Japanese Emperor awarded Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun on July 3, recognizing his efforts to enhance relations between Laos and Japan. The award was presented by Japanese Ambassador Koizumi Tsutomu at the Ambassador's Residence in Vientiane Capital, attended by PM Sonexay's family, cabinet officials, and other high-level guests.
https://laotiantimes.com/2025/07/04/lao-prime-minister-receives-japans-grand-cordon-of-the-order-of-the-rising-sun/Mark Linscott, adviser to the US India Strategic Partnership Forum, believes an interim trade deal between India and the US is near due to both sides reaching necessary compromises. This comes after Linscott's involvement in previous negotiations under Donald Trump's administration, where he was the first US negotiator to explore a potential interim trade agreement with India.
https://www.ndtv.com/video/india-us-trade-deal-imminent-necessary-compromises-reached-expert-to-ndtv-961109?pfrom=home-ndtv_videoEight migrant lawyers claim they may face "encarcerment, torture and even death" if sent to South Sudan, where rising political tensions threaten to spark another civil war. The migrants, who were convicted of crimes in the US and had final deportation orders, are being held at a naval base in Djibouti after their flight was diverted due to government violations of a court order that denied them the chance to appeal their deportations. The lawyers say they will face "dangerous conditions" and immediate detention upon arrival in South Sudan.
https://apnews.com/article/eeuu-sudan-deportaciones-migrantes-corte-suprema-21a81811045fbec3b77c637a52635e7bPakistan plans to resolve the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) dispute with India through the Permanent Indus Commissioners of both countries. If no substantial outcome is achieved, Pakistan may approach the Permanent Court of Arbitration (CoA), which is brokered by the World Bank. Attorney-General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan stated that Pakistan will adopt a legal course and go to the CoA if necessary. The treaty's Article 9 allows for arbitration if both countries cannot agree on a resolution mechanism bilaterally or through the General Conference of the United Nations (G2G). If the World Bank establishes the CoA, it will take a decision on Pakistan's application. However, if India does not implement the verdict, Pakistan has legal justification to consider it an act of war.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40371066/govt-mulling-resolving-iwt-row-via-indus-bodyRussia has designated an ambassador to Kabul, a move seen as a major milestone for the Taliban administration as it seeks international recognition. The development comes after Russia lifted its ban on the Taliban in April this year, following a gradual build-up of relations with the group. President Vladimir Putin had described the Taliban as an ally in fighting terrorism last year. The move is likely to be closely watched by Washington, which has frozen billions in Afghanistan's central bank assets and imposed sanctions on some senior leaders. Russia sees a need to work with Kabul due to security threats from Islamist militant groups, including Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), which was linked to the 2024 Moscow concert hall attack that killed 149 people.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1326288-russia-first-to-grant-official-recognition-to-taliban-led-afghanistan-govtPremier David Crisafulli has announced that Queensland will host the next Quad meeting, a leaders' summit involving US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's counterparts from India and Japan. The event would be the first time Air Force One landed in Queensland since 2014, when Barack Obama attended the G20 summit.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-news-live-fire-razes-multi-generational-family-home-20250703-p5mc76.htmlA trade deal between Vietnam and the US has left the Southeast Asian country with several questions and a major challenge, particularly regarding intellectual property rights. The agreement, which was signed in June, aims to increase bilateral trade but has raised concerns about the protection of Vietnamese businesses' patents and trademarks. Vietnam's government is now grappling with how to balance its commitment to free trade with the need to safeguard domestic industries from foreign competition.
https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/trade-deal-leaves-vietnam-with-questions-and-one-big-challenge-11751590122432.htmlTimor-Leste's full membership in ASEAN will be formalized at the upcoming summit, with Kuala Lumpur hosting the 47th ASEAN Summit in October 2025. Timor-Leste has applied for membership since 2011 and underwent the accession process, which was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic but continued nonetheless. In 2022, it was accepted "in principle" as a new member. However, Myanmar's junta has opposed Timor-Leste's inclusion, citing a violation of the ASEAN Charter's non-intervention principle. The issue will be discussed at the upcoming AMM-PMC in Kuala Lumpur, with follow-up actions potentially addressed during the meeting.
https://en.antaranews.com/news/364017/timor-leste-to-become-aseans-11th-member-by-2025-end?utm_source=antaranews&utm_medium=desktop&utm_campaign=popular_rightA shift away from the US dollar is expected to continue in favor of emerging markets in Asia, as a record rally in US stocks is outweighed by a de-dollarisation trend. Analysts at Societe Generale say this is due to the erosion of the dollar's status as a reserve currency, with global investors becoming cautious about their $62 trillion in dollar-based assets. This comes after the Trump administration's "reciprocal tariffs" and a potential softening of US growth, which has also led to a decline in crude oil prices denominated in the US currency.
https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3316939/de-dollarisation-favours-asian-assets-despite-record-us-stock-run-societe-generale-says?module=top_story&pgtype=section