North Korea, Philippines, Pakistan
Today's three stories you should know
North Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has hit out at what he called “state terrorism and aggression” from the United States in an apparent reference to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and vowed to cement his country’s “irreversible status as a nuclear power.” Setting out upcoming policy priorities in a speech to parliament, Kim said that a "self-defensive nuclear deterrent" was crucial for both North Korean and regional security, and for economic development. He rejected the prospect of making deals to disarm in exchange for economic benefits or security guarantees, saying: "The current world reality, where the dignity and rights of sovereign states are mercilessly violated by unilateral force and violence, clearly teaches what the true guarantee of a state’s existence and peace is.”
More from Reuters here.
Philippines
The Philippines has declared a state of national energy emergency as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran threatened to cause dangerously low energy supplies. The emergency status will last a year, Marcos Jr. said, adding that he would lead a contingency committee to guarantee supplies of food, medicine and other basics, and to ensure they were distributed in an orderly manner. The government has handed 5,000 pesos ($83) to motorcycle taxi drivers and other public transport workers as the price of gasoline and diesel soars. Key workers and students in several cities have also been given free bus travel.
More from AP here.
Pakistan
Pakistan was the world’s smoggiest country in 2025 with pollution levels 13 times above the U.N. World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended limit, according to new research. Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir said in its annual report that only 13 countries managed to keep their “average fine particulate levels” below the WHO guideline, though the number had improved from just seven in 2024. India’s Loni was the world’s most polluted city, with Hotan in northwestern China’s Xinjiang region second. All of the world’s top 25 most polluted cities were in China, India and Pakistan, the report said.
More from The Nation Pakistan here.