Turkey hikes interest rate again to 45% after inflation nears 65% (www.cnbc.com)
Turkey’s central bank on Thursday hiked its key interest rate by another 250 basis points to 45%....
Putin Sends US Signal on Ukraine Talks, Sensing Advantage in War (www.bloomberg.com)
"Vladimir Putin is testing the waters on whether the U.S. is ready to engage in talks for ending Russia’s war in Ukraine,” Bloomberg reports....
Switzerland to host Ukraine peace summit at Zelenskyy's request (www.ctvnews.ca)
Saudi Arabia wants peace with Israel after Gaza war, envoy tells BBC (www.jpost.com)
Red Sea crisis from Houthi attacks hits world trade as cost of shipping soars by 170% (english.elpais.com)
Sweden moves one step closer to NATO membership after a Turkish parliamentary committee gives approval (apnews.com)
Beijing shrugs at U.S. call for help protecting Red Sea shipping (www.politico.com)
China’s disinterest in Red Sea policing role underscores Beijing’s reluctance to back its rhetoric on Middle East peace with substantive action....
UN General Assembly overwhelmingly demands Gaza ceasefire (www.bbc.com)
Donald Tusk becomes Poland's prime minister with the mission of improving European Union ties (apnews.com)
Donald Tusk, a leader of a centrist party, returned as Poland’s prime minister for the first time in nearly a decade after a vote in parliament on Monday, paving the way for a new pro-European Union government following eight years of stormy national conservative rule....
‘Putin must lose’: Zelenskiy arrives in US to try to save $61bn Ukraine aid package (www.theguardian.com)
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has flown to Washington DC in an attempt to rescue a critical $61bn military aid package, while the UK separately hinted that it could increase the value of the arms, ammunition and training that it donates to Kyiv....
Philippines says Chinese coast guard assaulted its vessels with water cannons for a second day (www.nbcnews.com)
The confrontation happened as Philippine supply boats and escort ships attempted to deliver food to forces near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea....
Turkey's Erdogan accuses the West of 'barbarism' and Islamophobia in the war in Gaza (apnews.com)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used a speech on human rights Saturday to accuse the West of “barbarism” for its stance on the Israel-Hamas war and what he alleged was its toleration of Islamophobia....
US announces visa bans for Israeli ‘extremist settlers’ in West Bank (thehill.com)
The Biden administration announced Tuesday it will implement visa bans on Israelis viewed as “extremist settlers” in the West Bank. The policy move follows President Biden’s warning last mont…
US, allies in talks on naval task force to protect shipping in Red Sea after Houthi attacks (apnews.com)
The White House said Monday that the U.S. may establish a naval task force to escort commercial ships in the Red Sea, a day after three vessels were struck by missiles fired by Iranian-back Houthis in Yemen....
UN will investigate sexual assault, rape, in Hamas' October 7 attack, Guterres assures (www.ynetnews.com)
Following weeks of silence by women’s organizations and international bodies, UN secretary-general says issue needs to be ‘vigorously investigated’; Israel’s UN envoy: ‘When it comes to Israeli women, sexual violence that has been proven and determined by state authorities still needs to be investigated’...
Russia warns of tension as Finland shuts last border crossing (www.bbc.com)
Finland has closed the last crossing on its long Russian border, prompting the Kremlin to condemn an “absolutely redundant measure”....
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says US Will Take Years to Achieve Chip Independence (www.bloomberg.com)
Tanzania confirms student abducted by Hamas is dead (www.i24news.tv)
Israel Takes Fight Underground to Hamas’s Vast Gaza Tunnel Network (www.wsj.com)
TEL AVIV—Israeli forces have taken control of much of northern Gaza—at least the parts that are above ground. Beneath the strip’s devastated urban landscape, Hamas still reigns....
'2 jobs a necessity': In hyper-competitive South Korea, youths hustle but hope for a better way (www.channelnewsasia.com)
American Commandos Are in Israel Helping to Locate Hostages, Pentagon Says (www.nytimes.com)
Putin blames West for Gaza crisis, says US needs global chaos (www.reuters.com)
Xi says China's women must start 'new trend of family' (www.reuters.com)
China said the US is a disruptor of peace in response to Pentagon report on China’s military buildup (abcnews.go.com)
China said the United States is the “biggest disruptor of regional peace and stability” in the world in a scathing response Wednesday to a Pentagon report on China’s growing military buildup....
Incident involving US warship intercepting missiles near Yemen lasted 9 hours (www.cnn.com)
US warship that intercepted drones and missiles near the coast of Yemen on Thursday encountered a larger and more sustained barrage than was previously known, shooting down 4 cruise missiles and 15 drones over a period of 9 hours, according to a US official familiar with the situation....
