ASEAN Diplomacy: South Korea’s FM Cho Hyun heads to the Philippines for ASEAN-related talks, aiming to deepen cooperation on AI, culture, and online scam-fighting while coordinating on North Korea. Music & Activism: Garbage’s Iveagh Gardens show in Dublin mixed big hits with sharp political messaging on inclusion, LGBTQI+ and trans rights. Multicultural Festivals: Canada’s Pembroke Multicultural Festival returned with two days of food, dance, and traditions from around the world. Religious Freedom: A rabbi and Protestant leader in Azerbaijan discussed minority religious life at a Religious Freedom Forum on Capitol Hill. China Culture & Society: A pro-democracy activist in Tibet was detained after showing a Dalai Lama photo, as China’s ethnic unity law takes effect. AI Meets Art: At Shanghai’s WAIC, AI-powered instruments like a light-up smart guitar showed how tech is reshaping music creation. Food Culture: Hunan’s Mawangdui Han-dynasty cuisine promotion series landed in Shanghai, turning museum heritage into modern tastings. India Sports & Culture: India will receive the Commonwealth Games flag on Aug 2 in Ahmedabad, with Shankar Mahadevan and Rashmika Mandanna leading the cultural presentation. Family Policy: China distributed childcare subsidies to 25.16 million babies, pushing a “birth-friendly society” agenda. Indigenous Knowledge: A Pacific Rim universities workshop in the Philippines urged universities to integrate Indigenous land-and-sea knowledge into research and teaching. Japan Lifestyle Tech: Japan’s “micro seasons” idea is reshaping how people reorganize homes across the year.