2 h. ago How China, Japan and South Korea can be titans of tech innovation

Just ahead of the July 9 deadline to reach an agreement on tariffs, US President Donald Trump announced his decision on the tariffs levels for 14 countries – including a rate of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea – effective August 1. Trump accused Japan of not buying enough rice and cars from the US. It’s worth noting that the American car industry is simply not competitive in Japan. Germany, Japan and China are the top three auto exporters. Those countries, along with South Korea, have...

Politics

2 h. ago Why East Asian integration could be the solution to US tariff threats

Just ahead of the July 9 deadline to reach an agreement on tariffs, US President Donald Trump announced his decision on the tariffs levels for 14 countries – including a rate of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea – effective August 1. Trump accused Japan of not buying enough rice and cars from the US. It’s worth noting that the American car industry is simply not competitive in Japan. Germany, Japan and China are the top three auto exporters. Those countries, along with South Korea, have...

Events

3 h. ago Malaysia’s Rosmah wins US$23,600 damages over black magic claims by TikTokker

Former Malaysian first lady Rosmah Mansor has won 100,000 ringgit (US$23,600) in damages in a defamation case against a TikTokker who uploaded a video claiming that she had dabbled in black magic. The Kuala Lumpur High Court said on Tuesday that Rosmah had proven her claim against 35-year-old Ku Muhammad Hilmie Ku Din. “This global award comprises general and aggravated damages,” Justice Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh said during the damages assessment hearing, according to a report by local daily...

Events

4 h. ago Malaysian sisters wed foreigners, communicate with gestures, spark online hilarity

Three Malaysian sisters have caused online hilarity after they married men from different countries, forcing their family to break the language barriers by using gestures and facial expressions. The women's father, Razali Yusof, 85, from Perak in northwestern Malaysia, says they married men from Britain, Egypt and Pakistan, according to local media outlet Harian Metro. Razali said that neither he nor his wife speaks English, and none of his sons-in-law speak Malay. This means the family has to...

Politics

5 h. ago Malaysia seeks urgent trade talks with US after 25% tariff blow

Malaysia will press ahead with talks towards a “comprehensive” trade agreement with the United States, its trade ministry has said, as Kuala Lumpur races to soften the blow of a newly imposed 25 per cent tariff on its exports unveiled by US President Donald Trump. On Monday, Trump revealed he had sent letters to leaders of 14 countries announcing tariffs ranging from 25 to 40 per cent, in an apparent gambit to accelerate trade negotiations. The new 25 per cent tariff on Malaysian goods is one...

Politics

5 h. ago Opinion | This Is BYD, the Chinese Car That’s Taking Over the World

Opinion | This Is BYD, the Chinese Car That’s Taking Over the World  The New York Times

Politics

6 h. ago Malaysian girl recalls father’s message before bodies found in submerged car

The sole surviving member of a family of seven who drowned when their car plunged into a river in Kedah last week has recalled seeing her father in a dream, telling her not to be sad, in a tragedy that has gripped Malaysia. Putri Qisya Nur Izzat, 12, had stayed behind at her grandmother’s house on the day of the accident. She recounted on Monday dreaming of her father, 32-year-old Mohamad Azim Izat Ishak, who told her he could only watch over her from afar. “Dad said, don’t be sad or I won’t be...

Events

9 h. ago Chinese power bank maker suspends production after recall, aviation ban

One of China’s biggest portable power bank makers has suspended production for at least six months and closed its stores on major Chinese e-commerce platforms after a massive recall of its products and the decision by the country’s civil aviation authority to ban unlicensed power banks on flights. Shenzhen-based Romoss Technology, which sells its products in dozens of countries around the world, notified its employees that the company would suspend operations for six months starting on Monday,...

Economics

21 h. ago Chinese AI scientists, Beijing’s message to Brics: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump vows tariff boost for ‘anti-American’ policies as China urges Brics action US President Donald Trump has threatened to slam an additional 10 per cent tariffs on countries supporting what he calls “anti-American policies” after the leaders of Brics nations condemned unilateral tariffs. 2. Australia’s Albanese to address Darwin Port sale on China...

Politics

21 h. ago Mercedes Car Sales Drop as Tariffs Crimp Demand in US, China

Mercedes Car Sales Drop as Tariffs Crimp Demand in US, China  Bloomberg.com

Economics

24 h. ago China dad carries disabled son to school for 12 years, vows to do same at university

A father in China who has been carrying his disabled son on his back to school every day for the past 12 years has touched millions of hearts in the country. Chuan Zhuyu, a recent graduate from a secondary school in Tengchong, Yunnan province, southwestern China, scored 624 out of 750 in this year’s university entrance exam, known as “gaokao” in China. The relatively high score came as a relief to his father, who has shown dedicated care for his son, the news outlet The Cover reported. “My...

