BioHerbal Push in Malaysia: Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad says Malaysia could unlock RM30–50 billion in value over the next decade by building a BioHerbal Innovation Hub, backed by clinical validation, AI-driven discoveries, IP protection and export-ready halal products. West Asia Student Safety: Malaysia’s higher education ministry will keep monitoring students in Iran-linked countries via guidance from the foreign ministry as security advisories evolve. Air Connectivity: Riyadh Air opens bookings for direct Riyadh–Islamabad, Riyadh–Lahore and Riyadh–Manila routes, boosting travel links for Pakistan and the Filipino community in Saudi Arabia. ASEAN Resilience: Indonesia and Thailand pledge to strengthen ASEAN centrality and back Myanmar’s Five-Point Consensus amid regional uncertainty. Central Asia Tech Showcase: Kazakhstan says it has the conditions to host IOAI 2026 in Astana, with broad country accreditation across Asia-Pacific. Bangladesh–India Tensions: Dhaka seeks clarification from India over Hasina’s planned New Delhi media appearance, warning it could strain ties. Deep-Sea Mining Deadlock (Opinion): An ISA update from Kingston highlights unresolved gaps in the Mining Code, keeping commercial deep-sea mining on hold. Extreme Heat and Jobs: A World Bank report warns South Asia’s rising heat is already hitting informal workers’ health, productivity and incomes. Cultural Spotlight: BTS’s Grammy withdrawal reignites debate over how major global artists fit into awards categories.