Tech Glitch: OpenAI confirmed a worldwide ChatGPT outage, with users reporting login/authentication failures and missing chat history across the U.S., Europe, India, Japan, Australia and the UAE, while engineers investigate and no clear restoration timeline is given. Disaster-Ready Japan: Japan’s Diet passed a bill creating a “secondary capital” framework so key national functions can shift outside Tokyo if a major quake or disaster knocks the capital out. Economy Under Pressure: Japan’s economic white paper warns recovery is still squeezed by imported inflation from Middle East tensions and worsening labor shortages, especially for small firms and non-manufacturing roles. Heat Crisis: Temperatures topped 40°C again, with heatstroke alerts issued for most prefectures and officials urging strict hydration and avoiding long outdoor exposure. Rare Earth Push: Japan confirmed heavy rare earths in deep-sea mud near Minamitorishima and plans a full-scale mining trial in February 2027. Immigration Rules: Japan plans tougher permanent residency guidelines for foreigners, including income and projected pension thresholds plus language and rule-understanding checks. Trade Tensions: Japan’s business leaders criticized new U.S. forced-labor tariffs as damaging to global manufacturing and free trade. Culture & People: Punch, an orphaned Japanese macaque, turns 1 and has received thousands of birthday messages from around the world.