Philippines–Customs: The Bureau of Customs seized about P40 million in misdeclared firecrackers shipped from China, flagged as “shelves” and “ceramic cups,” and warned that importing finished pyrotechnics is prohibited. Philippines–Japan Health: Manila and Tokyo signed notes for a ¥30 billion JICA loan to fund reforms under the Philippines’ Universal Health Care program. India–Aviation: Air India’s Phuket–Delhi flight suffered sudden altitude loss in cruise, injuring 17 before landing safely; aviation authorities will investigate. India–Cricket: Aakash Chopra says India’s WTC 2025–27 path looks tough as they start a key Sri Lanka Test series with injury concerns around Bumrah and others. India–Politics: India says it has no role in Sheikh Hasina’s planned virtual press interaction, calling it a private media event; separately, Udhayanidhi Stalin’s release order and the fallout from turbulence and bypolls keep politics in focus. India–Energy: MNRE flags battery storage and transmission upgrades as the next bottleneck for renewable growth as rooftop solar expands. Japan–Energy Contrast: A report highlights how Iceland’s geothermal and hydropower keep household utility costs low, underscoring pressure on Japan from high crude prices. China–Trade/Industry: China–Egypt investment tops $10B as cooperation expands, while China’s AI sector is reported to have grown past 1.2 trillion yuan in 2025.