Saudi outlet al-Hadath reports Iraq's armed forces commander‑in‑chief convened an emergency meeting to discuss regional security.

Aug 1 — The Ministry of Transport’s North Sea Navigation Support Center publicly issued sea-ice forecasts for Arctic shipping routes, the first time China has pushed such forecasts via maritime communications channels. The move upgrades China’s Arctic maritime information services from live reporting to dynamic forecasting, strengthening navigation-information systems and supporting development of polar shipping.

South Korea July exports rose 63.0% YoY to $99.0bn, the second-highest monthly total after June’s $102.2bn. Imports increased 26.5% to $68.6bn, leaving a trade surplus of $30.3bn. Semiconductor exports surged 179% YoY to $41.0bn, exceeding $40bn for a second consecutive month, driven by strong storage-chip demand. Exports to the US jumped 68.7% to $17.4bn, supported by AI data-center investment from major tech firms. The trade minister said 19 of 20 major export categories expanded, flagging meaningful export diversification.