Greetings! Happy National Package Protection Day to those celebrating.

Let’s get into today’s top stories.

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🇯🇵 Princess Aiko debate tests Japan’s succession rules. Princess Aiko’s rising popularity has revived debate over Japan’s male-only monarchy rule as lawmakers confront a shrinking imperial family. Supporters of reform cite polling that places Aiko above many male relatives. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signaled openness to study panels weighing change. Traditionalists argue that altering patrilineal succession risks destabilizing precedent. Constitutional scholars warn that nine eligible males have shrunk to only three. Women’s rights advocates say the question reflects broader demographic anxieties. The Imperial Household Agency tracks record-low births as the debate accelerates.

🇨🇦 Canada pivots toward Europe with new defense fund move. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed Canada to join the European Union Defense Fund as Ottawa signals a strategic distance from American priorities. Defense Minister Bill Blair says the shift strengthens procurement pipelines for emerging technologies. The announcement follows a 15 percent rise in Canadian defense spending since 2022. European leaders welcomed the move as a symbol of reliability amid rising conflict pressures. Analysts say Ottawa seeks diversified partnerships after several bilateral disputes with Washington. Canadian arms firms will now compete for €8B in joint projects. Critics warn the pivot risks complicating intelligence coordination.

🛰️ Watchdog faults Hegseth’s encrypted messaging practices. A Pentagon inspector general report found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s reliance on the encrypted messaging app Signal exposed American personnel to operational risk. Investigators say planning details occasionally moved outside official systems. Senior officers told auditors the practice complicated record-keeping. Hegseth defended the tool as a rapid channel during high-tempo deployments. Cybersecurity analysts say consumer encryption lacks classified safeguards. Legislative staffers seek new directives after similar issues surfaced in other agencies. Oversight officials argue that consistent platform rules are essential for troop safety.

🧀 Major cheese recall hits dozens of states over metal risk. A shredded cheese recall expanded to dozens of states after regulators warned of possible metal fragments in multiple batches. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) flagged products sold at Target and Walmart. Company officials traced contamination to a packaging equipment fault. Public health agencies reported no confirmed injuries. Retail chains initiated immediate shelf sweeps across more than 40 states. Food safety experts caution that metal hazards can evade visual checks. Manufacturers face scrutiny as inspectors review plant maintenance logs.

🏛️ Van Epps wins Tennessee House seat in tight special election. Republican Matt Van Epps won Tennessee’s special election to fill a vacant American House seat after defeating Democrat Aftyn Behn. State officials recorded turnout above 32 percent. Van Epps aligned closely with former President Donald Trump’s platform. His victory ensures Republicans retain a narrow legislative advantage. Local analysts say suburban shifts narrowed the margin. Van Epps promised immediate work on border legislation. Party strategists see the district as a testing ground for next year’s campaigns.

💉 Debate grows as Trump officials challenge hepatitis B vaccine. Federal experts warned that efforts by several Trump administration health officials to target the hepatitis B vaccine risk-reversing decades of progress. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends universal newborn vaccination. Supporters say the shot prevents an estimated 90 percent of chronic infections. Critics of the new push claim safety concerns are overstated. Pediatricians report rising misinformation inquiries. Public health leaders emphasize the country’s 860K chronic carriers. Policy analysts warn stalled adoption could increase long-term liver disease costs.

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