About this Episode
Iran threatened strikes on energy and water systems in Gulf countries if the United States attacks Iranian power plants. President Donald Trump threatened to destroy Iran’s electricity infrastructure unless Tehran fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Iranian officials said such an attack would trigger retaliation across regional energy and desalination facilities. The Revolutionary Guards also warned the strait would remain closed if Iranian power plants are destroyed. Meanwhile, air raid sirens sounded in Israel yesterday after Iranian missile strikes injured dozens. Israel said it launched strikes on Tehran in response.
In the recent local elections, the Socialist Party (PS) maintained power in major French cities, including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and Lille. New mayor Emmanuel Grégoire won in Paris, signaling a boost for mainstream parties ahead of next year’s presidential elections. However, the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) faced setbacks despite some local wins, as their alliances with mainstream left parties proved ineffective in securing broader victories. Criticism arose against the LFI due to incidents involving its members, leading to calls for boycotts.
Exit polls show a close race in Slovenia’s parliamentary election. Prime Minister Robert Golob’s Freedom Movement leads with 30 percent, ahead of Janez Janša’s Slovenian Democratic Party at 27.5 percent. The ruling Freedom Movement supports pro-European policies, climate measures and social reforms. A victory for the Slovenian Democratic Party could shift policy toward stricter migration rules and a more confrontational style toward media and institutions. Analysts say neither side is expected to secure a majority in the 90-seat parliament, which would give smaller parties a decisive role in coalition talks. The campaign was overshadowed by a political controversy. Golob accused foreign actors of attempting to influence the election after reports linked an Israeli private intelligence firm to meetings with opposition figures.
More than ten million people in Cuba lost electricity after the country’s power grid collapsed again, the second nationwide blackout within a week. The crisis is linked to a United States oil blockade that has largely halted fuel deliveries to the island since January. Cuba relies heavily on imported oil to run its power plants. Without fuel, electricity production falls and blackouts spread across the country. The outages disrupt water supply, refrigeration, transport and daily life. The humanitarian crisis in Cuba has worsened drastically in the past weeks.
