South China Sea & ASEAN diplomacy: ASEAN foreign ministers meet in Manila as the region wrestles with renewed Middle East tensions and South China Sea flashpoints, with China’s Wang Yi, the US’s Marco Rubio and Russia’s Lavrov expected to attend and Manila warning external pressures could pull ASEAN apart. Japan-China military signals: Tokyo says a Chinese destroyer carried out live-fire drills with Russia inside Japan’s EEZ—an escalation Japan says could endanger navigation—while it also protests China-Russia exercises near Okinotori. Philippines-China maritime incident: Manila’s president condemns a China Coast Guard assault on a Philippine Navy sailor at Ayungin Shoal, backing diplomatic response after the baton strike. India protest politics: India’s youth-led “Cockroach” Janta Party says it will keep protesting but won’t march again after clashes with police injured nearly 180 people; Delhi Police register FIRs and probe possible conspiracy. India governance & parliament: Congress MPs move adjournment motions alleging a “lockdown” around Parliament during the protest and press for debate on NEET paper leaks and police action. India security & foreign policy: India summons Russia’s charge d’affaires over the killing of four Indian seafarers in a missile strike off Ukraine; separately, India keeps the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance unless Pakistan ends cross-border terrorism. China human rights framework: Beijing releases its 2026-2030 National Human Rights Action Plan, stressing economic, social and digital rights alongside environmental goals. Regional economy: Indonesia’s parliament passes a law enabling international financial centers to attract investment, while India’s renewable push hits 288 GW capacity and a SECI pumped-storage tender awards 1,580 MW.