Korea-US Security: US President Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, saying Seoul declined to help denuclearise Iran and pointing to his rapport with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un—sparking alarm that the move could unsettle allies and embolden rivals. South Korea Defense: President Lee Jae Myung urged stronger independent capabilities, saying civil-defense drills alongside US exercises are defensive and pushing ahead with wartime operational control transfer and a nuclear-powered submarine push. North Korea-Russia Ties: Kim Jong Un reaffirmed close ties with Russia in a message to Vladimir Putin as Pyongyang marked its liberation anniversary, amid deeper military cooperation. China Tech Language Push: China’s state media urged dropping English AI terms in favour of standardised Chinese equivalents to boost “discourse power” and avoid “cognitive dependency.” US-China Tech Supply Chain: Google plans to shift Pixel smartphone, watch and earbud production outside China starting next year, with suppliers told to prepare for a 2027 full move. ASEAN in Israel: ASEAN marked its 59th founding anniversary in Israel with diplomats highlighting dialogue and unity. China Economy Watch: China reported July resilience and new growth drivers, with equipment manufacturing leading industrial output. Japan-China Maritime Friction: Japan’s coast guard spotted Chinese research vessels operating in its EEZ near Okinawa without consent. China Summer Culture: A low-budget animated film “Niulai” drew mockery online but surged at the box office, reflecting how viral chatter can flip audience interest.