Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day.

On today's podcast:

(1) Friedrich Merz said he would stay put as German chancellor even after his party suffered its worst-ever result in a state election, with a tally showing the conservatives crashing out of a regional assembly for the first time in the country’s post-World War II history.

(2) US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent lauded “very successful” talks with his Chinese counterparts on artificial intelligence, trade and investment, while China described the discussions as positive ahead of this week’s summit between leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

(3) Ukrainians are already drawing up contingency plans for what threatens to be the worst wartime winter yet.

(4) Qatari Energy Minister Saad Al-Kaabi said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was “wrong” when he said that the strategic Strait of Hormuz will be worthless in two years.

(5) Citigroup Chief Executive Officer Jane Fraser said that companies are racing to build up their defenses as artificial-intelligence models become even more powerful and risk spurring cyber attacks.

(6) Tue Vuong, chief executive officer of Golden Wheat, was told his wheat shipments from the Black Sea wouldn't get shipped due to the escalation in Russia's war with Ukraine.

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