Colombia's Closest Election Produces a Far-Right Winner

Colombia officially confirmed Trump-endorsed Abelardo de la Espriella as president-elect after he narrowly defeated left-wing Ivan Cepeda.

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Iran and Oman Eye Hormuz Fees Despite US Opposition

Iran and Oman work together on maritime service fees for Hormuz passage, despite US insistence that no tolls are permitted under international law.

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Obama:

I have not missed all the fuss of the presidency. You know, walking into a room and folks all standing up, and having to wear a tie every day—I don't miss that.

And a lot of the ceremony and the attention. I wasn't somebody who came in looking for it, looking like I just needed a lot of attention.

Source: ALL THE SMOKE

The Pentagon has reinstated mandatory flu vaccinations for all new military recruits after a flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base sickened nearly 300 trainees.

The policy reversal follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's April decision to make the vaccine optional, though officials say the change is unrelated to the outbreak.

Only about 40% of recruits chose to get vaccinated when it became optional.

Source: AP

JD Vance said one of the biggest breakthroughs from the Switzerland talks was an agreement in principle to establish a direct military communication channel between the U.S. and Iran to help prevent future escalation.

"One of the things we wanted to come out with was a channel on the Iranian side for reducing conflict."

According to Vance, the Iranian side agreed:

"They were like, 'OK, fine, we'll send somebody from the IRGC to go hang out in Doha with somebody from CENTCOM, and that's how we're going to settle a lot of these disputes.'"

Source: UnHerd

JD Vance to UnHerd:

The Emiratis—by far the most hawkish, by far the most pro-Israel country in the GCC—are having conversations with the Iranians that have never happened before, including with the IRGC, about various types of economic incentives.

JD Vance to UnHerd:

Israel, and every other nation in the region, has the right of self-defense.

But we want to make sure everyone has that right of self-defense in [a] background where we’re talking about how to de-escalate.

Trump Cancels Signing Housing Bill, Hours After White House Called It 'Historic'

Donald Trump canceled the signing of a landmark bipartisan housing affordability bill, demanding Congress pass the SAVE America Act first.

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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Ukraine:

The Slovak government, ladies and gentlemen, always calls for more diplomacy.

Judging by the latest discussions of the European leaders, more and more EU member states see its merits.

I believe that the European Union should support peace initiatives.

This destructive war does not have a military solution and can be stopped only at the negotiating table. Earlier peace means less destruction, and less destruction means easier reconstruction.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

Deeply saddened by the earthquake in Venezuela. We extend our condolences to the Government and People of Venezuela, especially families of the victims, and wish a swift recovery to the injured.

I.R.Iran stands in solidarity with Venezuelans and is ready to offer full assistance.

Houthi Leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi:

We are closely monitoring developments in Somaliland and the activities of the Israeli enemy, whose aim is to gain control over the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and establish dominance over the Red Sea.

We call on the countries bordering the Red Sea to adopt a unified position against the activities of the Israeli enemy. We will not stand idly by if it establishes a presence in Somaliland.

At any time, we will initiate attacks against any presence of the Israeli enemy in Somaliland.

BIG: Iran is seeking to earn billions by charging ships for security, safety, and environmental services in the Strait of Hormuz after the war.

Tehran says the plan could generate up to $40 billion annually and wants neighboring Gulf states to share in the revenue.

The U.S., Oman, and other Gulf countries oppose any transit fees, arguing international waterways must remain toll-free.

Source: WSJ

The Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that Trump can end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from Haiti and Syria, allowing the administration to revoke legal work and residency protections.

Iraq Contemplates OPEC Exit Over Oil Production Quotas

Iraq warns it may leave OPEC if the oil producer group does not significantly raise its output quota, following a severe financial crisis linked to export disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

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Alongside the ruling on TPS, the US Supreme Court has also barred migrants on the Mexican side of the border from applying for asylum.

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REACTION: JD Vance Breaking the Biggest Taboo in American Politics

It's just not the case that every criticism of Bibi Netanyahu's policy decisions leads to antisemitism or is antisemitic.

JD Vance

This is not a new tactic, it is a deliberate policy.

This matters. It signals that the Israeli lobby is approaching a dead end.

FULL REACTION

Netanyahu:

Only a blind person would say there are no achievements. There are tremendous achievements.

I haven't listed them all because I want to spare you. You're standing here in the blazing sun—it would take a very long time to list them all.

Netanyahu:

We live in a turbulent, stormy, barbaric Middle East.

Netanyahu:

We dominate southern Lebanon from the summit of the Beaufort.

And we will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary.

We are not going to withdraw from it.

The Minister of Defense and I have made it absolutely clear to the IDF:

"You have complete freedom of action to eliminate any threat to our soldiers or to the residents of the north."

Netanyahu:

I do not claim to be a prophet.

But I think I know what determines survival in our region—and increasingly throughout the world:

The strong survive.

There is no place for the weak.

They are preyed upon. They disappear.

Netanyahu:

There are still tasks to be carried out.

There is still more to do against Iran.

There is still more to do against Hamas.