In an ongoing historical dispute, South Korea honored WWII forced laborers at Japan's Sado gold mines, boycotting a Japanese event for not addressing Korean grievances, while Japan performed its own ceremony without recognizing these issues.

Meanwhile, in western Indonesia, rescue workers face significant challenges as they use heavy equipment to clear debris from severe floods and landslides, resulting in at least 20 fatalities, and continue efforts despite power outages and communication breakdowns.

Over in Japan, a fire at the Tanegashima Space Center during a test for the Epsilon S rocket raises doubts about its 2024 launch plans, as JAXA investigates the incident amidst previous setbacks in their space program.

Shifting to the Middle East, Saudi Arabia's NEOM project is described as a "generational investment" pivotal to Vision 2030, aiming to significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels with an ambitious plan to house 9 million people in a region almost the size of Belgium.

In Israel, the security cabinet is set to vote on a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, fueled by US, EU, and UN diplomatic efforts, while airstrikes intensify, pointing to a potential resolution involving Israeli withdrawal and Lebanese redeployment.

Finally, on a tense geopolitical front, Russian official Dmitry Medvedev warns that any Western move to arm Ukraine with nuclear weapons may provoke a nuclear response, viewing such actions as a direct threat to Russia under its updated nuclear doctrine.