Seoul, Aug 7 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said bilateral relations between South Korea and Vietnam are ready to reach new heights by expanding cooperation into “strategic and future-oriented” sectors, such as artificial intelligence and infrastructure. Lee made the remark in a media interview ahead of the upcoming state visit to South Korea by Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam, early next week, calling the Southeast Asian nation an “indispensable” partner not only in economic coope…

Washington, Aug 7 (IANS) US President Donald Trump’s policy towards India, particularly the imposition of a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s ongoing imports of Russian crude oil while showing leniency to China, has strained the bilateral relationship that was carefully cultivated over past two decades through bipartisan effort, a report cited on Thursday.With Russian oil contributing to nearly one-third of India’s imports, the India Narrative report stated that N…

Naypyidaw, Aug 7 (IANS) Myanmar’s Acting President U Myint Swe died at the age of 74 in the capital Naypyidaw on Thursday morning, the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) said. A State funeral will be held for the Acting President, the NDSC said. U Myint Swe had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and other related neurological conditions.Due to his critical condition, he had been receiving intensive care at the Defence Services General Hospital in Naypyidaw since July, last year.Th…

London, Aug 7 (IANS) The first illegal migrants have been detained under the new return deal between Britain and France, the British government confirmed on Thursday. “We have detained the first illegal migrants under our new deal before returning them to France,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a post on X.”If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back,” he added.The Home Office said the migrants were detained after arriving on a small boat on Wednesday a…

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 7 (IANS) Cambodia and Thailand on Thursday signed an agreement on ceasefire arrangements, representatives of the two countries said after an extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) meeting held in the Malaysian capital. According to the Cambodian side, the two countries held detailed discussions on ceasefire arrangements, and agreed to establish a regional monitoring mechanism, restore mutual trust, and that captured soldiers could be treated under international humanitari…

Moscow, Aug 7 (IANS) Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India is expected at the end of August, a leading news agency of the country reported on Thursday citing comments made by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval during his ongoing visit to Moscow. “We have now established very good relations, which we value very much, a strategic partnership between our countries. We interact at a high level… We were pleased to learn about President Putin’s visit to our country, scheduled for…

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) US President Donald Trump’s tariff hike on Indian exports over New Delhi’s decision of buying Russian oil has rekindled simmering tensions between two nations, a report highlighted on Thursday. “For two decades, the US has invested in the idea of India as a natural counterweight to China. But through a pattern of strategic missteps—marked by economic nationalism, diplomatic coercion, and inconsistent standards—Washington risks alienating a partner it can ill afford to…

Kabul, Aug 7 (IANS) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on Pakistan to halt deportation of vulnerable Afghan refugees, warning that forcible repatriation, particularly of women, girls and people who are ill could violate basic human rights and protections. UNHCR has voiced serious concern over Pakistan’s decision to deport Afghan refugees who have temporary residence permits and demanded protection of vulnerable people, leading Afghan news agency Khaama Press rep…

Tokyo, Aug 7 (IANS) Torrential rain continued to lash Japan’s Hokuriku region on the Sea of Japan coast on Thursday, prompting warnings from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) of potential landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, and rising river levels, particularly in regions still recovering from a powerful earthquake earlier this year, the local media reported. Bullet train services on the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line were suspended for over five hours between Nagano and Kanazawa stations, …

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) The recent development in India-Maldives ties is an important strategic move in India’s foreign policy. The move apart from being a goodwill gesture showcases India’s reassertion of primacy in the Indian Ocean, where China’s presence is evident by its persistent influence, a report highlighted on Thursday. Maldives through the reset of bilateral ties gets India’s economic assistance, robust security cooperation and people-to-people connection, pushing away China’s a…