The US wants to boost its influence in a region dominated by Russia, and courted by China. It is keen to get access to Central Asia's energy and mineral resources.

The news spotlight will focus on Malaysia this weekend, for the latest tariff talks, another episode of 'Trump the Peacemaker' and key issues for Southeast Asian nations and global heavyweights

Gold has risen 51% this year on central bank buying, rising demand from exchange-traded funds, a weaker dollar and investors keen to hedge amid geopolitical tensions

The global AI data centre boom threatens to tighten the market for memory storage devices for years, a new report says

Australian mining companies have been assessing setting up plants in the US amid the Trump Administration's push to bolster its processing facilities for rare earths and other critical minerals

Thailand needs to monitor gold exports to Cambodia, to find out if they are connected to money laundering, the country's central bank chief has said

Chinese officials have unveiled a plan to double the country's storage capacity for 'new energy' to 180 gigawatts (GW) by 2027.

The US is anxious to boost Western control of ports around the world, as China's huge expansion in shipping and ports is seen as a dangerous 'maritime advantage'

Latest order offers tariff exemptions to trading partners that strike deals on exports such as nickel, gold and other metals, plus pharmaceutical compounds and chemicals

China's foreign minister Wang Yi discussed mining and Belt and Road projects, the Afghan Taliban said on Wednesday; approach comes after return of 1.5m refugees this year

On Thursday the 75-year-old PM said he was ready to stand by its farmers at any cost, without referring to his tussle with the US on opening up India's agricultural sectors to lower Trump's tariffs

The US says it is talking to officials in the Cook Islands – halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand – after island chiefs signed partnership agreements with China