Briefly

JAPAN

Media: Allies arranging summit for next month

The United States and Japan have begun making arrangements for a summit meeting between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington on Jan 13, the Yomiuri daily reported on Wednesday. Citing multiple unidentified Japanese government sources, the newspaper said Kishida plans to discuss Japan's new security policy, revised this month to unveil the country's biggest military buildup since World War II. The January meeting would be Kishida's first summit at the White House since he took office last year.

TURKIYE

Israeli envoy presents credentials to Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the credentials of Israel's new ambassador to Turkiye on Tuesday, as the two countries normalize ties after four years of strain. Turkiye and Israel began improving relations with high-level visits this year including Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Ankara. They agreed to appoint ambassadors mutually in August. After Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu won elections last month, he and Erdogan agreed to "work together to create a new era in relations" on a basis of respect for mutual interests.

SINGAPORE

Malaysian behind stock scam jailed for 36 years

A Malaysian man convicted of masterminding a stock scam that wiped $5.8 billion off Singapore's exchange was sentenced on Wednesday to 36 years in jail by a court in the city-state. John Soh Chee Wen orchestrated the scheme, according to court documents, and his accomplice, Singaporean Quah Su-Ling, was also given a 20-year jail term.

Agencies via Xinhua