Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa'ar continues to hold a "marathon of calls" with his counterparts around the world after the launch of 'Operation Rising Lion' by Israel Defence Forces (IDF) against Iran to remove the "Iranian threat of annihilation", the country's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

One of the first conversations Sa'ar held early Friday morning was with German Foreign Minister Wadephul. Sa'ar informed his German counterpart of the unanimous Cabinet decision and the subsequent IDF action.

"We made this decision at the last possible minute, after all other avenues had been exhausted. The whole world saw and understood that the Iranians were not ready to stop and we had to stop them. The latest IAEA report illustrated the serious Iranian violations. We know that challenging days lie ahead, but we have no other choice," Sa'ar told the German Foreign Minister.

Later, Sa'ar held a phone call with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday called Israel's attack on Iran a ‘unilateral action’, asserting that the US had no involvement.

The statement came after Israel launched major airstrikes against Iran in the early hours of Friday, significantly escalating tensions in the region and raising the spectre of a broader conflict between the long-standing rivals.

“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel,” said Rubio.

Texas National Guard troops are "on standby" in areas across the state where protests are expected against the Trump administration's ongoing immigration raids, a spokesperson for Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has said.

"Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles," Abbott's spokesperson, Andrew Mahaleris, said in a statement on Wednesday (local time). "Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be swiftly held accountable to the full extent of the law."

The advocacy group Immigrant Families and Students in the Fight, known as FIEL, is organising a "Chant Down the Walls" protest in Houston on Friday. Additionally, "No Kings" protests are scheduled for Saturday in more than two dozen Texas cities, including Houston, Austin, Lubbock, and Longview, according to a report by the Texas Tribune.

Tokyo on Thursday raised serious concerns over the incident of a near-miss collision between a Chinese aircraft and a Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) patrol plane over international waters in the Pacific and urged Beijing to avoid any such recurrence.

Addressing a press conference, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said that Japan's stance was conveyed to China through diplomatic and defence channels over the incident.

"The government has raised serious concerns with the Chinese side, including to the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo, through the vice minister of foreign affairs, and has strongly urged them to prevent such incidents from recurring," Hayashi said

The United States has reportedly gone on high alert amid growing concerns of a potential Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, local media reported.

The Trump administration is fearing that Israel may act unilaterally without Washington's consent if negotiations between the US and Iran collapse, according to the Washington Post.

President Donald Trump, addressing the situation on Wednesday, stated that US personnel are being moved out of certain Middle Eastern regions, particularly Iran, due to the escalating risk of conflict.

"They (US personnel) are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we will see what happens... We have given notice to move out," Trump told reporters.

The US State Department has also permitted some diplomatic staff to leave Iraq, while the Pentagon has authorised military families to voluntarily depart from American bases throughout the region.

South Korean companies spent a record amount of 83.6 trillion won ($61.1 billion) on research and development (R&D) projects last year as part of efforts to enhance their competitiveness amid an intensifying global technology war, government data showed on Thursday.

The latest reading marks a 15.3 percent increase from the 72.5 trillion-won R&D investments made in 2023, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The tally is a combination of investments made by the top 1,000 companies here in terms of R&D spending, reports news agency. Among the 1,000 companies, 709 increased their spending last year, while 291 reduced their investment.

US President Donald Trump has officially launched a new immigration pathway for wealthy foreigners, dubbed the "gold card", offering a route to permanent residency in exchange for a $5 million payment to the government.

The long-discussed program was unveiled on Wednesday through a new government-backed website, trumpcard.gov, where interested individuals can now register their details to join the waiting list.

"For five million $dollars, the Trump card is coming," the US President declared in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

 An Australian man is facing life in prison after being charged by federal authorities over his alleged involvement in a US drug trafficking operation.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) said on Thursday that the 38-year-old man from Sydney has been charged with five offences relating to his alleged involvement in the US operation that imported 48 kg of illicit drugs into Australia.

