_NAME: xpktest-build-${{ github.run_attempt }}
   PATHWAYS_WORKLOAD_NAME: xpkpw-build-${{ github.run_attempt }}
   CLUSTER_ARGUMENTS: "--network=${{secrets.NETWORK_NAME}} --subnetwork=${{secrets.SUBNETWORK_NAME}} --maintenance-window=23:50"
-  RUN_ID: "pr-${{ github.event.number }}"
   PROJECT_ID: ${{secrets.PROJECT_NAME}}
   A3_MEGA_TEST_CLUSTER_NAME: "xpk-mega-ctk-int"
   A3_ULTRA_TEST_CLUSTER_NAME: "xpk-ultra-ctk-int"
   GKE_ML_TEST_CLUSTER_NAME: "xpk-gke-ml"
-  ZONE: us-central2-a
-  REGION: us-central2
+  ZONE: europe-west4-b
+  REGION: europe-west4
 
 jobs:
-  run-unit-tests:
-    runs-on: [ubuntu-22.04]
-    concurrency: # We support one build or nightly test to run at a time currently.
-      group: build-test-cluster-group
-      cancel-in-progress: false
-    steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-    - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
-      with:
-        python-version: '3.10'
-    - name: Install dependencies
-      run : make install-dev
-    - name: Run unit tests
-      run: make run-unittests
-
-  run-integration-tests:
-    runs-on: [ubuntu-22.04]
-    needs: [run-unit-tests]
-    concurrency: # We support one build or nightly test to run at a time currently.
-      group: build-test-cluster-group
-      cancel-in-progress: false
-    steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-    - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
-      with:
-        python-version: '3.10'
-    - uses: 'google-github-actions/auth@v2'
-      with:
-        credentials_json: '${{ secrets.GCP_SA_KEY }}'
-    - uses: google-github-actions/setup-gcloud@v2
-      with:
-        version: '>= 363.0.0'
-        install_components: 'beta,gke-gcloud-auth-plugin'
-    - name: Verify gcp setup
-      run: gcloud info
-    - name: Install dependencies
-      run : make install-dev
-    - name: "Set auth cidr"
-      run: echo "AUTH_CIDR=$(curl api.ipify.org)/32" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-    - name: "Set GCLOUD_CFG_PATH"
-      run: echo "GCLOUD_CFG_PATH=/home/runner/work/xpk/xpk/" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-    - name: "Copy credentials"
-      run: cp $GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS $GCLOUD_CFG_PATH/application_default_credentials.json
-    - name: "Set DEPLOYMENT_DIR"
-      run: echo "DEPLOYMENT_DIR=$HOME/deployment" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-    - name: Create deployment dir
-      run: mkdir -p $DEPLOYMENT_DIR
-    - name: Run integration tests
-      run: make run-integrationtests
+#  run-unit-tests:
+#    runs-on: [ubuntu-22.04]
+#    concurrency: # We support one build or nightly test to run at a time currently.
+#      group: build-test-cluster-group
+#      cancel-in-progress: false
+#    steps:
+#    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+#    - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+#      with:
+#        python-version: '3.10'
+#    - name: Install dependencies
+#      run : make install-dev
+#    - name: Run unit tests
+#      run: make run-unittests
+#
+#  run-integration-tests:
+#    runs-on: [ubuntu-22.04]
+#    needs: [run-unit-tests]
+#    concurrency: # We support one build or nightly test to run at a time currently.
+#      group: build-test-cluster-group
+#      cancel-in-progress: false
+#    steps:
+#    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+#    - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+#      with:
+#        python-version: '3.10'
+#    - uses: 'google-github-actions/auth@v2'
+#      with:
+#        credentials_json: '${{ secrets.GCP_SA_KEY }}'
+#    - uses: google-github-actions/setup-gcloud@v2
+#      with:
+#        version: '>= 363.0.0'
+#        install_components: 'beta,gke-gcloud-auth-plugin'
+#    - name: Verify gcp setup
+#      run: gcloud info
+#    - name: Install dependencies
+#      run : make install-dev
+#    - name: "Set auth cidr"
+#      run: echo "AUTH_CIDR=$(curl api.ipify.org)/32" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+#    - name: "Set GCLOUD_CFG_PATH"
+#      run: echo "GCLOUD_CFG_PATH=/home/runner/work/xpk/xpk/" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+#    - name: "Copy credentials"
+#      run: cp $GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS $GCLOUD_CFG_PATH/application_default_credentials.json
+#    - name: "Set DEPLOYMENT_DIR"
+#      run: echo "DEPLOYMENT_DIR=$HOME/deployment" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+#    - name: Create deployment dir
+#      run: mkdir -p $DEPLOYMENT_DIR
+#    - name: Run integration tests
+#      run: make run-integrationtests
 
