The Vigilant Outpost Beacon

• World at Large: Indonesia tightens control over key commodities in major trade takeover, influencing global exports
  Airlines are struggling but China's 'Big Three' face a tougher year than most
  Gunmen kill at least 25 in separate attacks in Honduras, police say
WORLD — BY COUNTRY
• United States: Oil prices fall after Iranian news agency says US and Iran may be 'hours' from announcing deal
  Vice President JD Vance revealed charges against 15 people for defrauding Minnesota Medicaid programs of over $90 million
  Pronounced Rupture in Class Tensions over AI: Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt vociferously and repeatedly booed during graduation speech about AI
• China: China’s vast new canal link to Southeast Asia set to open earlier than expected
  China’s Xi Jinping expected to visit North Korea as early as next week
  China’s top parliamentarian to visit Russia, Kazakhstan on May 25-30 — Xinhua
• Russia: Russia to support Cuban people, Havana informed about assistance parameters — MFA
  
  
• United Kingdom: Russian jets ‘dangerously’ intercepted RAF spy plane above Black Sea
  Starmer reaffirms support in call with Zelensky, after easing of Russian sanctions prompts backlash
  UK Leads European Nations In Hiring Over-50s
• France: Macron backs symbolic repeal of France's slavery laws, warns against 'false promises' on reparations
  
  
• Germany: Germany's Merz proposes Ukraine as EU ‘associate member’ without voting rights
  
  
• Japan: Buddhist hall housing ‘eternal flame’ burns down in Japan
  Foreign business owners face frantic scramble to leave Japan amid tighter visa rules
  Hirokazu Kore-eda says human imagination still matters in the age of AI
• South Korea: Korea confirms 24 cases of African swine fever in pigs across seven provinces this year
  
  
• Canada: Alberta to hold referendum on whether to remain in Canada
  Canadian Supreme Court to weigh in on B.C. Indigenous peoples mineral rights legislation for the first time
  
• South and Central America: Venezuela Greenlights U.S. Aircraft Drills Over Caracas Amid Renewed Diplomatic Ties
  Cuba Doubles Down and Celebrates Raúl Castro After the U.S. Accuses Him of Murder
  
• Saudi Arabia Iran and Oman in Talks Over Strait of Hormuz Ship Payment System
  
  
• Israel: US used over half its THAAD interceptors defending Israel during Iran war
  
  
• Continental Africa: Ebola treatment center burns in eastern Congo city of Rwampara
  
  

• White House:
  Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reverses Biden-Era Refrigerant Rules
  President Trump restores plans for 5,000 US troops to Poland
  President Trump willing to speak to Taiwan’s president, departing from decades-long diplomatic norms
• State Department:
  US approves potential $108.1 million sale of missile system equipment to Ukraine
  Secretary Rubio indicates the likelihood of negotiated agreement with Cuba 'not high'
  Drop bid for senior U.N. post or lose visas, U.S. tells Palestinians
• Dept of War (DoW):
  USS Nimitz arrives in Caribbean as US-Cuba tension mounts
  US pausing $14bn arms sale to Taiwan due to Iran war, navy chief says
  The US Navy is full speed ahead on building a laser fleet
• Justice (DOJ):
  Justice Department announces charges against 15 defendants in Medicaid fraud schemes
  Four of the World's Largest Container Manufacturing Companies and Seven of Their Executives Indicted for a Global Conspiracy Affecting Billions of Dollars of Commerce
  Washington State Under Federal Investigation For Housing Men In Women's Prisons
• DHS:
  Air France flight to U.S. diverted to Montreal over concerns of possible Ebola virus exposure on board
  
  
• Treasury:
  Treasury Disrupts Sinaloa Cartel Narco-Terrorist Fentanyl Trafficking Operations
  Treasury Targets Flotilla Organizers and Muslim Brotherhood Networks Supporting Hamas
  
• HHS:
  HHS, USDA Announce Investments to Expand Protein Access, Strengthen Cold Chain Infrastructure
  
  
• DOT:
  Dept of Transportation Unveils Plan to Modernize America's 7-Million-Mile Freight Network to Bolster Supply Chains & Unleash American Energy
  
  
• Energy:
  Dept of Energy Issues Emergency Order to Deploy Backup Generation in the Mid-Atlantic Amid Heatwave
  
  
• Senate:
  Senate Republicans break with Trump over 'anti-weaponization fund' concerns
  
  
• House:
  GOP Pulls Measure on Trump’s War Powers in Iran, Lacking Votes to Defeat It
  
  
• Supreme Court:
  Supreme Court Permits Lawsuit Over U.S. Assets Seized by Cuba in 1960
  
  

• SpaceX has a lot riding on its imminent Starship rocket launch
  Meta lays off thousands of employees to offset AI investments
  SpaceX Files For Nasdaq IPO Under Symbol SPCX

• Neptune's Moon Nereid Might Be the Sole Intact Survivor of an Ancient Lunar Collision
  From a Medieval Latrine in Germany, Archaeologists Extracted a Pristine Leather Notebook That Preserved Latin Cursive for Centuries
  

• Ground system issue scrubs first launch of SpaceX's Starship V3 rocket
  SpaceX just filed for what could be the biggest IPO ever
  Waymo expands pause to four cities as robotaxis keep driving into floods

• Frency Artist Banksy Creates Illusion of Famous Paris Bridge Becoming Integral to French Alps
  Ready to hunt some enormous snakes? The Florida Python Challenge returns.
  

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