AI Governance: Trump says he’ll create an “AI czar” and an “AI force,” as US lawmakers worry about AI risks while the White House keeps downplaying regulation. Media Freedom: CNN and MS NOW report they were denied access to the White House after Trump’s ban on outlets he calls “fake news,” raising fresh First Amendment questions. Lebanon Frontline: IDF says two soldiers were lightly wounded after an engineering vehicle hit a Hezbollah explosive device in the security zone, followed by strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure; separately, Lebanon’s NNA reports Israeli demolitions and the burning of Meiss El-Jabal Hospital, which Lebanon’s Health Ministry calls a war crime. Regional Security: Saudi Arabia issued air-raid alerts after Houthi claims of an attack on Riyadh, while the UN Security Council condemned Houthi strikes on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure. Defense Tech & Policy: US approval of F-35 sales to Saudi Arabia triggers talk of Israel seeking “compensation” from Washington, while Democrats move to block a $2.8bn one-ton bomb sale to Israel. Local Tech/Science Angle: A Lebanon-linked story highlights how oil spills are being tackled with new materials and research, including advances in absorbent tech for environmental cleanup.