Ukraine war: Russia demands annexations recognised before talks
Russia says the West's refusal to recognise "new territories" seized from Ukraine makes peace talks harder, after President Joe Biden indicated he would be ready to meet Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin said it was open to negotiations, but not on the West's demand to pull out of Ukraine.
Russia illegally annexed four Ukrainian regions at the end of September, without controlling any of them.
Nine months into its invasion, it has lost more than half the land it seized.
Cyril Ramaphosa fighting for political life amid battle for control of ANC
South African president cancels all official engagements and is reported to be close to resigning
Jason Burke in Johannesburg
The South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is fighting for his political life as rivals and supporters face off in a divisive battle for control of the ruling party, the African National Congress.
The power struggle came after an independent panel appointed by parliament said there was evidence suggesting the South African president committed “serious misconduct” after millions of dollars in cash were reportedly stolen from his private game ranch almost three years ago.
The president has been accused of holding undeclared foreign currency, tax evasion, failing to inform police about the robbery and misusing state resources by ordering a senior presidential bodyguard to track down the culprits, who then appear to have been paid off.
Indigenous Australians win legal fight against gas project
Tiwi people argued they should have been consulted before a massive gas drilling project started near their island, the Federal Court of Australia ruled. The ruling could slow other offshore projects.
A group of indigenous Australians hailed a "historic decision" by the country's Federal Court on Friday to delay plans for a massive gas project in the Timor Sea.
Dennis Tipakalippa, a Munupi clan elder from the remote Tiwi Islands, has been fighting a legal battle against oil and gas producer, Santos, who has been drilling for gas off northern Australia.
"We have fought to protect our sea country from the beginning to the end and we will never stop fighting," Tipakalippa said.
SDF says no more anti-ISIL operations after Turkish attacks
The predominantly Kurdish group Turkey blames for the November 13 Istanbul bombing says it won’t cooperate with US anti-ISIL operations.
A Syrian group which Turkey accuses of being involved in the November 13 Istanbul bombing has said it will no longer participate in joint counterterrorism operations with the United States and other allies, as it continues to come under Turkish attack.
A spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls territory in northern Syria, said on Friday that “all coordination and joint counterterrorism operations” with the US-led coalition battling remnants of ISIL (ISIS) in Syria as well as “all the joint special operations we were carrying out regularly” had been halted.
Japan eyes ¥40-45 trillion for 5-year defense spending plan
By Takaya Yamaguchi and Yoshifumi Takemoto
Japan is set to earmark 40 trillion to 43 trillion yen for defense spending over five years starting in the next fiscal year, which begins in April, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday.
That would be a jump from the current five-year defence plan for spending 27.5 trillion yen, stoking worry about worsening one of the industrial world's worst debt burdens, which amounts to twice the size of Japan's annual economic output.
The new numbers marked a compromise between the defense and finance ministries, the three sources said. Until recently, the defense ministry had sought 48 trillion yen, while the finance ministry had multiple options centering around 35 trillion yen.
China’s plans for giant new London embassy unexpectedly rejected by local officials on security grounds
China’s plans for a giant new embassy opposite the Tower of London have been unanimously rejected by local councilors on the grounds they pose a security risk to local residents, in a surprise decision that comes amid growing concerns over Beijing’s diplomatic activity in the United Kingdom.
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets had indicated it was preparing to wave through the proposals drafted by the embassy’s architect, David Chipperfield, as recently as Wednesday, telling CNN then that the proposed initiative was “generally in accordance” with the area’s development plan and that “on this basis officers have recommended that planning permission and listed building consent are granted.”
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