Corruption and cost-of-living pressure in the Philippines: Senator Loren Legarda warned that governance transparency is worsening, citing the country’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index drop to 120th out of 182, and said corruption and inflation have driven an estimated ₱2.75 trillion economic loss from Q2 2025 to Q2 2026. AI and education guardrails in Cambodia: Prime Minister Hun Manet urged graduates to use AI as a support tool, not a substitute for independent thinking, as Cambodia pushes digital skills. Digital push in Malaysia’s education sector: Penang Free School marks its 210th anniversary and is raising funds for digital transformation, including smartboards and STEM/AI/robotics training. China’s military footprint expands: China opened its first overseas air force base in Laos, a joint training and support centre analysts say signals more foreign footholds. Tech compute deal in Asia: Tencent reportedly leased about 100,000 advanced AI chips from Oracle in a deal worth around $7bn, using chips located in South-East Asia. Business and policy ripple effects from energy: The EU held an emergency call after the US pressed it to release emergency diesel stocks amid a global price spike tied to the Iran and Ukraine conflicts. Singapore healthcare deal: Cuprina agreed to buy East Coast Podiatry and Orchard Clinic for about S$4m to expand its wound-care and collagen platform. Semiconductor manufacturing in Thailand: Infineon opened an automated backend hub in Bangkok, adding assembly and test capacity as it spreads production across regions.