The man was arrested on Tuesday following an investigation

A limited curfew will come into effect from Tuesday in several areas of downtown Los Angeles, California, following several nights of unrest triggered by the Trump administration's immigration raids.

The announcement was made by Mayor Karen Bass, who said the city had witnessed escalating violence, arson, and looting in the wake of federal enforcement actions.

The curfew will be enforced from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and may continue for several days. However, Mayor Bass clarified that residents and people working in the area will be exempt.

She said the decision was made in light of mounting tensions and the need to prevent further disorder.

Masked looters targeted several businesses, including an Apple Store, where they smashed windows and made away with electronic products. They also defaced the building with graffiti.

Israel attacked Yemen's Red Sea ports in Hodeidah province on Tuesday morning, targeting facilities and docks, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV and residents said.

No casualties were reported yet as the Houthi rebel group, which controls much of northern Yemen, rarely discloses its losses.

The strikes came hours after the Israeli army issued advanced warnings, urging residents in three ports of Hodeidah province -- which includes the Hodeidah port city, the Ras Isa fuel port, and the As-Salif port -- to leave before the Israeli military conducts strikes, according to Israeli official media.

The attack was aimed at stopping "the use of the port for military purposes," the Israeli military said, adding the strike was a response to surface-to-surface missiles that Houthi forces have fired towards Israel.

Russia's air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 102 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles overnight, the country's Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday via its official Telegram channel.

According to the ministry, the drones were neutralised between 9:50 p.m. Moscow time on Monday and 5:50 a.m. on Tuesday, across several regions in western and central Russia.

Forty-six unmanned vehicles were downed over Bryansk Oblast, 20 over Belgorod Oblast, nine each over Voronezh Oblast and Crimea, four each over Kaluga Oblast and the Republic of Tatarstan, three over Moscow Oblast, two each over Leningrad, Oryol, and Kursk Oblasts, and one over Smolensk Oblast, said the ministry, news agency reported.

Ukraine's overnight drone strikes have forced a temporary suspension of flights in all airports serving Moscow and the country's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, but caused no damage, Russian officials reported on Tuesday.

North Korea said on Friday that it has successfully righted a warship that partially capsized during a launch ceremony last month, adding the ship is currently moored at the pier for more repairs.

The 5,000-tonne destroyer tipped over and became partially submerged during the launch ceremony held in late May in the northeastern port city of Chongjin. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered the full restoration of the warship before a key party meeting set for late June.

After a North Korean team restored the balance of the warship in early June, it moored the ship at the pier by safely conducting its end launching Thursday afternoon, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"The team will start the next-stage restoration after the reexamination of the overall hull of the destroyer by a group of experts," the KCNA said.

 A man has been hospitalised with serious injuries following a targeted shooting in the Australian state of Queensland.

The Queensland Police Service said on Friday that emergency services were deployed to a house in Parkwood, 65 kilometres southeast of Brisbane, around 7:50 p.m. on Thursday in response to reports that a man had sustained gunshot wounds to his leg and other injuries to his hand.

The 21-year-old man was found at the scene with serious injuries and was transported to the hospital in stable condition, news agency reported.

A police statement said that initial inquiries indicated that the incident was a targeted shooting and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.

An investigation into the attack was ongoing and police commenced a search for the perpetrator.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that his government will not loosen biosecurity laws as it considers lifting a restriction on imports of US beef.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Nine Entertainment newspapers reported on Friday that Albanese's Labor Party government could use the import ban on some beef slaughtered in the US as a bargaining chip in negotiations for an exemption from US tariffs.

Responding to the reports, Albanese said that his government would not negotiate on biosecurity but would be open to a solution that would not compromise food safety, news agency reported.

"We'll never loosen any rules regarding our biosecurity," he told radio.

Elon Musk called for the impeachment of US President Donald Trump and announced the decommissioning of the vital SpaceX programme after accusing that Trump’s name is in the Epstein files, according to media reports.

