What does D-Day have in store?

Good morning, friends — and our apologies for being a few minutes late getting into your inboxes today.

Many of us will be keeping an eye on the news tonight: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will take a podium at 9pm UAE time in Washington to unveil what he spent the weekend billing as an “economic D-Day” for Iran.

Meanwhile in Paris, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is on day two of his visit to the French capital with seven ministers in tow, with the first-ever meeting of the Franco-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council on the program and agreements expected across tech, transport, energy and health. Riyadh and Paris are talking about alternatives to Hormuz — maritime workarounds, pipelines, regional rail.

One meaningful date for the fall and winter event calendar is now nailed down: F1 confirmed yesterday that the season ends exactly where it was always supposed to — Yas Marina on 6 December, with Qatar on 29 November — after March’s cancellations in Bahrain and Saudi left the back end of the calendar looking distinctly wobbly. “The calendar is confirmed, and we stay focused on delivering the calendar we promised at the beginning of the year,” Stefano Domenicali said. Abu Dhabi is down to limited ticket availability, Ethara took Promoter of the Year, and the post-race bill reads Andrea Bocelli, Lewis Capaldi, Zara Larsson and Imagine Dragons. The confirmation of an event after most spring and summertime events and conferences were canceled is a signal that, one way or another, business as usual is making a return. –Salma