‘Godbrothers' Fallout Hangs Over Fragile Thai-Cambodia Truce
But left unresolved is a clutch of personal and political rifts that sparked the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbors in several decades, raising the risk that further provocations could reignite the violence.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
US imports see a rapid fall in June due to concerns over Donald Trump's tariffs, data shows
Imports into the United States fell more than expected in June as concerns around shifting tariff policies hit retailers, raising fears of fewer product options in stores for shoppers, data from the National Retail Federation showed on Friday. Since April's "Liberation Day" announcement of a 10% baseline tariff, Donald Trump has adjusted rates frequently.(Bloomberg) WHY IT'S IMPORTANT The data comes as several of US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs went into effect this week. As of August 7, duties range from 10% to 50%, with India, Brazil, and Switzerland facing some of the highest rates. Since April's "Liberation Day" announcement of a 10% baseline tariff, Trump has adjusted rates frequently. A temporary truce with China in May reduced tariffs to 30%, but new hikes resumed in July. BY THE NUMBERS U.S. ports covered by NRF's report handled 1.96 million 20-foot containers or its equivalent in June, which was down 8.4% year-over-year, but up 0.7% from May. That was a bigger drop from the NRF forecast from a month ago. The trade body had then projected ports would handle 2.06 million TEU in June, up 5.9% from May but down 3.7% year over year. Moreover, import cargo volume at major container ports in the U.S. is tentatively expected to end 2025 5.6% below 2024's volume, NRF's forecast showed on Friday. CONTEXT Apparel retailers, including Under Armour, Deckers Outdoor have reported tariff impacts in the past couple of months and are taking steps to diversify their supply chain to avoid tariffs on goods routed through or sourced from Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam. "The uncertainty around tariffs has impacted retailers' ability to forecast holiday orders and shipments. As tariff rates increase, consumers will ultimately face higher prices and less choice and availability during the holiday season," NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. "We need binding trade agreements that open markets by lowering tariffs, not raising them." Tariffs will result in higher prices for U.S. consumers, less hiring, lower business investment and a slower economy, he added.
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Why A Japanese Anime Pirate Flag Has Caused Controversy In Indonesia
A pirate flag from the widely popular Japanese anime One Piece has led to controversy in Indonesia. The fictional flag, popping up across the Southeast Asian nation, along doorways, backs of cars and walls, has emerged as a sign of protest against the government. The flag is well-known to the fans of the anime series, which has a large and dedicated fan base in Indonesia. The flag sporting a skull wearing a straw hat is a symbol carried by the protagonist Monkey D Luffy. These pirate flags, known as Jolly Rogers, act as a symbol of discontent with the protesters criticising what they say is an increasingly centralised government led by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. The public display of the flags, however, has not gone down well with those in power. Last week, the country's Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, regarded as Mr Prabowo's right-hand man, criticised the flag displays, calling it an "attempt to divide the nation". "We must collectively resist such actions," he said, as per BBC. Firman Soebagyo, a lawmaker from the centre-right Golkar Party, said displaying these flags could even amount to treason. Fenomena benderang one piece berkibar mendampingi bendera merah putih di perayaan kemerdekaan tahun ini Apakah ini berupa lambang pengharapan rakyat akan munculnya seorang sensei di dunia nyata, yg akan merubah Indonesia menjadi lebih baik — Never (@neVerAl0nely__) July 27, 2025 Officials have warned that unfurling the flag may be banned next to Indonesia's colours, or being raised on August 17 when the country celebrates its 80th independence anniversary. Some officials cited a law that prohibits flying a symbol higher than the national flag as the basis for any punishment. Under the law, intent to desecrate, insult or degrade the flag carries a maximum prison sentence of five years or a fine of nearly $31,000. Reacting to the controversy, Amnesty International said the Indonesian government should "stop repressing freedom of expression" and focus on the root causes of public unrest that have prompted the people to fly the One Piece flag. "Several people have been targeted by Indonesian authorities for raising the flag from the popular Japanese anime to express discontent with the government. One minister said the act could be considered treason." Several people have been targeted by Indonesian authorities for raising the flag from the popular Japanese anime to express discontent with the government. One minister said the act could be considered treason. The Indonesian government should stop repressing freedom of… — Amnesty International (@amnesty) August 7, 2025 What is One Piece? One Piece, first published in 1997 as a manga by Eiichiro Oda, is one of the most popular franchises in the world. The manga has sold more than 520 million copies while the TV series has run for more than 1,100 episodes.
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Cambodia starts first air shipment of fresh durians to China
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Friday began the first air shipment of fresh durians to China, a Ministry of Commerce official said. Buon Sarakmony, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Commerce, said two tons of fresh durians were exported to central China's Henan Province through Cambodia's national flag carrier Air Cambodia. "I think the export of fresh durians by air is an efficient way, as it takes only four hours from Cambodia to China's Henan," he told reporters at the event. "So, Chinese consumers will enjoy the freshness of our durians." Cambodian fresh durians have been exported to China directly since mid-July. The Southeast Asian country has planted durian trees on an area of more than 11,000 hectares, yielding over 120,000 tons of fresh durians per year, according to the agriculture ministry. Durian is Cambodia's fifth fresh fruit to gain direct access to the Chinese market after bananas, mangoes, longans and coconuts.