   cluster-create-and-delete:
     runs-on: [ubuntu-22.04]
-    needs: [run-integration-tests]
+#    needs: [run-integration-tests]
     concurrency: # We support one nightly test and one build test for each branch to run at a time currently.
       group: build-test-cluster-group-${{ github.ref }}
       cancel-in-progress: false
     steps:
-    - name: Change RUN_ID env var if merge to main
-      run: echo "RUN_ID=main" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-      if: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' }}
+    - name: Initialize RUN_ID env var
+      run: |
+        if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "workflow_dispatch" ]; then
+          RUN_ID="dispatch"
+        elif [ "${{ github.ref }}" == "refs/heads/main" ]; then
+          RUN_ID="main"
+        else
+          RUN_ID="pr-${{ github.event.number }}"
+        fi
+        echo "RUN_ID=$RUN_ID" >> $GITHUB_ENV
     - name: Update cluster name with TPU_TYPE and RUN_ID
-      run: echo "TPU_CLUSTER_NAME=$TPU_CLUSTER_NAME-$TPU_TYPE-$RUN_ID" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      run: echo "TPU_CLUSTER_NAME=$TPU_CLUSTER_NAME-$RUN_ID" >> $GITHUB_ENV
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
       with:
@@ -132,40 +139,40 @@ jobs:
     - name: Check xpk installation
       run: xpk --help
     - name: Create a private Pathways-enabled XPK Cluster with 2x $TPU_TYPE nodepools. Larger num-nodes to avoid master resizing.
-      run: python xpk.py cluster create-pathways --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --private --tpu-type=$TPU_TYPE  --num-slices=2 --zone=us-central2-b --default-pool-cpu-machine-type=n1-standard-16 --default-pool-cpu-num-nodes=16 --reservation='${{ secrets.GCP_TPU_V4_RESERVATION }}' --custom-cluster-arguments="${CLUSTER_ARGUMENTS}"
-    - name: Verify the created cluster is private
-      run: gcloud container clusters describe $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --region=us-central2 --format="value(privateClusterConfig.enablePrivateNodes)" | grep 'True' || (echo 'The created cluster is not private.' && exit 1)
+      run: python xpk.py cluster create-pathways --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --tpu-type=$TPU_TYPE  --num-slices=1 --zone=europe-west4-b --default-pool-cpu-machine-type=n1-standard-16 --default-pool-cpu-num-nodes=1 --reservation='${{ secrets.GCP_TPU_V5_RESERVATION }}'
+    # - name: Verify the created cluster is private
+    #   run: gcloud container clusters describe $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --region=europe-west4 --format="value(privateClusterConfig.enablePrivateNodes)" | grep 'True' || (echo 'The created cluster is not private.' && exit 1)
     - name: Authenticate Docker
       run: gcloud auth configure-docker --quiet
     - name: Create test script to execute in workloads
       run: echo -e '#!/bin/bash \n echo "Hello world from a test script!"' > workload.sh
     - name: Run a base-docker-image workload
-      run: python xpk.py workload create --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --workload $WORKLOAD_NAME  --command "bash workload.sh"  --tpu-type=$TPU_TYPE --num-slices=2 --zone=us-central2-b
+      run: python xpk.py workload create --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --workload $WORKLOAD_NAME  --command "bash workload.sh"  --tpu-type=$TPU_TYPE --num-slices=1 --zone=europe-west4-b
     - name: Run xpk inspector with the workload created above
-      run: python3 xpk.py inspector --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b  --workload $WORKLOAD_NAME
+      run: python3 xpk.py inspector --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b  --workload $WORKLOAD_NAME
     - name: Wait for workload completion and confirm it succeeded
-      run: python3 xpk.py workload list --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b --wait-for-job-completion $WORKLOAD_NAME --timeout 300
+      run: python3 xpk.py workload list --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b --wait-for-job-completion $WORKLOAD_NAME --timeout 300
     - name: Run a Pathways workload on Ubuntu base image
-      run: python xpk.py workload create-pathways --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --workload $PATHWAYS_WORKLOAD_NAME --docker-image='marketplace.gcr.io/google/ubuntu2004' --tpu-type=$TPU_TYPE --num-slices=2 --zone=us-central2-b --command "echo \"Hello world from a test script! \""
