Breakfast News Recap: Trump Iran stance dominates as Europe joins Ukraine talks and markets turn risk off

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump launched the war against Iran to stop what he called a real nuclear threat, as Trump defended his decision amid stalled diplomacy. Rubio also said a renewed US strike on Iran was highly unlikely if talks on Tehran's nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz moved forward.  🔗 🔗

Trump added that Task Force Iron Gate was active in Iran alongside what he described as a near total naval blockade, while House Democrats backed an impeachment push against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over allegations tied to the Iran war. Hakeem Jeffries said he supported the move as pressure mounted in Washington over the conflict.  🔗 🔗

In the Middle East, Israel's president Isaac Herzog tasked opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot with trying to form a new government after an election produced another coalition deadlock. Separately, the Aramco Tower in Riyadh's financial district was hit in a fresh cross border attack claimed by Yemen's Houthi movement, with Saudi authorities saying air defences responded.  🔗 🔗

Ukraine diplomacy moved forward as France said European representatives would join upcoming US mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi, after the format had previously been described as bilateral. The announcement came as G7 foreign ministers met in Paris for two days of talks focused on Russia's war in Ukraine and the prospect of further US strikes on Iran.  🔗 🔗

Trump also said he expected to meet Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in China next week, in what could become a rare trilateral encounter between the three leaders. In Europe, Moldova launched a new high voltage power line linking Vulcanesti to Chisinau, a move aimed at cutting reliance on Russian energy and tying the country more closely to Romania and the wider European grid.  🔗 🔗

Elsewhere in Europe, Polish police said the suspected gunman in the Krakow market square shooting died in hospital after being wounded in a shootout with officers, while the terrorism probe continues. In Amsterdam, more than 200,000 people joined a Red Line protest calling for tougher Dutch action against Israel, with demonstrators demanding a stronger response to the war.  🔗 🔗

In the Americas, Mexican officials said the mayor of Rio Bravo was found alive after being abducted in Zacatecas state, ending hours of uncertainty in northern Mexico. In Argentina, Pope Leo XIV used the start of his visit to Buenos Aires to deliver a pointed but diplomatic critique of President Javier Milei's austerity agenda.  🔗 🔗

In Asia Pacific, Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina requested a new passport and national identity card as she prepares for a possible return from exile in India. In Australia, a teenager in Sydney avoided jail after admitting he had considered a mass terror attack and researched bomb making instructions and possible targets, with the court finding a low risk of reoffending.  🔗 🔗

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Also in the region, an Australian and a New Zealander survived a helicopter crash in Indonesia after the aircraft nosedived into a river during a firefighting mission. And in Turkiye, COP31 is opening in Antalya with the host country putting electrification at the centre of its climate agenda.  🔗 🔗

In Britain, the government is expected to reduce electric vehicle sales targets this week after a review of the policy for phasing out new petrol and diesel cars. The move would mark a significant shift in the UK's transition timetable.  🔗

#Iran #Ukraine #markets #Trump #geopolitics #breakingrecap #recapbreakfast