“In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately,” Musk said in a post on X.

According to a report from US media outlet, the Dragon spacecraft is important as it earlier enabled the return of the two NASA astronauts who got stuck on the International Space Station for nine months. Additionally, it is also crucial for transporting cargo and people to the International Space Station.

The finance ministry here vowed on Friday to enhance communications with the United States to strengthen mutual understanding and trust regarding foreign exchange rate policies.

The pledge came after the U.S. Treasury Department kept South Korea on its monitoring list for currency practices. Seoul was reinstated on the list in November 2024 after being removed in November 2023 for the first time since April 2016.

"We will continue to expand mutual understanding and trust regarding exchange rate policies through regular communication with the U.S. Treasury Department," the ministry said in a press release, reports news agency.

The South Korean economy contracted 0.2 per cent in the first quarter of this year, unchanged from an earlier estimate, central bank data showed Thursday, due mainly to a domestic political crisis and uncertainties stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration's aggressive tariff scheme.

The country's real gross domestic product (GDP) -- a key measure of economic growth -- contracted 0.2 percent in the January-March period from three months earlier, which marked the first negative growth in nine months, according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The South Korean economy had expanded 1.3 percent in the first quarter of 2024 but slipped into contraction in the second quarter with a 0.2 percent decline before posting 0.1 percent growth in both the third and fourth quarters, reports news agency.

Exports declined 0.6 percent from three months earlier in the first quarter due mainly to slower shipments of chemicals, machinery and equipment.

Police on Saturday apprehended a man in his 60s for suspected arson inside a Seoul subway train that prompted hundreds of passengers to evacuate through a tunnel, officials said.

According to police and witnesses, the suspect allegedly set fire to pieces of clothes inside the Line No. 5 subway traveling between Yeouinaru and Mapo stations at 8:47 a.m. after boarding the train with a lighter-type torch and a fuel container, news agency reported.

More than 400 passengers escaped through the tunnel, with 21 of them being sent to the hospital for injuries, such as smoke inhalation and a fractured ankle. No serious injuries have so far been reported.

US President Donald Trump has said that he planned to double tariffs on foreign imports of steel to 50 percent starting next week, further casting a cloud on steelmakers around the globe.

"We are going to be imposing a 25 per cent increase. We're going to bring it from 25 per cent to 50 per cent — the tariffs on steel into the United States of America — which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States," Trump said on X social media platform.

He later posted on social media that the higher tariff rate would take effect on June 4, reports news agency.

South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun on Friday met visiting US lawmakers and urged measures to minimise negative impacts on bilateral cooperation in energy and supply chains from Washington's tariff scheme, his office said.

Ahn held talks with Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), chair of the committee; Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska); Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY); Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT); and Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD) in a closed-door meeting in Seoul, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The lawmakers are members of the Committee of Natural Resources in the U.S. House of Representatives, reports news agency.

In the meeting, Ahn called for U.S. lawmakers' efforts to prevent the U.S. tariff measures from negatively affecting the two countries' collaboration in the industrial and energy sectors amid global supply chain uncertainties.

South Korea's financial watchdog said on Thursday it has placed 41 highly indebted conglomerates under closer watch for debt reductions.

According to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), the conglomerates that owe more than 2.4 trillion won ($1.74 billion) in total to local banks have been designated as heavy corporate debtors this year.

The number of heavily indebted conglomerates marks the largest ever in a decade. This compares with 36 such business groups last year, reports news agency.

Hyundai Department Store, Booyoung and seven others were among the firms that were newly included on the list, while Kumho Asiana, SM and two others were delisted, the FSS said.

Israeli warplanes on Wednesday struck Sanaa's main airport in Yemen and several aircraft belonging to the Houthi forces, Israel's military said in a statement.

The attack destroyed the last aircraft used by the Houthi forces, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a separate statement.

The strike was part of what Israel called "Operation Golden Jewel," a campaign that aims to degrade the Houthis' ability to launch further attacks on Israel, said Katz.

