Breakfast News Recap: Ukraine diplomacy advances as Middle East tensions and security alerts widen

Russia and Ukraine traded overnight attacks after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg, with casualties reported in Kyiv and the Moscow region, even as the latest diplomacy opened the door to renewed US mediated talks on Ukraine.  🔗  🔗

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Washington is also facing unease over Donald Trump’s approach to Moscow, after critics said a diesel deal and a softer line on sanctions risked weakening pressure on Russia. At the same time, Marco Rubio said decisions on Ukraine’s Starlink access rest with Elon Musk and SpaceX, not the State Department.  🔗  🔗

In the Middle East, tensions rose further after a report said Trump blocked an Israeli plan for a multi day strike on Iran, while Tehran insisted no enriched uranium would be removed from the country. Qatar and France separately called for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and for the Gaza ceasefire arrangements to be implemented.  🔗  🔗  🔗

Security concerns also spread across the Gulf, where the United States is preparing to withdraw some embassy staff and family members from missions amid warnings of possible Houthi attacks, while Saudi Arabia reported deadly strikes on a civilian airport in Dammam and an oilfield facility. France’s Emmanuel Macron made an unannounced visit to Riyadh to discuss regional stability and extra diesel supplies.  🔗  🔗  🔗

In Israel, next week’s election is being cast as a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu, with Arab parties potentially holding the balance of power and turnout drives intensifying in Arab communities.  🔗  🔗

Elsewhere in Africa, Nigeria confirmed its first Bundibugyo Ebola case and expanded contact tracing in Abuja, while the World Health Organization scaled up emergency health operations in Ethiopia’s Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions. In Tigray, daily life is resuming in Mekelle, but residents still fear a wider war.  🔗  🔗  🔗

In Europe, the UK parliament’s defence committee warned that shortages of Royal Navy warships and submarines are leaving critical Arctic infrastructure exposed to Russia. Ireland’s lawmakers voted to remove the UN approval step for overseas peacekeeping deployments, and Tunisia’s military court jailed opposition politician Olfa Hamdi for four years over social media posts.  🔗  🔗  🔗

In the Americas, Mexico charged former Chihuahua attorney general Cesar Jauregui with treason over allegations he allowed US agents to take part in an anti drug raid, while a separate case in Texas saw a Mexican national convicted of stealing the identity of a deceased American infant. In Washington, Democrats said a classified briefing showed Russia is running misinformation aimed at midterm candidates, and Florida prosecutors unveiled an election integrity plan as early voting begins for the 2026 midterms.  🔗  🔗  🔗  🔗

In Asia Pacific, North Korea said border loudspeakers will be ready to restart within days, reviving a long running propaganda standoff with South Korea. In Australia, Coogee and Maroubra beaches in Sydney were closed after a whale carcass washed ashore at Lurline Bay.  🔗  🔗

Donald Trump also posted that sanctions risk could have complicated negotiations over the release of Stephen Hubbard, while the White House said he is heading to South Carolina to highlight his tax, investment and security agenda.  🔗  🔗

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