KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN Foreign Ministers look forward to strengthening regional coordination to enhance halal food trade, responding to the rising global demand for halal products. In the Joint Communique issued Friday following the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Wednesday (July 9), ministers emphasised the need to harmonise national halal standards with regional and international…
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KUALA LUMPUR: The United States (US) has emphasised cybersecurity as a key area of cooperation with ASEAN, highlighting the strong shared commitment among member countries to tackle cyber threats and safeguard the region’s rapidly-expanding digital economy. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said tackling cybercrime syndicates that prey on citizens across borders was a key…
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KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN foreign ministers commended the ASEAN Digital Ministers (ADGMIN) for their active role in strengthening regional digital cooperation and boosting economic growth. In the Joint Communique of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on July 9, 2025, the ministers highlighted that the ADGMIN’s contributions in digitalising the region include the development of ASEAN…
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BERLIN: Germany has no plans to procure additional F-35 fighter jets, a defence ministry spokesperson said on Friday, denying a Politico report that the country planned to grow its planned fleet to 50. So far, Germany has ordered 35 of the U.S.-made jets to replace a total of 85 ageing Tornado fighter jets that will…
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JAKARTA: Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, located in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted on Friday afternoon, prompting a flight warning, according to the country’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, reported Xinhua. The eruption occurred at 2.10 pm local time, sending a column of ash up to 4 kilometres (km) into the sky. Thick gray…
Continue reading Mt. Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupts, triggers flight warning in Indonesia
KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN has reiterated its commitment to admitting Timor-Leste as its 11th member by 2025, as confirmed during the 47th ASEAN Summit preparations. The bloc emphasised its support for Timor-Leste’s early accession to key economic agreements to ensure seamless integration. Foreign ministers, in a joint communique issued after the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,…
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SINGAPORE: Singapore will launch two new initiatives in 2026 to support the Palestinian Authority (PA), including a Young Leaders’ Programme designed to share the city-state’s expertise in governance and public administration with emerging Palestinian leaders. Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan also announced that the other initiative is a joint training programme with Japan aimed…
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KUALA LUMPUR: The United States (US) has dismissed concerns that its newly announced global tariffs could alienate ASEAN partners, reiterating that the measures are necessary to address long-standing trade imbalances. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the tariffs, which will take effect on August 1, are part of a broader strategy to tackle unsustainable…
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KUALA LUMPUR: The ASEAN foreign ministers expressed grave concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, urging all parties to resolve differences through diplomacy and dialogue in the interest of maintaining peace and stability. In a joint communique issued at the end of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting here, the ministers condemned all attacks…
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KUALA LUMPUR: United States (US) President Donald Trump’s visit to China is expected to proceed, with both sides now working on finding the right date, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He said the summit between Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping is likely to take place, following his first face-to-face meeting with his…
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KYIV: Kyiv will allocate 260 million hryvnias ($6.2 million) for a drone interceptor program to defend the capital’s skies from Russian drones, city authorities said on Friday. Russia has stepped up its combined attacks on the Ukrainian capital in recent weeks, launching hundreds of drones and missiles in hours-long night assaults which caused damage to…
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KUALA LUMPUR: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, their first in-person meeting at a time of simmering trade tensions between the two major powers. Washington’s top diplomat is in Malaysia on his first trip to Asia since taking office, attending the East Asia…
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NAIROBI: Kenya’s President William Ruto has approved a new chairperson and commissioners to head the elections commission, a legal notice showed, filling positions of critical influence in a country with a long history of contentious polls. The East African nation’s next general election will be held in 2027, but Ruto is already under pressure from…
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MOYGASHEL (Northern Ireland): A model of refugees in a boat, placed on a bonfire in a pro-British town near Belfast, was set alight on Thursday night, weeks after migrants’ homes were attacked nearby. The display prompted condemnations by politicians across Northern Ireland’s political divides, and police said they were investigating it as a hate incident.…
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LONDON: The Anglican Communion is exploring diluting the Archbishop of Canterbury’s role as its central symbolic leader, in an attempt to prevent internal divisions over ordination of women and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community from tearing apart the world’s third-largest Christian faith. For centuries, the man who crowns British monarchs as the seniormost bishop in…
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HAMBURG: A 26-year-old man has died after being dragged by a train at Hamburg’s central station in northern Germany. The incident occurred overnight when the victim reportedly kicked the approaching train, lost his balance, and became trapped between the train and the platform. Police confirmed the man’s brother was present and witnessed the accident. The…
