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Oil prices hovered near $88 a barrel as hopes for a quick reopening of the Strait of Hormuz faded, with analysts warning a prolonged closure could push crude higher if inventories tighten and demand adjusts, while factors such as Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure and changing Chinese crude imports continue to shape the outlook.
The White Sox agreed to acquire Luis Castillo from the Mariners in exchange for Seranthony Domínguez, Nolan Jones, and prospect Boston Smith, with Chicago taking on all remaining salary. The deal gives Chicago a veteran starter to bolster a rotation that has been mixing in young arms, while Seattle gains prospects and salary relief as both teams pivot toward their 2027 plans.
Xi Jinping’s June 8–9 trip to Pyongyang signals tacit Chinese acceptance of North Korea’s nuclear status and a push for closer PRC–NK coordination, a move that could embolden Kim Jong Un in seeking concessions from the US and South Korea while signaling a shift away from denuclearization rhetoric. Separately, Taiwan’s KMT leader Cheng Li-wun completed a U.S. visit (June 12) to advocate cross-strait engagement, underscoring Beijing’s layered diplomacy. In the maritime domain, China conducted a June 6–10 law-enforcement operation east of Taiwan to assert EEZ rights and practice A2AD-style control, coordinating with coast guard and civilian vessels around Pratas and Itu Aba and signaling potential moves toward a more permanent presence in the South China Sea (including a manned structure near Scarborough Shoal). Dutch frigate De Ruyter’s Taiwan Strait transit, tracked by China and reportedly jammed, highlighted ongoing freedom-of-navigation tensions. Within the CCP, Cai Qi was named head of the Central Party School, reflecting Xi’s confidence in trusted lieutenants amid internal purges. In Oceania, New Zealand sanctioned four MPs for visiting Taiwan, risking friction in Five Eyes ties. Taiwan’s drone program remains a fiscal battleground as the DPP pushes for five-year funding while opposition parties seek to fold it into the general budget, a dynamic that maps onto broader deterrence needs highlighted by Ukraine’s drone warfare lessons.