South China Sea Tensions: China escalated its dispute with the Philippines, calling Manila’s claims “unlawful” and warning they threaten the post-war order ahead of the 2016 Hague ruling anniversary. Taiwan Pressure: China signaled it will keep a new coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, replacing the first “law enforcement operation” that radioed cargo ships—raising fresh concern in Taipei and among Western governments. China Extreme Weather: Storms and floods across southern and central China killed at least 17 in Guangxi, with 130,000 evacuated, while a separate landslide in Gansu lifted fatalities to 21. AI Security: China’s National Vulnerability Database warned users about a “security backdoor” in Anthropic’s Claude Code, urging checks, uninstalling, or upgrading. Korea Policy & Culture: South Korea eased its digital nomad “workation” visa rules and a university is set to award Korea’s first master’s degree focused on K-culture and entertainment. Japan Business: SMART EXCHANGE hit 1,000 unmanned currency exchange machines in Japan, topping 2 million annual transactions. ASEAN Finance: MUFG and JCB signed an ASEAN strategic alliance to expand digital and affluent-customer payment services. Energy & Industry: China pledged accommodative policy support for consumption, while South Korea introduced national military drone standards for testing and classification.