⚡🇺🇸🛢 — Brent crude oil prices have dropped below $84.

💢 China gets closer to 'artificial sun’ after successfully testing world’s largest fusion magnet

The 582-ton magnet is key to a reactor that could one day produce clean, nearly unlimited energy

It’s a major step toward China’s goal of generating fusion electricity by ~2030

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They are going to try and charge
a fee for the Bab El Mandeb Strait. Chinese vessels will be exempt however. Russian vessels will also probably be exempt.

These will definitely be used on US ships once the strait of Malacca goes hot...

A war between the United States and China is not currently imminent, but the Strait of Malacca is increasingly viewed as a critical strategic flashpoint and potential "chokepoint" in a broader conflict. 

Key factors influencing this risk include:

Strategic Vulnerability: China relies on the strait for approximately 80% of its oil imports and 90% of its trade, creating what Chinese strategists call the "Malacca dilemma." A U.S. blockade would severely cripple China’s economy and military logistics. 

U.S. Strategic Moves: Recent defense cooperation agreements, such as the pact with Indonesia in 2026, have heightened tensions.  Analysts and some U.S. defense experts suggest the U.S. could use control of the strait to deter Chinese aggression, particularly regarding Taiwan. 

Regional Stance: Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia firmly oppose any closure or tolls on the strait, citing international law and their own trade dependencies.  Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has warned that the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is merely a "dry run" for a potential U.S.-China clash in the Pacific. 

Deterrence and Alternatives: To mitigate this risk, China is developing alternative routes, such as the Kra Canal or land bridges in Thailand, and expanding its navy to protect its "Two-Oceans Strategy." However, scholars argue that a full blockade is difficult to enforce and may backfire due to neutral states' economic incentives to subvert it. 

While the strait is a central element of U.S.-China strategic competition, the severe global economic costs of disrupting such a vital trade route serve as a significant constraint on immediate escalation. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CSuCyZlTtR0

AI companies are quietly buying millions of printed books because the internet is becoming saturated with AI-generated content. To build better models, they need clean, human-written text. But many of those books are being permanently destroyed during the scanning process, raising questions about who controls humanity’s written knowledge.

The Trump administration's CDC awarded Pfizer $1.24 billion in new contracts for COVID-19 vaccines covering fiscal years 2026 and 2027, despite low public demand and ongoing safety concerns.  The contracts, valued at approximately $735.7 million for pediatric doses and $505.3 million for adult doses, have sparked criticism from lawmakers and health advocates who question the commitment to the "Make America Healthy Again" agenda.

https://thenewamerican.com/us/healthcare/cdc-awards-pfizer-1-24-billion-for-updated-covid-vaccines/