Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood producer, was urgently hospitalized in New York for treatment after alarming blood test results, highlighting ongoing criticisms of the inadequate healthcare he has received while serving his 16-year prison sentence in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te embarked on a significant state visit to the Marshall Islands, fortifying diplomatic ties by emphasizing shared culture and democratic values, and providing financial support, as part of a broader tour that includes Tuvalu and Palau.

In Vietnam, a court upheld the death sentence for real estate tycoon Truong My Lan for her role in the nation's largest financial scandal, underscoring the severity of her embezzlement and bribery convictions despite potential leniency if certain conditions had been met.

As regional tensions rise, the Iran-backed Hezbollah group is putting pressure on Iraq to intervene in Syria following militants seizing Aleppo, reflecting ongoing security concerns and previous collaborations with the Assad regime.

Further complicating the regional landscape, the Syrian army recently clashed with the Syrian Democratic Forces in Deir Al Zor, a confrontation rooted in longstanding geopolitical dynamics involving Kurdish-led groups seen as threats by regional players like Turkiye.

On a global scale, the United Nations has issued a stark warning that if left unaddressed, droughts could impact 75% of the global population by 2050, stressing the urgent need for investment in nature-based solutions to curb climate change-induced challenges.