Russia’s Taliban Gamble is Not Paying Off 
On state visits and foreign relations, Xi Jinping’s grip on power, Malaysia Indians, and other stories | Asia Sentinel Stories of the Week 
Vietnam–Japan 2050: From Strategic Trust to a Shared Indo-Pacific Future Malaysia taps Hong Kong battery expertise to power ambitions for electricity grid
A Malaysian power systems specialist has struck a deal with a Hong Kong battery storage firm to pursue large-scale projects aimed at helping the country…
Samantha Johnson
India hotel fire kills at least 21
At least 21 people were killed when a fire ripped through a hotel in New Delhi on Wednesday, police said, in one of the deadliest…
How a couple lost their 3 children in as many countries and were arrested in Hong Kong
A Hong Kong couple has drawn public scrutiny after refusing a DNA test for their baby’s registration following his birth at home, raising potential gaps…
What does Beijing’s response to Tokyo-Manila boundary talks mean for Taiwan?
The mainland Chinese coastguard’s first independent law enforcement patrol east of Taiwan on Monday – in response to the maritime border talks between Japan and…
DeepSeek nears US$7b haul in first-ever funding round, with backing from Tencent, CATL
Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek is finalising its first external fundraising round, securing over 50 billion yuan (US$7.4 billion) at a valuation of just under…
China among top gold buyers as bullion overtakes US Treasuries in global reserves: ECB
China is one of the world’s largest buyers of gold as central banks shift towards the precious metal, which has overtaken US Treasuries to become…