Philippines–China Tensions: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. named Gen. Antonio Nafarrete as AFP chief of staff as Manila faces renewed pressure in the West Philippine Sea, with China accusing the Philippines of “provocation” at Ren’ai Reef. Japan Rights Debate: Japan’s Diet passed a flag-desecration law that Human Rights Watch says threatens freedom of expression, criminalizing acts that “evoke significant discomfort or disgust.” Heat Safety in Japan: A Japanese firm unveiled the “Do Hiemon Box,” a walk-in cooling booth that chills a person in about five minutes—aimed at preventing heat-stress illness. Medical Breakthrough Push: Japan’s PorMedTec and partner hospitals began breeding gene-edited pigs for planned pig-kidney transplant trials, targeting human studies as early as 2028. Maritime Flashpoints: China and Russia held live-fire drills near Japan’s claimed economic waters, prompting Tokyo to protest and warn about navigation risks. India–US Pharma Shock: Trump announced steep tariffs on imported generic medicines, a move that could hit India, the US’s biggest generic supplier. BRICS Health Agenda: India will host the 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ meeting in Chandigarh, focusing on digital health, pandemic preparedness and AI-enabled care. Protests in India: Rahul Gandhi was detained during youth-led “Cockroach Janta Party” protests in Delhi demanding the education minister’s resignation over exam scandals.