+      run: python xpk.py workload create-pathways --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --workload $PATHWAYS_WORKLOAD_NAME --docker-image='marketplace.gcr.io/google/ubuntu2004' --tpu-type=$TPU_TYPE --num-slices=1 --zone=europe-west4-b --command "echo \"Hello world from a test script! \""
     - name: Wait for Pathways workload completion and confirm it succeeded
-      run: python3 xpk.py workload list --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b --wait-for-job-completion $PATHWAYS_WORKLOAD_NAME --timeout 300
+      run: python3 xpk.py workload list --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b --wait-for-job-completion $PATHWAYS_WORKLOAD_NAME --timeout 300
     - name: List out the workloads on the cluster
-      run: python3 xpk.py workload list --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b
+      run: python3 xpk.py workload list --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b
     - name: Run xpk info
-      run: python3 xpk.py info --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b | tee output.txt | grep -P "^(?=.*QUEUE)(?=.*PENDING_WORKLOADS)(?=.*ADMITTED_WORKLOADS)(?=.*2x$TPU_TYPE:google.com/tpu)(?=.*cpu-rm:cpu)(?=.*cpu-rm:memory)(?=.*cpu-proxy:cpu)(?=.*cpu-proxy:memory)(?=.*cpu-user:cpu)(?=.*cpu-user:memory)" || (echo 'Invalid command output' && cat output.txt && exit 1)
+      run: python3 xpk.py info --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b | tee output.txt | grep -P "^(?=.*QUEUE)(?=.*PENDING_WORKLOADS)(?=.*ADMITTED_WORKLOADS)(?=.*2x$TPU_TYPE:google.com/tpu)(?=.*cpu-rm:cpu)(?=.*cpu-rm:memory)(?=.*cpu-proxy:cpu)(?=.*cpu-proxy:memory)(?=.*cpu-user:cpu)(?=.*cpu-user:memory)" || (echo 'Invalid command output' && cat output.txt && exit 1)
     - name: Delete the workload on the cluster
-      run: python3 xpk.py workload delete --workload $WORKLOAD_NAME --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b
+      run: python3 xpk.py workload delete --workload $WORKLOAD_NAME --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b
     - name: Delete the Pathways workload on the cluster
-      run: python3 xpk.py workload delete --workload $PATHWAYS_WORKLOAD_NAME --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b
+      run: python3 xpk.py workload delete --workload $PATHWAYS_WORKLOAD_NAME --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b
     - name: Create test script to execute in batch
       run: echo -e '#!/bin/bash \n#SBATCH --unknown-flag=value\n echo "Hello world from a test script!"' > batch.sh
     - name: Run a batch job on the cluster
-      run: python3 xpk.py batch --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b batch.sh --ignore-unknown-flags --array 1-5 --nodes 2 --ntasks 3 --time 60
+      run: python3 xpk.py batch --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b batch.sh --ignore-unknown-flags --array 1-5 --nodes 2 --ntasks 3 --time 60
     - name: List out the jobs on the cluster
-      run: python3 xpk.py job ls --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b | grep 'xpk-def-app-profile-slurm-'
+      run: python3 xpk.py job ls --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b | grep 'xpk-def-app-profile-slurm-'
     - name: Get created job name
       run: |
-        JOB_NAME=$(python3 xpk.py job ls --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b | grep 'xpk-def-app-profile-slurm-' | head -1 | awk '{print $1}')
+        JOB_NAME=$(python3 xpk.py job ls --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b | grep 'xpk-def-app-profile-slurm-' | head -1 | awk '{print $1}')
         echo "JOB_NAME=${JOB_NAME}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
     - name: Check created job
       run: |
@@ -178,7 +185,7 @@ jobs:
       run: python3 xpk.py job info ${JOB_NAME} | grep -e "Entrypoint environment variables template:" -e "Job name:" -e "Labels:" -e "Mounts:" -e "Pods:" -e "Profile:" -e "Script name:" | wc -l | grep "7"
     - name: Cancel the batch job on the cluster
       run: |
-        python3 xpk.py job cancel ${JOB_NAME} --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b | grep "job.batch/${JOB_NAME} deleted"
+        python3 xpk.py job cancel ${JOB_NAME} --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b | grep "job.batch/${JOB_NAME} deleted"
     - name: Create shell and exit it immediately
       run: |
         cat <<'EOF' >> create-shell.exp
@@ -196,7 +203,7 @@ jobs:
       run: python3 xpk.py shell stop
     - name: Delete the cluster created
       if: always()
-      run: echo 'y' | python xpk.py cluster delete --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=us-central2-b
+      run: python xpk.py cluster delete --cluster $TPU_CLUSTER_NAME --zone=europe-west4-b --force
 
