🇺🇸⚡️ — The U.S. Navy's USS Preble, an Arleigh Burke–class destroyer, successfully used HELIOS, a high-energy laser developed by Lockheed Martin, to shoot down four drones during a counter-UAS demonstration at sea last year, TWZ reports.

➡️ Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet said the test showed how laser weapons can neutralize drone threats while conserving traditional air-defense missiles for higher-end targets.

➡️ The Navy’s top surface warfare officer, Brendan McLane, said the service aims to make directed-energy weapons a primary defense against close-in threats and ultimately deploy lasers fleet-wide.

➡️ Despite the successful test, the Navy continues to face technical and operational challenges in fully fielding laser weapons, though senior leaders say ongoing HELIOS testing is laying the groundwork for broader adoption.

🇺🇸🇬🇧🇪🇺📁 — Peter Mandelson gave Jeffrey Epstein advance notice of a €500 billion bailout aimed at stabilizing the eurozone.

➡️ Mandelson informed Epstein of the planned rescue package on the evening of May 9, 2010, several hours before the bailout was formally announced the following morning.

🇺🇸🇳🇴📁 — NEW: Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit is under intense public scrutiny after details emerged about her past connections and closeness to Jeffrey Epstein.

➡️ The revelations have sharply eroded public support, with more than half of respondents opposing her becoming Norway’s future queen and only about 28% saying they support her assuming the role.

➡️ The situation has been further complicated by legal troubles involving her son, Marius Borg Høiby, who is now facing new charges related to violence and threats. These add to an existing list of 38 charges, including allegations of rape, violence, and intimidation, deepening the negative spotlight on the Norwegian royal family.

🇺🇸🇻🇪📁 — Jeffrey Epstein, in a 2018 email to Steve Bannon, shared links of articles regarding the Maduro government's "Petro" crypto token with the subject, "what NOT TO DO."