Leaders from Europe, U.S. agree on principles for talks with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that leaders from Europe and the United States agreed on five principles for the talks with Russia, the Ukrinform news agency reported.

Speaking at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine must be directly involved in the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Everything that concerns Ukraine should be discussed exclusively with Ukraine, he said, calling for preparations for a trilateral dialogue involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.

Israeli army okays "main framework" of Gaza attack plan, kills 41 across Gaza

Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir on Wednesday approved the main framework of a government plan to expand the offensive in Gaza to areas not yet under Israeli control.

The offensive will later target refugee camps in central Gaza and the southern area of Al Mawasi, where most of Gaza's 2.2 million residents have taken shelter, according to a statement by the Israeli military.

The principles of the plan were approved in a meeting of security officials earlier on Wednesday, the statement said, adding that "the central concept for the plan for the next stages in the Gaza Strip was presented and approved, in accordance with the directive of the political echelon."

Israeli minister announces 3,401 new housing units for settlers in West Bank

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Wednesday he has approved the construction of 3,401 housing units for settlers in a particularly controversial area of the occupied West Bank.

The homes would be built in the E1 area, a stretch of land east of Jerusalem between the city and the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim. Construction there is seen as especially contentious because it would effectively cut off East Jerusalem from the northern West Bank. Building plans in E1 have been frozen for years, largely due to international opposition.

Smotrich, leader of a pro-settler party in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition, said the move was also aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.

S. Korean president to visit Japan for summit with Ishiba

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will visit Japan for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba later this month, Lee's office said Wednesday.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told a press briefing that Lee will make a two-day visit to Japan from Aug. 23 for the summit meeting with the Japanese premier.

Kang said the two leaders will seek to solidify the foundation for future-oriented bilateral cooperation, discuss ways to strengthen South Korea-Japan and South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation, and exchange opinions about regional peace and stability and other regional and global issues.

Indian PM to meet Trump next month in U.S.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York next month, local newspaper Indian Express said Wednesday.

According to the newspaper, preparations are underway to schedule a visit by Modi to the U.S. in the last week of September.

"The key objective will be to iron out the issues on trade and arrive at a common ground on tariffs," the newspaper said.

Trump says to seek extensions of federal control of D.C. police

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will submit a crime bill and ask Congress for approval to extend the federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department to address crime in the nation's capital.

"We're going to need a crime bill that we're going to be putting in, and it's going to pertain initially to D.C.," Trump told reporters following an event at the Kennedy Center. "We're going to be asking for extensions on that, long-term extensions, because you can't have 30 days."

On Monday, Trump signed an executive order declaring a crime emergency in Washington, D.C. to "protect public servants, citizens, and tourists, and ensure the safe functioning of the federal government," according to the White House.