FIFA Plans to Establish World Cup Operations Subsidiary, Potential Trump Family Investment The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is moving to establish a subsidiary to manage the commercial and event operations of the World Cup, with plans to sell a portion of its stake to private investors. This initiative comes amid FIFA's recent closeness to U.S. President Donald Trump, raising concerns about potential investments from Trump's family.According to the Financial Times on July 28, FIFA is set to create a new company called 'FIFA Forward Enterprise' (FFE) and is i July 29, 2026

Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles at U.S. Base in Jordan; U.S. and Saudi Arabia Respond Iran launched several ballistic missiles at a U.S. military base in Jordan, all of which were intercepted by U.S. forces.The U.S. Central Command reported that at approximately 5:45 p.m. local time on July 28, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired multiple ballistic missiles targeting U.S. forces in the Middle East.Central Command stated, "All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted," adding that U.S. forces are maintaining a high level of alert.The exact location of the atta July 29, 2026

Thirteen Dead in Kumamoto Earthquake; Search for Missing Continues A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, on July 28, resulting in at least 13 confirmed fatalities.According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) and Kyodo News, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reported that the death toll includes cases under investigation for their connection to the earthquake. Among the deceased are two women in their 20s who died at the Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima.The Kumamoto Disaster Response Headquarters reported three officially confirmed de July 29, 2026

China Begins Mass Production of Rare Earth Tire for Electric Vehicles and Defense China has successfully begun mass production of high-performance synthetic rubber using rare earth elements as catalysts.PetroChina's subsidiary, Dushanzi Petrochemical, has completed a plant in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region capable of producing 100,000 tons of rare earth butadiene rubber annually, according to a report by the South China Morning Post on July 29.Dushanzi Petrochemical developed the rare earth butadiene rubber in collaboration with the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemis July 29, 2026

Russia Appoints Andrei Podolychev as Ambassador to North Korea After 8-Month Vacancy Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Andrei Podolychev, the former ambassador to Nigeria, as the new ambassador to North Korea, a position that has been vacant for about eight months.According to the Russian news agency TASS on the 28th, President Putin announced through a presidential decree that "Andrei Podolychev is appointed as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."This appointment comes after the pr July 29, 2026

Iran's IRGC Claims Attack on Three Tankers in Hormuz Strait The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran claimed on July 29 that it attacked three tankers passing through the Hormuz Strait, halting their operations. In a statement, the IRGC said, "The tankers ignored prior warnings and were attacked while navigating through an area deemed 'dangerous and illegal' by Iran." It further warned, "We will not tolerate U.S. interference in regional shipping operations and will maintain control over the Hormuz Strait." However, the IRGC did not disclose July 29, 2026

Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles at U.S. Base in Jordan; All Intercepted, Says U.S. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles at a U.S. military base in Jordan. Iran claimed to have struck U.S. facilities, but the U.S. military stated that all missiles were intercepted.According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC asserted in a statement on July 29 that it attacked the U.S. base and command facilities in Jordan in response to American military actions.The IRGC warned, "As long as the threats from the U.S. and its July 29, 2026

Lutun Technologies Officially Sponsors Cold Fusion Team at DEF CON 34 Lutun Technologies announced on July 29 that it will officially sponsor the team "Cold Fusion," which has advanced to the finals of the international hacking competition DEF CON 34 CTF, taking place in Las Vegas on August 6. Cold Fusion achieved the highest score among Korean teams, finishing third overall in the preliminary rounds.DEF CON, often referred to as the "Olympics of Hacking," is a prestigious global competition that saw participation from 686 teams worldwide this year. After 48 hours July 29, 2026

Kolon Group Launches Summer Blood Donation Campaign Kolon Group announced on July 29 that it is conducting a summer blood donation campaign titled 'Donate Blood and Enjoy Your Vacation' to address the seasonal blood supply shortage.The summer season typically sees a significant drop in blood donations due to vacations and school breaks, making it a critical time for blood supply. Blood cannot be stored for long periods, so maintaining an adequate supply through continuous donations is essential. Since 2013, Kolon has been actively participating i July 29, 2026

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute Partners with SK Hynix to Enhance Semiconductor Radiation Reliability The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has officially partnered with SK Hynix to enhance the assessment of radiation effects on semiconductors, marking the first collaboration between a domestic nuclear research institution and SK Hynix.On July 28, KAERI announced that it signed a mutual cooperation agreement with SK Hynix at the Proton Science Research Center in Gyeongju.In high-altitude environments, such as outer space or during flight, the atmosphere and magnetic fields provide l July 29, 2026