Malaysia has won a small victory in Washington’s tariff wars, securing a 10 per cent rate that leaves it better placed than four of its Southeast Asian neighbours in the scramble for US orders. Economists warn the narrow advantage may prove fleeting, however, as it hinges on Kuala Lumpur fulfilling its promised trade reforms. The new duties, which fall under Section 301 of the US Trade Act and took effect on Friday, keep Malaysia in the lower tier of a new American tariff regime alongside...

Indonesian police are investigating the unexplained death of a man whom local media reported managed the household of detained former anti-corruption prosecutor Febrie Adriansyah, adding a new layer of scrutiny to one of the country’s most sensitive corruption cases. The man, identified only as Sutrimo, was found unconscious on Thursday on the grounds of Mordent Beauty Clinic in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, before being taken by ambulance to Muhammadiyah Taman Puring Hospital where he was...

At least 10 people have been injured after a minibus collided with a water tanker in Hong Kong’s Kwun Tong district. Police said on Monday that they received a report of a traffic accident at 12.21pm, near the Yue Man Square Public Transport Terminal, involving a minibus and a truck. The force said two male and eight female passengers in the minibus were injured. The Fire Services Department said three of the injured were classified as “Yellow” under its tagging system for multiple casualties,...

Hong Kong property developers are expected to report stronger first-half earnings in the coming weeks, buoyed by a rebound in home sales and improving development margins, as investors look for clues on whether the sector’s recovery is sustainable. Bank of America Global Research expected Hong Kong developers and conglomerates to post average core net profit growth of 8 per cent year on year, excluding New World Development, according to a report published on July 15. “We expect the Hong Kong...

Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Brazilian counterpart on Monday that he supports the country in “opposing external interference”, Beijing’s state media said, reporting a call between the leaders. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during a visit to Brazil in November 2024. File photo: Presidência da República do Brasil, via Facebook. The conversation between Xi and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva comes less than three months before a tense election in Brazil pitting the incumbent against right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro. “China highly values Brazil’s international status and important influence,” Xi told Lula, according to state news agency Xinhua. Beijing “supports Brazil in safeguarding its sovereignty and independence, opposing external interference, and contributing to maintaining regional and world peace and stability”, Xi added. According to a statement from the Brazilian presidency, Lula and Xi also “agreed on the importance of speeding up negotiations for a Mercosur-China agreement”, referring to a regional trading bloc. During the call, which lasted “more than one hour”, Lula said he was “committed to diversifying markets and trade partners”, amid tariff pressure on Brazil from the United States, its second-largest trading partner. Washington imposed two rounds of tariffs this month on various Brazilian products, after an initial major tariff hike in 2025 as retaliation for a coup-plot trial that sent former president Jair Bolsonaro to prison. Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the G20 Summit in Rio de Jainero, Brazil, in November 2024. Photo: G20 Brasil, via Flickr. Lula has denounced Washington’s tariff pressure as an attempt to exert political influence in an election year. In another recent development, Brazil denied visas for two officials from the United States who sought to meet this week with election authorities in Brasilia ahead of the October vote, a diplomatic source told AFP on Saturday. Flavio Bolsonaro — son of the former president and a current senator — has recently renewed unfounded claims that the country’s voting system is insecure, while US President Donald Trump continues to make false claims about American elections. The Brazilian statement on the call between Lula and Xi did not mention whether the issue of “external interference”, mentioned by Xinhua, was raised.

Hong Kong authorities are investigating a fatal workplace accident involving a worker who fell from a height at the airport in Chek Lap Kok. Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company. Photo: HAECO. Police received a report from the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO) at around 8am on Monday that a worker had fallen from a six-metre platform while carrying out maintenance work on the exterior of an aircraft, local media reported. The 62-year-old worker was unconscious and sent to North Lantau Hospital, where he was confirmed dead. The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims (ARIAV) said in a Facebook post on Monday that staff had gone to the hospital and will provide necessary support to family members. North Lantau Hospital. Photo: Wikicommons. ARIAV said that, when working at height, workers should adhere to safety protocols including wearing a safety helmet, and that platforms should also be equipped with railings and other protective barriers. Those working on platforms that are power-operated should wear a full-body harness, the association added. Authorities said in a statement that the Labour Department is investigating the accident. According to its website, HAECO is an aircraft engineering and maintenance company based at the Hong Kong International Airport. It is under the Swire Group.

China to legislate on preschool education

China to legislate on preschool education

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A dramatic rise in export permissions marks the latest twist in Germany's approach to ally Israel.