British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Israeli President Herzog had a contentious discussion about humanitarian aid to Gaza, with the UK government aiming to persuade Israel to evacuate wounded children and potential students from Gaza to Britain. However, the meeting was met with criticism from Labour MPs in the House of Commons, who felt that the UK government should take a stronger stance against Israel.
Strider Technologies has collaborated with the NATO's Defense Innovation Acceleration Programme (DIANA) to provide its security economic capabilities and identify potential risks from strategic competitors. The company's intelligence will also be used to evaluate the risk of entities and individuals participating in DIANA's innovation ecosystem. This collaboration aims to ensure the trust and resilience of the ecosytem, promoting innovative technologies with total security.
Sweden is sending five million pamphlets to its population, urging preparedness for a lasting conflict. NATO chief Mark Rutte warns of a major conflict triggered by simultaneous invasions from Xi and Putin, with China seeking to grab Taiwan and Russia targeting the Baltic republics. Britain may send fighter jets to bolster NATO's air defence over Poland after Russian drones were shot down, with 300 UK armed forces personnel and six RAF Typhoon jets already stationed in Poland.
Taiwan has stepped up patrols on its undersea cables, a key target of China's grey-zone warfare. The Taiwanese coast guard is now scanning the Taiwan Strait for threats to these cables, with captain Juan Chung-ching leading a patrol on board ship PP-10079. The undersea cables, such as TP3, are vital to Taiwan's communications and connect the island to 24 international cables.
Democratic lawmakers have criticized Trump's India policy, calling it a setback for the country's relationship with India. This comes as trade talks between the two nations resume, following a significant increase in India's exports to USD 775.87 billion in the fiscal year 2022-23, a rise of 14.7%.
During a 3-day visit to Pakistan, Minister Güler met with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, reaffirming their commitment to strengthen strategic and defence cooperation. The two countries also agreed to establish special economic zones (SEZs) in Karachi and promote technology transfer, as previously discussed during President Erdogan's visit. Key areas of cooperation include trade, investment, pharmaceuticals, information technology, e-commerce, energy, education, mining, agriculture, media, and tourism.
The recent Doha strike may alter the trajectory of US Gulf relations, as President Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE's solidarity with Qatar in a meeting with Sheikh Tamim. This gesture of support comes as the UAE's population surpasses 11 million, with a significant portion residing in the emirate of Qatar.
The U.S. Defense Department is providing assistance to the Lebanese military, aiming to degrade Hezbollah in line with the administration's priority to counter Iranian-backed terrorist groups. This move comes as Lebanon and Hezbollah agreed on a cease-fire deal, including discussing a national defense strategy, but Hezbollah resisted setting a deadline for disarmament.
South Korea has requested that US authorities allow detained workers to leave without handcuffs, following a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in the US. The raid, which was the largest single-site enforcement operation in US Department of Homeland Security history, has caused shockwaves in South Korea, particularly as the country is finalizing a trade deal with Washington. The detained workers were employees of subcontractors involved in a project, and many are from companies such as Hyundai Motor and LG. US State Department officials stated that the US welcomed South Korean investment, but also discussed expanding "equitable defence burden sharing" and promoting a fair and reciprocal trade partnership.