South Korea has unveiled a major investment initiative in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor industries. On Monday, President Lee Jae-myung announced plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars over the next few years to strengthen the country’s leadership in these sectors. The televised announcement was attended by top executives from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the world’s two largest memory chip producers.

President Lee said the initiative aligns his political commitments with national goals for AI and chip development. He emphasized the need for South Korea to secure control over key AI components faster than any other country, identifying semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers as the three main pillars of advancement. The plan also aims to revitalize economies outside the Seoul metropolitan area and reduce regional disparities.

According to local reports, the southwestern cities of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province will invest 520 trillion won (about 336.7 billion USD) in the projects, with total planned investments potentially exceeding 1,000 trillion won (651.4 billion USD) in the coming years.

The government of Bangladesh is planning to raise the tax-free income threshold for individuals to Tk 400,000 for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 fiscal years, aiming to ease the tax burden on low-income earners. At the same time, it may withdraw the proposal to make Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) mandatory for opening bank accounts, following criticism that such a rule could hinder financial inclusion.

According to official sources, the tax-free income limit could further increase to Tk 450,000 in 2028–29 and 2029–30, and to Tk 500,000 in 2030–31. These revisions may be included before the passage of the Finance Bill 2026 in the National Parliament. The current tax-free limit is Tk 350,000, while the finance minister had earlier proposed Tk 375,000 for 2026–27.

Other considerations include reducing the capital gains tax on gold sales from 15% to 5%, maintaining a 0.2% advance income tax on business-to-business transactions, and lowering the corporate tax rate for private universities and ICT-based institutions from 10% to 5%.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told the national parliament on Monday that Bangladesh has entered a democratic phase and urged all to look ahead rather than dwell on the past. Speaking during the discussion on the proposed national budget, he said foreign currency reserves had declined due to money laundering but emphasized that the government is working to stabilize the economy.

Rahman described the proposed budget as 'life-friendly,' noting that for the first time after a budget announcement, prices of essential goods had not increased. He said the government aimed to provide relief to citizens amid economic challenges, corruption, and money laundering concerns. The budget, he added, seeks to build a just, humane, and inclusive economy while easing the burden on low-income groups.

The prime minister highlighted that duties on 61 essential items had been withdrawn to keep prices stable. He said the budget’s main goal is to restore economic discipline and create a foundation for sustainable growth.

Brazil will face Japan today in the World Cup knockout stage at Houston’s NRG Stadium, with major attention on whether Neymar will start. Coach Carlo Ancelotti and media reports suggest the forward, returning from a calf injury, is unlikely to be in the starting lineup. Instead, Ancelotti plans to retain almost the same eleven that defeated Scotland 3–0 in the group stage.

Neymar missed Brazil’s opening matches against Morocco and Haiti due to injury but played the final 15 minutes against Scotland as a substitute. Ancelotti said Neymar’s condition has improved and he could play longer against Japan, though he gave no assurance of a starting role. Local and European analysts believe the coach will avoid risks, keeping Neymar on the bench until he is fully match-fit.

Brazil are expected to play in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with young forward Rayan likely replacing the still-injured Raphinha. Ancelotti emphasized that Japan cannot be underestimated, recalling a 3–2 loss to them in a friendly last year, and said his team is ready for extra time or penalties if needed.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has said that U.S. President Donald Trump failed to achieve the stated goals of the Iran war. She urged the Trump administration to explain what the United States had actually gained from the conflict. Sherrill criticized the administration’s shifting objectives and rising costs, saying that the public deserves a clear account of the war’s outcomes.

The Democratic governor noted that Trump had offered multiple justifications for the conflict, including eliminating Iran’s missile program, halting its nuclear ambitions, changing the regime, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. According to her, none of these goals have been achieved so far. She also pointed out that commercial shipping through the waterway had continued even before the war began.

Her remarks, shared on social media, reflect growing scrutiny of the war’s rationale and its impact on U.S. security and expenditure.

Iranian cyberattacks against Israel have sharply increased since the start of joint US-Israel operations against Iran earlier this year, according to a senior Israeli security official cited by Reuters on Monday. Yossi Karadi, Director General of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, told Germany’s Die Welt newspaper that during Israel’s military campaign against Iran in June 2025, authorities recorded about 1,600 hostile cyber incidents. By June 2026, that number had surged to nearly 4,800.

