Submit your Article

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba has described her five-day visit to Japan as 'fruitful'.

Upon her return home last night, she stated that her visit has helped further strengthen Nepal-Japan relations while expanding cooperation in various development sectors.

Minister Rana informed media persons that she held various important meetings with Japanese officials, including Foreign Minister IWAYA Takeshi, discussing various issues ranging from strengthening bilateral relations, and cooperation in various projects.

“During this visit, we discussed various issues of Nepal-Japan relations, ongoing cooperation and future projects in Nepal. Similarly, the visit also provided an opportunity to learn about policies and welfare systems implemented in Japan for senior citizens,” she said.

A bilateral meeting between Minister Rana and her counterpart Takeshi touched on various aspects of Nepal-Japan bilateral relations, mutual interests, and common global concerns. Minister Rana expressed her gratitude for Japan's continued support in Nepal's development journey.

On May 23, the minister also met with President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Dr Tanaka Akihiko, and discussed the timely implementation and completion of JICA-funded projects in Nepal. She thanked Japan for its long-standing support to Nepal's economic and social development endeavors.

Earlier, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, IKUINA Akiko, paid a courtesy call on Minister Rana on the sidelines of the recently concluded "Sagarmatha Sambad" last week in Kathmandu.

She expressed her appreciation for Akiko's active participation in the dialogue.

While in Japan, Minister Rana also addressed an international conference on senior citizens in Tokyo and shared Nepal's efforts and challenges in policy development and welfare for senior citizens.

Upon her arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, she was welcomed by officials including Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amrit Bahadur Rai.

Foreign Minister Rana had left for Japan last Monday.

Dozens of staffers were fired from the White House National Security Council on Friday, as President Donald Trump moved to slash the size and scope of the once-powerful body, five sources briefed on the matter said, Reuters reported.

Staff dealing with most major geopolitical issues, from Ukraine to Kashmir, were terminated in the afternoon, said the sources, who requested anonymity as they were not permitted to speak to the media.

The move came just weeks after Secretary of State Marco Rubio took over from Mike Waltz as national security adviser.

The NSC restructuring is expected to further reduce the agency's influence, transforming it from a powerful policymaking body into a small organization focused more on implementing the president's agenda than on shaping it, the sources said, according to Reuters.

In practice, the move is expected to grant more authority to the State Department, the Defense Department and other departments and agencies involved in diplomacy, national security and intelligence matters, the sources said.

The fifth round of Iran-US indirect talks concluded Friday in Rome, with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi calling it “one of the most professional rounds”, Xinhua reported.

He stated that the United States now has a greater understanding of Iran's stance, and that both sides will study new offers before the next session, which may involve more comprehensive conversations.

Iranian and Omani officials described the atmosphere as calm and constructive, with some progress made but no final agreement. Talks, mediated by Oman since April, focus on Iran’s nuclear program and US sanctions. Iran continues to reject US demands to halt uranium enrichment, according to Xinhua.

President Vladimir Putin urged on Friday for expanded Russian arms exports to help the country's position in the global military market. He stressed the necessity for increased state backing to strengthen Russia's military-industrial complex.

Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis in February 2022, Russia's defense sector has prioritized domestic production, resulting in a decrease in international arms sales. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia's proportion in global arms exports fell to 7.8 percent between 2020 and 2024, down from 21 percent in the previous era, due to sanctions and rising internal demand, Reuters reported.

Putin noted that Russia still has a significant portfolio of military export orders worth tens of billions of dollars from important countries such as India, China, and Egypt. He also emphasized the need of incorporating artificial intelligence into weapons systems, stating that future competitiveness in the global arms industry will be dependent on these technologies.