Typhoon Noul Disaster Response: China’s Typhoon Noul hit southern Guangdong, triggering evacuations of 340,000+ people, flight cancellations and train disruptions, while authorities upgraded flood alerts and sent relief supplies as Hong Kong reported strong winds and injuries. South China Sea Tensions & Rescue: China and Vietnam continued searching after a Vietnamese cargo ship sank near Yongshu Reef, with dozens rescued and missing reported, as Beijing accused Philippine-linked disruption in the sea. Japan Heritage: UNESCO added Japan’s Asuka and Fujiwara ancient capitals to the World Heritage List, highlighting early state formation and ties across East Asia. South Korea AI Push: South Korea unveiled a $950bn AI initiative with Samsung, SK and US partners to expand faster-chip supply and AI compute capacity. Malaysia Defence Procurement: Malaysia signed MoUs with Türkiye and South Korea for government-to-government defence procurement, aiming to cut costs and reduce reliance on agents. China Tech & Science: China completed its first full-process typhoon observation using a drone swarm, and Hong Kong researchers confirmed the critically endangered Chinese bahaba after a decade using environmental DNA. Sports: Chou Tien-chen won the China Open men’s singles title; Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi took the women’s singles crown.