Karadi said the attacks targeted Israel’s critical infrastructure, central agencies, small and medium-sized businesses, and public systems. Among smaller firms, law and accounting offices were particularly affected. He noted that Israel had so far managed to repel cyberattacks on key infrastructure sectors but warned that cyberspace, unlike traditional battlefields, has no ceasefire.

Iran typically denies conducting hacking or cyber operations against other countries and often reports being targeted by cyberattacks itself, according to the report.

A growing number of unlicensed private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centers are operating across Cumilla city and surrounding areas, according to a report published on June 29, 2026. Many of these facilities lack proper authorization, environmental clearance, and qualified medical staff, leading to widespread mismanagement and patient safety risks. Maternal healthcare is particularly affected, with reports of unsafe surgeries, unnecessary cesarean operations, and inadequate monitoring putting mothers and newborns in danger.

The Cumilla Civil Surgeon’s Office reported 483 registered medical facilities, though the actual number exceeds 700, with many operating without approval. Several institutions, including Satata Specialized Hospital and Cumilla Alif Hospital, have been fined for irregularities, while others resumed operations soon after closure. Officials cited manpower shortages as a barrier to regular inspections, though recent raids fined six institutions about 1 million taka.

Local journalists and environmental officials attributed the problem to weak monitoring, political interference, and the lure of profit in a growing healthcare market. Authorities acknowledged the challenge and pledged continued enforcement against unlicensed operations.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister’s Defense Adviser AKM Shamsul Islam on Monday at the adviser’s office in the Armed Forces Division, Dhaka Cantonment. The ambassador was accompanied by a three-member delegation. During the meeting, both sides discussed various issues of mutual interest, focusing on expanding military and defense cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan.

The discussions emphasized Japan’s potential technological assistance in modernizing the Bangladesh Armed Forces and achieving the country’s ‘Forces Goal’. Both parties agreed on enhancing training opportunities, regular exchange visits of military delegations, and improving professional and technical skills among armed forces personnel. They also explored new possibilities for the exchange of modern defense equipment and technology.

The meeting was viewed as a step toward further strengthening the existing friendly relations and long-term strategic cooperation between the armed forces of Bangladesh and Japan.

Four days after a pair of powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, a father and his teenage son were rescued alive from the rubble near Caracas. The rescue took place in the town of Carabaleda, about 40 kilometers north of the capital, where French and U.S. rescue teams located the survivors on Sunday. The twin quakes, which hit the previous week, have left more than 1,450 people dead.

Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez praised the rescuers for continuing their efforts to find survivors, emphasizing that the mission would not be halted as long as there was hope. The discovery of the father and son has brought a rare moment of relief amid the country’s ongoing crisis.

Despite the successful rescue, thousands of people remain missing, and the nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of the disaster and its broader economic challenges.

Incidents of rape and sexual violence against women and children have increased across Bangladesh, with the Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s One Stop Crisis Center (OCC) reporting a daily average of four to five rape victims seeking treatment. The OCC treats 150 to 200 rape survivors monthly, mostly girls aged 11 to 18. Officials cite weak law enforcement and social decay as key causes. Victims face repeated questioning that worsens trauma, while unauthorized visitors often breach OCC privacy rules.

According to the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, 1,035 women and girls faced violence in the first five months of 2026, including 250 rapes and 65 gang rapes. Legal follow-up remains weak: only one-third of OCC cases result in formal complaints, and conviction rates are around one percent. Investigations are delayed due to slow medical reporting and witness absences. The Women and Children Affairs Minister acknowledged enforcement and social mindset as major challenges.

The government announced plans to establish OCCs in all 37 public medical colleges to ensure coordinated support for victims. The initiative aims to expand free medical, legal, and counseling services nationwide.

