South China Sea Diplomacy: Philippines and China kept talking in Manila after fresh West Philippine Sea clashes, with both sides lodging strong protests but also reaffirming a push to conclude the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct this year. ASEAN-US Signals: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told ASEAN partners Washington “will never abandon” the bloc, citing $2.5bn in strategic investments and Quad coordination on trade and defense. US-China Tech Tensions: The White House says China’s Moonshot AI covertly distilled Anthropic’s Fable for its K3 model and used advanced Nvidia chips, escalating pressure for AI curbs. India NEET Political Crisis: Parliament stayed locked as opposition MPs and students pressed for action over alleged NEET paper leaks; Rahul Gandhi renewed claims of “rigged” education while the government offered debate and demanded resignations. India Domestic Fallout: A Delhi High Court PIL seeks an NIA-monitored probe into the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” protest, alleging organized violence and a wider conspiracy. Regional Security Talks: Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar met Russia’s Lavrov and Bangladesh’s foreign minister on the sidelines of an ASEAN forum, underscoring parallel diplomacy. Pacific Climate Push: Pacific climate ministers agreed the region must speak with one voice ahead of COP31. China-ASEAN Narrative Clash: China’s foreign ministry rejected outside “intervention” in South China Sea disputes, blaming Philippine “provocations” for instability. Human Rights in ASEAN: Indonesia’s classification of “LGBTQ culture” as a non-military threat drew alarm from an ASEAN SOGIE caucus.