Japan's military is considering joining the United States in maritime air patrols in the South China Sea in response to China's increasingly assertive pursuit of territorial claims, a Japanese and a U.S. source familiar with the discussions said.
China will hold joint naval drills with Russia in mid-May in the Mediterranean Sea, the first time the two countries will hold military exercises together in that part of the world, the Chinese Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
China's Defence Ministry on Thursday rebuffed a senior U.S. official who cast doubt on China's plans to hold a military parade in September to mark the end of the World War Two.
Israel has returned 15 fishing boats seized from Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, both sides said on Thursday, the latest measure cast as shoring up the coastal enclave's shattered economy.
