logo
Azerbaijan seeks global aid for landmine-free future at Malaysia seminar

Azerbaijan seeks global aid for landmine-free future at Malaysia seminar

The Sun4 days ago
KUALA LUMPUR: Azerbaijan has called for global backing to eliminate landmines, requesting political support, funding, and technical expertise to achieve a mine-free future.
Ambassador Irfan Davudov highlighted the need for international cooperation, including from Malaysia, to advance this initiative under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
'We expect the Malaysian government to make a decision on this issue. I believe that financial or technical assistance from Malaysia would be highly appreciated,' Davudov said after the International Seminar Towards a Landmine-Free World.
The Mine Action Agency of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) leads demining efforts, which could take two decades and require an estimated US$25 billion. Despite the lengthy timeline, Davudov expressed confidence in success with global collaboration.
Shaharuddin Onn, Chair of the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre (ARMAC), reaffirmed ARMAC's commitment to partnering with Azerbaijan. 'This cooperation reflects the shared commitment between ARMAC and ANAMA. The partnership is tailored, collaborative, and based on cyber-focused solutions,' he said.
ARMAC hosted ANAMA in 2024 to share ASEAN's model for victim assistance and landmine rehabilitation. Shaharuddin emphasized joint efforts towards SDG 16, which focuses on peace, justice, and fundamental freedoms. - Bernama
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Apple brushes off tariff woes with US$23.4b profit, thanks to iPhone boom
Apple brushes off tariff woes with US$23.4b profit, thanks to iPhone boom

Malay Mail

time14 minutes ago

  • Malay Mail

Apple brushes off tariff woes with US$23.4b profit, thanks to iPhone boom

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 1 — Apple on Thursday reported quarterly profit of US$23.4 billion (RM100 billion), topping forecasts despite concerns about the effect of US tariffs on its supply chain. Revenue was US$94 billion for the usually slow quarter ending in June, the iPhone maker said. 'Apple is proud to report a June quarter revenue record with double-digit growth in iPhone, Mac and Services and growth around the world, in every geographic segment,' said Apple chief executive Tim Cook. Apple shares were up more than two per cent in after-market trading. Revenue from iPhone sales during the quarter was US$44.6 billion, compared with US$39.3 billion in the same period a year earlier, according to Apple. Global shipments of smartphones fell marginally to 288.9 million units in the recently-ended quarter, according to market-tracker Canalys. Samsung was the largest vendor, shipping 57.5 million smartphones, while Apple finished second with iPhone shipments down two per cent at 44.8 million units, Canalys reported. 'Apple's performance showed strong resilience amid fierce competition in China and an inventory correction in the US as it adjusted to the rapidly changing tariffs,' the market tracker said in its findings. Cook said that the Trump tariffs cost Apple US$800 million in the quarter that just ended and are expected to cost the iPhone maker US$1.1 billion in the current quarter. 'Assuming the current global tariff rates, policies, and applications do not change for the balance of the quarter, and no new tariffs are added, we estimate the impact to add about US$1.1 billion to our costs,' Cook said. Tariffs are essentially a tax paid by those importing goods to the United States. This means Apple is on the hook for tariffs on iPhones and other products or components it brings into the country from abroad. More in US Cook said that most iPhones sold in the United States now come from India as Apple works to navigate US President Donald Trump's trade war with China. Trump has taken aim at India with a 25 per cent duty to begin Friday — slightly lower than previously threatened — after talks between Washington and New Delhi failed to bring about a trade pact. Apple's tariff cost is up because sales are up, according to Cook. 'In terms of what we do to mitigate, we obviously try to optimize our our supply chain,' Cook said of managing the tariff hit. 'Ultimately, we will do more in the United States; we've committed US$500 billion investment in the US over the next four years.' Tit-for-tat exchanges have seen hefty US levies imposed on China, with Beijing setting retaliatory barriers on US imports. Sales of iPhones in mainland China were US$15.4 billion in the quarter, compared with US$14.7 billion in the same period a year ago, according to Apple. Revenue in Apple's services business selling digital content and subscriptions to fans of its devices grew to US$27.4 billion in the quarter, Apple reported. 'The results show that Apple's iPhone strategy is working to offset the impact of looming challenges with AI development timelines, tariff pressures, and Google's antitrust issues,' said Emarketer analyst Jacob Bourne. 'The company's successful pivot to iPhone manufacturing in India, demonstrates supply chain flexibility, while its return to iPhone growth in China and continued services segment expansion, including deeper financial services offerings, show diversification beyond hardware.' — AFP

Singapore's 2024 MRT breakdown could have been prevented with better coordination: SMRT CEO
Singapore's 2024 MRT breakdown could have been prevented with better coordination: SMRT CEO

The Star

time44 minutes ago

  • The Star

Singapore's 2024 MRT breakdown could have been prevented with better coordination: SMRT CEO