"This is a clear message and a direct continuation of the policy we have set: whoever fires at Israel will pay a heavy price," Katz warned.

South Korean former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said on Wednesday that he supports People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo and plans to cast an early vote this week.

Han wrote the message on his Facebook page a day before two-day early voting for the June 3 presidential election kicks off.

"With every person I have met, I have earnestly asked that they cheer for candidate Kim with the same heart with which they supported me," he said, referring to his brief presidential campaign that ended with the PPP's selection of Kim as its final contender.

"As I cheer for and support candidate Kim, I plan to go to a nearby polling station early tomorrow morning," he said.

A vast dust storm moving across Australia has shrouded Sydney in a dense haze, sparking health alerts and underscoring the growing impact of climate extremes nationwide.

New South Wales (NSW) Health on Tuesday issued alerts for very poor air quality in some areas, as the haze, driven by drought and strong winds in South Australia, settles over NSW.

Experts said the event is a stark reminder of Australia's vulnerability to shifting weather patterns and land degradation.

According to Milton Speer, visiting fellow at the University of Technology Sydney, long-term atmospheric changes are contributing to both droughts in southern Australia and heavy rains along the east coast, news agency reported.

North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said, a day after a "serious" accident occurred during Pyongyang's launch of a new warship.

The launches took place as North Korea said earlier in the day that parts of a new naval destroyer were "crushed" during its launch ceremony Wednesday, with the North's leader Kim Jong-un calling it a "criminal act" that could not be tolerated.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the North's missile launches at about 9 a.m. from the Sondok area in South Hamgyong Province, without providing further details, such as the number of missiles fired.

The military believes the missiles may have been fired from a maritime platform and are conducting a detailed analysis with US intelligence authorities.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck off the coast of Crete in Greece on Thursday, said the German Research Centre for Geosciences.

The earthquake also prompted the European authorities to issue a tsunami warning. The tremor struck at 6.19 a.m, 58 km north-northeast of Elounda in northeastern Crete, and was 60 km deep, according to initial estimates.

Reports suggest that there have been no injuries or damage, but the tremor was felt across Crete and nearby islands, rattling the locals.

According to reports, several aftershocks followed, and the fire services of Crete have been put on alert.

Speaking to national broadcaster ERT, the president of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation, Efthimios Lekkas, stated that it was likely that the epicenter of the earthquake was located in the sea.

US President Donald Trump strongly condemned the shooting that killed two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, late Wednesday night (US time), calling it an act of anti-Semitism.

The victims -- a male and a female employee of the Israeli Embassy -- were gunned down by an unidentified assailant as they exited the museum, according to the US Homeland Security.

Authorities confirmed the deaths and launched a multi-agency investigation into what officials are treating as a hate crime motivated by anti-Semitism.

"These horrible DC killings, based obviously on anti-semitism, must end, now! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You all!" Trump posted on Truth Social.

South Korea's space agency has launched a dedicated task force to explore participation in future Mars missions through cooperation with the US, the head of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said.

The comments were made at a press briefing marking the agency's first anniversary held in Sacheon, 290 kilometers south of Seoul, where the agency is headquartered, news agency reported.

"The US budget for space exploration is increasingly focused on Mars, with concrete plans to send humans and establish a presence there. In Korea, we have only recently begun to consider what actions we should take at this point," KASA Administrator Yoon Young-bin said.

"We have recently launched a task force," Young-bin added.

Two Israeli Embassy staff were shot dead near the Jewish Museum in Washington, as confirmed by US Homeland Security.

A male and a female employee of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot by an unknown assailant as they exited the Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night (US time).

"Two Israeli Embassy staff were senselessly killed tonight near the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. We are actively investigating and working to get more information to share. Please pray for the families of the victims. We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice," US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X.

Meanwhile, calling the fatal shooting a "depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism," Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon posted on X, "Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act. Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives -- everywhere in the world."

