Around six Chinese warships have been operating in the Middle East over the past week as tensions mount over the Israel-Hamas War. While the same kind of escort warships have previously been used in the region to evacuate Chinese citizens, China has yet to announce an evacuation plan for its citizens.
In a meeting with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reiterated his resolve to fulfil agreements made at his summit last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kim and Putin discussed military cooperation in North Korea’s satellite programme and the Ukraine War.
On Thursday, a Pakistani court granted bail to former PM and graft convict Nawaz Sharif. The decision will allow Sharif to arrive in Pakistan without fear of arrest as he returns to the country after spending almost four years in the UK to lead his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party in the January 2024 elections.
Indian PM Narendra Modi spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday. The PM conveyed condolences over the loss of civilian lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza and expressed concern at the deteriorating security situation in the region. Modi reiterated India’s long-standing position on the Israel-Palestine issue and affirmed that India will continue sending humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.
The Russian Defence Ministry informed media outlets that two Russian SU-27 fighter planes intercepted two Typhoon fighter jets and an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft belonging to the Royal Air Force (RAF) of the UK. According to the Ministry, the RAF planes were moving closer to Russia’s border from the Black Sea when Russian fighter fighters arrived and had them turn around.
Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and a dual citizen of Russia and the US, has been arrested by Russian officials, as reported by the news outlet on Thursday. Kurmasheva was detained in Kazan for failing to register as a foreign agent, a charge that carries a five-year jail term.