Trump not betraying Ukraine, US defence secretary says

Hello. We bring you the latest fallout from US President Donald Trump's attempts to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, with his defence secretary denying it's a "betrayal" of Ukraine. In Munich, at least 20 people have been injured after a car was driven into a crowd - we'll bring you more as we get it. In the US, we hear from voters as they give their unfiltered opinions of Elon Musk as he continues to try and slash government spending. And finally, watch the heart-stopping seconds a driver flees their car before a train slams into it.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Trump not betraying Ukraine by seeking Putin peace deal - US defence secretary

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, eight years after it unilaterally annexed Crimea. Credit: Reuters

Donald Trump's attempts to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine are "not a betrayal" of Ukrainian soldiers, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said. It comes after the US president said he would meet his Russian counterpart in Saudi Arabia to discuss the war, but the White House has indicated that there are no plans for Ukraine to play a role or for any Europeans to be present. European nations have insisted that there will be no talks about Ukraine without Ukraine, and that they should be involved too. Germany's defence minister has already accused Trump of making "concessions to Putin before the negotiations have even begun".

At least 20 hurt after car driven into people in Munich

At least 20 people have been injured, several of them critically, in Munich after a car was driven into a crowd, police say. Authorities report the driver was detained at the scene and poses no further danger. It's currently unclear if this was an attack or an accident and facts are still being confirmed. Local reports say the car drove into a trade union demonstration. The Munich Security Conference is due to start on Friday, with US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky due to arrive this afternoon.

WORLD HEADLINES

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

'On a power trip' or helping to 'fix a problem'? Voters weigh Musk's influence

Elon Musk is frequently pictured alongside President Trump. Credit: Reuters

Depending on who you ask about Elon Musk's sweeping cost-cutting drive across the US government, the world's richest man is either "obviously brilliant" or "should just stick with his SpaceX and his electric cars". Voters in one of the key election battlegrounds - Erie County in Pennsylvania - are as split on the new head of the Department of Government Efficiency (which despite its name is not an official government department) as they were on who to elect to lead their country.

And finally... in the US

A driver in Utah was just seconds from death or serious injury when they managed to get out of their car moments before a train crashed into it. In the shocking scenes, a white 4x4 is bumped onto train tracks by a pickup truck. Before the driver can move the car, the barriers come down, partially blocking the car's exit. Watch the heart-stopping escape play out.