Tens of thousands of American and South Korean soldiers kicked off large-scale military drills. Dubbed “Ulchi Freedom Shield 25,” the war games opened on Monday and will run for 11 days. 21,000 troops will participate in the drills, including 18,000 South Korean soldiers.
Six former captives of Hamas appealed to President Donald Trump to rein in Israeli military operations in Gaza, arguing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to seize the whole territory will endanger the lives of the remaining captives.
During the summit in Alaska, President Vladimir Putin explained Russia’s conditions for ending the war in Ukraine: land swaps, an agreement that Kiev will not enter NATO, and removing bans on the Russian language and the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
A top Israeli cyber security official was arrested in Las Vegas for attempting to commit sex crimes against a child with disabilities. He was released on bail and returned to Israel.
Ron Paul, the libertarian leaning former Texas congressman and GOP candidate for president, has always maintained that sanctions are acts of war. The Lancet Global Health recently published a study that proves him right.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is planning to expand Israeli settlements in the West Bank. He said the thousands of new homes will “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”
The sister of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un said on Thursday that the country’s constitution will be changed to preclude improved relations between Pyongyang and Seoul.
The European parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are threatening Tehran with a “snapback mechanism” that would reimpose UN sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Iran has warned it will withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty if the UK, France and Germany (the E3) attempt to revive the sanctions.