Culture

26 h. ago Trump’s Vietnam tariff pact challenges Asean unity in key summit

Southeast Asian nations are scrambling to recalibrate their approach to US tariffs ahead of a key diplomatic gathering that starts in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, as Washington’s preference for one-on-one trade deals casts doubt over Asean’s collective bargaining power. US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced a delay to the next round of his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs – pushing the deadline from July 9 to August 1 – to give time for finalising deals with 18 major trade partners,...

Politics

28 h. ago As tariff truce deadline nears, China’s premier has a message for Brics nations

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has urged Brics nations to lead reforms of global governance, calling on member states to uphold independence and act collectively amid the threat of higher tariffs from the United States. “As the leading bloc of the Global South, Brics countries should strive to be a pioneering force in advancing the reform of global governance,” Li said in a speech at the Brics summit on Sunday. At an event widely seen as a direct challenge to the Western-led world order, the premier...

Politics

29 h. ago Malaysia’s judicial crisis: Anwar’s party members want him to ‘clear the air’

Senior Malaysian lawmakers are calling for both a royal inquiry and a parliamentary investigation into Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over alleged irregularities in judicial appointments, warning that such actions risk plunging the country’s judiciary into scandal once again. Last week, Anwar’s administration declined to extend the tenure of widely respected chief justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Court of Appeal president Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim. This leaves the future leadership of the...

Events

31 h. ago Malaysian police hunt Pakistani man accused of child sex abuse

Malaysian police are on the hunt for a foreign man accused of sexually assaulting three boys and a teenager over the past three months in suburbs just outside the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The crimes were allegedly carried out in two adjacent neighbourhoods in the city of Shah Alam, a predominantly Malay-Muslim enclave about 30km (19 miles) from the capital. Police believe the suspect, whose last known address was a flat in the city, is still in the country. “To date, the number of victims...

Events

52 h. ago Chinese dad hides daughter, saying, ‘If your mum finds you, she will sell you’

A father in China spent seven years moving across the country to hide his daughter from his ex-wife, deceiving her into believing that she would be sold if discovered by her mother. According to mainland media outlet Kankan News, 22-year-old Chen Jiayuan’s parents divorced when she was just six years old. Although custody was awarded to her mother along with their flat, her father took Chen, falsely claiming she had been abandoned. In reality, he sought control over the property. Chen’s father...

Politics

53 h. ago Brics leaders urge cohesion, trade and use of local currency to grow clout

Brics leaders have called for stronger cohesion, expanded trade and increased use of local currency to improve the Global South’s clout as an alternative to Western power, even as the bloc of emerging markets maintains ties and partnerships with wealthier countries. As two new members joined the New Development Bank, also known as the “Brics bank”, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told business leaders and investors on Saturday that this delicate balancing act and bid for greater momentum...

Politics

3 d. ago Chinese baby gains online fame for skateboarding with protective gear and nappies

An 11-month-old baby in southwestern China has been skateboarding independently for two months, earning viral fame for his confident posture in videos shared by his parents. The baby, affectionately nicknamed Juanjuan, is not yet a year old but already exhibits impressive skill on the skateboard, all before mastering the art of walking. The family lives in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Juanjuan’s father, Liu Daolong, is a former snowboarding athlete and a member of the Chinese national snowboard...

Politics

3 d. ago Honored to Be Quoted in The Cipher Brief: “Beijing’s Rare Disclosure on DF

Honored to Be Quoted in The Cipher Brief: “Beijing’s Rare Disclosure on DF-5B Missile Signals Shift in Nuclear Messaging” | Andrew S. Erickson  Andrew S. Erickson

Politics

4 d. ago Leading Hong Kong forensic pathologist Philip Beh dies after battle with cancer

Leading Hong Kong forensic pathologist Dr Philip Beh Swan-lip, who dedicated his career to helping families that had lost loved ones find closure and co-founded the city’s first sexual violence crisis centre, has died. Beh was also involved in a high-profile inquest into the death of a 15-year-old girl whose naked body was found at sea during the 2019 anti-government protests. In an email sent to faculty, students and alumni of the University of Hong Kong on Thursday, Professor Lau Chak-sing,...

Events