Plus, India's 'Mounjaro brides'.

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Daily Briefing

Daily Briefing

By Kate Turton

Hello. Donald Trump's anger over Iran thrusts NATO into a fresh crisis, the Kremlin's drive for a state-backed messaging app touches a nerve, and our graphics team looks at the impact of Hong Kong’s national-security laws.

Plus, meet India's 'Mounjaro brides.'

Today's Top News

 

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

  • NATO has survived its share of existential challenges, but the Iran war has nearly broken the 76-year-old bloc.
  • Trump said the US "hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran," reiterating his intent to increase the ferocity of attacks on its infrastructure. Dozens of countries still are seeking ways to restart energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
  • The Kremlin is pushing Russians to use state-backed messenger service MAX, but some are wary about the service and say they do not want to download it at all. 
  • Beijing’s national-security law has reshaped Hong Kong’s political landscape, silencing the city’s democratic opposition. Our graphics team takes a deeper look.
  • Pam Bondi positioned herself as a staunch Trump ally during her time leading the Justice Department. But that loyalty wasn't enough. Business of Law Reporter Andrew Goudsward tells the Reuters World News podcast the president had grown increasingly frustrated with her handling of the Epstein Files.
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Randy George, three defense officials said, in ‌the latest purge among the Pentagon's most senior ranks.
  • The US is upending the way it delivers medical supplies for diseases such as HIV and malaria to lower-income countries, risking a second dislocation of life-saving services in just ‌over a year.
  • The Orion capsule carrying four astronauts in NASA's Artemis II mission executed a key thruster firing that will kick the crew out of Earth's orbit and on a path toward the moon, committing them to reaching the farthest distance humans have ever traveled in space. Here's how NASA's Artemis II moon mission will unfold.
 

Business & Markets

 
  • Trump's address to the nation, in which he vowed more aggressive strikes on Iran, has put consumers on course for record fuel prices at the pumps just ahead ‌of the summer travel season, market experts said.
  • SpaceX has had discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund about PIF potentially taking an anchor stake of around $5 billion in its IPO.
  • China's cyberspace regulator issued draft regulations to oversee the development online of digital humans.
  • Farm machinery salespeople are wrapping up a dismal season of shows across North America as spring planting begins. Farmers have ‌not stopped buying, but many have slashed spending and are avoiding big-ticket items.
  • TotalEnergies and Shell are among companies eyeing a majority stake in one of the Gulf's most promising sites as interest in North American energy prospects ‌rises due to the Middle East conflict.
 

The week ahead

  • OPEC+ is likely to weigh a further oil output increase when eight members meet on Sunday.
  • Tuesday sees JD Vance visit Hungary ahead of the country's elections. 
  • The Reserve Bank of India is tipped to keep its main repo rate at ⁠5.25% on Wednesday. 
  • Here's everything you need to know about the week ahead in financial markets.
 

'Mounjaro brides': weight-loss injections become part of wedding preparations

 

REUTERS/Francis Mascarenha

New Delhi wellness clinic Klarity Skin Clinic touts a "Mounjaro bride" package, while other clinics weave weight-loss injections into "pre-wedding" packages typically focused on skin treatments and hairstyle makeovers.

Weddings in India ⁠are grand affairs for families that can afford them, and many marriages carry expectations around physical appearance and financial status.

Half a dozen brides, one groom and eight doctors spoke to Reuters about weight-loss drugs before weddings. 

Read more
 

And Finally...

Beirut. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi 

A selection of our top photography from around the world this week.

View gallery