*) Putin warns West over arms deliveries to Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed a decisive response to any country threatening Russia and lashed out against Germany for promising tanks for Kiev.

He was speaking at a ceremony commemorating the Red Army's victory against Nazi troops 80 years ago in Stalingrad, as the city was then known.
His statement came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the Kremlin was consolidating its forces for a fresh offensive.

*) Norway withdraws permission for Quran burning after Türkiye's warning

Norway has cancelled its permission to burn the Quran after Ankara warned against it.

On Thursday, Türkiye summoned Norwegian Ambassador in Ankara, Erling Skjonsberg, over plans to desecrate the holy Quran in the Scandinavian country on Friday.

Skjonsberg was told that Ankara "strongly condemns Norway's approach not to prevent the planned provocative act, which is clearly a hate crime.

*) Sudan to move forward with Israel 'normalisation'

Sudan says it has agreed to "move forward" towards normalising relations with Israel during talks with Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen in Khartoum.

Thursday’s statement from Sudan’s foreign ministry came following a meeting between Cohen and his Sudanese counterpart Ali al-Sadiq.

The pair discussed "ways to establish fruitful relations" between the two countries and "prospects of cooperation" in areas including security and energy.

*) House Republicans vote to remove 1st Muslim woman from committee

US House of Representatives Republicans have ousted Democrat Ilhan Omar from a high-profile committee over remarks widely condemned as antisemitic.

"I am a Muslim, I'm an immigrant and, interestingly, I'm from Africa," the 40-year-old Minnesota progressive said in a defiant floor speech ahead of her removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The deeply divided House voted 218 to 211 along party lines to remove Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee with Republicans citing the 2019 remarks for which she later apologised.

And finally…

*) Nick Kyrgios pleads guilty to assaulting ex-girlfriend

Tennis star Nick Kyrgios has pleaded guilty to assaulting a former girlfriend, but avoided a conviction for what the magistrate called a "single act of stupidity".

The Canberra magistrate dismissed the assault charge against the 27-year-old Australian player.

Appearing in a Canberra court, the Wimbledon finalist admitted assaulting then-girlfriend Chiara Passari on January 10, 2021, by pushing her to the ground after a heated argument.