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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Israel’s parliament that India stands “firmly with full conviction” with Israel following the October 7, 2023 attacks, as Iran and the United States resumed indirect nuclear talks in Geneva alongside new sanctions and warnings over military options.

In Europe, Iceland announced plans for a referendum on opening EU accession talks, Germany’s chancellor called for a reset in trade ties with China, and German lawmakers capped the value of a major drone procurement deal after scrutiny.

Read more below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣🇮🇳🇮🇱 Modi backs Israel in Knesset speech: Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Israel’s parliament that India stands “firmly with full conviction” with Israel after the 7 October 2023 attacks, offering condolences and endorsing the UN-backed Gaza Peace Initiative. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Modi “my brother,” highlighted India’s early support, and noted expanding defence, trade and FTA talks, with bilateral trade reaching $3.62bn in 2024-25.

2️⃣🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran and US resume Geneva talks amid threats: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Geneva for a third round of indirect nuclear talks facilitated by Oman, saying a “fair, balanced and equitable deal” was possible, while Vice President JD Vance warned Tehran against rebuilding its programme and said President Trump retained military options. As negotiations proceed, Washington imposed sanctions on more than 30 individuals, entities and vessels tied to Iran’s oil trade and expanded its regional military deployment.

3️⃣🇨🇺🇺🇸 Cuba says four Cubans killed in boat clash: Cuba’s interior ministry said four Cuban nationals living in the US were killed and six others wounded after a Florida-registered speedboat opened fire on a Cuban border guard vessel near Cayo Falcones, alleging the group intended a “terrorist” infiltration and were armed with firearms and explosives. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the incident “highly unusual,” said Washington is conducting its own investigation, and that the US Coast Guard is in the vicinity.

4️⃣🇰🇵🇰🇷🇺🇸 Kim warns South, signals US dialogue: At a ruling party congress, Kim Jong Un said North Korea could “completely destroy” South Korea if threatened and would “permanently exclude” it from a shared nation, while calling for new weapons including underwater-launched ICBMs and more tactical nuclear arms. He said there was “no reason” not to get along with the US if it drops “hostile” policies, adding Pyongyang is ready for “peaceful coexistence or permanent confrontation.”

5️⃣🇮🇸🇪🇺 Iceland to hold EU talks referendum: Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir said Iceland will hold a referendum in the “next few months” on opening accession negotiations with the EU, with the date yet to be set and parliament required to approve the proposal. Speaking alongside Poland’s Donald Tusk, she said the vote would open an opportunity while preserving Iceland’s Arctic identity and resource use, as polls this year showed slim, divided support for joining.

Major Story

🇭🇺 Orbán deploys troops to energy sites

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he has ordered reinforced military protection for critical energy infrastructure after a Defence Council meeting, citing national security reports that Ukraine is preparing actions to disrupt Hungary’s energy system.

He stated that since January, no Russian oil has reached Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline and accused Kyiv of “political blackmail,” referring to what he described as a failure to repair the route.

The pipeline was shut down after being severely damaged in a Russian air strike, a detail Orbán did not mention in his remarks.

Orbán said soldiers and equipment would be deployed near priority facilities, police patrols around power plants and control centres would be increased, and a drone flight ban has been imposed in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county near the Ukrainian border.

Other News

1️⃣🇷🇺🇬🇧 Russian trade routed through UK territories since invasion: Transparency International’s Russian office reported that companies used British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Gibraltar entities to conduct $8bn in trade since 2022, involving yachts, aircraft and oil equipment, with most transactions occurring soon after sanctions were imposed and data running to January 2025. The jurisdictions said UK sanctions are enforced locally and assets have been frozen, with some stating the data does not show actual sanctions breaches.

2️⃣🇩🇪🇨🇳 Merz urges reset in China trade ties: Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Beijing that Germany’s €90bn trade deficit with China is “unhealthy” and called for fairer competition, citing overcapacity and seeking transparency, reliability and adherence to agreed rules, as the deficit has quadrupled since 2020. He also highlighted potential deals including up to 120 Airbus aircraft, said China remains Germany’s sixth-largest export market, and urged Beijing to use its influence to help end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

3️⃣🇩🇪 German parliament limits drone contract after scrutiny: Lawmakers approved a seven-year framework deal for loitering munitions from Stark and Helsing but imposed a €1bn cap per company, requiring renewed parliamentary approval for additional orders beyond an initial €268.6m tranche and further justification to exceed the limit. The changes followed controversy over Peter Thiel’s minority stake in Stark and concerns about pricing and redactions, with the contract’s potential value previously reaching about €2.86bn if all options were exercised.

4️⃣🇺🇸🇰🇷 US and South Korea to hold March drills: The allies will conduct their annual Freedom Shield command post exercise from March 9-19, with about 18,000 South Korean troops participating, alongside a field training program called Warrior Shield to bolster readiness amid stalled diplomacy with North Korea. The announcement comes as Pyongyang holds a major party congress, with experts expecting Kim Jong Un to reinforce hard-line positions while tensions remain elevated.

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