People and governments around the world have deplored Israel's military operation on Gaza's southern city of Rafah, where around 1.4 million refugees from across the territory are sheltering, with Indonesia issuing strong condemnation against the move as well as a warning that further escalation would "amount to an ultimate crime against humanity".

Indonesia reiterated its commitment to strengthening ties with Papua New Guinea on Wednesday in a “historic” meeting in Jayapura that emphasized defense cooperation with the Pacific Island nation amid unabating geopolitical tensions in the region.

As ceasefire talks continued in Cairo, Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said their fighters struck Israeli forces on the eastern outskirts of Rafah, firing anti-tank rockets and mortars at Israeli positions.

Biden, a self-described Zionist, had long resisted stopping any of the $3 billion in weapons the United States sends each year to Israel -- and pushed Congress for an increase in the wake of the October 7 attack by Hamas that triggered the major Israeli retaliation.

A senior US treasury official said this week the United States saw Iran's capacity to move its oil as being reliant on service providers based in Malaysia. 

"The pilot successfully ejected and the plane crashed thereafter within Tengah Air Base," it said in a statement.

Indonesia, through the Foreign Ministry, reiterated its call for a permanent cease-fire and urged the United Nations Security Council to “stop Israel’s brutal atrocities immediately”.

Johari Abdul Ghani said the "orangutan diplomacy" strategy would gift the endangered great apes to palm oil trading nations, especially major importing territories like the EU and India.

Xi began his trip earlier this week in France, a visit that was cordial but also highlighted tensions between Beijing and the EU over the war in Ukraine and global trade.

The company also said it would proceed to withdraw the vaccine Vaxzevria's marketing authorizations within Europe.

Each month since June 2023 has ranked as the planet's hottest on record, compared with the corresponding month in previous years, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said in a monthly bulletin.

Biden has been trying to head off a full-scale assault by the Israelis against Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinian have sought refuge from combat elsewhere in Gaza. 

Brian Nelson, Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, was speaking during a four-day visit to Singapore and Malaysia. 

Asked for confirmation, the Israeli military said it will be "publishing a statement shortly".

In early January, China said it had launched an anti-dumping investigation into brandy imported from the European Union, in a move seen as targeting France. 

A Chinese fighter jet endangered an Australian military helicopter during an unsafe and unacceptable confrontation over the Yellow Sea, Australia said on Monday.

Another Hamas spokesman said that the Palestinian militant group would continue negotiations towards a truce in Gaza, despite Israel's order to begin evacuating people from Rafah in the south.

Indonesia sought to remind leaders of the Islamic world to “remain united on helping Palestine”, as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) convened over the weekend to hash out a resolution on the war in Gaza amid revived efforts to advance ties between Israel and Arab nations.

China and the EU should stay committed to partnership, Xi said in opening remarks at a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.   

"IDF (military) encourages the residents of eastern Rafah to advance towards expanded humanitarian area," the military said in a statement.

Putin has upped his nuclear rhetoric since the Ukraine conflict began, warning in his address to the nation in February there was a "real" risk of nuclear war.

Netanyahu declared on X that the government had "unanimously decided: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel".

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to urge Xi to reduce trade imbalances and to use his influence with Russia over the war in Ukraine. China's President is due to meet Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Monday.

Indonesia recently suggested to the South Korean government that it would pay about 600 billion won ($442.47 million) for the KF-21 joint fighter jet project, Yonhap reported, citing multiple unnamed government sources. 

Student bodies have changed, as has the Democratic Party. But given the tight rematch incumbent President Joe Biden, a Democrat, faces with Republican Donald Trump, they could hold political sway.

Israel has warned of an operation against Hamas in the southern Gazan city of Rafah where around a million displaced are crowded together in shelters and makeshift accommodation.

After a week of occupying a central area of the sprawling campus in protest at Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, police in riot gear forcibly removed demonstrators in an operation that lasted through the night.