(Reuters, Milan) Italian police have launched an expanded investigation into suspected customs and tax fraud involving goods imported from China, raiding two offices of e-commerce giant Amazon and seizing thousands of items and information technology equipment.

(Brussels) The United States is demanding that the European Union amend its digital regulations in order to reach an agreement on lowering U.S. tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

Japan will introduce a foreign policy in January next year to build a society where people can coexist peacefully. Newly appointed Minister of Economy and Security, Kimi Onoda, who will be in charge of this task, emphasized that the policy is not xenophobic, but rather aims to distinguish between good and bad, ensuring that foreigners engaged in illegal activities will not remain in Japan, thereby eliminating prejudice against foreigners among the Japanese people.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks concerning Taiwan have worsened Sino-Japanese relations, but Japanese polls show that the Japanese people still support the female prime minister.

(Washington) A 28-point peace plan proposed by the United States to end the Russia-Ukraine war has temporarily diverted Ukrainians' attention from domestic corruption scandals and unexpectedly boosted President Zelensky's political standing. Zelensky, embroiled in a political crisis due to the corruption scandals, is unlikely to accept the US proposal against the will of the people.

(Geneva/Brussels) U.S. and Ukrainian officials announced in Switzerland, following consultations on a peace plan between Russia and Ukraine, that an updated and improved peace framework has been established. The new framework modifies the 28-point peace plan previously drafted by the Trump administration, and Ukraine stated that the updated version is in its national interest.

(Tokyo) Amid tensions in Japan-China relations over the Taiwan issue, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the Yonaguni Island military base in the south, near Taiwan, and stated that the missile deployment plan on the island is progressing steadily.

(Washington, D.C.) U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessant said the 43-day federal government shutdown caused $11 billion (about S$14.4 billion) in permanent damage to the U.S. economy, but he remains optimistic about U.S. economic growth next year given the decline in interest rates and the implementation of tax cuts.