June 26 1200 UTC Brief

In the Middle East Tankers are still moving through the Strait of Hormuz after a new vessel attack rattled energy markets, but the route remains under strain. Traffic through the waterway has more than tripled since the U.S.-Iran interim peace deal, though it is still well below prewar levels. Four empty supertankers are due to enter the strait today, a useful test of whether ship operators think they can load and leave safely. The possibility of more stable oil flows is already shifting markets, and Iraq’s president says the country would leave OPEC if production quotas are not raised. In Europe A punishing heat wave is pushing power systems hard across the continent. Britain’s grid briefly called for extra power before backing off as supply tightened, electricity prices jumped in the evening, and several French nuclear reactors went offline because they could not cool efficiently. Germany and Britain are heading for their highest June average electricity prices since the 2022 energy crisis. Europe’s climate director, Carlo Buontempo, said record heat should not be treated like a surprise package, and noted that the consequences arrive whether the planning does or not. In Germany In Magdeburg, Taleb al Abdulmohsen has been sentenced to life imprisonment after driving into the Christmas market there, killing six people and injuring more than 300. It is a brutal reminder that the legal process may end, but the damage does not neatly follow suit. In U.S. politics Billionaire Leon Black is scheduled to appear before members of Congress investigating Jeffrey Epstein. Black paid Epstein large sums, and his representatives have said the money was for tax advice and estate planning. Separately, House Republicans are defending the use of artificial intelligence after a committee summary for a defense bill amendment included the phrase “Claude responded,” which suggests the drafting may have gotten a little help from the chatbot. Representative Anna Paulina Luna said most staff use AI. That is one way to keep Congress looking modern.