South Korea's parliament approved the appointment of prime minister Nominee Kim Min-seok on Thursday.

The motion to appoint Kim, the ruling Democratic Party's four-term lawmaker, was approved with 173 votes in favor, three against and three invalid. 300 members of the ruling party-controlled National Assembly, lawmakers of the conservative opposition People Power Party refused to vote on it, calling for Kim's voluntary resignation. Kim was nominated as prime minister on June 4 when President Lee Jae-myung took office.

mitv

The Information Team of the State Administration Council has extended an invitation to armed groups, including the so-called PDF, to return to the legal fold in an effort to build a Union based on democracy and a federal system. According to a statement issued on Friday, these groups are urged to contact nearby military stations and administrative bodies in order to work together with the government and the Tatmadaw for the benefit of the nation and the regions.

The statement noted that the CRPH and NUG have portrayed themselves as the elected government despite the lack of formal recognition of their leadership. In an attempt to conceal election fraud and their unlawful efforts to seize state power, they spread propaganda accusing the Tatmadaw of undermining the democratic process.

This led armed organizations, including the PDF, to choose the path of armed resistance. The government, the people, the Tatmadaw, ethnic armed organizations, and legally established political parties all share the goal of building a Union based on democracy and a federal system.

The statement also mentioned that the armed groups share this same aspiration. The State Administration Council is working to hold a free and fair multi-party democratic general election under its 5-point Road Map. Currently, 54 political parties have confirmed their participation in the election, a step toward democracy and a federal Union.

If the path of armed resistance continues, it will bring no benefit to the nation and will instead undermine the democratic process. Ongoing armed conflicts have already claimed the lives of many youths, resulting in the loss of valuable human resources for the country.

The desired goals can only be achieved through full cooperation in the election process, contributing to regional peace, stability, and the development of all sectors. The emergence of democracy and a federal Union, along with constitutional amendments appropriate to a new Union, must be carried out through negotiations with the new Hluttaw and government formed after the election.

mitv

Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs o U Than Swe received Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Mr. Dusit Manapan at the Ministry in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday.

During the meeting, both sides cordially exchanged views on further enhancing the existing bilateral ties and collaboration across various sectors in areas of mutual interest, enforcing the post-earthquake rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.

Moreover, both sides deliberated together on the further enhancement of ongoing cooperation and discussed matters pertaining to the advancement of the multi-sectoral cooperation, stability along the border and strengthening people-to-people contacts as well as closer collaboration at both regional and multilateral arenas.

mitv

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced its intention to dismantle the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) following a peace agreement signed with Rwanda. The FDLR, formed by former Hutu leaders linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, is considered by Kigali to be an existential threat.

The Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs said "they will try to encourage the FDLR to return home, and those who refuse to surrender will obviously face military operations". She added that they expect, in return, the withdrawal of Rwandan armed forces from eastern DRC.

mitv

Russia has officially recognized the Afghan interim government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan said in a statement late Thursday. According to the statement of the Afghan foreign ministry, Zhirnov, the Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan, met with Muttaqi, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, to formally deliver Moscow's decision to recognize the Islamic Emirate as the official government of Afghanistan.

Zhirnov called the move as a "historic step" toward deepening ties and strengthening cooperation between the two nations, the statement noted. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko received copies of Letters of Credence from the newly appointed ambassador of Afghanistan to Russia, said a statement of the Russian foreign ministry on July 3.

mitv

The election campaign for Japan's House of Councillors, or the upper house of the Diet, was officially launched on Thursday. The 17-day campaign will determine whether the ruling coalition, currently a minority in the lower house, can retain a majority in the chamber by securing at least 50 of the 125 contested seats.

A total of 519 candidates have registered across electoral districts and proportional representation. Additional debate is expected on pensions, social security, declining birthrates, and foreign policy, including responses to U.S. tariff pressures.

Voting is scheduled for July 20. The upper house has 248 members, and elections are held every three years to choose about half of the seats. Members serve a six-year term, and the election uses a mix of local districts and nationwide proportional representation.

mitv

The Republican-led US Congress narrowly passed Donald Trump's flagship spending bill Thursday after a marathon voting session on the package, which is set to slash social welfare programs and add more than $3 trillion to the national debt.

The text, headlined by a $4.5 trillion renewal of the president's first-term tax cuts, was approved by the House of Representatives along party lines, delivering Trump the biggest legislative win of his second term. Trump is expected to sign the bill into law on Friday.

mitv

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday visited the community that saw the most hostages seized in Hamas militants' 2023 attacks, promising to bring home "all" those still held in Gaza.

Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants on October 7, 2023, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Thirty people were killed and more than 75 kidnapped in Nir Oz during the attacks. Several have since died in captivity.

Netanyahu visited the kibbutz at the invitation of its inhabitants and met with survivors of the attack and freed hostages. US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas that could lead to the hostages' release.

mitv

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow would achieve its goals in the conflict with Ukraine, including the elimination of its root causes, in a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, according to Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov.

He said that Russia is ready for the third round of talks with Ukraine, adding that Putin and Trump did not discuss the specifics of what would be discussed during the possible negotiations. The Kremlin aide told the media that Putin and Trump discussed the current situation in Iran and the Middle East, and the situation in Syria over phone.

Putin and Trump confirmed their mutual interest in implementing a series of economic projects between Russia and the United States, including in energy and space, Ushakov said. Ushakov said the presidents agreed to continue their communication.

mitv

Turkish National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler attended a reception held to mark Japan Self-Defense Forces Day. In his speech at the event, Minister Güler expressed satisfaction with the current level of cooperation between Türkiye and Japan in the fields of military and defense industry. He also underlined the growing friendship between the two countries, stating that “Greatest wish is to elevate the bilateral relations to the highest level.”

mitv