Marine Cleanup in Manila Bay: The Philippines and South Korea inaugurated the MV Nilad, a 25-meter clean-up vessel donated via KOICA, to tackle floating debris and oil spill response as part of a five-year Manila Bay rehabilitation push. Heat and Climate Impacts: Europe’s deadly heatwave is driving a surge in cooling demand, with WHO warning it’s becoming more frequent as the continent warms faster than the global average. Ocean Governance: A major Asia-Pacific push at the 2026 Our Ocean Conference announced hundreds of commitments and billions for marine protection, blue carbon, and fisheries—while raising the big question of who actually benefits. Seoul’s AI-and-Chips Drive: South Korea’s government-backed “megaprojects” plan pours hundreds of billions into chipmaking and AI data centers, with analysts noting corporate earnings are increasingly tied to semiconductors. EV Safety for a Greener Future: India moves toward making AVAS mandatory for electric vehicles so pedestrians can hear near-silent EVs, aligning cleaner transport with safer streets.