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VICTORIA Police have arrested a man for alleged racial abuse of a National Basketball League (NBL) player via social media in a first for the sport in Australia, the national governing body said on Friday. Basketball Australia said that on July 2 police arrested and charged a 37-year-old Huntingdale man who allegedly sent the message…
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MOSCOW: Ukraine’s overnight and early Friday morning drone attacks killed two people in Russia and attempted to hit targets in Moscow, Russian authorities said. Russian air defences downed 155 Ukrainian drones between 11 p.m. on Thursday (2000 GMT) and 7 a.m. on Friday, including 11 bound for Moscow, Russia’s defence ministry said on the Telegram…
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TESLA will open its first India showroom in Mumbai next week, having imported $1 million worth of cars and merchandise, marking its entry into the world’s third-largest car market despite CEO Elon Musk’s complaints about high import tariffs. In an invitation to media late Thursday, the carmaker said the July 15 event was the “launch…
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SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese leaves for Shanghai on Saturday on an official visit to China where regional security tensions and efforts to grow economic ties are likely to dominate talks. Australia’s exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore, and Albanese will travel with…
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BERLIN: Germany plans to buy 15 additional F-35 fighter jets, Politico reported on Friday citing several people familiar with the matter, a move that would increase the country’s planned fleet of the U.S.-made jet to 50. The report comes amid tensions between Germany and France on the joint Franco-German fighter jet FCAS partnership, after a…
Continue reading Germany plans to buy additional 15 F-35 fighter jets, Politico reports
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s pick for ambassador to Singapore has been accused of being “unqualified” for the job after he repeatedly fumbled answers on the city-state during a Senate confirmation hearing. Anjani Sinha, an orthopedic surgeon born in India, was berated by Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth during Wednesday’s grilling in Washington and told to…
Continue reading US senator says Trump’s pick for Singapore ‘unqualified’
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s pick for ambassador to Singapore has been accused of being “unqualified” for the job after he repeatedly fumbled answers on the city-state during a Senate confirmation hearing. Anjani Sinha, an orthopedic surgeon born in India, was berated by Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth during Wednesday’s grilling in Washington and told to…
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ROME: The founder of Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani issued a message as he turned 91 on Friday to say that he will be back in September, after a health problem forced him to miss the Milan and Paris fashion shows in recent weeks. It was the first time Giorgio Armani has missed one of…
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ROME: The founder of Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani issued a message as he turned 91 on Friday to say that he will be back in September, after a health problem forced him to miss the Milan and Paris fashion shows in recent weeks. It was the first time Giorgio Armani has missed one of…
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SINGAPORE: The U.S. dollar rose on Friday, fuelled by upheavals in the global trade landscape, as U.S. President Donald Trump announced more import tariffs, ranging from 35% on neighbouring Canada to plans for blanket levies of 15% or 20% on most trade partners. Most currencies initially held in tight ranges in early Asian trade, though…
Continue reading Dollar rises after Trump unveils new tariffs; bitcoin at record
SINGAPORE: The U.S. dollar rose on Friday, fuelled by upheavals in the global trade landscape, as U.S. President Donald Trump announced more import tariffs, ranging from 35% on neighbouring Canada to plans for blanket levies of 15% or 20% on most trade partners. Most currencies initially held in tight ranges in early Asian trade, though…
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PETALING JAYA: President Donald Trump has nominated Nick Adams, an Australian-American commentator and self-described “alpha male,” to serve as the next US ambassador to Malaysia. Adams, who became an American citizen in 2021, rose to prominence in 2016 when Trump praised his book “Green Card Warrior” as a “must read” on social media, Politico reported.…
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PETALING JAYA: President Donald Trump has nominated Nick Adams, an Australian-American commentator and self-described “alpha male,” to serve as the next US ambassador to Malaysia. Adams, who became an American citizen in 2021, rose to prominence in 2016 when Trump praised his book “Green Card Warrior” as a “must read” on social media, Politico reported.…
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GOOGLE will heavily discount cloud computing services for the U.S. government in a deal that could be finalised within weeks, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing a senior official at the General Services Administration (GSA). Reuters could not immediately verify the report- REUTERS
LOS ANGELES: Federal agents conducted immigration enforcement raids on Thursday on state-licensed marijuana nurseries in an agricultural region of coastal Southern California, where they were confronted by throngs of angry protesters. As word and video images of the raids spread on social media, dozens of migrant-rights activists converged on the area in vehicles leading to…
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LOS ANGELES: Federal agents conducted immigration enforcement raids on Thursday on state-licensed marijuana nurseries in an agricultural region of coastal Southern California, where they were confronted by throngs of angry protesters. As word and video images of the raids spread on social media, dozens of migrant-rights activists converged on the area in vehicles leading to…
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U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s plans to impose 50% tariffs on copper would include semi-finished products such as those used for power grids, the military and data centers, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Trump on Wednesday announced a new 50% tariff on copper starting August 1, in a bid to…
Continue reading Trump’s copper tariffs plan to include semi-finished products, Bloomberg News reports
U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s plans to impose 50% tariffs on copper would include semi-finished products such as those used for power grids, the military and data centers, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Trump on Wednesday announced a new 50% tariff on copper starting August 1, in a bid to…
