Ian Werther

France and Italy have begun talks with Iran aimed at guaranteeing safe passage for ships through the Hormuz Strait, according to reports cited by the Financial Times. The discussions are described as provisional steps intended to prevent the dispute from widening and to help resume oil and gas exports. Shipping

According to Kyodo News, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takai told the House of Representatives Budget Committee on the 12th that Japan would make it unmistakably known to the international community that Dokdo is Japanese territory. The report frames the comments as a pledge to sharpen Tokyo’s diplomatic posture on

The U.S. Department of Defense has designated artificial-intelligence company Anthropic as a supply-chain risk, a move that has sparked legal action. DoD’s chief technology officer, Emil Michael, told CNBC that there is no possibility the department will settle with Anthropic over the designation. Michael said Anthropic’s leadership

Oil prices climbed after a conflict in the Middle East created tighter markets, with Russia seen as the main potential beneficiary of higher energy revenue as demand for its crude rose again. The Financial Times reported that Russia’s oil exports have surged as shipping through the Hormuz Strait faced

South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace has announced a strategic collaboration with Krafton, the Korean game developer behind PUBG, to jointly develop “physical AI” technologies. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding on the 13th to pursue research and development, testing scenarios, and the creation of an initial joint venture,

A deadly stabbing occurred in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, when a 40s man attacked a woman in her 20s with a knife on a street in Onam-eup early on a weekday morning. The victim, identified as B, died from the wound. The assailant, A, fled the scene but was arrested about

South Korea’s Ministry of Education announced on the 13th the preliminary allocations of medical school student quotas for the 2027–2031 academic years, following a prior review by the Health and Welfare Policy Advisory Committee earlier this year. The move is part of a long-running effort to adjust the

A municipal employee in Daegu’s Suseong District was found dead on the fourth floor of the district office annex early on the morning of the 13th, police said. Officials said there were no signs of foul play at the scene, and an autopsy will be performed to determine the

During a briefing at the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, identified in the report as the former U.S. defense secretary, said Iran’s newly chosen supreme leader Mojtaba Hamenei had been wounded and may be disfigured. The claim marks the first time a high-ranking U.S. official publicly discussed the leader’

The People Power Party (PPP) will hold a “vision debate” for five governor–level preselection candidates in Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province) on the 16th at about 2 p.m. The event will take place at the PPP headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. The debate is part of the party’s internal