Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership, aiming to elevate cooperation between the two countries to new heights. Kim stated that the agreement signifies a new era of peaceful collaboration on political, military, economic, and other matters. Meanwhile, Israel’s defense forces have approved operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon as tensions with Hezbollah escalate. Cyril Ramaphosa began his second term as South Africa’s president amidst a challenging political landscape, while the White House canceled a high-level U.S.-Israel meeting following a video released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In another development, the Chinese coast guard was involved in a violent altercation with Filipino navy boats in the South China Sea, resulting in a Filipino sailor losing a thumb. The incident represents a recent escalation in confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels, with General Romeo Brawner condemning the Chinese actions as ‘piracy’.