Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has been chosen as interim Prime Minister of Bangladesh. (Source: Telegraph)

The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights.

Asia-Pacific

*Japanese Prime Minister to visit Kazakhstan: The Office of the President of Kazakhstan announced on August 8 that Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan from August 9-10 at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Astana will host the first summit between Central Asian countries and Japan on August 9. Bilateral talks between Tokayev and Kishida are scheduled for August 10. (Sputnik)

*Bangladesh army declares support for interim Prime Minister Yunus: The Daily Star reported that on August 8, the head of the Bangladesh army, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, expressed the army's full support for Bangladesh's interim prime minister, Muhammad Yunus.

Earlier, speaking at a press conference on August 7, General Zaman said the army, along with the navy and air force, would work together to support Yunus, adding that he had spoken to Yunus. He also expressed hope that Yunus would receive support from students and all other political parties.

Mr. Yunus, a renowned economist, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for pioneering the concept of microfinance to improve people's welfare. (Sputniknews)

*South Korea indicts man for leaking military intelligence: On August 8, the South Korean Defense Ministry said a military intelligence official of the country has been indicted for leaking information about Seoul's spies operating abroad.

The official, whose identity was kept secret, was arrested last week on charges of passing personal information of a “black agent” to a Chinese citizen of Korean descent who could provide information to North Korean intelligence.

The official has denied allegations of leaking military intelligence, saying his laptop was hacked, but South Korea's spy agency reportedly rejected that defense in a closed-door meeting with lawmakers last month. The incident reportedly prompted some agents to return home over concerns their identities would be exposed. (Yonhap)

*US extends North Korea travel ban: The US State Department said on August 7 that the country has extended its ban on North Korea travel for another year, citing a “serious” risk to its citizens of arrest and long-term detention in North Korea.

The ban will last until August 31, 2025, according to the decision of the US State Department. The ban has been renewed annually since it was imposed in September 2017. The Department of State stated: “The US State Department has determined that North Korea continues to pose a serious risk to US citizens and permanent residents due to the likelihood of arrest and long-term detention, which threatens their physical safety….” (Yonhap)

Europe

*Russia confident Ukraine conflict will end with victory: Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev announced on August 8 that Russia's military campaign in Ukraine will end with Moscow's victory, like the Georgia conflict in 2008.

In August 2008, Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia after the Georgian army attacked South Ossetia, attempting to retake the breakaway republic, which had declared independence from Georgia along with Abkhazia in the 1990s.

To defend South Ossetia, Moscow sent its troops and pushed Georgian troops out of the region. Russian leaders have repeatedly stressed that the decision to recognize the independence of the two breakaway republics reflects reality and will not be reversed, while the Tbilisi government refuses to recognize it. (TASS)

*IS planned to attack Taylor Swift concert in Austria: Austrian intelligence confirmed on August 8 that a 19-year-old Islamic State (IS) supporter arrested in Austria had planned a suicide attack at Taylor Swift's concert in Vienna to kill many people.

Speaking at a press conference, head of the domestic intelligence agency (DSN) Omar Haijawi-Pirchner said: "The subject admitted that he intended to carry out an attack with explosives and knives. His goal was to commit suicide and kill a large number of people at the concert. (AFP)

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*Belarus warns of "permanent hybrid war" : Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko declared on August 8 that "a permanent hybrid war" is being waged against the people of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Mr Lukashenko won a sixth term in August 2020, sparking massive opposition-led protests. The West has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Belarus over alleged election fraud and human rights violations, which Minsk denies. The sanctions were later expanded over Minsk’s support for Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.

The CIS is a regional cooperation organization established after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Its current member states are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Turkmenistan as an associate member. (Sputniknews)

* Russia calls for attacks “to Kiev and beyond”: After the Kursk province was attacked by Ukrainian military forces, on August 8, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, former President Dmitry Medvedev, called on the Russian army to attack “to Kiev, Odessa and beyond”.

On his Telegram channel, the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council said that Moscow must learn a lesson from the invasion and “mercilessly destroy the enemy.” Medvedev also said that Russia’s special military operation must “openly expand beyond its borders.” According to him, the operation could reach the capital Kiev, the port city of Odessa, the eastern regions, and would not be limited. (TASS)

*EU provides nearly 108 billion euros in aid to Ukraine: European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen announced on August 7 that the European Union (EU) has provided nearly 108 billion euros in aid to Ukraine since the start of the military conflict with Russia. Ms. von der Leyen emphasized that the EU will stand by Ukraine for as long as necessary.

