Business & Markets (Philippines): Forbes Asia named seven Philippine-listed firms to its 2026 “Best Under A Billion” list, highlighting steady revenue and earnings growth amid geopolitical and energy volatility. The companies include A. Soriano, Apex Mining, Asia United Bank, Far Eastern University, Pryce, STI Education Systems, and Vivant. Banking (Bangladesh): Bank Asia doubled its authorised capital to Tk 3,000 crore, expanding authorised ordinary shares from 150 crore to 300 crore. Climate & Health (East Asia): Tokyo zoo reported three lion deaths from suspected heatstroke as a record heatwave grips East Asia; South Korea’s president declared a national disaster and warned extreme weather could persist. Security & Defence (Japan): Japan’s defence minister urged a “sense of urgency and crisis” in boosting military capabilities as risks from China, North Korea and Russia grow. Tech & Infrastructure (Indonesia): CoreWeave launched its first Asia-Pacific data centre buildout in Indonesia with 360MW contracted IT power, targeting operations in 2028. Diplomacy (US): The Trump administration notified Congress it plans to close five smaller US diplomatic missions across Africa, Asia and the Western Hemisphere to cut costs.