Breakfast News Recap: US Iran tensions deepen as oil rises and Gaza, Ukraine and Asia face fresh shocks
Oil prices rose for a second session as the United States restored a naval blockade on Iranian ports, sharpening pressure on shipping routes and energy markets just as Donald Trump threatened to widen strikes on Iran to include power plants and bridges if Tehran does not back down. π π πThe confrontation also spread beyond the Gulf, with Trump dropping a planned 20% cargo fee on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and saying Gulf states would instead make investment and trade commitments, while the Strait remained the central fault line in the fast deteriorating stand off. π πIran said... [Continue Reading]
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China detains US seismologist Chen Youlin on espionage charges
China has detained a US seismologist who studies nuclear tests, with his family saying he has been held on espionage charges since November 2024. Chen Youlin, 54, was arrested during a trip to Beijing to visit family, according to a hostage advocacy group. The case has drawn attention because he has remained in detention for nearly two years and is the only US citizen currently designated as wrongfully detained.Chen specialises in using seismological data to track nuclear tests, including work related to North Korea. His wife, Rong Yufang, who is also a seismologist, said his research was public and collaborative... [Continue Reading]

