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The US Department of Defense confirmed on Wednesday that it had accepted a $400m Boeing 747 jet donated by Qatar for President Donald Trump's official usage.

The acceptance has sparked widespread criticism on legal and ethical grounds. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer described it as "the largest bribe from a foreign government in American history" and slammed the move as a stain on the presidency, according to Xinhua.

 President Trump dismissed the controversy, calling it "stupid" to reject the jet. Qatar also rejected the concerns.

A Department of Defense official confirmed that security upgrades will be implemented, with experts predicting retrofitting costs in the hundreds of millions, Xinhua reported

Iran has agreed to a fifth round of indirect nuclear talks with the US, which will take place in Rome on Friday, following a proposal from Oman, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei disclosed.

Baghaei reaffirmed Iran's commitment to peaceful nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment, and highlighted the country's efforts to secure the lifting of US sanctions.

The previous four rounds, also mediated by Oman, began in April, with the most recent occurring in Muscat on May 11. Tehran has strongly rejected recent US demands to halt uranium enrichment.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has revealed that Canada is in high-level discussions with the United States about joining the projected $25bn "Golden Dome" missile defense system.

Unveiled by President Donald Trump, the system aims to counter advanced threats such as hypersonic and space-launched missiles using space-based sensors and interceptors, according to BBC.

Carney said the plan is under review, and his office confirmed talks are ongoing. The discussions come as part of broader Canada-US negotiations on trade and security.

Canada already cooperates with the US through NORAD, which monitors North American airspace and defends against cruise missile threats. The Golden Dome would go beyond this, targeting more sophisticated long-range and space-based attacks, BBC reported.

The British government unveiled 100 additional sanctions on Tuesday, aimed at Russia's military, energy, and financial sectors, as well as individuals implicated in disseminating misinformation about the Ukraine crisis. The United Kingdom pledged to push for a reduction in the $60-per-barrel oil price threshold, which would further limit Russia's revenue, according to Xinhua.

On the same day, the European Union approved its 17th round of sanctions against Russia, with the goal of increasing pressure for a cease-fire in Ukraine.

In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Russia will not accept ultimatums and accused Europe of attempting to prolong the conflict by rearming Ukraine.