Philippines-China Money-Flow Scrutiny: In Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, prosecutors are weighing requests for records tied to Tapang at Malasakit after claims of China-linked donations, while AMLC testimony says ₱319.3m received by CALE88 Foods wasn’t shown to come from the Chinese government—though lawmakers and security officials warn of possible foreign interference. Nepal-China Border Talks: Nepal’s infrastructure minister says Tatopani border reopening is ready on Nepal’s side, but China has not yet given the green light amid flood/disaster concerns; Nepal also met China on parliamentary ties at the IPU. Japan-Labour & Pacific Pathways: Japan’s worker shortage is prompting a push to attract skilled Pacific workers, with officials stressing a “balanced” immigration approach amid political sensitivity. Pacific Climate Health Alarm: UN warnings at Pre-COP31 highlight extreme heat as a growing faultline for pregnancy and newborn risks in Pacific states, where cooling, power and clean water are limited. India Political Standoff: INDIA bloc protests against the Election Commission over voter-roll changes and CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation led to detentions of Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. India Growth Update: The World Bank raised India’s FY27 GDP growth forecast to 7.1%, citing resilient demand and stronger exports, while flagging oil, El Niño and market-volatility risks. South China Sea Tensions: China’s foreign ministry condemned Philippine aircraft and vessels for “intruding” into areas under China’s jurisdiction, saying responses were lawful. Japan Animal-Café Survey: Japan begins a nationwide survey of animal cafés after concerns over welfare and wildlife trade, including threatened species. Cybersecurity—AI Agents: South Korea says Chinese-made AI agent “Artex” helped breach multiple financial firms, prompting a formal investigation and calls for faster bank defenses. Australia Privacy Probe: Australia’s privacy regulator opened a formal investigation into a Chinese smart-glasses maker after reports of security flaws and possible data exposure. AI Market Push: ElevenLabs says India is now its second-largest market and is expanding voice AI for Kannada and other Indian languages.