Co-ops & Rural Development: ICA-AP spotlighted Telangana’s Mulkanoor Cooperative Rural Credit and Marketing Society as a “Bridge Builder,” citing 7,500 members, Rs 400 crore turnover, and an integrated model from seed processing to storage and direct marketing. West Asia Diplomacy: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Israel’s actions and questioned international institutions’ silence, urging Muslim unity as funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei drew huge crowds. India’s West Asia Energy Play: PM Modi said India weathered the West Asia energy crisis with diplomacy and diversified fuel sourcing, expanding imports to 40+ countries while keeping citizen burden down. AI Infrastructure Race: SK Telecom plans up to 15GW AI data centers in South Korea, while Micron broke ground on a major Japan HBM memory expansion—both aimed at easing Asia’s AI hardware bottlenecks. Markets & Money: India’s Nifty 50 is drawing “safe haven” interest as investors seek shelter from the AI-driven volatility, with foreign outflows easing. Regional Tech Push: iFLYTEK launched its Open Platform in Central Asia, positioning Uzbekistan as an emerging AI hub. Governance & Rights: Thailand’s Stock Exchange joined a global LGBTIQ+ equality initiative, aligning with the country’s marriage equality law. Sports & Culture: Malaysia’s junior hockey team heads to Japan for high-intensity tests ahead of the Junior Asia Cup; Limp Bizkit announced its first-ever Malaysia show in Dec 2026.