In a post on social network X, Ms von der Leyen said the EU has been supporting Ukraine since the early days of the war. Together with its member states, the EU has provided nearly 108 billion euros in aid to Ukraine. She believes that Ukraine will win and the EU will continue to stand by Ukraine and its people whenever needed.

Financial and political support from the EU has been a major contributor to Ukraine's efforts to counter the Russian offensive, while reinforcing the EU's commitment to Ukraine's independence and sovereignty. (AFP)

Middle East – Africa

*Israel revokes diplomatic status of Norwegian envoys: Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced on August 8 that the diplomatic status of Norway's envoys to the Palestinian Authority will be revoked due to Oslo's "anti-Israel behavior" since the Gaza war broke out last October.

In an official note sent to the Norwegian Embassy in Tel Aviv on August 8, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said the envoys' diplomatic status "will be revoked seven days after the date stated in the note." The note accused Norway of implementing "biased policies and statements" since the October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which sparked the war in the Gaza Strip, now in its 11th month . (AFP)

*Iran asserts that the US supports Israel to maintain instability in the Middle East: At a meeting with the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Iran's acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani said that the US and some European countries not only did not condemn Israel's assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran but also continued to support Tel Aviv, which shows that they are trying to maintain instability in the Middle East.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said that this approach shows that they do not want to see peace and stability in the region and are trying to maintain instability in it. Last week, Hamas leader Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli attack on his residence in Tehran, as he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president. Hamas accused Israel and the United States of being behind the assassination and vowed revenge. (Sputniknews)

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*Nigeria: Boat explosion on river kills dozens: On August 7 (local time), at least 20 people were killed when a wooden boat exploded and caught fire on a river in Nigeria's coastal state of Bayelsa.

Bayelsa police spokesman Musa Muhammed said on August 8 that the boat was carrying traders bringing goods to coastal communities. The traders make weekly trips between coastal settlements and the state capital Yenagoa.

Last year in Nigeria, at least 200 people died in boat accidents. Authorities often blame overcrowding and poor maintenance of passenger boats. (Reuters)

*Iran: Israel made a "strategic mistake": Israel made a costly "strategic mistake" when it assassinated Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week, Iran's acting foreign minister said in an interview on August 8.

“The action taken by the Zionists in Tehran is a strategic mistake that will cost them dearly,” said Ali Bagheri, accusing Israel of wanting to “expand tensions, wars and conflicts to other countries.” (AFP)

America - Latin America

*US affirms readiness to cooperate with Bangladesh's interim government: On August 7, the US affirmed its readiness to cooperate with Bangladesh's interim government as the country outlines a democratic future for its people.

Speaking at a press conference, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, "We continue to monitor developments in Bangladesh and we have clearly seen the appointment of Mr. Muhammad Yunus as head of the interim government.

The new caretaker government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is expected to be sworn in on the evening of August 8. The caretaker cabinet will be finalized soon and new general elections are expected to take place soon. (Reuters)

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*US intelligence: Iran delays attack on Israel: The Jerusalem Post on August 7 quoted US intelligence sources as saying that the time waiting for Iran's retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh is longer than initially predicted. And Iran's attack may take place on August 8 after the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Summit in Saudi Arabia ends.

Meanwhile, the Times of Israel newspaper quoted Israeli officials as saying that Hezbollah, not Iran, would be the first to launch a major attack on Israel in the coming days. (Jerusalem Post)

* Ukraine asks Mexico to arrest President Putin: On August 7, the Ukrainian Embassy in Mexico asked the Mexican government to arrest Russian leader Vladimir Putin if he attends the inauguration of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, to which he was invited.

“We are confident that the Mexican government will comply with the international arrest warrant in any case by surrendering Mr. Putin to the International Criminal Court (ICC),” the Ukrainian embassy said in a statement.

In March 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for President Putin on charges of war crimes related to the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. (AFP)

*Bolivian President Proposes Military Reform to Avoid Coups: On August 7, Bolivian President Luis Arce said the armed forces need to undergo a "profound transformation", including updating military doctrine, to prevent future coup attempts.

"There have been two serious situations of anti-democratic rupture or crisis caused by a small number of bad soldiers seduced by personal interests and powerful groups. Given these events, it is urgent to find solutions to prevent these moments of crisis from recurring," Mr. Arce stressed.

The Bolivian president said the existence of traces of foreign interference is still evident, especially in the military's pre- and post-graduate training programs, guided by the "outdated national security doctrine" imposed by the United States on the continent. (THX)