South Korea’s AI-and-chip push: President Lee Jae Myung unveiled a $576B plan anchored by Samsung and SK hynix, with 800T won in new chip lines in the southwest and 1,000T won for AI data centers, aiming to secure AI “core elements” and rebalance growth beyond Seoul. Telecom deal: BT won UK market attention after striking a $625m Verizon joint venture to run its international business, with equal voting rights and an equalisation payment to Verizon. Aviation consolidation: South Korea’s transport ministry approved the Korean Air–Asiana merger, targeting a 17 December launch and positioning the combined carrier among the world’s biggest by passenger capacity. EU trade friction: India urged the EU to exempt it from proposed metal scrap export curbs, warning bans could tighten supplies and raise costs for steel and aluminium. AI business software: Medipyxis launched an AI-driven “Business OS” for wound care, replacing up to seven tools to protect margins under tighter Medicare reimbursement. Capital markets oversight: Sri Lanka’s CSE began tightening rules on dormant investor accounts, requiring updated KYC before trading resumes. Local business resilience: Gauteng’s landfill crunch is driving a new waste partnership model, with a material recovery facility aimed at diverting hundreds of tonnes monthly. Sports-business crossover: The Charlotte Hornets traded Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns in a multi-asset deal, a reminder how roster moves can reshape team finances and tax exposure.