ASIA

FRENCH INFLUENCE ENDURES IN VIETNAM DESPITE DECADES PAST

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Vietnam marked 80 years since its declaration of independence, celebrating its freedom from colonial rule. Yet, even as the nation honoured Ho Chi Minh's 1945 proclamation, the enduring imprint of French culture was evident in architecture, language, and cuisine. Ba Dinh Square, where independence was declared, remains flanked by colonial-era buildings including the presidential palace and foreign ministry, both striking examples of French Indochine design.

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FLASH FLOODS IN KASHMIR KILL OVER 30, DOZENS STILL MISSING AFTER CLOUDBURST

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At least 32 people have been killed and around 50 remain missing after sudden flash floods swept through a remote Himalayan village in Indian-administered Kashmir, officials said on Thursday.

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CHINA'S XI AND INDIA'S MODI VOW TO RESOLVE BORDER DIFFERENCES

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Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged on Sunday to resolve their border differences and bolster cooperation ahead of the opening of a regional summit in Tianjin.

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FORMER SOUTH KOREA FIRST LADY ARRESTED OVER CORRUPTION CHARGES

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Former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee, the wife of jailed former president Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested over allegations of stock manipulation and bribery. After a four-hour court hearing in Seoul on Tuesday, Kim Keon Hee denied all charges, but the court issued a detention warrant, citing concerns about evidence tampering. Her arrest marks a historic first, as both a former president and first lady are now imprisoned in South Korea.

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THAILAND PLUNGES INTO TURMOIL AFTER PRIME MINISTER OUSTED

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Thailand's political scene has once again been thrust into uncertainty after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was removed from office by the Constitutional Court. In a ruling that has shaken the nation and cast doubt on the endurance of its most famous political dynasty, the court found her guilty of violating ethical standards during a leaked phone call with Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen.

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MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SMUGGLING TURTLES IN SOCKS TO CHINA

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A Chinese man has pleaded guilty in a US district court to smuggling approximately 850 protected turtles to Hong Kong. According to the US Department of Justice, Wei Qiang Lin exported more than 200 parcels between August 2023 and November 2024, concealing the turtles in socks and mislabeling the boxes as containing "plastic animal toys".

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MORE THAN 500,000 VIETNAMESE ORDERED TO EVACUATE AS TYPHOON KAJIKI BEARS DOWN

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Vietnam has ordered the evacuation of more than 586,000 people as Typhoon Kajiki gathers strength and approaches its central coastline, prompting widespread flight cancellations, port closures, and emergency preparations across the region.

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SOUTH KOREA'S ARMED FORCES SHRINK BY 20% AS BIRTHRATE CRIS DEEPENS

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South Korea's active-duty military has contracted sharply over the past six years, falling by 20% to around 450,000 personnel, as the pool of young men eligible for mandatory service continues to dwindle. According to a Defense Ministry report released Sunday by lawmaker Choo Mi-ae's office, the decline stems from the country's record-low birthrate, which has reduced the number of 20-year-old men, the primary age for enlistment, by 30% since 2019. In 2025, that cohort stands at roughly 230,000.

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