Xi shows he's 'totally in charge'

[Reuters Daily Briefing]

Plus, Trump to reinterpret missile treaty to sell heavy attack drones abroad.

Audio Articles now available! Download the Reuters App. Daily Briefing Daily Briefing By Kate Turton Hello. Putin says any Western troops in Ukraine would be fair targets, Florida's move to lift vaccine mandates could have a far-flung impact, and US clothing retailers test full-price strategy as rich shoppers keep spending. Plus, our top photos from around the world this week. Today's Top News   A display of diplomatic clout, stamina and geopolitical ambition has helped quell concerns among some China observers about the 72-year-old president's vitality, linked to sporadic absences and - so far unknown - succession plans. Thailand's Anutin Charnvirakul was elected prime minister after breezing through a parliamentary vote, trouncing the candidate of the Shinawatra family's once-dominant ruling party to end a week of chaos and political deadlock. On this episode of the Reuters World News podcast health editor Michele Gershberg describes the "high octane" Senate grilling of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and how senators attempted to drive a wedge between Kennedy and President Trump on vaccine policy. Meanwhile, Florida's plan to eliminate vaccine mandates would make inoculations optional for several million school-age children and college students, a move that experts said will accelerate declining immunization rates and put more people at risk of diseases such as measles across the country. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Moscow to attack, in a warning to Kyiv's allies as they discuss measures for its future protection. Nigel Farage's populist Reform UK kicks off a conference the Brexit veteran hopes will underline the growing popularity and sway of a party enjoying a double-digit poll lead over the Labour government. A viral French X account has tapped into rising generational tensions in France, where squeezed millennials rallying under the slogan "Nicolas foots the bill" say that better-off baby boomers should do more to fix the country's huge deficit. The Rwandan-backed rebel group M23, Congolese Armed Forces and other armed groups committed serious rights violations in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that may amount to war crimes, the UN Human Rights Office said. Business & Markets   Giorgio Armani, Silvana Armani and Pantaleo Dell'Orco during Milan Fashion Week. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File Photo Giorgio Armani established one of the world's best-known fashion brands over the past five decades, and his death inevitably raises questions about the future of an Italian company whose independence he cherished. His understated runway style in pictures. A handful of apparel retailers including Levi's and Aritzia are teasing more full-priced products, testing how much wealthier shoppers are willing to pay despite the sobering effect of tariffs. Trump is expected to unilaterally reinterpret a 38-year-old arms control treaty to sell sophisticated "Reaper" style and other advanced military drones abroad, according to a US official and four people familiar with the plan. Chinese and European carmakers are set to face off at next week's Munich car show, reflecting intensifying competition on the continent that has pitted incumbents such as Volkswagen against EV giant BYD and newcomers GAC and Changan. The US payrolls number is more keenly awaited than usual, after last month's data so angered Trump that he fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The president may not want a weak number, but  Wall Street does - because it would ease the way to lower rates. Watch our daily market rundown for more. The Week Ahead The US Open men's and ladies finals will take place this weekend at Flushing Meadows in New York City.  France holds a confidence vote in parliament on Monday. The ECB meeting is set to hold rates on Thursday.  Investors have a lot riding on Thursday's August US inflation report.  The week ahead in global markets.  Afghanistan's widening humanitarian funding gap Difference between actual aid contributions and amounts U.N. says are required Several earthquakes shook Afghanistan this week, killing more than 2,000 people, displacing thousands more and razing more than 6,700 homes, authorities say. Dwindling resources at global aid agencies have hampered rescue and relief efforts in an isolated country already hit by poverty and hunger. In our new feature, the Chart of the Week, U.N. data shows that shortfall in funds for Afghanistan has swelled this year, as Trump has cut foreign aid. Read more here The Week in Pictures A woman walks into the ocean as a sea lion makes its way to the beach in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California. REUTERS/Mike Blake A selection of our top photography from around the world this week. View gallery Get full access to Reuters.com for just $1/week. Subscribe now. Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you’ve engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement. 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