Italian government to be sworn in

Months of speculation and negotiation will come to an end on Friday when Giuseppe Conte and his cabinet will be sworn in as Italy’s new government. Italian president Sergio Mattarella agreed to Conte’s list of ministers late on Thursday, after almost causing a constitutional crisis earlier this week by refusing to accept the euro-sceptic Paolo Savona as finance minister . A joint statement from Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio and, the head of La Liga, Matteo Salvini said that “all the conditions have been fulfilled for a political, Five Star and League government.”

Juncker calls US tariffs unjustified

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has said that duties of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium imposed by the United States are “unjustified”. The Guardian reports that the EU is likely to take the US to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva and will impose tariffs of its own on selected imports from the States. “We will defend the Union’s interests, in full compliance with international trade law,” Juncker said. Retaliatory tariffs on €2.8 billion euros of US imports could be imposed as soon as June 20, Bloomberg suggests. Harley-Davidson motorcycles, jeans and bourbon are among the items previously listed as possible targets.

Study supports vegan diet theory

Cutting our meat and dairy from your diet is “probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth” new research shows. The study in Science journal reports that global farmland use could be reduced by more than 75% if the world stopped consuming meat and dairy. Loss of wild areas to agriculture is the leading cause of the current mass extinction of wildlife, The Guardian reports.

Denmark joins veil ban

Denmark's parliament has passed a law forbidding the wearing of veils and other forms of face covering in public. Luxembourg passed similar legislation in April. The Danish government has said the ban is not aimed at any religions, but The Guardian reports that Amnesty International has criticised the move.

Stalemate in meeting of Lions

Luxembourg’s national football team held Senegal to a goalless draw at the Josy Barthel stadium on Thursday evening. The match was a warm-up for the Lions of Teranga, as Senegal are known, before they begin their World Cup programme against Poland in Moscow on June 19. Missing Liverpool’s Sadio Mane after his Champions League exertions, Senegal still fielded a strong team but were ultimately frustrated by the Red Lions of Luxemburg.

Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts