🇺🇸 - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asked Representative Judy Chu, “Who was the President during World War I?”

Chu did not know the answer.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡️- "If Zelensky wants to meet with Putin, he can come to Moscow." - The Kremlin.

🇺🇸🇷🇺⚡️- "Right now the issue of resolving another crisis, the one involving Iran, is extremely pressing, and naturally we can all see and understand that the US administration is being forced to shift its attention and deal with this issue above others [Ukraine]." - Putin.

🇺🇸🇨🇺⚡️- "The President of the United States makes new threatening statements against Cuba; and the Treasury Department has added new names of Cuban leaders, organizations, and companies to an illegitimate sanctions list.

They are aimed at reinforcing the blockade measures and the scenario of conflict between Cuba and the United States.

This political blindness is added to the coercive measures applied in recent weeks against our country, designed to harm the Cuban people.

The aggressiveness and perversity of the Yankee government will clash with our determination to confront the worst scenarios and resist the imperialist onslaught." - Miguel Díaz-Canel, Cuban President.

🇮🇷🇴🇲⚡️- BREAKING: Oman's Mina al Fahal port has halted all crude oil loading after the port was attacked by a drone.

🇺🇸⚡️- President Trump has appointed Bill Pulte as the acting director of national intelligence. Bill Pulte is currently the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and will take on both roles.

Trump has said he will not nominate Pulte for the permanent position.

🇻🇪 - The Kobeissi Letter reports that Venezuluan crude oil exports have increased 61% in the last 12 months, to 1.25 million barrels of oil per day, a seven year high, with a target of 1.37 million per day by the end of the year. Exports have also increased 150% since November last year.

The surge was led by rising shipments to the US at ~558,000 barrels per day, India at ~427,000 barrels per day, and Europe at ~169,000 barrels per day.

Credit: The Kobeissi Letter

🇺🇸🇵🇭⚡️- The Philippines Coast Guard will receive vessels from the US and Japan to increase its presence in the South China Sea.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has already announced a decommissioned cutter-class vessel will be transferred, as well as discussions on transferring more. Japanese Defence Minister has announced the acceleration of consultations on the transfer of the Japanese Abukuma-class destroyers, which Japan plans to decommission near the end of the decade. Japan has also expressed interest in transferring light patrol aircraft.

🇺🇸 - The US Navy has started its first round of prototyping with seven companies for a medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV).

The US Navy says the objective of the contract is to "assess industry’s ability to provide a materiel solution within an accelerated timeframe at an affordable cost". With expectations that the first vessel deliveries will be within 12 months of a contract being awarded, and all contracted vessels being required within 24 months. The Navy says to achieve their goal, they require an existing design, with minor modifications, or conversions of existing vessels, with a clean sheet design not being an option.

They're interested in vessels less than 200 feet in length, and less than 500 tons in displacement. Vessel payloads will vary, and would include. but not limited to, equipment for ISR (Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance), the Navy and Army’s new Mk70 Launcher system (a Containerised platform with 4 missile silos each for long-range missiles, capable of launching Tomahawk missiles, the SM-6 anti-air and anti-ship missiles, and similar), flight deck space capable of launching unmanned drones, or two standard 40-foot shipping containers for cargo, or any other modular container based system.

🇺🇸🇬🇹⚡️- "U.S. Marine Corps General Francis Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, completed a two-day visit to Guatemala today that included meetings with President Bernardo Arévalo; Minister of National Defense.

General Donovan was in Guatemala to continue the bilateral dialogue between senior U.S. and Guatemalan leaders on expanding the bilateral defense partnership to implement a shared commitment to counter cartel criminal activity under the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition — a hemispheric effort involving 18 nations steadfastly committed to ensuring peace, protecting sovereignty, and strengthening security in the region.

General Donovan’s visit reflects the United States’ recognition of Guatemala’s leading role in regional efforts to confront narco-terrorist networks and deny them safe haven in the Western Hemisphere. Guatemala’s recent successes in this area are a testament to its commitment and leadership." - US Southern Command.

🇺🇸 - The US Coast Guard is preparing for the launch of a new online based and modernised credentialing platform allows people to obtain merchant mariner credentials through an online portal.

This comes amid a coast backlog of over 19,000 credential applications, the federal funding lapse and government shutdown being a large contributor. The backlog and slow process of mariners obtaining credentials has long contributed to problems within the US Navy's Military Sealift Command (partly operated by civilian mariners) and led to the Navy sideling 17 support vessels (8% of their fleet) 18 months ago due to the civilian workforce shortage.

🇬🇧🇫🇷🇮🇷⚡- "Britain and France have completed preparations for a coalition mission involving up to 15 countries that would begin mine-clearance operations shortly after the United States and Iran reach an agreement restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz," - Bloomberg.

🇱🇧🇮🇱⚡️- Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon last night killed at least 8, and wounded 15 according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

🇸🇬🇹🇼🇨🇳⚡- An explosive leak shows footage of Singaporean troops undergoing training and military exercises in Taiwan. The footage, which dates to late April and early May, shows troops deployed to Taiwan's southern mountainous region.

Neither Taiwan, nor Singapore, have yet commented on the leaked video. It's believed approximately 3,000 Singaporean troops are stationed in Taiwan. Note, Singapore positions itself as a strong supporter of the One China Policy and rejects the Taiwan independence movement.

Singapore began seeking military training partners 50 years ago, but had rejected Chinese offers of exercises on Hainan Island in the past. In 2016 Singapore and China locked heads when Beijing seized nine Singaporean military vehicles in Hong Kong, alleging they were returning from Taiwan. Taiwan and Singapore launched its joint military exercise program (Project Starlight) in 1975 as an open secret to avoid provoking Beijing.

🇦🇿🇮🇱⚡️- According to CNN, Israel secretly deployed several dozen elite military, Mossad and intelligence units to Azerbaijan during the war with Iran.

Special forces units were deployed to several locations to carry out intelligence gather and drone operations.

Note, an Iranian drone struck Azerbaijan during the war, and there were several reports throughout the war of drone noises heard near the border.

This would make the fourth country that is reported to have allowed Israeli troops to operate in its territory against Iran.

🇦🇿🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡- Azerbaijan's embassy in the U.S. rejects the CNN report.

🇷🇴⚡️- An explosion in Constanta's port from a maritime drone was reported.

🇷🇴⚡️- Video of the smoke column after the blast.

Authorities have closed off the area and an investigation has been launched.

🇦🇿🇺🇦⚡️- Overnight Ukraine struck two grain carrier vessels in the Azov Sea heading to the Russian port. Both ships were crewed by Azerbaijan contractors, the first ship was hit 4 times and killed two crew members, the second ship was hit multiple times and three were killed.