Breakfast News Recap: Ukraine under fire as Houthi attacks, North Korea tests and G20 ministers meet

Ukraine said restrictions on the military version of Starlink are hampering drone missions as Russia launched another wave of missile and drone attacks, underlining the strain on Kyiv’s battlefield communications and air defences. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said it was painful that Donald Trump appears to be choosing Russia’s side in the war, as he pressed for stronger sanctions support.  🔗  🔗

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In the Middle East, Houthi attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia have deepened the conflict with Yemen’s rebels, with a strike on Riyadh airport reported to have killed 13 people and disrupted air travel. Separately, a Houthi linked television station is reported to have operated a London company for 12 years, raising fresh concern over foreign influence and corporate secrecy.  🔗  🔗

Iran also faced fresh security pressure, with at least two security personnel killed in separate attacks near Chabahar in Sistan Baluchestan province. In the same wider regional arc, suspected Israeli online recruitment operations have alarmed Iran and Lebanon, after reports of social media activity including a verified Instagram account used to approach targets.  🔗  🔗

Elsewhere in Asia, North Korea said it had test fired two submarine launched strategic cruise missiles off its east coast, adding to tensions on the Korean Peninsula. China and North Korea also opened the New Yalu River Bridge after a 12 year delay, with trucks beginning to cross in both directions.  🔗  🔗

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In Europe and the Black Sea region, Romanian authorities are investigating a possible fresh drone attack after a fire broke out on the Comoros flagged tanker Yara J off the Black Sea coast. Turkey was meanwhile hit by torrential rain in Istanbul, where flooding killed a 14 year old boy and caused major transport disruption across the city.  🔗  🔗

In the Balkans, anti government protests in Tirana turned violent for a second night, leaving several government buildings damaged and police using tear gas to disperse crowds. In Brussels, the EU Council approved conclusions on democratic participation and societal resilience, while the EU and Albania provisionally closed a chapter of accession talks on enterprise and industrial policy.  🔗  🔗  🔗

On the diplomatic front, the EU said it deeply regretted the Palestinian Authority’s decision to postpone legislative elections until September 2027, and the UN envoy told the Security Council that Libya’s political divisions, economic strains and institutional fragmentation still threaten stability despite some progress. In Israel, former domestic security chief Ronen Bar has sued Benjamin Netanyahu over defamation claims linked to the October 7 attacks.  🔗  🔗  🔗

In the Americas, Donald Trump told a rally in Arizona that people who leak government information to the media should be shot, a remark likely to intensify political controversy. The US also lifted sanctions on Jorge Rodriguez, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, as part of broader energy and diplomatic talks, while families of two Trinidadian men renewed calls for accountability over a US boat strike they say killed them.  🔗  🔗  🔗

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Further afield, Bangladesh police arrested two men accused of helping traffic at least 30 Bangladeshis to Russia with false promises of high paying work, where they were allegedly sent to fight in Ukraine. In Australia, an alleged Chinese spy network used LinkedIn to target more than 100 people linked to the country, according to an investigation based on records obtained by media.  🔗  🔗

In the economy and governance space, G20 finance ministers and central bank governors met in Bangkok as the war involving Iran continued to unsettle the global economy. In Australia, a watchdog found senior Victorian public servants hid up to A$285m in losses from Covid grant payments to ineligible businesses, while in the United States the White House issued a presidential message marking Dwight D Eisenhower’s 136th birthday.  🔗  🔗  🔗

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