U.S. Pacific Bases Oversight: A War Department Inspector General report says 11 U.S. Pacific Command bases face serious housing and infrastructure problems, including mold, asbestos, water intrusion, crumbling structures and safety risks. Maritime Security & Inflation: Analysts warn Iran’s push for Strait of Hormuz tolls could spread to other chokepoints, raising shipping costs and global inflation—potentially reshaping “freedom of the seas.” Indo-Pacific Tech Push: AWS’ Asia chief is relocating to Japan as Tokyo scrambles to modernize legacy IT, betting AI and security needs will drive cloud adoption. Arctic Trade Route: China’s “Ice Silk Road” via the Arctic and Russia’s Northern Sea Route is pitched as an alternative to Middle East disruptions. Regional Security Shock: Trump’s move to scale back South Korea drills alarms allies amid a stretched U.S. military focus on Iran. Climate Watch: China forecasts a potentially “super” El Niño, while APEC climate experts in Dalian push AI-enabled extreme-weather risk management. Sports & Culture: Tokyo lit the first flame for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games relay; Bahrain’s U18 team routed Syria to reach quarter-final play-offs.