Senior PM aide says Japan needs nukes
Japan needs to consider developing its own nuclear weapons, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has told journalists.
Media Wire
Israeli ex-premier confirms Telegram account hacked
Israel’s former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is planning another run for office, confirmed that his Telegram account had been hacked, as Israeli media claimed the breach was carried out by an Iran-linked group.
Saudi Arabia, France, US to discuss Lebanese army support in Paris meeting
A trilateral meeting between France, Saudi Arabia, and the United States on Lebanon will be held in Paris to discuss support for the Lebanese army and to set a date for a new international conference. Lebanese Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal will attend.
EU kicks off summit on Russian fund plan for Ukraine
EU leaders kicked off a make-or-break summit Thursday on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, with key player Belgium under pressure to drop its opposition.
US ‘pressuring’ EU not to use frozen Russian funds for Kyiv: Ukraine official
President Volodymyr Zelensky will be in Brussels on Thursday to convince European partners to use frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv, despite Washington pressuring EU countries against the plan, a Ukrainian official told AFP.
German Chancellor warns of direct NATO-Russia conflict
NATO forces deployed to Ukraine under a peace deal could potentially engage Russian troops directly, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned.
US Congress ends sanctions on Syria
The US Congress has permanently ended sanctions imposed on Syria under ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, paving the way for the return of investment to the war-ravaged nation.
Russia preparing for new ‘year of war’: Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cautioned that Russia was preparing to wage a new “year of war” against his country in 2026, after his counterpart Vladimir Putin said Moscow would “certainly” achieve its objectives.
Israel’s PM says approved $35bn gas deal with Egypt
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he approved on Wednesday a major gas export agreement with Egypt worth nearly $35 billion.
US approves $11bn in weapons sales to Taiwan in deal likely to anger China
The United States has approved $11.1bn in arms sales to Taiwan, one of Washington’s largest-ever military packages for the self-ruled island, which Beijing has promised to unify with mainland China.