U.S. President Donald Trump has announced new details and initial funding for his "Golden Dome" missile shield system, with geopolitical rival China accusing Washington on Wednesday of undermining global stability.

Crude prices rallied Wednesday following a report that U.S. intelligence suggested Israel was planning a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, which would send geopolitical tensions into overdrive and fuel regional conflict fears.

While safe haven gold pushed almost two percent higher, the news from CNN appeared to be having little detrimental effect on Asian equities, with most extending the previous day's rally.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia on Tuesday of delaying peace talks in a bid to pursue its three-year invasion, even as US President Donald Trump pushes for an immediate ceasefire.

Trump spoke by phone on Monday to both Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, while Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul on Friday for their first direct talks on the conflict in more than three years.

The EU on Tuesday formally adopted a new round of sanctions on Russia targeting its "shadow fleet" of oil tankers and threatened more punishment for Moscow not agreeing a Ukraine truce.

"The EU has approved its 17th sanctions package against Russia, targeting nearly 200 shadow fleet ships," European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X.

Iran's supreme leader on Tuesday pushed back against U.S. criticism of the country's nuclear program, saying that Tehran won't seek permission from anyone to enrich uranium and calling American statements "nonsense."

"They say, 'We won't allow Iran to enrich uranium.' That's way out of line," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said during a memorial for late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last year. "No one in Iran is waiting for their permission. The Islamic Republic has its own policies and direction — and it will stick to them."

Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine would "immediately" start peace talks after he spoke with Vladimir Putin on Monday, despite the Russian leader rebuffing the U.S. president's call for an unconditional truce.

Britain summoned Iran's ambassador on Monday after charges were filed against three Iranian nationals accused of acting as spies.

The move came the day after Iran summoned a British diplomat to protest what it described as the "illegal and unjustified" detention of an Iranian in the U.K., Iran's state-run news agency reported.

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.

The finding came after the 82-year-old reported urinary symptoms, which led doctors to discover a nodule on his prostate. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.

The United Kingdom and the European Union are expected to seal new deals on fishing rights and defense as officials meet in London on Monday to discuss closer ties in their first official summit since Brexit.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is to hold talks with EU officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. British media reported Monday that officials were set to announce an agreement on fishing access for EU boats in U.K. waters, as well as details on a defense and security partnership.

Two high-profile Catholics, Pope Leo XIV and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, met Monday ahead of a flurry of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to make progress on a ceasefire in Russia's war in Ukraine.

Vance's motorcade was seen entering Vatican City just after 7:30 a.m. Vance, a Catholic convert, had led the U.S. delegation to the formal Mass opening the pontificate of the first American pope.