SINGAPORE: The six-day disruption to train services on the East-West Line (EWL) in September 2024 could have been prevented with better coordination among all parties involved, said SMRT group chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping on July 31. Setting out the rail operator's view of the breakdown – one of Singapore's worst so far, affecting 2.6 million passengers – Ngien said the right lessons needed to be learnt so that the same mistakes are not made again. This means working more closely with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and equipment manufacturers during fleet and systems renewals. 'We need robust, forward-looking life-cycle planning, clear roles and responsibilities, and much tighter cross-agency collaboration moving forward,' said Ngien during a press conference on the latest financial results for SMRT's train division. On July 31, SMRT said the 2024 EWL breakdown has prompted 'deeper reflections' on the challenges of operating rail assets beyond their intended lifespan. Noting that MRT trains in Singapore are designed to be operated for 30 years, the operator called for a structured framework to manage ageing trains, suggesting that LTA issue a formal certificate to rail operators if such trains are used beyond their intended lifespans. Such certificates are already issued for new trains before they enter service. The process involves checks by the train manufacturer and an independent assessor to ensure all safety specifications are met. The 2024 EWL disruption was traced to a faulty part on a 37-year-old, first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) train, which caused extensive damage to 2.55km of track and trackside equipment as it was being withdrawn from service. Investigations found that SMRT had extended the interval between overhauls for the KHI fleet without a detailed engineering and risk assessment. However, LTA did not review the extension either, nor did it require SMRT to seek its approval. SMRT, meanwhile, has cited repeated delays in the delivery of new replacement trains that would have allowed it to retire the faulty train earlier. The new trains were ordered by LTA in 2018, two years after the authority took over ownership of SMRT's rail assets under a revised financing model. Under this model, LTA makes decisions regarding upgrading and asset replacement. The new trains were meant to arrive from 2021, in time for the KHI trains to be decommissioned. But they were delivered only from 2023 onwards. This was one of the factors that LTA took into account when it lowered the fine that SMRT would pay to the Public Transport Fund, to S$2.4 million (US$1.85 million) from S$3 million, as a penalty for the September 2024 incident. The decision came after SMRT made its final representations on the matter. SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming said on July 31 that the rail operator was faced with a 'tough choice' over whether to overhaul the old KHI trains or wait for the new ones made by French company Alstom to arrive. He said MRT trains are usually overhauled after clocking 500,000km, which is about every four years, and the planning for such works takes place about 1½ years in advance, so that the operator can source the necessary parts. The KHI trains were last overhauled in 2018. After repeated delays to the new trains, SMRT decided to overhaul the KHI fleet again in 2022, Seah said. But SMRT had trouble procuring spare parts due to global supply chain disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hence, it could start on modular overhaul works only in December 2023 using the limited parts available. By September 2024, 18 out of 66 first-generation KHI trains were overhauled. But the faulty train that caused the major disruption that month was not among them. Ngien, who was LTA chief executive from 2016 to 2020, said more proactive and deliberate decisions about the KHI overhaul could have been made earlier if there was better coordination between asset owner LTA and the rail operator. He also revealed that the new Alstom trains had issues with overheating batteries when they were first delivered in 2023. 'Frankly, it's not reasonable to expect the operator to have a contingency plan to continue to overhaul, just in case, in 2021, the trains (were not delivered). Even so, there must be certain discussions and agreement as to the funding,' Ngien added, noting that SMRT paid for the additional overhauls to the KHI fleet. In its statement on July 31, SMRT lauded the announcement in March that up to $1 billion in additional government funds will be invested over the next five years to improve the management of rail assets here. 'This is a positive step in addressing the challenges Singapore faces in managing train fleet transitions,' it said. SMRT said it also plans to deepen direct engagement with equipment manufacturers, pointing to its partnership with Alstom to accelerate the testing of the new North-South and East-West line (NSEWL) trains being delivered. 'This proactive approach allows potential reliability and interoperability issues to be resolved ahead of full deployment. We remain on track to retire all first-generation KHI trains by end-September 2025,' the operator added. There are 13 KHI trains still operating today, and they are used only during weekday peak hours. Meanwhile, 63 new Alstom trains have entered service on the NSEWL so far, out of the 106 trains on order. - The Straits Times/ANN

Reduction of US tariff rate to 19% a significant achievement, says Zafrul
Reduction of US tariff rate to 19% a significant achievement, says Zafrul

The Star

time44 minutes ago

  • The Star

Reduction of US tariff rate to 19% a significant achievement, says Zafrul

PETALING JAYA: The reduction in the United States' reciprocal tariff rate from 25% to 19% on Malaysian goods is a significant achievement and displays Malaysia's thorough and methodical negotiating process and strong inter-agency coordination, says Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. The Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry said the reduced rate was a result of sustained engagement with the United States through various bilateral platforms. "The 19% rate roughly tracks the rate of other countries in the South-East Asian region. "Most importantly, Malaysia stood firm on various 'red line' items, and the 19% tariff rate was achieved without compromising the nation's sovereign right to implement key policies to support the nation's socio-economic stability and growth," he said in a statement on Friday (Aug 1). "To manage the implications of the 19% tariff rate, the ministry will continue to collaborate with other ministries and agencies to cushion the effects on Malaysian exporters," he said, adding efforts would also be made to support small and medium enterprises to adjust to the new tariff rate. Tengku Zafrul pointed out that the United States remains Malaysia's biggest export market valued at RM198.65bil and the top source of foreign investment with approved investments amounting to RM32.82bil in 2024. The 19% US tariff rate takes effect in seven days and applies to goods entering the United States for consumption, with limited exceptions for shipments already in transit. Signed on July 31, 2025, the order amends Executive Order 14257 and imposes revised ad valorem duties on multiple trading partners, including all major Asean nations. Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia each face a 19% rate, with Vietnam slightly higher at 20%. Singapore continues to receive the lowest tariff rate among Asean nations at 10% but Laos and Myanmar face the highest at 40%.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store