First direct commercial flight launched between Russia and North Korea
The inaugural flight, operated by Russian carrier Nordwind, departed Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday with more than 400 passengers aboard. Russia's Transport Ministry confirmed plans for one monthly flight to accommodate demand.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who visited North Korea 's new Wonsan-Kalma beach resort earlier this month to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, promised to encourage Russian tourists to visit the complex.
The resort, which can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, is at the center of Kim's push to boost tourism to improve his country's troubled economy.
North Korea has been slowly easing the curbs imposed during the pandemic and reopening its borders in phases. But the country hasn't said if it would fully resume international tourism.
Regular flights between Russia's eastern port city of Vladivostok and Pyongyang reopened in 2023 following a break caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Russia and North Korea have sharply expanded military and other ties in recent years, with Pyongyang supplying weapons and troops to back Russia's military action in Ukraine.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Sri Lanka visas to be made free for UK tourists
Sri Lanka has announced plans to waive visa fees for British travellers in a bid to boost tourism. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath reportedly confirmed that tourists from 33 new countries, including the UK, will be able to visit the island without paying visa fees at the Hotel Show Colombo 2025 on Friday (25 July). Travellers from the US, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and Australia will also be able to enter without paying visa fees, reported Travel + Leisure Asia. Mr Herath added that Sri Lanka 's government face an annual loss of up to £50m by waiving the visa fees. However, the minister expected higher tourist footfall from the free visas to make up for the loss in economic gains. According to a government press release, Mr Herath said that Sri Lanka's tourism industry is 'steadily progressing day by day', with the tourism sector expected to become a 'key contributor' to strengthening the national economy. He said: 'We have stabilised the economy, and through policy changes in tourism, we aim to ensure steady growth in arrivals.' Travellers from seven countries – China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan – have had a visa fee waiver to enter the South Asian country since September 2024, following a trial phase in 2023. British passport holders currently have to apply for a 30-day tourist visa with a $50 (£37.50) fee to visit Sri Lanka. According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Sri Lanka welcomed 2,053,465 tourists in 2024. Of these, the island hosted the most Indian, Russian and British travellers. The start date for free visa entry is unknown; however, it is expected that eligible travellers will still need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in advance, free of charge. The Independent has contacted Sri Lanka's Ministry of Tourism and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority for comment.
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
India and Taiwan were leading buyers of Russian naphtha in June, LSEG data shows
MOSCOW, July 29 (Reuters) - India and Taiwan were the leading destinations for Russian seaborne naphtha exports in June, as cheaper volumes and domestic demand attracted buyers, according to traders and LSEG data. Naphtha is a primary feedstock in the petrochemical industry for producing olefins and aromatics, which are then used to manufacture a wide array of products, including plastics, synthetic resins, synthetic fibers, and various other chemicals. Since the European Union's full embargo on Russian oil products went into effect in February 2023, countries in the Middle East and Asia have become the main destinations for Russia's naphtha supplies. Naphtha export shipments from Russian ports to India in June totalled 250,000 metric tons, down 5% from May, and exceeded 1.4 million tons in the first half of 2025. Russian naphtha arrived at the western Indian ports of Mundra, Hazira, and Sikka, shipping data showed. India partially replaced naphtha purchases from the United Arab Emirates with cheaper Russian supplies in order to reduce import costs. Naphtha exports from Russian ports to Taiwan reached 234,000 tons last month, double their May level, and totalled 1.27 million tons between January and June, according to LSEG data. Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey and China were among the other top destinations for Russian naphtha export supplies in June. Ship-tracking data showed that no cargoes from Russian ports arrived in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates in June. Russia had supplied 80,000 tons to the UAE in May. Vessels carrying nearly 300,000 tons of Russian naphtha loaded last month are heading to Asia via Southern Africa's Cape of Good Hope. Asia received 150,000 tons in May. Traders have been diverting Russian oil products cargoes around Africa since December 2023 to avoid the Red Sea due to a heightened risk of attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group. All the shipping data above are based on the date of cargo departure.
Reuters
4 hours ago
- Reuters
Oil prices rise further on trade war relief
LONDON, July 29 (Reuters) - Oil prices edged up on Tuesday on optimism that a trade war between the United States and its major trading partners was abating and as President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine. Brent crude futures were up 47 cents, or 0.7%, at $70.51 a barrel at 0924 GMT, having touched their highest since July 18, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $67.24, up 53 cents, or 0.8%. Both contracts settled more than 2% higher in the previous session. The trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, while imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods, sidestepped a full-blown trade war between the two major allies that would have rippled across nearly a third of global trade and dimmed the outlook for fuel demand. The agreement also calls for $750 billion of EU purchases of U.S. energy over the next three years, which analysts say the bloc has virtually no chance of meeting, while European companies are to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the course of President Donald Trump's second term. Top economic officials from the U.S. and China are meeting in Stockholm for a second day to resolve longstanding economic disputes and step back from an escalating trade war between the world's two biggest economies. Trump also set a new deadline on Monday of "10 or 12 days" for Russia to make progress toward ending the war in Ukraine. Trump has threatened sanctions on both Russia and buyers of its exports unless progress is made. "Oil prices rallied after President Trump said he would shorten the deadline for Russia to come to a deal with Ukraine to end the war, raising supply concerns," ING analysts said in a note. Market participants are also waiting to hear the outcome of the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee meeting on July 29-30. The Fed is widely expected to hold rates but could signal a dovish tilt amid signs of cooling inflation, said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at brokerage Phillip Nova.
