The Russian tanker Universal, carrying 242,000 barrels of diesel for Cuba, has reversed course and appears headed to South America instead — a blow to the island already suffering under a U.S. fuel blockade imposed in January.

Cuba had been counting on the shipment. Its reserves are depleted, electricity runs only a few hours daily, and black-market fuel costs over $40 a gallon.

The tanker drifted in the Atlantic for a month — an unusual pattern also seen with a Chinese-owned ship earlier this year that ultimately turned back — before heading south this week.

Source: NYT

Canadian PM Mark Carney:

Russia's losing 35,000 troops a month.

22 to 23 thousand, depending on the month, of those troops are killed.

They're losing troops faster than they can replace them. They are not gaining territory.

Hezbollah published footage showing two FPV strikes on an Iron Dome battery at Ramim barracks.

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias:

The homeland is in need, because there is a threat.

And if sometimes we forget it, others are kind enough—as they did yesterday—to remind us of it.

And to remind us of it expressis verbis, very clearly. They do not even imply it; they tell us directly.

Since a threat exists, there is also a need. We must bring the Armed Forces to such a level that, as they do today, they can always operate as a deterrent.

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias:

Ladies and gentlemen, we are a small country.

We have a significant budget in the Ministry of National Defense, funded by the sacrifices of the Greek people.

However, I will not hide it from you: it is not sufficient. It is not enough.

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias:

The Greek shipping industry is the largest in the world and probably the wealthiest in the world.

The EU’s political party watchdog has launched a process that could strip the far-right Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) party—founded by Germany’s Alternative for Germany—of its official status and funding over alleged violations of EU values.

The watchdog cited evidence including anti-immigration, antisemitic, and anti-LGBT rhetoric by member parties, as well as concerns over ties to Russia and extremist positions.

If successful, the move would cut ESN’s EU funding and political-party status, though its parliamentary group and MEPs would remain in place.

The ESN party, which includes nationalist parties from several EU countries, is due to receive more than €2 million in EU subsidies in 2026.

Source: POLITICO

Hungarian PM Péter Magyar:

Hungary is not supplying weapons or military equipment to Ukraine.

Unconfirmed reports say gunfire was heard near Bandar Abbas and the Strait of Hormuz, possibly involving warning shots fired by the Iranian Navy at some vessels.

Trump on Iran:

They are very good negotiators — they are crafty — but we hold all the cards, because we have defeated them militarily.

Iranian air defenses intercepted a U.S. drone near Bushehr.

Source: Tasnim

Serbian President Vučić says Serbia operates Chinese missiles with ranges up to 400km and is acquiring more.

He praised China's weapons performance in the India-Pakistan conflict, claiming Chinese systems destroyed India's S-400 radar.

An FT investigation reveals Iran International has lost £410 million over five years while receiving close to $1 billion in total financing — including £650 million in debt waivers — from structures controlled by Saudi Arabia's state-aligned SRMG media group.

The channel has long claimed to be privately funded with no government ties.

The Netherlands blocked US firm Kyndryl from acquiring Dutch cloud provider Solvinity, which operates DigiD — the authentication platform Dutch citizens use for healthcare, housing, and government services.

Officials cited national security risks over losing control of critical digital infrastructure.

Source: TechSpot

A Ukrainian Border Guard FPV drone from the "Phoenix" unit struck a Russian logistics truck 103km behind enemy lines — claimed as a world record for a standard quadcopter FPV with no relay assistance.

The unit noted that 70–80km strikes are now routine.

They had to fly over 100km just to find a target.

Reza Pahlavi publicly called out protesters wearing SAVAK T-shirts, saying the symbol is "controversial" and hands ammunition to the regime to attack the opposition movement.

SAVAK was the Shah's feared secret police, notorious for torturing and executing political dissidents during the Pahlavi era.

JD Vance:

We have made a lot of progress in negotiations with Iran and there are responses to some draft agreement articles.

We are approaching a point that would allow us to sit down and resolve the outstanding issues with Iran — but it requires additional progress.

Iran has actually agreed to not building or possessing a nuclear program — and we will verify that over time.

We are in a position that allows us to set back Iran's nuclear program fundamentally and in the long term.

A Russian drone struck an apartment building in Galați, Romania, injuring two people.

The drone hit the roof of a residential building near the Ukrainian border.

At the same time, Russia was attacking the nearby Ukrainian port city of Izmail across the Danube River.