AP News Summary at 8:02 p.m. EDT | Us

• Prof Raj Kumar and Shashi Tharoor addressed Japan's National Diet to discuss strengthening the strategic partnership between India and Japan. • The discussions focused on leveraging education and parliamentary diplomacy as key pillars to deepen bilateral ties beyond traditional crisis management.

• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has significantly increased funding for the U.K. military in one of his final major acts of office. • The decision to boost weapons spending on Tuesday prioritizes military expansion over domestic welfare programs.

• Professor C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), and MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor addressed the Japanese parliament. • The event took place on the eve of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's official visit to India to strengthen bilateral relations.

• Iranian state TV reports that a ship has run aground in the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz. • A separate report details a deadly attack on a primary school in southeastern Iran on February 28, which is described as the deadliest strike in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict against Iran.

• The author argues that U.S. diplomacy under the Trump administration has shifted from impartial professional diplomats to real estate investors. • Specific concerns are raised regarding Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, alleging their roles in negotiations with Iran create significant conflicts of interest.

• Europe and the Gulf states are seeking to increase their strategic autonomy to counter global "great-power chaos" and geopolitical instability. • The proposed collaboration focuses on three primary pillars: developing critical infrastructure projects, establishing free trade agreements, and securing scalable defense deals.

• Following the collapse of the previous regime, the U.S. faces a strategic opening to negotiate a transactional bargain with Syria's new leadership. • The author argues that Washington should avoid open-ended missions and instead use its leverage to establish enforceable conditions that permanently lock Iran out of the country.

• MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor and JGU Vice Chancellor Prof. C. Raj Kumar addressed Japan’s National Diet to advocate for stronger bilateral ties. • The visit focused on promoting robust university collaborations and enhancing parliamentary diplomacy beyond simple crisis management or interest negotiation.

• Japan is seeking to strengthen strategic ties with India during a leaders' meeting scheduled for Thursday in New Delhi. • The diplomatic push views India as an increasingly valuable economic partner and a critical player in upholding a rules-based international order.

• Roberto Savio, founder of Inter Press Service (IPS), discussed the critical importance of global citizenship in an exclusive interview with INPS Japan. • Savio promoted his new book, *The Global Citizen Handbook*, which he co-authored with educator Giuliano Rizzi to address the complexities of the 21st century.

• The Israeli government has officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, signaling a significant shift in its diplomatic relationship with Türkiye. • This move marks the end of an era of pragmatic relations, where historical grievances were previously ignored to maintain geopolitical interests.