Thailand's Constitutional Court removes PM Paetongtarn over ethics breach

Thailand's Constitutional Court on Friday removed suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office for violating the constitution over her phone conversation on the border issue with Cambodia.

A panel of judges agreed by six votes to three to strip Paetongtarn of premiership status, ruling that her actions constituted a serious violation of ethical standards.

The court also dismissed her cabinet, but the remaining members will continue to perform caretaker duties until a new cabinet takes office.

S. Korea's special counsel indicts wife of ex-President Yoon on corruption charges

South Korea's special counsel on Friday indicted Kim Keon-hee, wife of former impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol, on charges of corruption and bribery.

Kim, who has been held at a detention center in Seoul since Aug. 12, was indicted under detention by independent counsel Min Joong-ki, leading an investigation into corruption allegations involving the former presidential couple.

The special counsel team said in a short statement that Kim was indicted on charges of violating the capital market act, the political funds act and a law on the acceptance of bribes for mediation.

S. Korea's special counsel indicts ex PM Han on charges of abetting insurrection

South Korea's special counsel indicted former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on charges of abetting insurrection of the former ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol, the special counsel team said Friday.

Han was indicted without a physical detention on charges of abetting the insurrection ringleader, perjury, falsifying and later destroying official documents, and others, said the team of independent counsel Cho Eun-suk, leading an investigation into Yoon's short-lived martial law imposition last December.

The indictment came after a Seoul court rejected a warrant to detain Han on Wednesday.

Israeli military begins initial stages of attack on Gaza City, declares "dangerous combat zone"

Israel's military spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Friday that the Israeli military has begun the preliminary operations and initial stages of the attack on Gaza City, and is operating with great intensity on the outskirts of the city.

In a video message posted on social media platform X, Adraee said that the military will intensify its strikes and will not hesitate until it brings back all the hostages and dismantles Hamas.

Also on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that the daily 10-hour humanitarian pause in Gaza City is canceled, adding that the city from now on constitutes a "dangerous combat zone."

48 killed by Israeli army in Gaza as Palestinian death toll surpasses 63,000: authorities

The number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, has surpassed 63,000, with at least 48 fatalities reported on Friday, according to Gaza's health authorities and civil defense.

In a press statement, the health authorities said that 59 bodies and 244 wounded were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours, adding that many victims remain under the rubble as ambulances and civil defense crews face difficulties reaching them due to continued bombardments and a shortage of resources.

The statement said the total death toll of Palestinians since the start of the conflict has climbed to 63,025, with 159,490 others injured.

U.S. approves sale of missiles, related equiment to Ukraine

The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale of air-delivered munitions and related equipment to Ukraine for an estimated cost of 825 million U.S. dollars.

The principal contractors will be Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire, and the U.S. government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Ukraine will use funding from Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and foreign military financing from the United States for this purchase.