The Vigilant Outpost Beacon

• World at Large: Cuba hit by widespread blackout; Ecuador expels Havana’s ambassador, staff
  Iran Signals 'Prolonged War' As US Strikes Go Deeper, Tanker Hit By "Large Explosion" Off Kuwait, Leaking Oil
  Concerns raised on the Strait of Hormuz with the IRGC announcing ban on US Israel and European vessels
WORLD — BY COUNTRY
• United States: President Trump offers US Navy escort ships through Strait of Hormuz
  
  
• China: China Halts Diesel, Gasoline Exports As Paralyzed Hormuz Risks Energy Shock
  China economic growth target set below 5% for the first time at key meeting
  China Reportedly In Talks With Iran For Safe Passage Through Hormuz, As WH Scrambles To Contain Rising Energy Prices
• Russia: Russia Reports: Iran strikes Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, airbase — IRGC
  Russia Reports: Iran drone attack at Azerbaijan airport|
  Khrunichev Center begins production of three Angara-A5M rockets for launching ROS modules
• United Kingdom: Checkpoints everywhere and queues for bread: Fear in Iran as US-Israeli strikes intensify
  
  
• India: As Iran War Disrupts Supplies to India US Yeids Sanctions on Russia for India access to Premium Russian Oil
  
  
• Germany: Free Speech Victory In Germany After Top Court Issues Landmark Rulings For 'Insults'
  
  
• Japan: 3,827 teacher positions unfilled across Japan: 2025 survey
  Japan raises travel alert for six countries in Middle East
  
• Spain: Spain Can’t Claim State Immunity in Solar Dispute, UK Top Court Says
  'No to war’: Spain PM hits back over Trump’s threats to cut trade over military base access
  
• South Korea: North Korea’s Kim oversees cruise missile tests from new naval destroyer
  
  
• Canada: Federal government boosts scrutiny of businesses claiming to be Indigenous-owned
  
  
• Venezuela: Venezuela’s president vows mining reform amid visit from US cabinet member
  Venezuela Makes Large U.S. Gold Deal
  
• Saudi Arabia: Tanker Hit By "Large Explosion" In Waters Off Kuwait, Causing Oil Spill
  
  
• Israel: Israel expands strikes in Lebanon and issues new evacuation warnings
  Traffic chaos as Israel issues forced evacuation order for Southern Beirut
  

• White House:
  Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Advances Energy Affordability with the Ratepayer Protection Pledge
  Ratepayer Protection Pledge (Protecting residents against costs of Data Center Energy Demands)
  White House Touts: Operation Epic Fury: Unmatched Power, Unrelenting Force of America’s Warriors
• State Department:
  Stranded Americans Abroad: Secretary Rubio is urging U.S. citizens to check in immediately — “Tell us where you are!”
  
  
• Dept of War (DoW):
  US, Ecuador Launch Joint Military Operations Against Terrorist Organizations
  Defense Executives Plan to Meet at White House as Strikes on Iran Diminish Stockpiles
  US Sinks 17 Ships, Hits 2K Targets; President Indicates Tehran Forces Largely Neutralized
• DHS:
  President Trump announces replacement of DHS secretary Kristi Noemr with US Sen. Markwayne Mullin of OK
  
  
• Energy:
  In "Historic Day For Nuclear Industry", Novel Technology Reactor Gets First Federal Permit In A Decade To Start Building
  
  
• Senate:
  Deeply Polarized Senate Gridlocked Over War Powers, Voter ID Push, and DHS Funding Standoff
  
  
• Supreme Court:
  Court unanimously sides with government in immigration dispute (Asylum Seekers need well-founded fear of persecution)
  Court sides with parents in dispute over California policies on transgender students
  Supreme Court grants Republicans’ request to pause order to redraw New York congressional map

• Selloff descends into a rout in South Korea with biggest one-day drop since 2008
  Oil prices move back to multi-month highs as Iran war disrupts supply
  

• Report on Human Synchron brain-computer interface after 5 Years Implanted
  Large genome model: Open source AI trained on trillions of bases
  

• These Official ChromeOS Flex USB Sticks Can Give Your Old Mac or Windows PC a Second Life
  Apple Music to add Transparency Tags to distinguish AI music, says report
  A suite of government hacking tools targeting iPhones is now being used by cybercriminals

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