SINGAPORE -- In some respects, the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's top defense conference that concluded on Sunday, was rather dull. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took a more restrained tone on Taiwan and China than previously even as Beijing again skipped sending its defense minister.

NEW YORK -- On the third floor of Resorts World New York City, an occasional groan from a gambler playing baccarat cut through the still air of the hall.

OSAKA -- Kansai Electric Power, Japan's second-largest regional utility, is eager to build new liquefied natural gas-powered plants as it seeks to increase generating capacity by 2040, according to President Nozomu Mori.

TOKYO -- At this May's grueling Nurburgring 24-hour race in Germany, Toyota Motor's chief engineer made a bold decision.

YANGON -- The oil shock from the Middle East crisis is hitting retailers and consumers in Myanmar, posing a challenge for the new government.

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico is two weeks away from hosting World Cup soccer matches for the first time in four decades, but many of the country's infrastructure projects meant to accommodate the influx of visitors will require extra time.

SINGAPORE -- The Philippines and Japan are seeking to strengthen their defense cooperation in response to China's assertive actions in the South China Sea, according to both countries' defense ministers, with the transfer of warships and a patrol aircraft to Manila among the top priorities.

TOKYO -- Support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet has slipped from April but remains high by historical standards, the latest opinion poll by Nikkei and TV Tokyo shows.