The House voted to hold billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with subpoenas in the committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.

The matter was referred to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution. Black declined to provide requested documents, including potential nondisclosure agreements, or appear for a deposition.

Black’s lawyers called the move “politically motivated” and said he had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.

Source: AP

Sweden’s centre-left opposition has narrowly won the parliamentary election, public broadcaster SVT said after 99% of votes were counted.

The bloc led by Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson was projected to win 175 of 349 seats, defeating Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-wing governing bloc by just 26,169 votes.

U.S. intelligence agencies have raised concerns that China could obtain sensitive F-35 fighter jet technology through espionage or military ties with Saudi Arabia, according to internal reports.

A Pentagon Defense Intelligence Agency report questioned whether Saudi Arabia can protect F-35-related technology, citing Chinese access to Saudi facilities and the kingdom’s use of Chinese telecommunications equipment.

The concerns come as the Trump administration advances a planned $24 billion sale of 48 F-35 jets and a spare engine to Saudi Arabia.

Similar concerns delayed a previous F-35 sale to the UAE over its growing ties with China.

Source: NYT

NEW: U.S. House advances the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, targeting Russia with sanctions and potential tariffs over the Ukraine war.

Trump: We are hopefully toward the end of the Iran war. Iran wants to make a deal.

Reporter: Have you heard from them?

Trump: Yeah.

Trump on Canada:

If Europe does add Canada with a bad intention, we will put very heavy tariffs on Europe.

If they do it with good intentions, it’s fine.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, criticized an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting on Pyongyang’s denuclearization, calling it “a familiar silly talk.”

She said North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state was “absolute” and “cannot be reversed with anything.”

“The DPRK's position as a nuclear weapons state is absolute which can not reverse with anything.”

Argentina's President Javier Milei:

You have to be very stupid, very imbecilic to believe that our action regarding the Falkland Islands is an electoral maneuver, when it is something we have been developing for three years.

There was an external trigger — something that allowed us to take advantage of the opportunity.

It does not have any electoral political intention.

Argentina's President Javier Milei:

Basically, the situation regarding the Falkland Islands was triggered by Trump’s comment that he was reviewing the position on the issue.

In other words, these were all external events, so to speak.

Pope Leo said Wednesday that recent Middle East conflicts have placed pressure on Jewish-Christian relations, with differing views over the violence straining dialogue but not ending it.

A Vatican decree marking 60 years of interfaith efforts said: “The conflicts that have erupted in the Middle East in recent years have ... left their mark on Jewish-Christian dialogue.”

It added: “Many channels of communication have been strained. Nevertheless, the pillars of dialogue among believers, built over 60 years of common effort, have remained firm.”

Source: Reuters

Trump:

Nobody knows there is a B in "dumb."

Trump:

Iryna Zarutska was petrified of Ukraine.

She was petrified to be on that train too.

She was more scared being on that train in North Carolina than she was being in Ukraine with all the missiles and bombs.

Trump is expected to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week to discuss the Iran war and plans for the aftermath.

The meeting is expected to include officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.

Source: Axios

The Trump administration is moving to weaken a key Endangered Species Act protection by redefining what counts as the illegal “take” of endangered animals, according to an internal memo.

Under the new interpretation, accidental deaths or injuries — such as whales struck by ships or bats killed when trees are cut down — would no longer be considered violations unless the animals were intentionally targeted.

Source: NYT

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

Successful consultations in China with our partners. Iran values strategic partnership we have built over time.

Today's decisions will decide future strategic balance in the region, with immeasurable knock-on effects.

4 principles for peace outlined by President Xi are key.

Trump on Iran:

The Democrats gave us the dark age of America, and we turned it into the golden age of America.

And that war, that war is going to end very soon. Watch, you just watch.

Trump on Iran:

They call, "We want to make a deal." They are not ready yet.

We can have a deal anytime we want.

Trump:

If we stopped trading with every country that we have a deficit with, we would make at least $1.5 trillion a year.

Trump:

We are carrying almost every country in the world.

That really cannot go on much longer.

Why should we carry Canada or Mexico?

Trump:

We are very close to a deal with Mexico, a great deal.

Trump on Europe:

Why should we carry so many countries in Europe? We are carrying the European nations.

All we have to do is say, "You know what? We are not trading with you anymore."

We don't need anything they have.