Japan Earthquake Aftermath: Japan ended the rescue at Aeon Mall Kumamoto after the quake-triggered blast; deaths rose to 38 and 9,200+ evacuees remain in shelters, with tens of thousands still without safe water. China Consumer Upgrade Push: China’s trade-in subsidies are accelerating appliance replacements during the heatwave; the program generated 1.1tn yuan in sales in H1 and benefited 150m consumers. China Robotics for Real Jobs: China opened a national “robot vocational training ground” with 140+ embodied-AI robots learning in real scenarios like kitchens, warehouses and farms—aiming to move from demos to daily work. India Menstrual Leave Legal Pressure: High courts in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are pushing states to act on paid menstrual leave, highlighting how benefits vary widely by geography. India Macro Watch: SBI Research expects India’s Q1 FY27 GDP growth around 7% as inflation stays manageable and monsoon conditions improve. India WhatsApp Age Checks: Reports say WhatsApp in India is prompting users for date of birth, sparking speculation about future age verification rules. Pharma Safety: Sun Pharma withdrew multiple eye-drop products in India over contamination concerns, asking distributors to stop billing and return stock. Tech Prices Hit by Chip Crunch: Hong Kong retailers warn of worsening RAM shortages tied to AI demand, with steep price jumps already hitting laptops and smartphones. Luxury Auto Demand: BMW India opened pre-launch bookings for the new 7 Series, offering ICE and BEV options. EV Segment Shift in India: VinFast and other brands are pushing India’s seven-seater EV battle, as charging economics become the next battleground.