 
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint_and_format.yml b/.github/workflows/lint_and_format.yml
index 27e3cb74..9faa9c1e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint_and_format.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint_and_format.yml
@@ -15,10 +15,11 @@
 name: Lint and Format
 
 on:
-  pull_request:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
+  workflow_dispatch:
+#  pull_request:
+#  push:
+#    branches:
+#      - main
 
 jobs:
   build-and-test:
diff --git a/src/xpk/commands/cluster.py b/src/xpk/commands/cluster.py
index a5c9fb39..b4118ca7 100644
--- a/src/xpk/commands/cluster.py
+++ b/src/xpk/commands/cluster.py
@@ -545,6 +545,7 @@ def run_gke_cluster_create_command(
       f' --num-nodes {args.default_pool_cpu_num_nodes}'
       f' {args.custom_cluster_arguments}'
       f' {rapid_release_cmd}'
+      ' --verbosity=debug'
   )
 
   enable_ip_alias = False
diff --git a/src/xpk/core/commands.py b/src/xpk/core/commands.py
index 9b9a6384..54c602a9 100644
--- a/src/xpk/core/commands.py
+++ b/src/xpk/core/commands.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def run_command_batch(commands, jobname, per_command_name, output_logs):
     children.append(
         # subprocess managed by list pylint: disable=consider-using-with
         subprocess.Popen(
-            command, stdout=output_logs[i], stderr=output_logs[i], shell=True
+            command, stdout=sys.stdout, stderr=sys.stderr, shell=True
         )
     )
 
diff --git a/src/xpk/core/core.py b/src/xpk/core/core.py
index b0c8095b..5caea4c7 100644
--- a/src/xpk/core/core.py
+++ b/src/xpk/core/core.py
@@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ def run_gke_node_pool_create_command(
     if node_pool_name in node_pools_to_remain:
       continue
     command = (
-        'gcloud beta container node-pools create'
+        'gcloud beta container node-pools create --verbosity=debug'
         f' {node_pool_name}'
         f' --region={zone_to_region(args.zone)}'
         f' --cluster={args.cluster}'
@@ -1342,7 +1342,7 @@ def run_gke_node_pool_create_command(
       if node_pool_name in existing_node_pool_names:
         continue
       command = (
-          'gcloud beta container node-pools create'
+          'gcloud beta container node-pools create --verbosity=debug'
           f' {node_pool_name} --node-version={gke_node_pool_version} --cluster={args.cluster} --project={args.project} --node-locations={args.zone} --region={zone_to_region(args.zone)} --num-nodes=1'
           f' --machine-type={args.pathways_gce_machine_type} --scopes=storage-full,gke-default,{CLOUD_PLATFORM_AUTH_SCOPE_URL} --enable-autoscaling'
           ' --min-nodes=1 --max-nodes=20'
diff --git a/src/xpk/core/system_characteristics.py b/src/xpk/core/system_characteristics.py
index 8808367b..c6fb2e6a 100644
--- a/src/xpk/core/system_characteristics.py
+++ b/src/xpk/core/system_characteristics.py
@@ -1105,6 +1105,15 @@ def get_system_characteristics_by_device_type(
         'v5p-17920',
     ),
     # v5litepod
+    'v5litepod-8': SystemCharacteristics(
+        '2x4',
+        2,
+        'tpu-v5-lite-podslice',
+        'ct5lp-hightpu-4t',
+        8,
+        AcceleratorType['TPU'],
+        'v5litepod-8',
+    ),
     'v5litepod-16': SystemCharacteristics(
         '4x4',
         4,