Asia

Full support for AI as a key growth driver was pledged by President Lee Jae Myung, who launched a major data center project in Ulsan with SK Group and AWS, part of an “AI highway” to help make Korea a global AI leader, backed by tax breaks and reforms

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would reportedly be open to discussing Philippines rejoining of the International Criminal Court; His administration will “study it carefully,” following UN calls to reverse the 2019 withdrawal amid human rights concerns

The Iraqi Chamber of Commerce has received the prestigious award for “Best Performing National Committee” in the world from the International Chamber of Commerce; the honor was bestowed during the ICC Annual Week held in Paris on 17-20 June 2025

Five qualified bids have been announced to fully privatize Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), including consortia of major firms and a military-backed company; it is Pakistan’s first major privatization in nearly 20 years

Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission of Saudi Arabia stated that there have been no radiation leaks affecting the country, thus confirming the safety of the Kingdom’s environment notwithstanding rising regional tensions

Efforts have been stepped up to boost local food production in vital food categories: under its National Food Security Strategy 2030, Qatar aims for 55% self-reliance in vegetables, 30% in red meat, 80% in fish, 100% in dairy and fresh poultry production

Taiwan’s National Fire Agency, founded on 1 March 1995, celebrated the 30 year anniversary of its founding with the opening of the upgraded NFA Training Center in Nantou County, expected to enhance the country's disaster response preparedness

Latest episode of Guardians portraits Sri Lanka’s rangers in their activities to save the island’s endangered elephants; the wildlife docuseries spearheaded by Prince William and United for Wildlife aims to reframe the global image of rangers

A 25-year extraction contract with Chinese company Afchin signed in 2023 regarding operations in the Amu Darya basin has been cancelled; among the reasons given: failure to employ Afghan nationals, lack of environmental, capacity-building responsibilities

A series of agricultural product festivals in 13 locations in 9 economic zones will run until November to encourage local production and highlight the potential of various regions; the first event scheduled is the Apricot Festival in the Samukh regiona

Bahrain Airport Company signed MoUs with Texel Air and Valo Aviation on the very first day day of 55th Paris Airshow, a top global event that aims at fostering international cooperation in the aerospace sector

The decision to reinstate Class X cut-off point, citing declining education quality in Bhutan, has sparked criticism from education experts and lawmakers, who argue the move lacks data, research and public consultation, potentially generating inequalities