The South Korean consortium has a competitive advantage in technology transfer over its Chinese rival as it vies to win the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) high-speed railway project, estimated to cost $13.6 billion, Seoul's transport minister said.

Transport Minister Park Sang-woo said that the Korean consortium, consisting of the Korea National Railway, Korea Railroad Corp., Hyundai Rotem Co. and POSCO E&C Co., has passed the pre-qualification procedure to enter the official bid for the Middle Eastern country's railway project.

Park was in the eastern German city of Leipzig to attend the three-day International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit.

"Our primary focus is on technology transfer on top of product quality, while China appears to focus on the price dimension," Park told News Agency.

Five people, including three children and two adults, have died and around 38 more injured, many of them critically, in a blast targetting a bus carrying children of Army Public School (APS) in Balochistan’s Khuzdar area on the Zero Line at Karachi-Quetta Highway, on Wednesday.

The attack, suspected to be a planted Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast, targetted an APS bus carrying dozens of school children. The blast completely destroyed the bus, raising concerns of more casualties.

Local authorities in Khuzdar confirmed the attack, stating that the injured have been shifted to Central Military Hospital (CMH) in Khuzdar for treatment, while authorities have cordoned off the area to collect evidence from the scene.

Condemning the attack, Balochistan’s Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said that his government will not only "expose the terrorists" operating in Balochistan but also eradicate them completely.

Thousands of people have been isolated amid record-breaking flooding on the east coast Australian state of New South Wales (NSW).

Heavy rainfall on Wednesday continued for a fourth consecutive day in regions over 100 km north of Sydney, exacerbating widespread flash flooding.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) said that it responded to 887 calls for assistance, including 118 flood rescues, in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning.

Around 16,000 people or 7,400 dwellings in the worst-affected areas could expect to be isolated for at least a day, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) quoted SES spokesperson Andrew Edmunds as saying on Wednesday morning.

One person died and several others were injured after police resorted to a baton charge and reportedly opened fire to disperse anti-canal demonstrators in Pakistan's Sindh province, local media reported.

The unrest erupted in the city of Moro, in Sindh's Naushahro Feroze district, where protesters, demonstrating against the construction of proposed canals over the Indus River, had blocked the motorway bypass road.

Police, attempting to restore traffic, prompted the use of force. As the situation escalated, reports of gunfire added to the chaos, according to local media.

Amid the crackdown, a planned roundtable conference by the Sindhi nationalist organisation Sindh Sabha was thwarted following a heavy deployment of security forces and road blockades near the Hyderabad Press Club, as reported.

The top military officers of South Korea and the US vowed to further strengthen the allies' trilateral security cooperation with Japan during their first video talks earlier this week, the South's military said Wednesday.

Adm. Kim Myung-soo, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), and his US counterpart, Gen. John Daniel Caine, held the talks Tuesday, which marked the first between the two sides since Caine took office last month.

"Through the South Korea-US-Japan Trilateral Chief of Defense meeting set to take place in South Korea in July, (the two sides) agreed to further strengthen the momentum of trilateral security cooperation," the JCS said in a release.

The three countries have recently ramped up trilateral security cooperation through joint military drills amid growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, news agency reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday described his two-hour-long phone conversation with former US President Donald Trump as "substantive" and "productive," raising fresh hopes for a potential breakthrough in the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The call, which focused on reviving stalled peace negotiations, marks a significant diplomatic development in the three-year-long war.

"This conversation has effectively taken place and lasted more than two hours. I would like to emphasise that it was both substantive and quite candid. Overall, I believe it was a very productive exchange," Putin told the media following the conversation.

The talks come amid renewed efforts by the United States to facilitate direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.

While discussions between the Russian and Ukrainian sides were initially expected to resume through a high-level meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey last week, the Russian leader did not attend. Trump, who was on a tour of West Asia at the time, had signalled he might visit the summit but did not make the trip either.