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G7 leaders have pledged to strengthen Ukraine's air defences and tighten sanctions on Russia's energy sector, while Hungary moved to permanently bar former PM Viktor Orbán from power.

This comes as the US and Iran prepare to formally sign a ceasefire memorandum in Switzerland on Friday, with nuclear talks set to begin the same day.

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Major Story

G7 pledges air defence boost for Ukraine, tightens Russia sanctions

G7 leaders, meeting in Evian, France, committed to strengthening Ukraine's air defences by increasing the delivery of defence systems, interceptors, and long-range capabilities, while also opening the door to licensing Ukraine to produce its own military equipment. 

The bloc also pledged to tighten sanctions on Russia's oil and gas sectors, framing the move as timely following a US-brokered deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who attended the summit and held bilateral talks with Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said he had secured important commitments across air defence, winter support, and increased pressure on Moscow. 

G7 leaders also called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and backed a France-UK maritime initiative to help resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following the Iran deal.

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1️⃣ 🇫🇷🇺🇸 France dumps Palantir for homegrown intelligence tech: France's domestic spy agency is replacing US surveillance firm Palantir with French company ChapsVision, ending a decade-long partnership as Europe accelerates its push for technological sovereignty. Germany made the same switch last month, though Palantir disputed the French announcement, insisting its contract remains in force.

2️⃣ 🇺🇸🇮🇷 US-Iran ceasefire deal set for Friday signing: The US and Iran will formally sign a ceasefire memorandum in Switzerland on Friday, with nuclear talks beginning the same day. The agreement commits Iran to halting support for armed groups and verifiably abandoning its nuclear weapons programme, though Israel's refusal to withdraw from Lebanon remains a major unresolved flashpoint.

3️⃣ 🇺🇸 Downed US Apache was part of secret Hormuz oil operation: A US Apache helicopter shot down by Iran on June 9 was reportedly involved in a covert military operation guiding oil tankers through ship-to-ship transfers near the Strait of Hormuz, with at least 92 vessels involved since early May. The Pentagon denied the operation, though Reuters cited multiple sources confirming US military control, with tankers running without transponders or lights to avoid detection.

4️⃣ 🌊 Ocean treaty nations warned pledges remain largely unmet: African and Commonwealth nations at the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa called for urgent implementation of the High Seas Treaty, warning that despite $169 billion in pledges since 2014, the vast majority of ocean protections exist only on paper. Former US Secretary of State John Kerry noted that just 3% of the ocean is meaningfully protected, urging unratified nations to act ahead of key treaty decisions next year.

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