World

The government of the Republic of Korea (RoK) has just unveiled multi-trillion-dollar mega-projects aimed at making the country a powerhouse in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Amidst the rapid advancement of information technology, AI is identified as a “strategic asset” shaping the RoK’s future development in the coming decades.

Speaking at the Singapore-China Forum 2026 on Monday, Singapore's Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said that Singapore and China can deepen cooperation on the green transition, artificial intelligence (AI) and support for aging populations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. The United States is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding on Saturday, its Independence Day. Ushakov confirmed that Putin congratulated Trump on the holiday.

China's State Council has issued a plan for building a Beautiful China during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), setting out the overall requirements, targets, key tasks and major projects for comprehensively advancing the initiative.

At the invitation of the French Communist Party (PCF), a delegation from the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) led by Nguyen Kim Son, member of the CPV Central Committee and Vice Chairman of its Commission for Strategies and Policies, has attended the 40th PCF Congress, held in Lille city from July 3 to 5.

Acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez chaired a ceremony in La Guaira state on July 3 to honour international rescue forces for their considerable contributions to search and rescue operations following the twin earthquakes that struck the South American nation on June 24.

Viet Nam has reaffirmed its role in advancing the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) by chairing key meetings that endorsed the bloc's expansion agenda and initiatives to strengthen cooperation amid an increasingly uncertain global trading environment.

* The first extraordinary session of Laos' National Assembly's 10th legislature will be held from July 6 to 10 to consider a range of urgent legislative and national policy issues.

The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is still developing in a complex manner, with a rapid infection rate and a large number of cases. More worryingly, in the process of contact tracing, African health authorities have “lost track” of hundreds of people who have been confirmed positive for the Ebola virus.

The Russian Armed Forces carried out what Moscow described as a massive retaliatory strike on military-industrial enterprises and fuel and energy infrastructure in Kiev and the surrounding region, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.

Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said Tuesday that the death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that recently struck the country has risen to 1,943, with more than 10,000 injured.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is under mounting pressure to ease internal tensions ahead of the alliance's summit, scheduled in Türkiye on July 7–8. As the US intensifies pressure on its European allies to shoulder more security responsibilities, increased defence spending is expected to be a central focus of the meeting.

While participating in earthquake relief operations in Playa Grande, La Guaira state of Venezuela, the Vietnamese rescue team on June 30 (local time) identified 11 locations suspected of containing victims and launched search-and-rescue efforts.

Viet Nam's military and police team conducted search and rescue operations in Venezuela's hardest-hit state of La Guaira on June 30 (local time), working through extreme heat and heavy rain to locate victims of the twin earthquakes.

The Vietnamese rescue and relief mission comprising personnel from the military and public security forces arrived at its base in La Guaira state, the area most severely affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela, on the afternoon of June 29 (local time).

China and the European Union (EU) have confirmed the official establishment of China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism as the two sides held the first meeting of the mechanism, according to a joint statement issued on Tuesday.

For the first time in 10 years, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide is trending downward. After enduring precarious lives abroad, millions of refugees have chosen to return home, despite unresolved conflict, violence, and poverty in their countries of origin. However, whether they return home or remain displaced, what awaits them is an uncertain future.

Thailand's government proposed a 3.79-trillion-baht (about 113.85 billion USD) budget bill for the fiscal year 2027 to parliament for its first reading on Monday, pledging efficient spending and narrower deficits ahead.

Africa's four largest technology-driven economies have drafted national artificial intelligence (AI) strategies amid growing recognition of their heavy dependence on US technology companies for critical infrastructure. While African firms are beginning to develop AI infrastructure with support from Western technology providers, scientists and policymakers across the continent are seeking to establish a continent-wide strategy for science and technology.

More than 70 years have passed since the victory of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, Viet Nam-France relations have continued to see positive progress. The two countries are working together to write a new chapter of friendship and cooperation.