Russian Security Council's Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday dismissed US President Donald Trump's threats to impose massive economic sanctions on the country, calling it a "theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin" and asserting that Moscow does not care.

The search for 17 missing victims from a passenger ship that sank in Indonesia's Bali Strait on July 2 has been extended, according to Ribut Eko Suyanto, Deputy for search and rescue operations at the National Search and Rescue Agency.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Suyanto announced that the operation would be extended for an additional seven days.

"The wreckage of the ship, identified by Indonesian Navy cameras, serves as the basis for extending the search and rescue efforts," he said in a statement.

The South Korean government on Tuesday "strongly" protested after Japan reiterated its territorial claim to the islets of Dokdo in this year's defence white paper, summoning Japanese Embassy officials to lodge a complaint.

"The government strongly protests Japan's reiteration of its unjust territorial claim to Dokdo," South Korea's foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement, describing the islets as South Korean territory in terms of history, geography and international law.

The spokesperson also called for the "immediate" withdrawal of Japan's claim, warning that the government will respond sternly to any provocations from Japan regarding Dokdo.

Seoul's defence ministry echoed the call, vowing a "stern" response to any attempt to undermine the country's territorial rights.

Australia's central bank has proposed banning surcharges on card payments in a move it says will save consumers over a billion Australian dollars every year.

In a consultation paper released on Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said that a review of merchant card payment costs and surcharges found it would be in the public interest to remove surcharging on payments made using eftpos (the domestic debit card network), Mastercard and Visa cards.

It said that Australians currently pay 1.2 billion Australian dollars (768 million US dollars) in card payment surcharges every year and that surcharging is no longer achieving its "intended purpose" of steering customers towards more efficient payment choices as cash usage has declined.

"We think the time has come to address some of these high costs and inefficiencies in the system," RBA Governor Michele Bullock said at a press conference.

North Korea and Russia are set to launch a direct flight route between their capitals, Pyongyang and Moscow, later this month, a Russian news agency has reported.

Nordwind Airlines, a Russian budget passenger carrier, will begin direct flights linking the two cities on July 27, news agency reported quoting Tass, citing Russia's transport ministry.

It will mark the first time that the North Korean and Russian capitals are linked by direct air service, the news agency said.

The new air route follows Russian aviation authorities' recent approval of Nordwind's request last month to operate direct flights between Pyongyang and Moscow twice a week.

Japan is open to resuming peace treaty negotiations with Russia as soon as conditions permit, Japanese Ambassador to Moscow Akira Muto said.

“In order to build stable relations with Russia based on the rule of law, it is necessary to conclude a peace treaty by resolving the territorial issue between our two countries, leaving no undefined borders between us. This will determine the boundary, which is in the interest of both countries. We maintain this position without change," he said in an interview with Russian state-run news agency, responding to a question on whether Tokyo was prepared to take steps toward concluding a peace treaty with Moscow.

The ambassador noted that Japan is Russia’s natural neighbour and partner and recalled Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statement that Russia is ready to “build relations with Tokyo.”

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday said that it has been striking "terrorists" and their infrastructure in the Gaza Strip since the past two days.

Taking on X, the IDF said, “IDF forces continue to strike terrorist infrastructure and terrorists throughout the Gaza Strip: approximately 250 terrorist targets were attacked in the last 48 hours".

"IDF forces from Divisions 98, 36, 162, 143, and 99 continue to operate under the guidance of Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet against terrorist organisations throughout the Gaza Strip," it added.

Division 98 forces are still active in Gaza City's Zaytoun and Shuja'iyya neighbourhoods, the security forces stated.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday issued 30 per cent tariffs on imports from Mexico and the European Union (EU), to renegotiate trade terms before the August 1 deadline.

The European Union will allow complete, open Market Access to the United States, Trump said in its letter posted on Truth Social, or “whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added on the 30 per cent that we charge.”

US President Donald Trump has advised countries in ongoing trade talks with his administration to "just keep working hard" ahead of the August 1 negotiation deadline, repeating his claim that America has been taken advantage of by "both friend and foe" for many years.

Trump made the remarks before departing for a flood-ravaged area in Texas, as South Korea, Japan and other countries strive to reach deals with the United States to avoid or minimize the impact of steep "reciprocal" tariffs that are set to take effect on August 1, reports news agency.

Torrential monsoon rains and flash floods have claimed at least 98 lives and left 185 others injured across Pakistan since June 26, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Friday.

The NDMA said that eight people were killed and 27 others injured in rain-related accidents in the past 24 hours.

Punjab province recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 37 deaths, including 20 children, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where 30 people lost their lives.