Daily Brief: Trump Backs Netanyahu, Turns on Zelenskiy

In today's Bilig Daily Brief, US President Donald Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and warned Iran that Washington could "soon finish the job", while accusing Ukraine's president of not wanting peace. French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to punish rioters as French shares led European markets lower, and China reported faster than expected growth.

Trump endorses Netanyahu, threatens to "finish the job"

Trump gave Netanyahu his "Complete and Total Endorsement" on Sunday in a post on his Truth Social platform, nine days before Israel's 27 October election. He warned Iran that "unless they change their ways, rapidly, we will soon finish the job", Al Jazeera and Iran International reported. Iran's defence minister, Mehrdad Akhlaghi, warned of "enormous damage" if US attacks resumed. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran's seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz still stood.

Trump says Zelenskiy "probably never" wanted peace

Trump accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday of not wanting peace, writing on Truth Social that "he doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did", Al Jazeera and TASS reported. He defended his waiver of new Russia sanctions, saying he did not want to drive Moscow from talks. The post followed Ukraine's largest drone attack on Russia of the war, which hit an oil terminal in St Petersburg. Zelenskiy said contact with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner was "virtually non-stop".

Macron vows to punish rioters after nationwide unrest

Macron said in a televised address on Sunday that "those who looted will have to pay for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable", the Associated Press (AP) reported. He blamed "insurrectionist elements from radical far-left groups" and said protests could be banned to protect public buildings. At least 2,400 people were arrested nationwide after Saturday's protests, AP said. Police fired tear gas in Paris on Sunday as small groups lit fires.

French shares lead European markets lower

France's CAC 40 index fell 1.02% in early trade on Monday after the weekend violence, while the pan-European STOXX 600 was down 0.39% at 642.24 points at 07:08 GMT, Reuters reported. The gap between French and German 10-year bond yields widened to about 145 basis points, according to investingLive. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.6% and South Korea's Kospi rose 1.8%, AP said. Brent crude fell 2.5% to $107.16 a barrel after Trump's Russia sanctions waiver, and the 10-year US Treasury yield eased to about 5.07%.

China's growth beats forecasts at 4.5%

China's economy grew 4.5% year on year in the third quarter, up from 4.3% in the second quarter and above the 4.4% forecast in a Reuters poll, official data showed on Monday. Quarter-on-quarter growth was 1.2%. Industrial output rose 5.5% in September and retail sales grew 1.1%, the National Bureau of Statistics said. Fixed-asset investment fell 7.2% in the first nine months, and property investment dropped 20.6%. Beijing's 2026 growth target is 4.5% to 5%.

Indonesian stocks hit six-year low on MSCI warning

Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index fell as much as 5.4% to 4,907.37 on Monday, its lowest since 2020, after index provider MSCI said it was considering reclassifying the country from an emerging market to a standalone market, Dow Jones Newswires reported. The index plunged more than 11% on Friday. MSCI cited opaque share ownership and suspected coordinated trading. The Indonesia Stock Exchange cut the maximum daily fall allowed for individual stocks to 7% from 15%.

Gulf states condemn Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

Foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), meeting in Manama on Sunday, condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia "in the strongest terms" and held Iran "fully responsible" for missile and drone strikes on member states, according to the council's final statement. Six people were injured when a Houthi projectile hit a residential area of Najran, Saudi civil defence said. A Saudi air strike in northern Yemen killed at least nine people, the Houthi-run Saba news agency said.

Iran warns Gulf states over support for AI firms

Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, urged governments, funds and companies in the region on Sunday to "give no resources to any AI or data company aiding invasions or killing children", the Times of Israel and Iran International reported. "No finance, equity, land and energy," he wrote on X, adding: "Assist them and face our enforcement." He said a "Persian Gulf Data Authority" was coming. Days earlier, Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, warned that data centres and artificial intelligence (AI) facilities could be targeted if war resumed.

Anthropic pledges 5% of shares to public fund

AI company Anthropic, the maker of the Claude assistant, said on Sunday it would commit 5% of its shares to a new Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, subject to stockholder approval, AP and Al Jazeera reported. The board can add 2% for each 50% rise in the company's value above a set baseline. The fund cannot be used for lobbying or political donations. Including earlier pledges, about 20% of its shares will go to public causes, the company said. The move comes ahead of a planned initial public offering.

Lula and Bolsonaro trade insults in first debate

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro traded accusations of lying and corruption on Sunday in their first debate before the 25 October presidential runoff, AP and Al Jazeera reported. Lula called his rival a "habitual liar", and Bolsonaro called Lula a "clown". Bolsonaro won the first round with about 47% to Lula's 45%, and polls show a close race. A second debate is due on 23 October.

Pope Leo returns to public duties after surgery

Pope Leo XIV appeared at a window of the Apostolic Palace on Sunday to lead his weekly midday prayer, his first public event since surgery for lung cancer, Reuters reported. About 15,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square, the Vatican said. "I will now gradually resume my activities, always with the help of God and your prayers," the 71-year-old pope said. The Vatican has cancelled his other public events until at least Wednesday. He is due to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from 6 to 17 November.