The UK's energy partner.

Learn more at equinore.

Good morning from the newsroom of the Financial Times.

Today is Thursday, January 9th. Good morning from the newsroom of the Financial Times.

Today is Thursday, January 9th,

and this is your FT news briefing.

Donald Trump backs away from military action against Iran.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets Boris Johnson for the first time since last month's UK election,

and Tech and Shobis join forces on a 1.4 billion dollar video app.

Plus the F.T.'s Chloe Cornish reports on Carlos Gone's first public appearance since his escape from Japan.

I'm Mark Filipino, and here's the news you need to start your day.

As Donald Trump addressed the United States on Wednesday morning,

many wondered, would this be the beginning of a war with Iran?

The night before Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at two U.S. bases in Iraq.

It marked the first response by Iran to the American assassination of its general

Kasam Salamani. But Mr. Trump said the attack had resulted in

quote minimal damage and that the US would not respond with military force.

Iran appears to be standing US would not respond with military force.

Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.

He did promise that the US would impose more economic sanctions on Iran.

Plus he asked the remaining signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran to back out

and called on NATO to get more involved in the Middle East.

...