More than one million children in England required mental health care in 2024–2025, marking a 10 percent rise in a year and nearly double the figure from 2018–2019, according to BBC data. Anxiety was cited as the most common reason, accounting for 16 percent of all referrals. Suspected autism cases rose by nearly 50 percent to over 96,000, while applications for ADHD and Tourette syndrome increased by about one-quarter.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, in her annual report “Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services: 2024–25,” warned that over one-third of applicants are still waiting for treatment. More than 60,000 children have waited over two years, and fewer than one in five suspected autism cases received care, often after a year-long wait. She described the figures as severe and called for integrated support across health, education, and social care sectors.

Charity YoungMinds expressed deep concern over long delays, especially for Black, ethnic minority, and autistic children. Data also showed higher crisis referral rates among Black children and greater demand from poorer areas, highlighting persistent inequalities in access to mental health services.

Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman told the national parliament on Monday that the proposed budget lacks any guideline for recovering laundered money and called for strong initiatives to bring it back. Speaking during the general discussion on the proposed budget, he also suggested changing the fiscal year from July–June to January–December to align with the calendar year and improve efficiency. The session, presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin, began at 10:30 a.m.

Dr. Rahman argued that recovering even one-ninth of the laundered funds would eliminate the budget deficit and emphasized that such money belongs to the people. He urged visible and effective steps to ensure accountability and prevent future illicit transfers. The opposition leader also discussed education, health, expatriate welfare, and corruption, urging reforms and equitable treatment for all sectors. He called for better allocation for Qawmi madrasa and Ebtedayee education, improved healthcare infrastructure, and stronger research funding in universities.

He further proposed forming a task force to address expatriate workers’ issues and demanded increased allowances for freedom fighters. Rahman concluded by urging cooperation between government and opposition to ensure justice, transparency, and national progress.

Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the European Union (EU) fell sharply in the first four months of 2026, marking the steepest decline among the bloc’s top ten garment suppliers. According to Eurostat data, exports from Bangladesh dropped by 19.33 percent year-on-year to 6.086 billion euros between January and April, down from 7.544 billion euros in the same period of 2025. In April alone, exports fell 19.53 percent to 1.494 billion euros. The decline has raised concern among industry stakeholders amid global trade uncertainty and domestic challenges.

Eurostat figures show that the EU’s overall apparel imports decreased by 10.42 percent during the same period, totaling 27.77 billion euros. However, Bangladesh’s export contraction exceeded the EU’s average decline. Other major suppliers such as China, Turkey, India, Vietnam, and Pakistan also saw reductions, but none as steep as Bangladesh’s. The country’s export volume to the EU fell 9.91 percent to 435.9 million kilograms, while the average unit price dropped 10.45 percent to 13.96 euros per kilogram.

Industry representatives noted that nearly half of Bangladesh’s total export earnings come from the EU, warning that a prolonged downturn in this market could negatively affect the broader economy.

A severe water crisis has hit most areas of Dhaka, with residents in Mirpur, Sheorapara, and several other neighborhoods suffering from prolonged shortages. Many households have gone months without regular water supply, forcing people to buy water from alternative sources at high cost. The shortage has disrupted cooking, bathing, and other daily activities, prompting residents to stage road blockades and street protests demanding urgent action from authorities.

Dhaka WASA officials attributed the crisis to increased demand, technical faults in supply lines, and storm damage to several wells at the Bhakurta oilfield in Savar, which supplies water to Mirpur. They said repair work is underway and that water supply should normalize soon. However, residents accuse WASA of mismanagement and alleged syndicate activities that profit from water scarcity.

According to WASA sources, around 200 of its 1,331 deep tube wells are out of operation due to mechanical issues, while power outages have further disrupted production. The agency maintains that the situation is temporary and expects improvement within days.

A fire broke out in a high-rise building in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, on Monday. The blaze started in an apartment on the 22nd floor, reportedly triggered by an air conditioner explosion. According to initial reports, no casualties have been confirmed so far, but authorities fear there may be injuries or fatalities. Firefighting teams are currently working at the scene to bring the situation under control.

Police from Noida’s Sector 113 station said the fire originated in a flat within the Aranya Society complex. Fire service teams responded immediately after receiving the alert and began efforts to extinguish the flames. Officials are expected to release more detailed information once the fire is fully contained and the situation stabilizes.

Authorities have not yet provided an estimate of the damage or confirmed the number of residents affected, and further updates are awaited as rescue operations continue.