Continue reading Trump’s copper tariffs plan to include semi-finished products, Bloomberg News reports
SINGAPORE: Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports to China are set to rise to the highest in more than two years in August, five trade sources said on Friday, as the top exporter seeks to regain market share in the world’s biggest importer. State oil firm Saudi Aramco will ship about 51 million barrels to China…
Continue reading Saudi oil exports to China to rise to over two-year high in August, sources say
SINGAPORE: Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports to China are set to rise to the highest in more than two years in August, five trade sources said on Friday, as the top exporter seeks to regain market share in the world’s biggest importer. State oil firm Saudi Aramco will ship about 51 million barrels to China…
Continue reading Saudi oil exports to China to rise to over two-year high in August, sources say
WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States would impose a 35% tariff on imports from Canada next month and planned to impose blanket tariffs of 15% or 20% on most other trading partners. In a letter released on his social media platform, Trump told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney the new…
Continue reading Trump to Impose 35% Tariff on Canadian Imports Aug 1
WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States would impose a 35% tariff on imports from Canada next month and planned to impose blanket tariffs of 15% or 20% on most other trading partners. In a letter released on his social media platform, Trump told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney the new…
Continue reading Trump to Impose 35% Tariff on Canadian Imports Aug 1
SINGAPORE: Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan stressed the importance of ASEAN Plus Three nations enhancing collective resilience to tackle future crises. He called for stronger trade, investment, and infrastructure connectivity among member states. The discussions involved Plus Three partners China, Japan, and South Korea. Balakrishnan noted ASEAN’s role as a trusted platform for regional…
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WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump described the Secret Service’s handling of his near-fatal shooting last year as a “bad day” while expressing satisfaction with the investigation. The agency announced disciplinary action against six staff members over operational failures during the July 2024 attack in Butler, Pennsylvania. In a Fox News interview set to air Saturday,…
Continue reading Trump reflects on near-assassination one year later, Secret Service acts
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump described the Secret Service’s handling of his near-fatal shooting last year as a “bad day” while expressing satisfaction with the investigation. The agency announced disciplinary action against six staff members over operational failures during the July 2024 attack in Butler, Pennsylvania. In a Fox News interview set to air Saturday,…
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WASHINGTON: The US State Department announced plans to proceed with workforce reductions after the Supreme Court lifted legal barriers to President Donald Trump’s proposed layoffs. Deputy Secretary Michael Rigas stated the department would soon notify affected employees. Rigas explained the layoffs follow a review of workforce reduction plans submitted by various bureaus. “The secretary approved…
Continue reading US State Department workforce cuts to begin soon after Supreme Court ruling
WASHINGTON: The US State Department announced plans to proceed with workforce reductions after the Supreme Court lifted legal barriers to President Donald Trump’s proposed layoffs. Deputy Secretary Michael Rigas stated the department would soon notify affected employees. Rigas explained the layoffs follow a review of workforce reduction plans submitted by various bureaus. “The secretary approved…
Continue reading US State Department workforce cuts to begin soon after Supreme Court ruling
ROME: Italian police said on Thursday they had arrested a man accused of syphoning off water from an aqueduct feeding the fountains and basins of a palace dubbed the “Italian Versailles” near Naples. The carabinieri police said the 58-year-old had engaged in “continued theft of public water“ to the detriment of the 18th-century Royal Palace…
Continue reading Man arrested in Italy for syphoning water from royal palace
ROME: Italian police said on Thursday they had arrested a man accused of syphoning off water from an aqueduct feeding the fountains and basins of a palace dubbed the “Italian Versailles” near Naples. The carabinieri police said the 58-year-old had engaged in “continued theft of public water“ to the detriment of the 18th-century Royal Palace…
Continue reading Man arrested in Italy for syphoning water from royal palace
UNITED NATIONS: United Nations sanctions monitors have seen no “active ties” this year between Al Qaeda and the Islamist group leading Syria’s interim government, an unpublished U.N. report said, a finding that could strengthen an expected U.S. push for removing U.N. sanctions on Syria. The report, seen by Reuters on Thursday, is likely to be…
Continue reading UN report sees no active Syrian state links to Al Qaeda
UNITED NATIONS: United Nations sanctions monitors have seen no “active ties” this year between Al Qaeda and the Islamist group leading Syria’s interim government, an unpublished U.N. report said, a finding that could strengthen an expected U.S. push for removing U.N. sanctions on Syria. The report, seen by Reuters on Thursday, is likely to be…
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WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he hoped to reach a deal in a few days for the release of more Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Netanyahu said 50 hostages were still being held captive by Hamas. Of that figure, he said, only 20 are believed to be…
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WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he hoped to reach a deal in a few days for the release of more Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Netanyahu said 50 hostages were still being held captive by Hamas. Of that figure, he said, only 20 are believed to be…
Continue reading Netanyahu says he hopes hostage deal can be done in few days
THE White House on Thursday launched a fresh attack on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, with a top Trump administration official saying Powell had “grossly mismanaged” the central bank, chastising him for running a deficit and for extensive cost overruns for building renovations. Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, in a letter addressed…
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