Japan, South Korea bury the hatchet in Camp David pact: Japan, South Korea and the US have committed to increase military and economic cooperation after a first-of-its-kind summit between the three countries at Camp David, according to a joint statement on Friday. The pact will see the countries “swiftly consult with each other in response to threats to any one of our countries from whatever source that occurs,” said US President Joe Biden, adding that they would set up a hotline to share information and coordinate responses to crises. They will also hold annual trilateral meetings and joint military exercises.

The enemy of my enemy: The rivalry with China, as well as ongoing nuclear threats from North Korea, are pushing the two countries to pursue closer ties. Their new pact with the US contains strong language against China’s recent efforts to assert its dominance over Taiwan, warning Beijing against what the three countries called “dangerous and aggressive behavior supporting unlawful maritime claims… in the South China Sea.”

TO THE WEST- Libya finally has a united central bank: The Central Bank of Libya has been reunified as a national bank, nine years after it split into opposing institutions following the outbreak of civil war. The central bank announced the news in a statement yesterday following the conclusion of talks between senior officials at the Tripoli and Benghazi branches.

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