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South Korea’s KOMCA ends ban on AI-assisted songs – false filings now risk royalty holds and contract termination
South Korea’s largest music copyright body, KOMCA (Korean Music Copyright Association), has reversed its ban on registering AI-assisted songs, ending a rule in place since March 2025 that required works to be “100% human-made” to qualify for registration and royalties. Under new rules effective 3 August 2026, songs created with AI assistance can now be…
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Record heatwave in South Korea as temperatures soar to 42.5C
South Korea recorded its highest temperature since modern record-keeping began, with the mercury hitting 42.5C in the southern city of Yangsan on Sunday. The extreme heat has caused widespread disruption and hardship across the country and marks a significant escalation in the heatwaves affecting the region, underscoring growing concerns about the impact of rising global…
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Indian EV startup River raises $120M Series C to scale production, launch more models
Indian electric two-wheeler startup River has raised $120 million in a Series C funding round to scale up manufacturing and expand its product line-up, bringing its total funding to $144 million. The round, led by Elev8 Venture Partners and Claypond Capital, reflects growing investor confidence in River’s ability to scale production after it built its…
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Pakistan restricts international media reporting
Pakistan’s government has introduced new rules requiring foreign media organisations, including Pakistani nationals working for them, to obtain official permission before reporting outside the cities of Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. Journalist groups and press freedom advocates have condemned the move as a severe curb on independent reporting, warning it gives authorities discretion over when and…
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Prateek Kuhad to Make Feature Film Acting Debut in Marginal MediaWorks, D36 and Jugaad’s ‘Drowning,’ Directed by Dar Gai (EXCLUSIVE)
Indian singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad, known for hits including “Cold/Mess” and “Kasoor,” is set to make his feature film acting debut in “Drowning” (“Doobna”), directed by Dar Gai. The project, revealed by Marginal MediaWorks, marks the company’s first fiction feature produced in South Asia and represents a significant crossover between the region’s music and film industries.…
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8 Rock Choruses From the 1980s That Are Just As Catchy Decades Later
American Songwriter has published a list celebrating eight rock choruses from the 1980s, arguing that the decade’s blend of bold production and earworm melodies produced refrains that remain as catchy today as when they were first released. The piece is a lighthearted, nostalgic look back at the era’s biggest rock anthems, chosen for their staying…
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Saudi Aramco backs India’s Mitti Labs to make Asia’s rice farming more water-resilient
Mitti Labs, a climate-tech startup based in New York and Bengaluru, has raised $9.5 million in a Series A round led by Aramco Ventures, Saudi Aramco’s venture investment arm, to expand its water- and methane-reduction platform for rice farming across Asia. The investment matters because rice is a staple for more than half the world’s…
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New winger Yokota hopes to make ‘special memories’ at Rangers
Rangers have signed Japanese winger Daisuke Yokota from German club Hannover on a three-year deal, with the option of a further year, marking the Ibrox club’s ninth signing of the summer transfer window. The 26-year-old, who moved to Germany as a teenager, brings experience from several European leagues and is intended to strengthen manager Derek…
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A New Device Eases One of the Most Annoying Parts of Routine Physicals
A Japanese company called Iris has developed Nodoca, an AI-powered device that analyses images of a patient’s throat to assess conditions such as influenza in around 10 seconds, sparing patients the discomfort of the traditional deep-nasal swab test. Founded in 2017 by former emergency physician Sho Okuyama, the company built its own camera hardware and…