World News Roundup: South Korea and Japan hail spring thaw amid missiles and weight of history; Pentagon releases de-classified video of Black Sea drone incident and more

The summit between South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan's Fumio Kishida in Tokyo - the first visit to Japan by a South Korean president in 12 years - highlights how the two U.S. allies have been brought closer by North Korea's frequent missile launches and growing concern over China's more muscular role on the international stage. Pentagon releases de-classified video of Black Sea drone incident In a rare move, the Pentagon on Thursday released a de-classified video showing Russia's intercept of a U.S. military surveillance drone downed over the Black Sea two days ago.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

South Korea and Japan hail spring thaw amid missiles and weight of history

The leaders of Japan and South Korea promised to turn the page on years of animosity at a meeting on Thursday, putting aside their difficult, shared history and pledging to work together to counter regional security challenges. The summit between South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan's Fumio Kishida in Tokyo - the first visit to Japan by a South Korean president in 12 years - highlights how the two U.S. allies have been brought closer by North Korea's frequent missile launches and growing concern over China's more muscular role on the international stage.

Pentagon releases de-classified video of Black Sea drone incident

In a rare move, the Pentagon on Thursday released a de-classified video showing Russia's intercept of a U.S. military surveillance drone downed over the Black Sea two days ago. It was the first direct U.S.-Russian incident since the Ukraine war began, worsening already tense relations between Washington and Moscow.

Israeli protesters paint 'red line' leading to Supreme Court after Netanyahu spurns compromise

Jerusalem woke on Thursday to the sight of a long red line painted by protesters along roads leading to Israel's Supreme Court, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a compromise deal for his government's planned judicial overhaul. Police said they had arrested five people who had disguised themselves as workers to carry out the protest action overnight.

U.S. grapples with forces unleashed by Iraq invasion 20 years later

From an empowered Iran and eroded U.S. influence to the cost of keeping U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria to combat Islamic State fighters, the United States still contends with the consequences of invading Iraq 20 years ago, current and former officials say. Then-U.S. President George W. Bush's 2003 decision to oust Saddam Hussein by force, the way limited U.S. troop numbers enabled ethnic strife and the eventual 2011 U.S. pullout have all greatly complicated U.S. policy in the Middle East, they said.

Pakistan court postpones police operation to arrest Imran Khan

A Pakistani high court ordered police on Thursday to postpone an operation to arrest Imran Khan for another day, defusing a surge in violence that saw supporters of the former prime minister fighting pitched battles with security forces. Khan's aide Fawad Chaudhry said the Lahore high court had extended an order to halt the police operation until Friday. The state information minister, Amir Mir, confirmed the court order.

'We live in hell': Volunteer bus evacuates wounded Ukrainian troops

On a brightly painted bus that doubles as a high-tech medical evacuation unit in Ukraine, Stasik lies on one of six beds linked to blood pressure and heart monitors and intravenous drips for patients who need them. The 45-year-old soldier, who gave only his first name, lost his right arm when a tank shell struck his position in fighting against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

Pentagon video shows damage to downed U.S. drone after Russia jet flyby

The Pentagon released on Thursday a video showing a Russian military jet intercept a U.S. drone downed over the Black Sea two days ago, in what was the first direct encounter between the world's leading nuclear powers since the Ukraine war began. The rare Pentagon move came a day after U.S. and Russian defence ministers and military chiefs held phone conversations over the incident that saw the MQ-9 Reaper drone crash into the sea while on a reconnaissance mission in international airspace.

Analysis-Frustrated Khamenei pushed for Saudi-Iran deal clinched in China

Eager to end its political and economic isolation, Iran had been trying for two years to restore ties with its long-time rival Saudi Arabia, an Arab heavyweight and oil powerhouse. Last September, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lost patience with the slow pace of bilateral talks and summoned his team to discuss ways to accelerate the process, which led to China's involvement, two Iranian officials told Reuters.

Analysis-German coalition bickering stalls policy at home and in Europe

Germany's first three-way coalition in decades was forged in crisis last year when unity was paramount. Now as it takes on major structural challenges, deep differences between the parties resurface, delaying critical decisions both at home and on the European stage. Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the resulting energy crisis forced Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) to cross traditional red lines last year and agree hard compromises on nuclear energy, coal and defense.

UK bans TikTok on government devices

British minister Oliver Dowden said on Thursday the government would ban the use of TikTok on government devices, saying there was a risk about how sensitive data could be used on certain platforms. "We're moving to a system where government devices will only be able to access third party apps that are on a pre-approved list," Dowden told lawmakers.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)