Ashish Valentine

For NPR News, I'm Ashish Valentine in Taipei, Taiwan.

China's GDP grew by 5% last year.

That's the growth rate China's leading economic planners wanted to see.

Many analysts see the figure as proof that China's weathering the trade war with the U.S.

However, they also flag weak consumer demand and a downturn in housing markets as persistent domestic challenges.

As we get older, the immune system is really shifting away from good inflammation.

The sanctions hit Northrop Grumman, Boeing's branch in St.

Louis, and several other companies.

China's foreign ministry said they were retaliation for an $11 billion arms sale the U.S.

recently signed with Taipei.

It urged the U.S.

to stop dangerous arms sales to Taiwan, which Beijing claims is its own territory.

The package, which needs to be cleared by Congress, includes long-range weapon systems like the HIMARS and ATAKAMS that the U.S.

has been sending to Ukraine, and a billion dollars worth of drones.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense praised the U.S.

for helping it build strong deterrent power.

For NPR News, I'm Ashish Valentine.

Foreign ministers from throughout Southeast Asia gathered in the Malaysian capital to try and revive a truce Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to in July, which President Trump helped broker.

Fighting had restarted earlier this month after both sides claimed the other had attacked first.

After rounds of air, drone, and artillery strikes, dozens of soldiers and civilians in both nations have lost their lives.